Stimulus Rage
Why has opposition to the stimulus become the defining issue for today's Republican party? The party's base cares deeply about abortion, gay rights, gun control, the war on terror and no doubt many other issues. But the stimulus seems to generate passion and anger that's a quantum step above any of these. The general noise level post-Specter suggests that there is room in the Republican party for different opinions on many issues, but not on this one. Why?
Is it too simple to view the stimulus vote as a proxy for racial animosity? Ignoring the details, the stimulus is big spending by Democrats & liberals on domestic programs. To much of the Republican base, this means helping "them". They would rather see no Federal spending at all than see it benefit those groups that they despise.
Is it fair to say that the last issue inspiring this kind of anger in the right-wing base was Bush's attempt to reform immigration?
Clearly the rage over the stimulus is not motivated by deficits ("Reagan proved that deficits don't matter") or by the details (tax cuts vs. infrastructure spending vs. direct grants to states vs. other). This is primal, emotional, deep-seated. I am not one of those folks who sees racism lurking behind every shadow but in this case, it's hard to not see the anti-stimulus rage as a proxy for racial animosity.
Advertisement
Oh absolutely. These people (far right and not so far) despise those in the lower economic rungs. Especially those of "color". Since everybody knows they are lazy good for nothings that just sponge off of everyone else.
C
May 5, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
In 1776 the American colonists went to war with the British Empire. The serious objection by the revolutionaries was "Taxation without Representation" Well we are back to square one, owing to the unnerving fact that today our government is forcibly taxing us. We pay hundreds of billions in costs of impoverished, uneducated people who considered a right to steal American workers jobs and settle here illegally. It's been proven that the majority of Democrats are pushing to weigh us down, with even more taxes should a path to citizenship be passed.
Knowing that Amnesty will be passed secretly behind closed doors, no matter what the consequences under a Democratic-Socialist majority? Those 20.000 in town protesting equals another 200.000, because once legalized there want to bring in their Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Nieces. All those they can sponsor, by signing an affidavit that they will not become a financial burden on the population. However our government does not enforce this law and then the Taxpayer ends up paying for their upkeep. Their handicapped and infirm can apply for SSI, SDI without ever paying into the system. These people know the the welfare government benefits, better than the majority of Americans. KEEP MULTIPLYING THE NUMBER UNDER CHAIN MIGRATION LAWS! Sick old folks end up on dialysis machines, that cost around 100.000 dollars a year and their sponsor pays nothing! Nor does the parasite business that hires cheap labor.
But it is perforated with loopholes, so new arrivals and their U.S.-born children (anchor Babies--intentional misinterpretation of emancipation for African Slaves after the Civil War) often become lifelong public burdens. A blockbuster example is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Economics writer Ed Rubenstein’s new report, “The Earned Income Tax Credit and Illegal Immigration: A Study in Fraud, Abuse, and Liberal Activism,” The author says immigrants collected about $12 billion from the EITC last year, the majority not paying a cent towards it. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation found high school-dropouts-who headed households pay an average of $9,700 a year in taxes but collect an average of $32,138 a year in benefits. All this money in real dollars is procured from unaware taxpayers. THIS IS CALLED CHAIN MIGRATION.
We have very few politicians who have the backbone to fight for legal Americans, Such as Senator Sessions, Sheriff Joe Ariapo, and in addition Rep.Shuler, the author of E-Verify and the revised Save Act. If we want to fight for what's left of our rights under the Constitution, join NUMBERSUSA JUDICIALWATCH to stop 2nd AMNESTY? NO MORE TAXES TO PAY ILLEGAL ALIENS & FAMILIES! IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE NOT BROKEN, JUST NOT ENFORCED! So enforce the 1986 Simpson/Mazzoli bill, the Immigration Reform & Control Act as enacted. Offer your support to Rep.Shuler (D-NC) on his gov website. Phone: 828-252-1651 and Senator Sessions (R-AL) (256) 533-0979
IF AMERICANS DON'T OBJECT TO THIS WEAKENING OF IMMIGRATION LAWS---WE ARE NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE AMERICA WE KNOW ANYMORE?
May 5, 2009 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Brittanicus - a few thoughts in reply.
First, can we agree that what is most important is that the US achieve robust growth in real GDP, without excessive borrowing? If we can get the economy back on track for decent annual growth (say 3.5%, adjusted for inflation) and reduce our society's debt-to-GDP ration (maybe back down to 250% or so, vs. around 400% today), there will be a lot more money flowing and we can fund necessary government without excessive taxation.
I would argue that immigration - especially, encouraging the smartest, hardest working and most ambitious people in the world to move here - is key to growing our GDP. I do not personally care if a person was born in the US or not, I just want them to contribute to the US economy. For this reason alone, those of us who see GDP growth as vital to our future should be wary of unconditional anti-immigration attitudes.
The net impact of illegal immigration on our economy is probably negative (though it is small). I think the key is to do much better. We can have a much more open door to people from anywhere in the world with drive and ambition, and our economy will grow as a result.
May 6, 2009 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink