Forum Overview :: Balance of Power :: But they WON'T, silly!

[quote name="Mischief Maker"]The fundamental lie on which Republicans operate and to which Neoliberal 3rd Way Democrats capitulate is that they care about the debt. So when Republicans are in power, from Regan to Bush jr. to Trump, they spend like they've got a hole in their pocket and run up incredible debts. Then when 3rd Way Democrats take power, Republicans start screaming at the Democrats, "Look at this mess you made!" So the 3rd Way Democrats, as <I>desperate</I> for Republican approval as they are disdainful of their own base, say, "Oh dear, we better balance this budget!" Then they start dismantling parts of the New Deal to free up funds, and any positive changes they attempt to make in this pursuit the Republicans filibuster, until eventually they've completely eroded the New Deal down to nothing. Rinse and repeat. This is Jude Wanniski's <A HREF="https://www.commondreams.org/views/2009/01/26/two-santa-clauses-or-how-republican-party-has-conned-america-thirty-years">Two Santa Clauses</A> theory in action. Rubio, the excitable child that he is, even said it out loud last week, that next up on the chopping block are Social Security and Disability. This is why I keep talking about Libertarianism, even though the politicians advancing it might not label themselves as such. Killing the New Deal is the holy grail of Libertarianism (not legal weed) and every politician under the Koch Brothers' thumb is working toward that goal whether they're aware of it or not.[/quote]