By Jim Hoover
Republicans are trying to sabotage the economy for political gain.
This is the only conclusion we can draw to explain Republican unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling unless Democrats cave to their demands of huge spending cuts.
Even worse, Obama will be complicit in this sabotage if he does not call their bluff. But Republicans can win both ways, they figure. Huge cuts in spending will tank the economy, and a default will ruin the economy for perhaps years. Voters will blame Obama both ways, Republicans hope.
Wall Street basks in money and the rest of us continue to pay the price.
I believe that this high risk game of the Republicans is fashioned on this strategy, in order to win the 2012 election. Mitch McConnell has often stated that the number one Republican goal is to get rid of President Obama – just destroying Obama, and apparently the economy, to accomplish this.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, “defaulting on our debt would create fundamental doubts about the creditworthiness of the US, and damage the special role of the dollar and Treasury securities in global markets in the long term.”
Global economic disorder would surely follow any American default on its debt. A huge stall in our economy would follow. The money market would be poisoned by higher interest rates, small business borrowing would suffer, and more unemployment would follow.
I believe these are the conditions that the Republicans want. They believe that voters will blame Obama and not them.
Accordingly, the Republican game is ominously pointing to economic travail in order to keep their seats in the House and gain the presidency in 2012.
Especially since Newt Gingrich had control of the House during Clinton times, and then Karl Rove had political control of two branches of government, the policy has been the “end justifies the means,” an age-old principle we can attribute to the 16th century Italian historian and philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli. To maintain the aristocracy, Machiavelli emphasized the occasional need for the methodical exercise of brute force, deceit, and intimidation.
Karl Rove was an admirer of Machiavelli and his tactics. Neo-conservatives borrowed heavily from Machiavelli’s methods to maintain and keep power. Republicans are still proving their adherence to power politics over all else, this to achieve control of government.
The Republican willingness to risk default on our debt is an indication they believe that the end, Republican control of our government, justifies any means to attain it.
The sooner the people see this, the quicker we can rid ourselves of those who use these tactics.
Republicans: Sabotage the Economy,
Bob
29 Jun 2011just to comment on your comments on Machiavelli. There’s been some discussion for quite some time about whether or not The Prince was a satire. Jean-Jacques Rousseau certainly thought so. If you look at his plays, especially The Mandrake, then the idea of Machiavelli as the satirist of the Medici family starts to solidify. Take into consideration that the Medici’s sent their own bodyguards to beat the living crap out of Machiavelli, and history shows that ‘the end justifies the means’ was just some big joke he played that every politician seems to have somehow misinterpreted for their own damn cause. I don’t believe he meant it to become a principle, which might be of some credit to his abilities in that everyone took him seriously, or the greatest travesty that he’s ever had to suffer. Nonetheless, I believe we have a responsibility to correct such a gross malfeasance by denoting the satire in Machiavelli’s work–which then I think might make the politicians that actually take him too seriously as historical projections of his mockery.
ocjim0
29 Jun 2011You may well be right, Bob, but few of us have the time or inclination to do a study of accepted terms and concepts and their histories before we use them. Popular cultures grab the catchy and attractive details of the past, often without investigating the source. Especially in today’s world, agendas dictate what we want to believe.
Facebook: Conservative & Liberal Civil Debate blog replies to this article...
29 Jun 2011– James Cottle: Just more leftist propoganda. Baaaaaaaaaaaaah, baaaaaaaaaaaaaah, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
– Devin Ray Hatton: Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Baaaaaaaaaaaaa baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa my butt!
If this was posted and the poster took the time to reposistion the words “democrats” and “republicans” to opposite spots in the same sentences…..
You’d be right here calling it a fact!
– John Smith: LMAO, what economy?, Obama and the Democrats of killed jobs and business. Socialism is only good until you run out of other peoples money. Now ,thanks to Obama and the Dems, we are broke! Raising the debt ceiling is postponeing the inevitable, we must become fiscally responsible, and cut what we can while we can. Obama cant keep printing money, devaluing the dollar or we will end up a banana republic.
– Robert Coveno: John I agree with everthing you said but I would add that Bush ran up a large tab as well during his time with both D and R controlled congresses.
