Instead of demonstrating their much advertised "leadership" skills, republican House speaker John Boehner along with Mitch McConnell - after having been exposed and forced to shrink away from their embarrassingly false accusation which was also delivered in the from of a question; "Where are the jobs?" - are now being led by an irrelevant has-been to once again cover for their many inadequacies along with an agenda they fear people will come to understand is nothing but rhetorical mimicry of actual progressive Dem policies *
The latest and most forgiving interpretation of this idiotic accusation; "Does the President love America?" or much worse, just another of many racist dog-whistles that while some republicans voice mild disapproval, is being used as another façade to hide what they are all guilty of, and what they really want: to lay claim to a concern for the middle class.
The GOP concerned for the middle class? Not even close.
This is electoral fear driven hypocrisy we're witnessing - imo. Fear of the time when even the most rabid rwnj base makes the choice that a shrinking paycheck is more important than the "dangers" Fox "News" concocts and tosses around as red meat. That choice is approaching its due date
Then there are the "leadership"-republicans-turned-fringe ramping up the fear-mongering with this version: Darrell Issa Defends Rudy Giuliani: He Makes Us Safer By Saying Obama Doesn't Love America (video @ link)
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The thing to remember and be mindful of today is... and yes, what I'm saying sounds like nothing new so why go on stating the obvious?
Because the MSM is allowing feeding off of this latest republican smear campaign and once again supplying many of the "answers" to fabricated bullshit questions that no one cares about and stories that no matter how round-about, always seem to get back to the need to "protect" ourselves from some "danger".
A "danger" chosen by the corporate controlled MSM
And not only is the "reported on danger" NOT what is truly the real concern but that somehow the narratives all start to ring the same wrong alarm bell which, right on cue, almost invariably lead to cries of more military intervention - war - no matter what else is at stake. No matter how the "story" began. A silencing of issues that the media has no use for. Climate change is one of many issues that get the silent treatment way too often or is then high-jacked into irrelevant pabulum to a purpose.
Typically, Darrel Issa has made one of the first subversive leaps into that pile of garbage. I'm pretty sure that others more skilled at building a MIC narrative will soon clean up Darrel's opening salvo
Then the real needs of people and real issues take a back seat (even further back - that is) - But with enough voices, we can redirect that to what matters
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Nothing has changed with the GOP agenda since 1998 when the RW Cato institute warned republicans: Republicans Are Forgetting the Middle Class, despite their laughable claims to support middle class workers today. Even as most of the gain$ during the long painful recovery from the 2007 Wall Street gambling disaster went to those most wealthy, which should make the GOP happy, the damage hasn't yet satisfied the GOP that the misery they cause will be enough to guarantee the tiny minority they shill for to capture the Whitehouse in 2016.
Supporting the ongoing campaign of sabotaging America and American workers in service to their only concern - the corporate donors that own them
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So first, just a quick look back perspective (GOP demanding the middle class worker pay more taxes), this is what the GOP were up to in 2011 | Karoli @ Crooks & Liars writes:
Ed Schultz: Republicans Hate Obama More Than They Love America
(short ad - sorry)
The republicans sabotaged these Jobs Bills, holding the economy hostage for political gain:
♦ Republicans Vote to Keep Teachers, First Responders Off the Job - (S. 1723) 10/21/2011
♦ Senate Republicans Kill Rebuild America Act - (S. 1769 ) 11/03, 2011
♦ The Presidents ideas submitted by Senator Harry Reid - S.1660- American Jobs Act of 2011 - killed by republicans
A small piece of the larger jobs bill proposed by President Obama, S.1660, this bill would provide $35 billion to state and local governments to prevents layoffs of public workers and first responders. The spending would be offset with a 0.5% surtax on all income earned above $1 million.
These Bills are only a very few of the actual Job creating Bills blocked by republicans. This obstruction, hostage taking, and ransom demands became a template that continues to this day - a template - unchanged
Republican agenda:
DEMINT: If we are able to stop Obama on this, it will be his waterloo. It will break him.
And from the current republican senate leader:
MCCONNELL: Our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term.
Sabotage:
"deliberately destroy, damage or obstruct something, especially for political or military advantage."
Since then nothing has changed except the words. Not even the hateful accusations. Anything to wreck things and hold the country hostage.
"Nice economy you've got there..it would be a shame if..."
Sound like a joke, but it is exactly how republicans operate and will always operate.
Mitch McConnell explains that extortion will be the "new "template" for the republicans (video @ link)
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I could list all of the foul ideas the GOP is "working on" today as compared to earlier years but those topics have been expertly covered here @ Daily Kos.
This is more of a "pre-emptive strike" (sorry couldn't resist using the Bush Doctrine against the GOP) to hopefully steer the stories toward what's important, and truthful. Maybe this Diary is not much, but with many non-1%er Dem voices together it adds up
Sean McElwee writes @ Alternet (February 15, 2015) | with many informative links & charts mapping out the destruction of middle class with republicans in power):
Why We Can't Let the GOP Pretend to Be the Party of the Middle Class: On a number of economic indicators, the country fares far better when a Democrat is in office.
In the run-up to the 2016 election, Republicans are trying to position themselves as the party of the middle-class.
In a recent essay, Thomas Edsall writes,
“The Republican appropriation of leftist populist rhetoric (and even policies) poses a significant threat to liberal prospects in 2016.”
It may well work, but not because Republicans are in fact reformist, but rather because voters and pundits eschew data and instead focus on rhetoric.
When it comes to actual empirical evidence, the answer is indisputable: Democrats preside over far more income growth for the middle class than Republicans.
- emphasis added
So yes, the republicans "love America" and that includes multi national corporations; just not the remaining 99.9% of us, even teabaggers.
I have a positive feeling though that since a sizable majority of people polled prefer the actual policies within the progressive Dem platform * it won't be long until the GOP will be forced to do more than pretend to care.. or pay dearly for it.
- thanks for stopping by and now it's time to turn in - be back later on - ♫♪♫