I know I haven't been here very much since I broke five ribs and then later my hip. I've just been having a lot of trouble getting the writing muscle, mediocre at best, to work again. I have been posting more on other blogs as leekinny. I think I'm slowly coming back around, again. Oh, my wife and I get around a lot in wheelchairs because of MS not an accident.
National Debt History by President
I know exactly what it feels like to be saddled with great debt from actions taken by a previous generation. The debt from getting through the Great Depression, WWII, the Marshall Plan, and GI benefits fell upon the 'baby boomers'. We all survived. The current GOP would have stood against all of that save the war, with some only supporting war in the Pacific. That debt was lowered every year until 'the deficits don't matter', borrow and spend' Reagan conservatives came along.
What Killed Off The GOP Deficit Hawks?
"The Republicans are now the ones making excuses for big deficits"
Pay as You Go is an improvement over the 'we don't pay for nothin' Republicans. Just like the previous generations saw the need and responsibility to pay for the debt associated with WWII. We have the same requirements on us to deal with the debt of the Bush era. The budget will improve under it's constraints, if followed.
The modern Republican party has allowed itself to be taken over by the extreme right-wing during the past several years. They no longer have the interests of the United States at heart; not for it's people or it's entrepreneurs. Loyalty to large corporations has replaced it's responsibility to the citizens of this nation.
These giant entities are concerned only with their own survival and profitability. Behaving like a giant amoeba gobbling up all around it without conscience, only concerned with winning the competition for it's own best interests.
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Government rules are needed to keep this sprawling beast within bounds acceptable to all those sharing the same global community.
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History is full of examples of corporation excesses being detrimental to society. A little well placed regulation removes these negative aspects for the better well being and protection to small business, society and the environment.
These corrections to corporate power were really begun in earnest, in the U.S. under, ole rough and tumble, rough- riding Teddy Roosevelt, our nations first prominent progressive and a proud Republican.
some examples of his successes for all Americans...
making the Sherman Anti-trust act work;
protecting public lands from exploitation;
standing by the miners of Pennsylvania against the 'wooded headed gentry' that owned and operated the mines;
created the Department of Commerce and Labor;
the Meat Inspection Act of 1906;
and much more among the planted seeds of good fruit to come.
The conservatives often mention the name of 'Great Depression beating-WWII winning FDR' with a mouthful of spit. They dream of rolling back all he accomplished. But, it's not just progressive reforms back to the time of Franklin Roosevelt that they would like to destroy but reforms for the good of the American people all the way back to the time of Teddy and his 'square deal' reforms.
The money that was given, without rules, to the banks in September of '08, before we ever knew who the next president would be. The government has been fighting to get it repaid. Much has been repaid.
The Obama administration would like to use those billions to help small businesses, homeowners and jobs. It's being blocked in the Senate by the Republicans who won't allow it to come up for a vote. The GOP in the Senate with independent Joementom are the reason so much valuable legislation is Blocked.
Congress has a low approval rating because Conservatives will never approve of a Democratically controlled Senate but also because they aren't getting their way on issues near and dear to them such as abortion, immigration and taxes. Progressive aren't happy because we fully expected that the Democratic leadership would stop sacrificing our principals by continuously rolling over to Republican intimidation.
The blue dogs vote with the GOP on issues that fit the conservative nature of their constituents. But, despite that, the House isn't that much of a problem. The people's business does get accomplished despite endlessly tiresome maneuvers by the Republican leadership in order to only stretch out legislative goals from being carried out or to draw attention to themselves for the local news crowd at home.
The Senate Republicans are the fly in the ointment. They have blocked/filibustered every single thing that has come before the Senate that doesn't survive their inquisition. The, 'up or down vote crowd', has used this method of killing Senatorial business more than it's combined use through out it's history.
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