Ceremoniously and officially, the GOP is now a tribal cult steeped in nativism. In the same image of its leader Donald J. Trump. Come to think of it, do not cry me a river over the GOP’s self destruction at the hands of a con man. Other than the true conservatives of the party, people like Rep. Liz Cheney and Senator Mitt Romney, the rest of the GOP lawmakers are cowards afraid of their own shadows. Who amongst us is upset about the semi demise of a political organization that has stripped the middle class of its financial security and privileges over the last 40 years?
The answer, while we all complain out loud, should be to celebrate the downfall of a party manhandled by white supremacists; one that has gone astray with its Reagan-era policies of gutting the U.S. Government in favor of unfettered corporate greed. Forget the GOP compassionate conservatism. There is nothing compassionate about existing to make the rich richer at the expense of the middle class.
When half your body ingratiate you with sugar while the other half begs you to control your diabetic diet, you become an insulin patient as America has become. Sickly, spiraling downward health-wise, yet still practicing the fine art of creating vast divide of income inequalities. Still creating wealth for the top 1% while neglecting deliberately the hard working people struggling because of runaway capitalism.
Corporate America has stripped the middle class of its discretionary income thanks to the bad policies of the Reagan years
HEY GOP, WHERE IS MY PIE?
Discretionary income is the amount of money a taxpayer has left from their paycheck to spend or invest after they paid all their monthly expenses like mortgage and food. Prior to the Reagan era, middle class America had plenty of discretionary income to spend and invest.
Alan Cole of the Tax Foundation wrote in 2014 that:
The Frankenstein Capitalism Reagan ushered by de-regulating the market, also introduced predatory corporate practices to gobble up the middle class discretionary income. Just consider how many steady monthly payments one makes today to have a normal life as compared to the 1970’s when people had four main payments: Their mortgage, their car loan, their insurance bills, and their utility bills.
The rest, like your TV channels, were free. Today, you pay for them as part of an overpriced cable package.
In short, thanks to both political parties, over the years corporate America has stripped the middle class of its discretionary income.
CRY ME A RIVER OVER THE GOP SELF DESTRUCTION
Prior to Reagan, one could work for a whole semester and make enough money to pay for their education the next semester. Try and make $30,000 in one semester today working as a student.
Prior to Reagan, your health insurance or your drugs costs were reasonable. In fact, your discretionary income allowed you to pay for health emergencies. Today, you have to file for bankruptcy to rid yourself of exorbitant health bills, and your insurance premiums are as high as your mortgage.
In short, thanks to both political parties, over the years corporate America has stripped the middle class of its discretionary income. Thanks to the bad policies of the Reagan and Clinton years that favored the rich at the expense of the middle class.
Say hello to the January 6 insurrection.
So, who is really unhappy the GOP is committing Hara-Kiri? The political organization behind stiffing the middle class of the luxury of normalcy? Not me, I assure you.
Mitch and his ilk in the GOP have learned nothing from the insurrection of January 6. They remain stuck in the 80’s knowing well there is no trickle down from the rich.
LESSONS UNLEARNED
The predatory practices of corporate America has given rise to new political rhetoric that we see the likes of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren practice with abandon. Neither is shy about the systematic decimation of the middle class in America. And for those who think this is a passing fad, consider the meteoric rise of Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez to fully grasp the direction this country is taking to create some kind of balance to the horrific policies we have been practicing the last forty years.
The reversal of these bad policies is beginning to take shape. Mostly because of Joe Biden’s presidency realizing how furious Americans are with their political order. Biden’s new progressive direction to adjust the inequities of the last forty years makes Mitch McConnell have two to three hearts attacks a day. This particular politician could care less about the middle class and the less unfortunate. So, honestly, cry me a river over the GOP’s self destruction.
Mitch and his ilk in the GOP have learned nothing from the insurrection of January 6. They remain stuck in the 80’s knowing well there is no trickle down from the rich.
How is that for the McConnell patriotism!