If you like this diary, please recommend it.
Never, ever, ever, react to right-wing name calling with indignation or offense. It only empowers them.
I have a much better way to respond to John Sununu's nonsense, in a way that heightens awareness of certain very interesting, but little known facts. In fact, I posted a diary a while back presenting some very interesting data. If you'd like the details you are certainly encouraged to go read it . . . but I have summarized the highlights in the letter, below. If you like it, you can send it, too.
In fact, you can make a fool out of John Sununu by asking a simple question. Here, let me show you.
Dear Governor Romney,
I see that your surrogate John Sununu has expressed a peculiar interest. He says he wishes President Obama "would learn how to be an American." According to Mr. Sununu, the President "has no idea how the American system functions, and we shouldn’t be surprised about that . . . "
This is the entirely predictable, even generic, right-wing attack on every Democrat. Conservatives have been questioning the patriotism of Democrats for as long as I can remember. Some Democrats might find this offensive. I find it hilarious. Governor Sununu . . . and you . . . are clearly ignorant of the actual track record of Democratic and Republican administrations when it comes to job creation and economic growth.
Did you know that Presidents Truman, Johnson, and Clinton each left the White House with unemployment at 4% or lower? By contrast, no Republican has ever left the White House with unemployment under 5%, and only Reagan ever left with unemployment under 6%. Not only that, but Democratic administrations since World War II have created a total of 59 million jobs. Republican administrations have created 34 million. That's 25 million fewer jobs.
As for "growth," all four Democratic administrations since World War II are among the five best in terms of GDP growth, including Jimmy Carter. Yes, Ronald Reagan is in that top five. He is in fourth place behind Kennedy/Johnson, Truman, and Bill Clinton, and his Republican successor – John Sununu's boss – immediately gave back all of his middling gains.
The most recent Republican to occupy the oval office, George W. Bush, turned in an economic performance that was the worst by almost every measure. In Bush Junior's last year as President, the economy shrank by 8%. The economy lost 4 million jobs in 2008, alone.
You claim your flag waving Republican super patriots can clean up the last Republican mess . . . apparently by re-hiring the economic team that created that mess. These would include R. Glenn Hubbard and Greg Mankiwled of Mr. Bush's Council of Economic Advisers. Perhaps they've learned something from their recent failure, though I am skeptical They apparently continue to advocate the same supply side policies of George W. Bush that lost 1 million jobs between 2001 and 2009.
The plain truth is that Republican policies consistently, historically fail to deliver "jobs and growth," while Republican rhetoric consistently and historically impugns the patriotism of the Democrats whose policies DO work.
In today's vernacular, what's up with that, Governor? If you are genuinely interested in "jobs and growth," and not in creating a stagnant oligarchy, why don't you find out what all those "un-American" Democrats keep doing right? Why do you continue to question the patriotism of people who historically, consistently, and provably outperform members of your own party. Since you know so much about "how the American system works," why are Republicans so demonstrably bad at making that system work? Or is all of this name calling so much projection and misdirection? Perhaps, when all is said and done, stagnant oligarchy is what you really want. That is your privilege, of course, but it hardly makes you a patriot.
Perhaps you could clarify your position. Do you in fact advocate stagnant oligarchy as the goal of Republican economic policy? If not, would you please kindly reveal which economic policies you will pursue that are DIFFERENT from the failed policies of George W. Bush . . . and every other Republican since the end of the Great Depression? We look forward to hearing your answer.
Sincerely,
cc: The Heritage Foundation, CBS News, NBC News, ABC News, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ed Shultz, Thom Hartmann, Rush Limbaugh
Do you like it? You can send it, too. Just
go here, enter your name and a valid email, and click where it says "Mic Check." (Your email address will not be shared with anyone.)
Oh, and in case you're wondering whether Republicans . . . or anyone else . . . know the actual track record of Republicans and Democrats, this video, including scenesfrom my recently released film, suggests that they don't.
Finally, a little graphic entertainment. Feel free to use this graphic anywhere it fits.