Conservative priorities: Republicans walk-out, state level governments, and more (VIDEO)

Link:

The Maddow Blog

Rachel Maddow had a great segment on last night detailing the priorities of the Republican Party.  I would just like to highlight a few of these points for everyone; the entire segment can be viewed after the break.

 Now Rachel didn’t get into social agenda pushing, so I will leave that for another post.  However, she did talk about New York’s successful attempt to legalize gay marriage.

It’s about time, and congratulations to everyone who made this happen…even supporters like our readers.

Rachel highlighted the fact that we are living in the age of mini-congresses:  tiny “nonpartisan gangs” that negotiate on behalf of either house.  She also wondered why Democrats are doing this in the Senate, essentially nullifying their majority advantage when it comes to negotiating.

Smug Weasel

Now, I am all for nonpartisan negotiation.  The problem occurs when these leaders just up and walk out.  We can’t continue to act like children as the markets become more volatile every day from uncertainty surrounding the debt limit.  I cannot say this enough; now is not the time for politics as usual!  Our politicians need to grow up, suck it up, and do their jobs (see Eric Cantor, Jon Kyl, etc.).

Democratic congressman and member of the new “Gang of Six” Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., outlined the actual reasons why these Republican politicians walked.

According to Van Hollen and The Hill, Democrats wanted to "end oil-and-gas tax breaks."  The Hill also informed that the proposal would end “tax deductions for those making above $500,000.”

So basically what got them so steamed was ending tax deductions for the super-rich so they can continue to levy them on the poor and middle class.

But, as Rachel points out, it gets even better.

Politico informs us that another reason the Republicans expressed extreme displeasure and walked-out was because of the Democrats proposal to end tax payer subsidies for corporate jets.

No, you did not read that wrong.  Republicans walked-out on talks that would prevent an economic global calamity because they need those subsidies for corporate jets.

 I mean, don’t you think you should help pay for those super-rich corporations’ jets? 

Rachel also pointed out that similar agendas are being presented in many conservative state level governments as well. 

In Florida, Republican Gov. Rick Scott wants to give $1.5 billion in tax cuts to corporations funded by $3.3 billion dollars in education cuts.

In Arizona, Republican Gov. Jan Brewer gave out $538 million in corporate tax cuts while cutting Medicaid by $541.5 million.

In Michigan, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder is proposing legislation that would hand corporations an extra $1.73 billion in tax breaks to be funded by taxing the poor and senior citizens an extra $1.67 billion.

In Wisconsin, Republican Gov. Scott Walker pushed through legislation that gave big business $140 million dollars in corporate tax cuts while taxing low and moderate income families an extra $49 million.

Rachel calls this trend “Robin Hood in reverse.” 

“It is Republican governors and legislatures [that are] really putting the screws to people who work for a living while giving state money away to corporations…moving power and resources from people who work for a living to corporations,” said Maddow.

Then there is the trend of Republicans, party of the corporations and super-rich, circumventing campaign finance laws to garner even more money from big business, as Democrats, party of the workers, struggle to find financing from weakened unions and corporations that don’t have the party’s platform in their b

One such incident involves Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who beat long time senator Russ Feingold last election.  Johnson appeared to have financed his own campaign, contributing $9 million of his own money. 

Well this wasn’t true.

After spending $9 million of his own money, the senator "scored a big payday -- $10 million in deferred compensation from his [old] company," Care2, the largest online community for healthy and green living, noted.

How is that for campaign finance?  What is the difference between this and a regular campaign contribution?  This is essentially a company making a $10 million campaign contribution to buy a senator.

Johnson told a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter that “it’s a private business.  I’ve complied with all the disclosure laws, and I don’t have to explain it any further to someone like you.”

Rachel then discussed NJ and the New Jersey Pension and Benefits Bill that just passed the state assembly which  expected to be signed into law by Republican Gov. Chris Christie as soon as possible.  The bill would require public workers to pay even more into their pensions and health benefits and would eliminate collective bargaining for those benefits.

So as you can see, there are some pretty scary trends floating around out there; union-busting, education-cutting, voter-restricting trends to go along with the continued unequal transfer of power and resources to the top.

The middle class is all but gone.  When are we going to wake up and realize what is going on?