The Lamp of Experience.
Feb 05, 03:03 PM CST
Nebraska Republicans have been cozying up to the “Tea Party” movement over the last few months. While they have no constitution or guidelines for their “organization,” the Tea Partiers seem to support fiscal conservatism and a narrow view of the Constitution, yet lack any understanding of how the government functions. As has been previously noted, the Tea Party movement is heavily funded by the wealthy who wish to become the new American aristocracy hiding behind good sounding names.
Most of what the Tea Partiers say or believe is false. Here are some common Tea Party myths:
MYTH: Obama raised taxes.
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, President Barack Obama cut taxes for 95 % of all Americans.
MYTH: Deficit spending is out of control under Obama.
Ronald Reagan began “spending our children’s inheritance,” by tripling the nation’s debt. George W. Bush dismantled any progress made under President Bill Clinton and doubled the national debt. President Obama used a last resort of deficit spending to save the economy. Neither history nor the deficit began on 01/20/2009 when Obama was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America.
MYTH: The government doesn’t run Medicare.
A recent poll showed that 39% of all American think that Medicare is not run by the U.S. Government. In actuality, Medicare is an insurance program administered by the U.S. Government and falls under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services. Few people seem to understand that the Republican Party actually opposed Medicare when it was created in the 1960s, tried to slash the budget in the 1990s, and now scares the elderly with lies that Democrats plan to cut the program.
MYTH: The economy does better under Republicans.
George W. Bush had the worst eight year performance of any modern American president. The stock market only performed worse under Herbert Hoover than it did during the two painful terms of George W. Bush. Jobs were actually created under President Clinton, but job growth sharply declined when he left office.
MYTH: Health care reform isn’t in the Constitution.
Neither are public schools, interstates, Medicare, sewers, government buildings, highways, water treatment facilities, parks, hospitals, airports, or many of the other necessities of modern life. Society grows over time and a good, responsible government adapts to those changes. Today insurance costs are out of control, people are denied coverage from pre-existing conditions, and Americans are going bankrupt because they can’t pay the bills.
The Tea Partiers are deluded with lies and half truths. And the Republican Party is pandering to a fringe movement in a desperate attempt to hold on to its base.
Nebraskans should pay close attention as Republicans sit at the front of the room during these Tea Party meetings. State Senators Fulton, McCoy, Krist, Price, and Lautenbaugh; Congressman Lee Terry; State Auditor Mike Foley should not get a pass as they nod their head in agreement at every ridiculous, untrue statement that’s uttered by someone paid to “lead the protest.”
– by Missy Wigley | Send this to a friend
