
CBS reports it has obtained an advance copy of the Republican "Pledge to America," summarizing the GOP’s proposals for "Jobs," "Cutting Spending,"" Reforming Congress," and "Defense." Nothing new; just the usual GOP double talk and nonsense.
Unlike the cynical gibberish the Republicans will release today, FDL has compiled a summary of actual Republican policies and beliefs, based on their actual votes, public statements and past performance. So here, after an exhaustive 5-minute search of my memory (feel free to add stuff I forgot), is your 2010 Republican Party:
The Real Republican Pledge to America, based on their actual votes, history and statements:
1. Create More Jobless, then Screw Them:
– Run the economy into ditch; worst recession since 1930s; put millions out of work
– Deregulate predator financial institutions; then bail them out and shield them from oversight
– Let banks/lenders prey on consumers; oppose, shackle consumer protection
– Use Fed and Treasury to rescue Wall Street, ignore Mainstreet’s recession
– Obstruct jobs programs,
– Oppose and cripple stimulus, then claim credit for the jobs it creates
– Obstruct help to states trying to avoid teacher, firemen, police layoffs
2. Actual Spending Policies:
– Double debt over last ten years and support $700 billion more deficit next ten years in tax gifts to the richest Americans
– Start two wars (est. cost: $3 trillion) without raising revenues to pay for them
– Support efforts to cripple state revenues, then . . .
– Vote against money to help struggling states avoid teacher, firemen, police, parks, healthcare layoffs
– Deny funding for unemployment benefits
– Deny funding health care; threaten to defund/repeal insurance reforms that stop discrimination and arbitary coverage denials
– Enable worst poverty in 30 years, propose nothing to relieve it
– Create highest number of uninsured, ever; ignore it
– Recreate egregious inequality, in which the richest own most of the wealth; applaud it
– Redirect wealth upwards, to put the middle class under siege
– Curtail investments in alternative energy, infrastructure, public goods
– Cut support for veterans
– Privatize Social Security, Medicare and VA health system
3. Congressional "Reform"
– Ignore pay-go when they’re in charge
– Set records for abuse of filibuster
– Abuse Senate holds to stall nominations for personal earmarks
– Shut down government when they lose elections
4. Defense Policies:
– Create national fear/hatred of a billion Muslims;
– Begin endless wars against a billion Muslims
– Fund every weapon system the Pentagon and contractors ask for; cripple oversight of wasted, fraud
– Destroy Constitutional rights to create fear-based intelligence/terror state
– Endorse kidnapping, rendition, torture, indefinite detention, black sites, assassinations, even of Americans
5. Family Values
– Lie, make up stories, demagogue about Obama’s birth, religion, beliefs and policies to destroy the legitimacy of a democratically elected Democratic President
– Invent an alternative faux reality based on lies and relentlessly disseminate it via an ideologically controlled media
– Cynically demonize, distort the meaning of common words and issues that might undermine this alternate reality
– Cynically provoke fear of "others," usually immigrants, Muslims, non-Christians, "them," to sustain heightened support for war and executive power over individual liberty
– Undermine religious liberty for any but the preferred Christian religions; encourage religious zealotry and hatred
– Promote religious uniformity via state control over individuals and use of state to establish the preferred belief systems
– Oppose universal health care, student aid, consumer protection, environmental protection
– Teach their children to reject science, climate realities, evolution or anything that might question their alternative reality
– Bully, intimidate, shut down public meetings so we can’t even talk about public issues; convince yourselves the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to threaten/shoot those you disagree with (h/t Kathryn in MA)
– Listen only to corporate shills who deny actual problems revealed by science where it conflicts with corporate agenda of those manipulating the ignorant
– Oppose federal assistance to those harmed by corporate malfeasance and related economic forces
– Oppose efforts to reduce income inequality; strangle efforts to preserve the middle class
– Oppose efforts to end discrimination against women, blacks, Latinos, gays, or any other "them"
– Oppose efforts to curtail the power of mega-corporations that control how people live, what they buy, what they eat, wear, watch
– Oppose any efforts by the state to regulate corporate power in the public interest
It’s an astonishing record; its [im]morality rivals anything in the Bible’s Old Testament. They’ve become the most irresponsible, ignorant and morally repugnant party in my lifetime.