– James Cottle: No I wouldn’t Devin. I know Democrats can’t wait to raisr the debt ceiling. And, for the record, I am NOT, I repeat NOT a republican. I don’t trust a single one of these asshats to take out my garbage, let alone run this country. Republican…
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10 hours ago · Like · 1 person
– James Cottle: And, please Devin, just because you and your friends sit around and suck each other off because of your liberal views and how much smarter you are than the “republitards” and “teabaggers”, dont assume you know anything about me. Just because you’re blind to what your dictator is doing doesn’t mean you get to judge me with your smug left wing ideals.
– James Cottle: So call the ACLU and tell them about that.
– Larry Apperson: Republicans have no other possible motive in this other than politics and trying to force their own agenda.
An interesting note: My source being an interview on CBS radio. If the debt ceiling is not raised the first cuts would be SS & Medicare followed by Federal employees. Congress would be exempt. Has anyone seen/ heard confirmation of these facts?
– Larry Apperson : John Smith, Jobs have been moving overseas since Nixon bought Kinsinger’s concept that we should become service / information providers and move manufacturing overseas.
– Carey Smith Larry : and they did it with public approval under the notion we were improving the living standards of those poorer nations.
– Michael Lunn: ”And, please Devin, just because you and your friends sit around and suck each other off because of your liberal views and how much smarter you are than the “republitards” and “teabaggers””
Nice civil debate there Cottle, reading comprehension not your strong suit? Check the rules of the page.
– Larry Apperson: Carey Smith, You are correct. The point is, to blame Obama for a policy 40 years old is just partisan politics.
– James Cottle: Awwwwwww….. Did I hurt your widdle feelings?……. Im sowwy Michael.
– James Cottle: I was born without a filter Michael. The only way I can respond to smugness and condescention is with equally mean, just a little more pointed and harsh retorts.
– Larry Apperson: No James, your just being lewd rude and socially unacceptable.
– James Cottle: On, a completely separate note, don’t you hate when people have nothing of value to say so they just patronize?
– June Stults: Harbaugh James- I know it’s hard to debate people that are obviously better at it than you are, but getting mad and acting like a 12 year old boy isn’t going to help anything, if you can’t play nice take your ball and go home.
8 hours ago · Like
– Harold Plein: @James Cottle…”On, a completely separate note, don’t you hate when people have nothing of value to say so they just patronize?” See James Cottle.
-James Cottle: Look, say whatever you want, I’m not going to be patronized by a gang of latte sipping liberals. If the admin of this page finds what I say to be wrong, they can boot me. Until then I will continue to tell you when I think you’re wrong and when I think you’re being a douche. That’s what debate is. Bunch of self righteous blow hards with their noses in the air dont scare me.
– Michael Lunn: Well, that’s about the maturity level I expected from you Cottle. If you don’t like the rules, go play somewhere else. There is nothing special about you and your “lack of a filter” that allows you to be exempt from the rules.
– Steve Dose: The left will always accuse the right of doing what they are doing. The left is systematically dismantling the economy and accusing the right of doing it. They will stab you in the back, as they accuse you of trying to stab them.
– Dan Clayton: both sides steve,,,,if they compromise we all win,,,shrink entitlements and raise revenue!!!
– James Cottle: That’s rich michael. You think because you question my reading comprehension skills, that makes it not insulting? Take a look in the mirror, my fellow American. Just because you think you are talking above people or insulting them im a classy way, doesn’t make you witty, it makes you an assumptive douche.
– James Cottle: Admin, I understand if you have to boot me, im just so tired of smug, smart assed leftists who try to barrage you with insults to shut you up. Not being able to take the high road is one of my many faults, but im not going to sit here and watch these sheep belittle people about their opinions.
– Gene Donado: <-obviously scrolling up & back to see where the "debate" started and where it is now. Hmm.. (anybody?) 8S - James Cottle: The leftist on this page mind the way you say things not the nature of the text. They can insult you as long as they do it San Francisco style, but you start bringing four letter words into it, they get all indignant and yelling to their mommies how you hurt thier feelings. - Garance Roberts: Oh...boo hoo..."when we righties bully it_is_...like_SO justified!" sillliness. - Gene Donado: LOL Garance! - Sean Fitzgerald: Well lets see....Democrats say SS has a $2 trillion surplas...so by their definition Larry the statement is false. Medicare is again solvent by Democrats definition, so again false. Now if a company cant make payroll what should it do ? - Sean Fitzgerald: "Drunks and fools " !