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Oct
09

A Microcosm of the Insanity That is American Politics

Quote of the Day:

Everybody in Cleveland know minority got an Obama phone.”     –Some lady in Ohio

TB heard awhile back about the outrage–and it is an outrage–that we all have to pay an extra buck seventy-five on our cell phone bills so people on welfare can have free phones. It was suggested to me that this is what is wrong with liberals in America, especially Democrats. While not conceding that the twenty-one dollars stolen from me via this program each year was reason enough to make me a Republican voter again–you see I am far more damaged each year by GOP constituencies like the medical/phramraceutical business, the cable/internet oligopoly, and the Wall Street/Oil/Military cabal–I had to concede it was indefensible and I accepted the premise that it was a misguided liberal program.

Well, guess what I found out today.

It makes me feel stupid I didn’t figure it out on my own.

Turns out this giveaway ain’t some nanny-government-loving-liberal-commie-panty-waisted program after all. Far from it. It’s a big business bonanza.

It is, in reality, a program set in place by Saint Ronnie Reagan hisseff.

You see, the phone companies get paid for these free phones out of mine and your annual Andy Jacksons. All those twenties that buy phones that would not otherwise be bought, well, do the math. It adds up fast. Republicans love them some big government as long as Republicans benefit from big government. You can write that down.

And here we are a generation of Presidents after Reagan and the program is ensconced. Republican politicians ain’t gonna do a thing about it because they aren’t about to hurt the phone companies’ profits. Democrats won’t stop it because they won’t take away a benefit to a big part of their constituency. Republicans start the program to benefit their overlords and Democrats defend it to the death to keep their giveaway and all of us in the middle are split apart by having to choose a side in a fight that started in a way that was a mystery to all of us.

Conservatives would stop the free phone giveaway as wasteful and an unnecessary tax. Liberals would stop it because they believe in full employment and living wages in lieu of welfare. Voters like you and me? We just get pissed about the damn video and go right back to voting for Democrats who are not liberal and Republicans who are not conservative.

Here’s a link to the article, video included, that details the true story of this shameful corner of American politics.

Permanent link to this article: http://www.missingtheground.com/2012/10/a-microcosm-of-the-insanity-that-is-american-politics/

  • Vincent

    That snake kinda gave me a sickly feeling. Something about snakes.

    October 10 2012
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    • sweet

      I understand what you are getting at in the post and it seems we all agree the system is a mess. I just took umbrage to your passive-aggressive slap at Reagan and trying to link him to that nice lady in the Obama phone video as they use the program as a campaign tactic. That’s akin to connecting David Hasselhoff eating a cheeseburger off the floor to the fact that Reagan was a lifeguard

      October 10 2012
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        • TDW

          Angry white guys (a Republican senator’s term not mine) will continue to vote for corporate overlords (oligarchy) because they think they’re voting against “wasteful government spending” and Democrats will continue being GOP-lite and also bowing to corporate interests. Folks like me will vote for the Green Party and bemoan the continued and inexorable decline of the empire (and it is indeed an empire). That’s my humble 2 cents.

          October 10 2012
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          • Travellinbaen

            Flyin’ J, that is really what I was getting at in the post. We all suffer in our so-called two party system. Even on issues that at first glance would seem to give a line of demarcation between philosophies and parties, they so often turn out to be boondoggle compromises benefitting only politicians and favored constituencies.

            October 09 2012
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            • Mac

              The Republican debate plan always end up as…out yelling the liberals irregardless of facts.

              October 09 2012
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              • Flyin' J

                Oh yeah, TB. I AM KICKING BUTT. I am having fun too.

                October 09 2012
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                • Flyin' J

                  What we need to take from this is the fact that we are stuck in an endless cycle of who has the money and who has the power. I am tried of politics and what a public servant not and puppet controlled by whom ever had the money and thus now has the power. Elections are bought in this era. I WANT A PUBLIC SERVANT!!!!, to do want is good for this nation and not what is good for their pockets. But can it ever happen.?

                  October 09 2012
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                  • Travellinbaen

                    Lifeline started in 1984-85. That is a fact.

                    Continually discounting the proof I have provided, easily found on the web, does not alter that.

                    Here is a link to the FCC discussing Lifeline and an excerpt. I know, I know….what else would you expect the FCC to say but that Lifeline was created under Reagan. Everyone knows they lie yada yada yada. When you click on the link, if you dare, you will have to click the “expand” button and scroll down to the background section beginning on page 5. Then move down to paragraph 12. The whole article, including the below quote, is meticulously footnoted.

                    http://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-reforms-modernizes-lifeline-program-low-income-americans-0

                    “The Lifeline program was implemented in 1985 in the wake of the 1984 divestiture of
                    AT&T. Its initial purpose was to ensure that any increase in local rates that occurred following major
                    changes in the marketplace would not put local phone service out of reach for low-income households and
                    result in service disconnections.”

                    ————-

                    Mack, I don’t know why your comments keep going to my spam folder. I am approving them as soon as I become aware they are there. It happens to Harmony a lot too during Thursday Pickin. Sorry for the delay.

                    To address your comments, I have provided now two different FCC documents, Snopes, one of the companies involved in the program and the original news article. You and Sweet and others may not be satisfied with the documentation, but I am. If someone provides me something that contradicts the FCC, I’ll consider it of course.

                    October 09 2012
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                    • sweet

                      I was about to throw some real facts out there but Mack did a good job already. TBs little dig at Reagan was making me dig. Thanks Mack, you gotta watch out sometimes with “reality” on here

                      October 09 2012
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