GOP Economics: Go Cheney Yourselves

Here’s the bottom line when it comes to government: you have to actually give a shit about the people you are supposed to be working for, you have to respect the laws and regulations … and you have to put the public’s interest ahead of your own political and personal ambitions. Just like anything else in life, you do a better job when you actually give a crap about what you are doing — and who you are serving — and inject a bit of integrity and forethought into your actions.

If you are wondering why this nation is in a world of hurt on the economic front at the moment, look no further than the Grover Norquist School of Republicanism: "My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years," he says, "to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."

Here’s a clue, Grover — size isn’t everything, but ability to perform well is. One would have thought you might have learned that important lesson at some point. Sadly…no.

As if that weren’t enough, self-styled "leaders" in conservative punditry think grocery prices are just the same as always, and anyone who is having trouble making ends meet should just suck it up and deal. Meet the McCain campaign’s likely economics philosophy in a nutshell, given that it’s being driven by the likes of former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Enron) and "Mr. Trickledown" Jack Kemp.

Let’s take a peek at what this philosophy of anti-government-for-and-by-the-people, economic Darwinism that could give a rat’s ass unless you are a crony has wrought, shall we?

– Shaila Dewan has a poignant, powerful piece on homelessness in New Orleans and the decided lack of low-income housing options for the worst off in that area. A lot of the lower-income housing was destroyed in the storm — no shock, there, since poverty generally relegates you to living in riskier, less-desirable areas — but all these years later, here we still are. With children who may have suffered long-term health damage from the formaldehyde-laced trailers in which FEMA negligently and knowingly parked them. Lovely.

– Scout Prime has a great recap of the McClellan discussions on Heckuva Job Brownie and the Bush Katrina failures, and the Iraq mess as part of the equation. See the YouTube above as a reminder of the chronic indifference that was the Bush Administration’s response to the disaster. Warning: the sheer stupidity and unfeeling detatchment will still piss you off. Republican theory of government writ devastatingly crony-ridden and craptastic, with other people paying the consequences for their inactions.

– Think someone else’s economic woes aren’t your problem? Welcome to rats and other new wildlife in your neighborhood, gated communities included.

– Something tells me folks saying groceries are the same price as always aren’t going shopping on a budget of $219 a month. And before someone throws out the "get a job" canard, how do you do that if you have a disabled child or parent at home for whom you are caring 24/7 and a spouse who is already working two jobs? Compassion is such a lost art among certain circles, isn’t it?

– How low has the dollar sunk that Mexican investors find us a good target for their extra wealth? Can you remember the last time we were this ripe for the picking for foreign investments? It’s been a while.

– The new front in falling house values and default-o-rama? Freezing home equity lines. Feeling better about the economy’s long-term chances yet? Then this should help you out.

The choices that we make in elections have long-term consequences. We cannot afford another four years of Republicans in charge of the economy. Hell, we can’t afford to let them run a lemonade stand on the corner because it would turn out to have toxic effects on the kiddies who buy it due to their profit-enhancing, cost-cutting measures and the use of genetically modified lemons that secretly turn people into mutant ninja turtles.

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2. What would Dick Cheney do?
3. BREAKING: Cheney FBI Interview Notes Released
4. David Broder Gives Cheney a Big Blow-Job
5. Less Robust Public Option a Double Slap in the Face to Working Class Americans