Crossposted from Hillbilly Report.
You know, this tea-bag mentality that spurned such candidates as Rand Paul quickly shows just how unrealistic it's ideology is when unraveled. You see, to "starve the beast" and provide "freedom" from the federal government you have to do away with many things that many people want and depend on and sooner or later it comes back to bite you when you have to back step and as Republicans call it "flip-flop". You also have to bankrupt the state and local governments you put so much faith in.
You see, when Rand Paul opened his mouth before and said that much needed federal funding for treatment and and enforcement programs comes into Eastern Kentucky each year and helps is not much-needed he put his foot in it. He must have really not understood the economies of the state and local governments he was speaking of either. How does he believe that the economy in Eastern Kentucky can ever replace certain federal funding for programs that make a difference?? What makes any of these people think that state and local governments have any money either and are the great saving grace for our economy??
Paul showed his ignorance on this with this comment:
Paul said last month during a public appearance in Louisville that he would "rather see drug abuse and dependency treated and paid for at the local level."
He was addressing a question then on whether he supported Operation UNITE, which conducts drug investigations and provides money for drug treatment and anti-drug education in Eastern and Southern Kentucky.
Which in a way shows the glaring weakness candidates like Paul have. They are so determined to completely "starve the beast" in a shameless attempt to appeal to the radical "tea-bag" faction of their party they just cannot admit "the beast" does things that help people. It if you believe that these things can be handled all over the country on a local or state level, like Rand Paul you are so out of touch it is embarrassing!!:
Several Central Kentucky sheriffs who appeared with Conway at a news conference Friday in Lexington echoed that sentiment, saying federal funding pays for officers and equipment to help them fight drugs just as it does in Eastern Kentucky.
Letcher County Sheriff Danny Webb said he was glad that Paul said he considers drugs a serious problem in the state. But Webb said local taxpayers could not pick up the tab to fight drugs.
"I’d like to know where the money’s going to come from" in the absence of federal funding, Webb said.
http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.co...
So of course, this brings out the "flip-flop" from the Paul campaign:
"As a father and a physician, Dr. Paul understands that drugs are a serious problem facing Eastern Kentucky, and agrees that we need a robust effort from government and local communities to combat it," his campaign said in a statement.
Now, feel how you will about the "War on Drugs". However, this shows a nagging consistency by Paul to embrace the ideology of the most radical fringes of the Republican Party. That means if you look across the board they want to end any program the federal government operates and eventually they get to something you like, need or have a loved one that depends on.
Of course, when you openly call for American wages to fall, and then try to cut federal funding to those that are unemployed, underemployed, or are just forced to work in one of the wonderful service-type jobs that have been created in the last several decades you have to depend on the government to help. The "free market" has refused to pay you a living wage. In that case right now in America wages need to come up. Not according to Paul and the insane tea-baggers:
Jack Conway to his credit did call Paul on his "starve the beast" mentality:
But Conway said cutting federal spending does not automatically equal more money for local governments.
"Just because (Paul) wants to starve the federal government, that doesn’t mean that local law enforcement officers would have the resources to do their jobs," Conway said.
http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.co...
You know, Thomas Jefferson once wrote that government was a "necessary evil". I think he knew back then that any government of the people would be of the people and since people are imperfect government too would be imperfect. However, just as in his time America today still needs a strong federal government. The tea-bagger system has already been tried and long ago replaced. They were called the Articles of Confederation.
The real reason for the hatred of the federal government boils down simply to this. You see, the federal government has the power to keep the rich, powerful and incorporated from preying upon the rest of us. Our federal government has actually been too weak already in that regard. Look at the wages of CEOs as compared to the wages you make in the last several decades and it is very easy to see that working America, our children who are coming of age and will need jobs, and anyone who aspires to join the middle-class is being preyed upon.
Our country is at a crossroads right now. If we strip our federal government of all it's power it will be a disaster for everyone. Overwhelmed states will not be able to fill the void. Our federal system is indeed what has held those states together for so long now. I mean, did we not have a "debate" on the subject of states rights against the federal government among other things, Wasn't it called the Civil War??
The "Robber Barons" in this country are just as alive and probably more well-off than they have ever been. They consider money the way a crackhead considers a rock. They will never have enough and will always covet the little that the working classes have and try to take it. They hate the federal government because they do not want anyone regulating your safety, wages, conditions or anything else. They want you stripped clean of all protections against rabid wolves that would love nothing more than to tear your nest egg apart.
In the absence of federal power they could and would do just that.