Cruzing Toward a GOP Presidential Nomination
Anything. Anything could have transpired since this editorial was written. Justice Scalia dies. Sweeps on Super Tuesday. Romney resurrects. Trump continues to taunt the Republican establishment and the runner-ups can’t believe the faithful Republican base have abandoned their call to continue to embrace their anti-Obama rants. Working Americans, Republicans, Democrats and independents are fed up with the congressional leadership and their minions who have failed miserably to carry out their sworn oaths to govern and to protect the economic security of the citizens of the United States. Remember the government shutdown.
Guns, God and Gays are the buzzwords that continue to draw supporters to their cause. They invoke Freedom and upholding the constitution as if those that dare to differ with their point of view are the enemy at the gate. We are talking about Americans here, who have the right to their own opinions. The Bill of Rights apply to all Americans, not just conservatives. Their rhetoric barely masks their real agenda‰ÛÓthe corporate agenda. It boggles the mind that working class Americans vote against their own economic security. Working Americans understand that employers need to be taxed fairly in order to be profitable and to create and sustain the jobs that Americans need. Especially small businesses. Fair is fair.
Unfortunately the scales have shifted. Big business, corporate America and the rich in America have rigged the game. Guys like Cruz and Rubio profess to protect us. How; by giving an unfair advantage to employers. Corporate tax cuts have not only created the greatest income inequality this country has seen since the 1920’s they have effectively defunded the government’s ability to carry out its responsibilities, further feeding the frenzy that America’s commitment to take care of its neediest, young and old has got to end.
The shift has the working poor carrying the tax burden and yet many continue to buy into the lie that social programs, not unfair tax cuts are the cause of their own inability to maintain a middle-class standard of living.
“Failed” Liberal Policies?
Conservatives claim over and over that the “failed liberal policies of Obama and Clinton have ruined America.” Cruz threatens to overturn what he describes as President Obama’s illegal executive orders on day one of his presidency, also Obamacare, while not perfect, now covers more than 20 million Americans who had no health coverage. They want to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency and de-regulate business so that anything goes to line their pockets. Who cares what’s in our food, water or the air we breathe as long as business keeps plugging along. What about the cost of the life-saving drugs Americans need? As long as the pharmaceutical companies keep sticking it to us and making obscene profits, we’re good.
Now let’s look at workers rights, but you better do it quick because they don’t exist in the Republican agenda. Who benefits when there are no more unions? Who benefits when there are low wages, no pensions, no health care, no safety and health protections? The corporate agenda brought to you by the same guys who keep throwing the buzzwords around and working class Americans keep buying it. Right to work, yeah right. Public employees are lazy and paid too much, union workers make too much money, we can’t afford them. That’s what they say all the way to the bank. By the way, to all the cops and firefighters, our first responders, Cruz made it clear that on day one, “I’ll have your back.” Right, and your pension and your Union, just give him a little time. As long as employers can hire half the workers in America to stick it to the other half they’ll be fine.
Trump’s Lies
That brings us to Trump who has tapped into angry Americans who don’t even know why they’re angry; but it probably has something to do with struggling to get along. You have to blame someone so lets start with the Mexicans include the rest of those that have immigrated to America and all Muslims. Don’t stop there, throw in the minorities, the poor, the disabled and don’t forget the unions; that will certainly make America great again.
He has tapped into the underlying racist hatred in America and brought it front and center without ever saying the word. Our country has come too far to set back the clock now. Worker’s rights, women’s rights, civil rights are what has made this country great. Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, LBJ, statesmen all, shaped America into the greatest country in the world. How about these for buzzwords, FDR, JFK and LBJ.
Harry Van Arsdale Jr. reminded us that “Eternal Vigilance is the price of good Unionism.” Well guess what, Eternal Vigilance is also the price of good government and we, the American working-class, have dropped the ball. Too many working-class Americans are not willing to accept the truth that the conservative agenda is the corporate agenda. Wake up, America and get ready for a whole new set of buzzwords, Benghazi, socialism, emails, and Monica Lewinsky. Don’t be fooled and let’s not let any of these bums sell us down the river.
