The Age of Arrogance: Trump, Christie, et al.

[signalmankenneth]

We have reached the epitome of ego-absorbed elected officials and power-hungry wannabes of all descriptions. New Jersey's Governor Christie with his bullying tactics and harsh polemics is celebrated by many conservatives as a Republican force to be reckoned with - no civility required, just bare-knuckle rebukes for anyone who dares take an opposing view to his.

That is of course one way to govern, especially when times are tough and tea is the beverage of choice. It is also one of the less palatable styles to have surfaced in recent campaigns and a narrow approach to the problems that beset us. Christie and others suggest that cutting programs and downsizing everything will cure our ills and start us on the road to recovery. Long-term growth investments are given short shrift by politicians in this camp who consistently fail to see the forest for the trees.

They wince when President Obama brings up the subject of investment because they're about cutting down the forest to conform to their ideological configuration.

None of these leaders are ashamed of their ultra-conservative view of the world. Oh yes, they say, health care needs to be improved, but not the Obama way. And forget tweaking the health-care-reform legislation, repeal the whole thing and start over. But so far no Republican plan has been put forward to take its place. Masters of generalities that they are, conservatives keep reworking their rhetorical mastery of our national condition. But solutions are a strange amalgam of tax cuts and program cuts, cuts across the board and cuts in areas where the voices of the dispossessed are either silent or ignored.

Job creation, that bogus rallying cry from the campaign trail, comes in last compared to trimming the deficit. There's no need to invest in a new tunnel from New Jersey to New York says Christie, it's too expensive. Projects like that may create jobs and reinforce the infrastructure, but too bad, the deficit looms. Economic recovery isn't about undertaking new projects; it's about patching up a broken system with old ideas and pretending that those fabled entrepreneurs will step forward to rescue us all. Education need not be enhanced by enough teachers to keep classes small, and early-learning programs to ready children for a positive school experience are seen as spending excess. It seems a strange mindset but that's nothing new. What's new is that so many political pundits celebrate cost-cutting forays into the future of our youth.

One spectacular departure from anything that could be defined as politically correct was Donald Trump's call to Morning Joe, a jubilant account of his appearance at the CPAC conference where he was greeted with standing ovations and an enthusiastic response to the possibility that he might run for president. If elected, he said, he would make sure the United States would be respected again. Possibly Trump just deals with the wealthy sector wherever he goes - the bankers, the real-estate moguls, people like him.

Any lack of respect towards this country derives from the business quarter not from the general perception of the larger community. He made a special point of saying he had flown to the conference on his plane, not driven, a swipe no doubt at the people who criticized bankers and investment brokers who had flown corporate jets when they testified before Congress. And he is a non-stop critic of China which, for a possible world leader, is not only undiplomatic but is profoundly ill-conceived from any vantage point. The CPAC crowd loved him - a man they could respect for his view of American exceptionalism bravado, reminiscent of the candidate in November who said he'd made his money the old fashioned way, he inherited it. If conservatives embrace the Tea Party and claim to be a grass roots organization they seem to be confused about what kind of candidate they could comfortably endorse to lead the country.

In the world of 'I've got mine' don't lecture me about the little guy, the new Republican wave and especially arrogant fat cats like Trump represent the kind of people who used to be called "ugly Americans." Finding solutions for our economic distress isn't just about cutting back or bad-mouthing other world leaders. If conservatives don't stand for anything other than using subtraction to trim the deficit and are unwilling to invest in America's future it is hard to call that sound fiscal policy or patriotism.

FINDING A VOICE by Ann Davidow

 

[apple0154]

We have reached the epitome of ego-absorbed elected officials and power-hungry wannabes of all descriptions. New Jersey's Governor Christie with his bullying tactics and harsh polemics is celebrated by many conservatives as a Republican force to be reckoned with - no civility required, just bare-knuckle rebukes for anyone who dares take an opposing view to his.

