tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918263243703155602.post3358499683547503573..comments2023-06-05T05:35:53.290-04:00Comments on Harvey's Global Politics - HGP: Why do so many conservatives vote against their interest?healthysoulshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04578620378680191125noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918263243703155602.post-58520859396832797012012-04-20T17:45:33.026-04:002012-04-20T17:45:33.026-04:00Josh thanks for you comments. Let's clarify a ...Josh thanks for you comments. Let's clarify a few things:<br />1. Clinton not only had budget surpluses...he submitted balanced budgets to congress.<br />2. With the severity of the economic crisis - worst since the Great Depression - government had to spend big in order to re-boot the economy. Hence, Obama had no other viable choice but to spend.<br />3. The Democrat's are not proposing new taxes they are stating let the Bush tax cuts expire - they were and are not paid for in any revenue set aside...we can not afford them.<br /><br /><br />Additionally, don't miss the big main point of the article: Far too many working class, middle-class and upper middle class conservatives reject working/campaigning/uniting with other similar class people of other races or ethnic backgrounds because they feel they are part of the elite privilege class.<br /><br />To better understand this division one needs only to read the Nathaniel Bacon story...the Bacon rebellion of 1676 in which poor whites and poor blacks (both were formerly de fato indentured servants - slavery was not a life-time sentence at this point)united to fight exploitation from the ruling elite. <br /><br />After the rebellion, the ruling class created a social class called the White male privilege status. Next, slavery was converted to a life long sentence creating a sub-human class. Poor white males with their new elevated status began to identify more with the elite class than poor people from other races...<br /><br />Here's a link http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part1/1p274.htmlhealthysoulshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04578620378680191125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918263243703155602.post-52748458563789353752012-04-18T14:04:27.348-04:002012-04-18T14:04:27.348-04:00The budget surplus doesn't exactly paint a pro...The budget surplus doesn't exactly paint a proper picture of government spending. To Clinton's credit (and I mean that sincerely), he never wanted to spend quite as much as Bush the younger or Obama. They're both huge spenders. Clinton, from what I remember about him, bounced to the center and didn't try to write all the checks out.<br /><br />That he had a thorough camp of Republicans in Senate and in the House is something also often forgotten. <br /><br />That's not mentioning, either, that government proposes and sets the budgets. Say, for example, President Obama was able to get a budget passed in 2014 of 2.3 trillion (which is a realistic number he may want given his incline). If, by some miracle, he got Democrats to work this up and actually got it passed, and say he only spent 2.1 trillion of it, would he be heralded as a responsible spender? He would technically have a surplus. <br /><br />For me personally, I believe that to be a false standard. If I set the budget in my home and then simply didn't spend over that budget, I'm not sure I should be praised. Because my budget isn't my debt. As long as I still had debt, working within my budget is the least I should be doing. <br /><br />Bush was a "fuck it" kinda President for sure. He didn't do much in his entire presidency but spend. Bush was a right-wing progressive -- just like a left-wing progressive, from what I can tell, only more fervor for war. <br /><br />I don't know what they're doing to fix anything besides spending and passing more regulations and proposing higher taxes. <br /><br />I'm not saying the Republicans are any better. But what's the Democrats' actual plan? I hear "fair share" and "do more" and a whole lot of blaming folks for the purposes of swaying Republican voters to the Democratic side. <br /><br />What do the Democrats do once the voters get there? What are the Republicans' interests that will be addressed? I still don't know.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03970377995219031351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918263243703155602.post-78207214989010145242012-04-18T13:37:40.616-04:002012-04-18T13:37:40.616-04:00@Josh...you do pose some good points, in particula...@Josh...you do pose some good points, in particular, points on why a third party that better represents the average Jane/Joe would be most desirable. But you lost me when you stated that all the Democrats proposed is to "fuck it, let's write another check"<br /><br />If anything is over-simplified -- and not thought out -- it's your incorrect observation that is derived from GOP propaganda. The last time we (America) had a budget surplus was under a Democratic administration (Bush II said "Fuck it" and squandered the money).<br /><br />Furthermore, conservatives talk the talk of fiscal prudence, governments exponentially grow when they are in power - check the stats: governments under Nixon, Reagan, Bush I and Bush II grew. <br /><br />However, with the two party system we have, the Democrats by far better represent the interest of most working class, middle-class and upper-middle class Americans; and the GOP is great at giving lip service meanwhile they serve the interest of the wealthiest of the wealthy.<br /><br />On issues like: education, highways, infra-structure maintenance, health-care, environment, food and water safety, voters rights, consumer protection etc. it is not even close to which party has it's pulse on middle American.<br /><br />Unfortunately, as the first article pointed out - while the supply side economic system pushes more and more money in less and less hands - the GOP fat cats keep ole Billy Bob on the ranch by telling him his woes are because of those other un-American looking people -- the blacks, immigrants, gays, city folks, Muslims, teachers, government workers and unions.<br /><br />Billy Bob buys this propaganda hook, line and sinker. But, once again, check the stats...since Reagan's supply side economic policy have dominated our economy the last 30 some years the middle-class has steadily eroded. And Billy Bob continues to vote for folks robbing him blind.healthysoulshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04578620378680191125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5918263243703155602.post-69505860455247313842012-04-18T10:53:05.978-04:002012-04-18T10:53:05.978-04:00So, indulge me if you don't mind: What are the...So, indulge me if you don't mind: What are the interests of a Republican?<br /><br />You say--a lot say--that Republicans vote against their own interests. What are those interests? <br /><br />I ask myself what my own interests are. I obviously can't speak for Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, libertarians, pinkos, or anyone else. But for my own particular interests, I find that neither party serves them.<br /><br />I read the typical story like this to bash Republicans with the implication that Democrats will solve the nation's problems with...what? I'm not sure exactly. Solutions are never proposed that are more well thought-out than "Fuck it; let's write another check." <br /><br />Republicans just turn right back around and bash in reverse. They pass everything off on business and hope that someone else's innovation makes them look good. <br /><br />But if anyone knows what the interests are of an entire political party, so much so that they know they're voting against them, I'd like to know what they are.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03970377995219031351noreply@blogger.com