As usual, the “Liberal Mainstream Media” has got it all wrong. They continue to allow those that do not have the best interest of the working middle class to dictate narratives. The president should have said that the private sector is doing as well as it could given the stranglehold that the Republican controlled Congress has on it by preventing policies that have been used by both Republican and Democratic Presidents through our many previous recessions from being effected.
Sadly, concentration on a “slip of the tongue” or a missing phrase does nothing to move the discourse forward or help inform the middle class. If the mainstream media were reporting truths and facts to the citizenry by now everyone would have known the following.
- It is true that all of the net job losses are occurring in states where European style austerity (severe budget cuts, public sector layoffs) is being practiced by eliminating teachers, policemen, firemen, nurses, and many other crucial public services.
- It is true that the implementation of austerity during a recession/depression as occurred in 1937 and now in the UK and other European countries always lead to a deepening recession. UK is now in recession again as their conservative government has implemented ill-advised austerity policies.
- It is true that the job creators are not the wealthy, the corporation, or the titans of finance, or the business class. The job creators are consumers, the working middle class that with consumption provides incentives to the wealthy, the corporation, the titans of finance, and the business class to invest in producing that which consumers demand. We are at a stage where the consumer is tapped out. Policies that provide more benefits to the top will not incentivize jobs as there is no consumer for increased production.
- It is true that government policy can put funds into the hands of the middle class to kick start the economy. This can be done by funneling federal dollars to states to alleviate their deficits to ensure teachers, police officers, firemen, and nurses are hired or stay on the job. Additionally with an infrastructure in disrepair employing millions in construction will generate many jobs as well.
- It is true that our budget deficit is completely out of hand.
- It is true that the government has the ability to get long term debt at near zero interest.
- It is true that the 2008 stimulus saved the economy from diving into a more severe depression but was too small to provide much more growth given the financial state of the working middle class.
- It is true that it is fiscally irresponsible to not borrow at these low rates now to kick start the economy which would substantially increase the tax revenues as well as generate even more jobs from the demand created.
- It is true that the fiscal state of the country will remain in deficit and be unsustainable unless the wealthy pays their fair share in taxes. This country provides them via its military, infrastructure, and stability an environment that allowed their success. They more than the working middle class benefit from these high expenditures.
- It is true that our wealth and income disparity is a clear and present danger to the country. When the working middle class has less of a share of the totality of the economy they have much less to spend and the economy remains stagnant.
The reality is I could go on and on with these points. In the age of the Internet one can go to reputable sites, universities etc. to get this information. It is understandable that the working middle class is working so hard that they have little time to do the research necessary to vote in their interest. Many use mainstream media as their source of information. That the mainstream media has moved from journalism to repeaters of talking points means that our citizens are not well served. That the “Liberal Mainstream Media” has adopted a policy of balance irrespective of the absurdity of a particular side creates a citizenry that continuously vote against its own interest given that there is generally no one there to represent them absolutely.
I do not believe in victimization or victimhood. Do not take this post at face value. It is correct however I believe I provide a disservice if I do not tell you that you should research the points on your own. Do not depend solely on one source of information. Moreover when you learn something share it here and share it widely with your circle of friends, acquaintances, and family. Talk about how the things we know are necessary affect your friends and family in their terms. You have a friend that had a cyst removed who hates Obamacare? Let her know that down the road Obamacare protects her from an insurance company using that incident to deny her coverage or to cancel her policy.
Austerity is not the answer. Laying public workers off is not the answer. We must not be victims. We must take control of our own lives and we must ensure our government of we the people is really working effectively for we the people.