And based on all that, they say, "Vote Republican."
*Any resemblance to policies, votes or actions of corporate Democrats/conseraDems or the current Administration, is both likely and inexcusable, but it just might explain that "enthusiasm gap" thing.
John Chandley
More:
HuffPost, Sam Stein: GOP Pledge Director Lobbied for AIG, EXXON, Pfizer, Chamber



47 Comments




Beautiful.
Beautiful!
Rec’d
Awesome post. You rock.
This is f-ing brilliant!
Amazing, Scarecrow – rec’d!
terrific catalogue in five minutes; you are extraordinary.
But hooray for the conclusion:
It’s an astonishing record; its [im]morality rivals anything in the Bible’s Old Testament. They’re the most irresponsible, ignorant and morally repugnant party in my lifetime.
To which I say amen and amen and amen.
Keep it up.
Blessings,
Family values don’t include racism and fascist attitudes either, bravo!
Take a look at this:
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/72714
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=711aYQ-KCI8
Christopher King, J.D.
http://KingCast.net — Reel News for Real People.
Ditch the politicians before they run the economy into a ditch again!
Thanks, Scarecrow.
Well said, from top to bottom — and the footnote is the icing on the cake.
Don’t know how folks could have gotten the wrong impression about change . . .
O’Donnell said she wants to privatize veterans benefits. That’s a winner.
I think that sums it up nicely.
The Democratic spin doctors and their (few) media lapdogs keep talking about “going back to” things like high unemployment and lack of health coverage if the Republicans are put back in charge. I didn’t realize how much better things are now…
The picture atop is really scary….Those folks want to be our leaders.
So did Ken Buck but at least there is an alternative to O’Donnell unlike in Colorado where you have Republican Buck or Republican in Democratic drag Bennett.
From CSPAN twitter: C-SPAN3 9:30am will show the 9/13/94 unveiling of GOP Contract with America; at 10am C3 will show LIVE 2010 GOP Pledge to America
That brought a tear to my eye! Well done!
Nearly all pols wish to privatize everything, and that meme/notion will continue to be pushed and pushed.
RM, last night, did a segment on all the Republics and T-partiers running now who continue to tout privatizing soc sec as the “best thing” for all (and what Jeebus said). RM did a good job in pointing out how much more expensive it will be to privatize Soc Sec, than what it costs now for the govt to run it. Of course that’s the goal: give Wall St and the bankster zillionaires more of the taxpayer’s hard earned money. T-partiers everywhere love ‘em corporate and zillionaire welfare big-time.
That’s it. All it needs is Republican Congressional caucus letterhead.
GOP ‘Pledge To America’ Director Lobbied For AIG, Exxon, Pfizer, Chamber
A wonderful catalog, scarecrow!
And I love the tricycle!
Except sex.
Scarecrow: This is excellent. As with all good satire it is, sadly, not too far from the mark.
I suppose Democrats don’t need to bother introducing their pledge to screw America.
Yeah and that’s worked so very well with Medicare and Medicaid that the doctors won’t even take it anymore.
Why, it’s almost as if our government is trying to destroy the nation!
We had severe rains down here yesterday and last night. I’m surprised my computer works at all. then, the power went out because I guess the paper clips and electrical tape our electricity corporation uses got wet or came loose.
I’m suspicious ( as always) that every once in a while they do this just to show us they can. Of course, they just had a rate increase.
But let’s go “nation build” in Afghanistan first, OK?
Repubs also make the government MUCH bigger. Abortion rates go up. I suspect the Tea Partiers don’t know this.
The money isn’t there – it’s all been stolen. Who has it and who gets to keep it? Money laundering through the Vatican, who knew?
Well, there you are.
Show up at town meetings – political discussion – with guns.
She’s just floating their balloons.
It isn’t satire.
