The meddling of the Koch brothers in Wisconsin politics has laid bare some things that have been going on for quite some time. You watch things spiral out of control as they spin down the toilet (e.g. the budget "compromise"), and you're asking yourself, "What's happening here?" I feel more and more certain that the most significant driving force in politics today is the transfer of wealth to the richest Americans from all of the rest of us. Everything else is window dressing. (more below the fold.)
Here's the attack:
1. Cut taxes on the wealthy. See the Bush tax cuts, sadly extended by Obama.
2. Cut services for the poor & middle class. See the current budget "compromise," with its seemingly unending string of cuts for social services.
3. Use the federal government as a means to take money out of middle class pockets and into the coffers of the wealthy.
3a. Ethanol subsidies. They drive up the prices of corn and other staples, reduce a car's gas mileage, and put a lot of money into the pockets of the Koch brothers and others.
3b. Medicare Part D. The only important benefactors here are the big drug companies.
3c. The push to privatize Social Security. This never was anything but an effort to increase Wall St. profits.
3d. Charter schools. Education is a huge part of government budgets, and private corporations are simply not getting enough of it.
And the list could go on (and on and on).
4. Drop wages for working people. This is why we have attacks on unions (a la Wisconsin), and attacks everywhere on teacher tenure and govt. pension plans. Much of the private sector has seen wage cuts, loss of benefits, and increased job insecurity, so now it's time to stick it to all those pesky government employees.
Now, there may be some benefit from these programs for ordinary citizens, but the primary goal is wealth transfer. Take from the little guy, give to the big guy.
Everything else is distraction. Abortion, gun rights, other hot button issues merely serve to keep people thinking about something else while their pocket is being picked.