Sunday, November 23, 2008
END OF THE GOP?
Several television republican political pundits have said boldly, “If the Congress lets the American auto companies go broke, it is end of the republican party.”
As much as some would like to see the demise of the grand obstructionist party, the ruin of American manufacturing is too big a price to pay. The havoc wreaked by bankruptcy of the American car manufacturers is too much for the country to take. If this happens, this nation will be thrown into a decade of depression, only then to emerge as a changed country.
While the Bush administration has been merrily going around pumping billions into banks and insurance companies with too little accountability, he and his treasury secretary are balking at putting some of the money into saving millions of jobs affecting the total national economy.
Just because the money passed to the banks has not yet had the effects desired, because the banks have hoarded it to themselves and not loosened the credit market, the American people and its representatives in Congress want to turn their backs on the next great need of the country. The Bush administration is showing no leadership, even leaving town, and the republicans in Congress have announced they will block any effort to aid the auto makers.
Democrats in Congress have been unwilling to challenge the republican bloc, not wanting to put up a bill and have it squelched on Senate rules by the 49 member republican minority. Democrats think that they may well need the new Congress and the new president before anything can pass.
In the meantime the democrats choose to join the republican chorus denigrating the auto company management for travelling to Washington in corporate jet airplanes. What a sorry reason for not doing your duty!
Democrats have demanded a business plan for a way out of difficulty from the auto managers. That is all well and good, and it shows responsibility and accountability. However, it may also be seen as a ruse for postponing action until another day.
While condemning our own manufacturers and trade unions, we might want to take a look at our tax loopholes and our trade policies which allow overseas operations to undermine domestic production. These policies are taking the American standard of living downward toward the average in the world.
If the big three auto makers go down, decimating the American economy, democrats probably would like to establish fault clearly with the republican party.
This would indeed be quite clear. The problem has arisen during the eight year Bush republican tenure. Things have gone bad on the republicans’ watch. Republicans in office refused to aid the auto makers. Republicans in Congress blocked democrat efforts to save American manufacturing.
Republicans may well end up with another Hoover era to live down. But we do not want to go through this mess with them.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
As much as some would like to see the demise of the grand obstructionist party, the ruin of American manufacturing is too big a price to pay. The havoc wreaked by bankruptcy of the American car manufacturers is too much for the country to take. If this happens, this nation will be thrown into a decade of depression, only then to emerge as a changed country.
While the Bush administration has been merrily going around pumping billions into banks and insurance companies with too little accountability, he and his treasury secretary are balking at putting some of the money into saving millions of jobs affecting the total national economy.
Just because the money passed to the banks has not yet had the effects desired, because the banks have hoarded it to themselves and not loosened the credit market, the American people and its representatives in Congress want to turn their backs on the next great need of the country. The Bush administration is showing no leadership, even leaving town, and the republicans in Congress have announced they will block any effort to aid the auto makers.
Democrats in Congress have been unwilling to challenge the republican bloc, not wanting to put up a bill and have it squelched on Senate rules by the 49 member republican minority. Democrats think that they may well need the new Congress and the new president before anything can pass.
In the meantime the democrats choose to join the republican chorus denigrating the auto company management for travelling to Washington in corporate jet airplanes. What a sorry reason for not doing your duty!
Democrats have demanded a business plan for a way out of difficulty from the auto managers. That is all well and good, and it shows responsibility and accountability. However, it may also be seen as a ruse for postponing action until another day.
While condemning our own manufacturers and trade unions, we might want to take a look at our tax loopholes and our trade policies which allow overseas operations to undermine domestic production. These policies are taking the American standard of living downward toward the average in the world.
If the big three auto makers go down, decimating the American economy, democrats probably would like to establish fault clearly with the republican party.
This would indeed be quite clear. The problem has arisen during the eight year Bush republican tenure. Things have gone bad on the republicans’ watch. Republicans in office refused to aid the auto makers. Republicans in Congress blocked democrat efforts to save American manufacturing.
Republicans may well end up with another Hoover era to live down. But we do not want to go through this mess with them.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