We’re already privatizing veterans’ benefits, via CIA contractors’ employee health and pension plans. Don’t forget to pay your taxes.
Kind of attacks, insight, and bitting commments that would be easier to make if not having to waste so much time in shock at what little the Dems want to do.
Yes, I forgot that one.
But I thought you guys wanted the Democrats defeated..and Obama. Now you are pissing and moaning about the GOP. How very confusing.
- Denounce efforts to improve the lives of anyone but the super-rich as ‘class warfare’
At least you aren’t bitter. But Obama did keep the GOP’s finest in some roles – Gates and Geithner, for example. He also wanted “cut Social Security “poor” Judd Gregg in his cabinet. And can you really call Baucus, Nelson and Lincoln: Democrats? Even so, they are supported by party contributions.
Seems like the GOP is the blatant business party, and the WH in particular is always telling us they are not “against business,” and I have come to believe them…unfortunately.
Yes, that’s part of the overall hypocrisy and distorting the meaning of language.
I don’t want Democrats defeated. I want Democrats elected to office to do what they say they’re going to do. I want Democrats in office to live up to their core principles as stated in the party’s platform. Some Democrats in office can’t follow through on the promises. Others don’t want to. So long as they can’t follow through on their promises and support DINOs who actively work against the party’s promises, I have no interest in supporting any of them and will do what I can to hold them accountable.
As for the promises and actions of the GOP, it’s worth pointing out how harmful their bullshit hypocrisy is to the lives of most Americans, to the country as a whole, and to the planet.
Can’t be satire… it’s much too close to the actual Truth!
Here’s a thought for you:
If we “eliminate” (that is, privatize) military/veterans’ benefits, then the only people who will volunteer will be people looking for military combat training (excepting those who will volunteer based on patriotic principles because they will/would volunteer anyway), since the other benefits (e.g. – GI Bill educational benefits, etc) will no longer truly be available.
Now, why would anyone want training on military combat techniques?
Any one doubt that the catfood commission report will contain much of what is in the GOP plan as their recommendation?
“Start two wars (est. cost: $3 trillion) without raising revenues to pay for them”
According to the CBO’s August 2010 Budget Review, the total cost of the Iraq War over a 7-year period was under $800 billion. How does that compare with the failed Stimulus Bill that was rushed through Congress lest unemployment go over 8%?
“Enable worst poverty in 30 years, propose nothing to relieve it”
For people who believe that the government is the only actor that can provide jobs, this may be gospel truth. However, if one looks at the jobs record during the period from 2003-2007, the Bush tax cuts seem very effective indeed, with unemployment hovering around 4% and GDP growth btween 3% and 5% per quarter. How do these facts compare with the current administration’s performance?
“Ignore pay-go when they’re in charge”
As opposed to the performance of the current Democrat-controlled Congress?
“Begin endless wars against a billion Muslims”
There’s not a shred of evidence to support this allegation.
“Oppose efforts to reduce income inequality”
Only a liberal – oops, I mean “progressive” – can look at a fat man and a skinny man and conclude that the fat man got fat at the expense of the skinny man.
Nice use of selective statistics there. But let’s look at the jobs creation over the entire Bush Presidency why don’t we? From Politifacts:
I think that’s called a fail.
1. The estimated $3 Trillion cost of the wars is from the book “Three Trillion Dollar War,” by a Nobel economist, Joe Stiglizt and Harvard economist. They recently updated their estimates to more than $3 trillion. The number you cite is only direct budget costs to date but doesn’t consider future costs, e.g. of taking care of the wounded, nor does it consider opportunity costs — what we might have done with that money.
2. There are no credible economic studies supporting the view that the Bush tax cuts provided effective stimulus. Not even Republican economists — eg. Zandi — believe that.
3. It is an undisputed that the pay go rules adopted under Clinton era were put aside when Bush took office, to accommodate the Bush tax cuts, which mushroomed the debt, and allow them to start the wars without paying for them and to push through, via reconciliation, the Medicare part D (drugs) entitlements, without paying for them.
