With Attention on Presidential Contest, GOP Goes on Austerity Rampage

jeffw@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 230 points –
With Attention on Presidential Contest, GOP Goes on Austerity Rampage | Common Dreams
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Great. Worked so well the last time we did it. We recovered faster than any other nation and have a lower inflation rate than any other nation, so let's crash the economy with austerity measures.

I'ma need some help. My democracy is isn't doing so hot.

Well, the GOP is the party of "fiscal responsibility" after all... .

Tax and spend is fiscal responsibility. Cutting taxes on the rich and then stating there's not enough money for medicare is not a sound fiscal strategy for anything other than fomenting the demise of the current governmental system.

Oh wait! That's the point!

Drown it in a bathtub my ass. I'll drown a thousand fascists in bathtubs before I let this democracy die.

Yep, the fiscally responsible party that balloons the fuck out of the national debt whenever they are in office and then fear mongers about it when they are not.

By their own logic, Bill Clinton was the most fiscally responsible president in the last like 50 years, but oh well Republicans are extremely good at lying and Democrats are awful at countering said lies.

Isn't your GOP always saying that though, but always spends more?

Yep! But spends it on contractors for the DoD! Not any of that filthy commie shit like education or clean water or... The list goes on and on.

8 more...

“Austerity” = Take money away from social programs so we can cut taxes for the rich

With much of the public's attention on the looming presidential election and high-stakes jockeying over who will take on Donald Trump in November...

What the fuck is with all of these articles suggesting that there is a real power battle over who will run against Trump at this point? That ship sailed at least six months ago. There isn't nearly enough time to build up a new candidate. If you don't want Trump to become king, get behind the onky other choice we truly have.

Ugh, Trump is going to win because democrats can't hold their fucking noses and vote for their onky other choice.

Great Britain just had an entire election in 6 weeks. There is more than enough time.

They aren't the same country, though. Things like that are likely more common in the UK than in the US. It's hard enough to vote here, yet alone if they pull the ol' switcheroo on the candidate in just a month.

A different name being on the ballot does not affect the difficulty associated with the voting process in any way. Your comment is less than a straw man, it's a nothing-burger.

You’re talking about a country orders of magnitude larger than Great Britain.

orders of magnitude larger

It is not even one order of magnitude larger.

Great Britain population: ~67M

1 order of magnitude larger = 670,000,000.

USA population: ~336,000,000.

USA also has much more than 6 weeks time to do it. And the US is quite a bit more adept than great Britain in the communications department. Kind of their strong suit, actually.

There's plenty of time to build up someone else. Plenty.

I'd be a more excited to vote for Josh Shapiro or Michelle Obama or Gretchen Whitmer or Gavin Newsom or some other good candidate, but I'd vote for Joe Biden any day of the week.

I know nothing about Josh Shapiro, Michelle Obama has stated that she doesn't want the job, I also know very little about Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom is a shit head.

I say this as someone who follows politics more than average. If I don't know much more than the fact that three of the four people you mentioned are governors and the other is a former first lady with no political aspirations, what do you think the general public knows?

Given the fact that a large part of the American population is dumber than a bag of rocks, probably not much. But there's plenty of time to teach.

Then again, I don't think it makes much of a difference. People made up their minds on Biden vs Trump a long time ago and they are in their trenches. The US is truly in a sad state, and it's quite embarrassing when I talk to family members and friends overseas.

I think the identity politics America has played is what has really earned you guys the Trump. It was a dangerous game to play and now the repercussions are becoming known.

It drove such a solid and distinct line with being totally onboard with that shit or else, that now you are in real danger of getting that or else.

It was the stupidest game to play. Canada is following suite, as are a lot of other western nations.

Don’t make me tap the sign.

I'm not defending anyone, just observing like I always do. I don't think anything has created a bigger divide, and division leads to extremes.

I saw this happening a long time ago and now it's coming to fruition.

Oh I agree it’s stupid to argue about. The world would be a better place if Idpol was ignored by both sides.

Honestly, I thought the world was moving in a very progressive direction, in a healthy manner before social media blew up, then it got out of control trying to change everyone's attitudes at a sprinting pace. Now we are polarized. Sigh.

I think Democrats (mostly) will; it's all the independents, low info, checked-out, etc....the type that were already getting a constant drumbeat of #BidenSoOld and "genocide joe" types of things even before the debate.

It’s not the democrats. It’s the dipshit uneducated masses. They see a demented old man who can’t string a sentence together. Get with the program.

Nice bot

I think it’s cute that you think Lemmy has bots on it.

“Someone disagrees with me? Impossible! I’m always right! This must be a bot.”

I think its stupid to think otherwise.

Well maybe don’t toss around such stupid accusations until you’ve at least checked someone’s profile. Sometimes people just disagree with you.

Good job headline... Helping out these ghouls by using the milquetoast "austerity" rather than, "grandma can fucking choke on cat food for all I care, my yacht needs a yacht, you fucking peasants!"