General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Wow, where did this come from? [View all]MadHound
(34,179 posts)You speak of the expansion of the military industrial complex right off, and rightly so. It has become a bane to this country since the end of WWII. And guess what, it has been fed and cared for by every single president since then, both Republican and Democratic, including the current one.
You speak of tax cuts for the rich. Laughable as any sort of defense, considering that Obama extended one of the largest tax cuts for the rich ever. Not to mention that his various stimuli have included lots of tax cuts and tax credits, mainly benefiting the rich and corporate, even though it has been shown time and again that tax cuts and tax credits are the least stimulative economic tool out there.
You speak of deficit cutting. Again, laughable as any sort of defense, or have you forgotten the various deficit reducing plans which Obama has and is entertaining, including the Catfood Commission which goes where no American president has gone, namely cutting into Social Security.
You speak of states' rights, yet apparently are conveniently forgetting that Obama embraces states' rights when it comes to issues such as enforcing DOMA. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that his administration adapted a states' rights argument, allowing states to proceed with allowing gay marriage, but it is nonetheless a states' right argument. So, as we see, states' rights arguments are indeed double edged, and it really depends on what the issue is and what they're being used for. Obama seems to find it convenient to disregard states' rights when it comes to medical marijuana, but remembers about them when it comes to other issues.
The contention still stands, our political landscape has shifted dramatically to the right, taking both Republicans and Democrats with it. It has shifted so much that the Republican platform of a half century ago now reads like the platform that a conservative, corporate Democrat like Clinton or Obama would (and have) implemented.