4. There have been multiple statements by Republicans this year expressing indifference to the plight of the unemployed and to income equality and even celebrating it as a desirable feature of American capitalism. There have been Republican statements blaming the unemployed for their joblessness and comparing those who seek health insurance with a precondition to someone who wants fire insurance after the house burned down.
5. I know of no liberal who would make the fat/skinny man argument you assert, so that is a figment of your imagination. There are, however, many studies expressing deep concerns about the growing inequality in America and attributing numerous adverse effects for economic stability and democratic values to that factor.
6. There have been many anti-Muslim statements that conflate zealots who are bent on mass murder with the rest of Muslims, to encourage fear and hatred of Muslims merely for being Muslims, and those statements contribute to a climate in which US actions against Muslim targets in dozen countries or more are seen as acceptable. Muslims are well aware, even if some Americans aren’t, that US drones are killing their citizens in several countries. From the Muslims’ point of view, it looks very much like this will lead to a “war against Muslims.” One has to be blind not to see the danger of such actions and such inflamatory attitudes and statements.
jgaffney,
ROTFL. You might want to read this:
http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statements/2010/jul/25/sherrod-brown/sherrod-brown-touts-job-grown-during-clinton-presi/
““Begin endless wars against a billion Muslims”
There’s not a shred of evidence to support this allegation.”
http://wonkette.com/422829/lindsey-graham-needs-to-bomb-iran-so-badly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwjkxlnMOOI
http://vodpod.com/watch/703973-john-bolton-we-must-bomb-iran-now
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41076.html
Not “one shred of evidence?”
““Ignore pay-go when they’re in charge”
As opposed to the performance of the current Democrat-controlled Congress?”
Remember this?
http://www.slate.com/id/2261105/
excerpts
“Republicans say they oppose the extension because it adds to the deficit.”
“The difference this time, Republicans say, is that the extension isn’t paid for.”
Now, fast forward to the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy. Hmmm, it seems when the Republicans want to extend the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy that aren’t “paid for”, deficits don’t matter?
http://www.newsweek.com/blogs/the-gaggle/2010/08/11/republicans-intellectual-dishonesty-regarding-bush-tax-cuts.html
It would be interesting to know how many members in Congress benefit from the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
Message from GOP: Unemployed–Go To Hell; Wealthy: We Love You.
You might find these interesting. Ever thought about turning off Fox News?
http://jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Reports1&ContentRecord_id=f619864f-7654-4c19-a0f3-672688b2aaf5
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3036
Bush waged war, cut taxes (for wealthy), encouraged Americans to mortgage their homes or buy homes they couldn’t afford and shop. Sadly, Americans bought into this BS. Now, the Republican party is trying to sell you this same BS again; only on steroids.
“Bush tax cuts for the wealthy”
As I recall, everyone received a tax cut under the 2001 and 2003 tax cut laws. Percentage-wise, the lower income brackets received much higher cuts that “the wealthy.” Dollar-wise, “the wealthy” received more, but, then, they were paying more. Progressives focus on the dollar measure, while conservatives focus on the percentages and tax equity.
It is interesting to hear progressives claim that extending the Bush tax cuts for “the wealthy” will cost the government $700 billion dollars. First of all, another way to look at it is that, by extending the tax cuts, we will leave $700 billion in the private economy, where it will be put to much more productive use, creating jobs and growing the economy, than if it was burned up by the government. Second of all, why does no one evern mention how much extending the Bush tax cuts for those making less that $250,000 will cost the government? Anyone here want to hazard a guess? I’ve read that it’s upwards of $3 trillion.
Attempts here to brand me as a Fox News zombie are assumptions based on your preconceived misconceptions. I get my news from a variety of sources, from Bill O’Rielly to Keith Olbermann, from the NYTimes to the WSJ, from MoveOn to Michelle Malkin. An intelligent person is able to distill information from many sources before forming his own opinion. I’ve been kicked off of DemocraticUnderground 3 times for posting contrary messages. I hope that FDL is more tolerant of differing viewpoints than that.