That is of course one way to govern, especially when times are tough and tea is the beverage of choice. It is also one of the less palatable styles to have surfaced in recent campaigns and a narrow approach to the problems that beset us. Christie and others suggest that cutting programs and downsizing everything will cure our ills and start us on the road to recovery. Long-term growth investments are given short shrift by politicians in this camp who consistently fail to see the forest for the trees.

They wince when President Obama brings up the subject of investment because they're about cutting down the forest to conform to their ideological configuration.

None of these leaders are ashamed of their ultra-conservative view of the world. Oh yes, they say, health care needs to be improved, but not the Obama way. And forget tweaking the health-care-reform legislation, repeal the whole thing and start over. But so far no Republican plan has been put forward to take its place. Masters of generalities that they are, conservatives keep reworking their rhetorical mastery of our national condition. But solutions are a strange amalgam of tax cuts and program cuts, cuts across the board and cuts in areas where the voices of the dispossessed are either silent or ignored.

Job creation, that bogus rallying cry from the campaign trail, comes in last compared to trimming the deficit. There's no need to invest in a new tunnel from New Jersey to New York says Christie, it's too expensive. Projects like that may create jobs and reinforce the infrastructure, but too bad, the deficit looms. Economic recovery isn't about undertaking new projects; it's about patching up a broken system with old ideas and pretending that those fabled entrepreneurs will step forward to rescue us all. Education need not be enhanced by enough teachers to keep classes small, and early-learning programs to ready children for a positive school experience are seen as spending excess. It seems a strange mindset but that's nothing new. What's new is that so many political pundits celebrate cost-cutting forays into the future of our youth.

One spectacular departure from anything that could be defined as politically correct was Donald Trump's call to Morning Joe, a jubilant account of his appearance at the CPAC conference where he was greeted with standing ovations and an enthusiastic response to the possibility that he might run for president. If elected, he said, he would make sure the United States would be respected again. Possibly Trump just deals with the wealthy sector wherever he goes - the bankers, the real-estate moguls, people like him.

Any lack of respect towards this country derives from the business quarter not from the general perception of the larger community. He made a special point of saying he had flown to the conference on his plane, not driven, a swipe no doubt at the people who criticized bankers and investment brokers who had flown corporate jets when they testified before Congress. And he is a non-stop critic of China which, for a possible world leader, is not only undiplomatic but is profoundly ill-conceived from any vantage point. The CPAC crowd loved him - a man they could respect for his view of American exceptionalism bravado, reminiscent of the candidate in November who said he'd made his money the old fashioned way, he inherited it. If conservatives embrace the Tea Party and claim to be a grass roots organization they seem to be confused about what kind of candidate they could comfortably endorse to lead the country.

In the world of 'I've got mine' don't lecture me about the little guy, the new Republican wave and especially arrogant fat cats like Trump represent the kind of people who used to be called "ugly Americans." Finding solutions for our economic distress isn't just about cutting back or bad-mouthing other world leaders. If conservatives don't stand for anything other than using subtraction to trim the deficit and are unwilling to invest in America's future it is hard to call that sound fiscal policy or patriotism.

FINDING A VOICE by Ann Davidow

A few comments.

New Jersey's Governor Christie with his bullying tactics and harsh polemics is celebrated by many conservatives as a Republican force to be reckoned with - no civility required, just bare-knuckle rebukes for anyone who dares take an opposing view to his.

That's why they loved Bush. The Cons tend to gravitate towards big talking, dim-witted folks. It's the talk, not the walk.

Economic recovery isn't about undertaking new projects; it's about patching up a broken system with old ideas and pretending that those fabled entrepreneurs will step forward to rescue us all.

And talking about dim-witted they believe people became wealthy by thinking and caring about others. They believe if the wealthy are given more money, more tax breaks, then the wealthy will spend that money providing jobs.

The Cons can't grasp the fact that people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy.

Oh, well. Maybe the Annunaki space Gods will set them straight.

 

[NOVA]

A few comments.



That's why they loved Bush. The Cons tend to gravitate towards big talking, dim-witted folks. It's the talk, not the walk.

Apple, apple, apple....you're getting funnier by the hour....and I thank you for that....so tell us, WHERE did Bush and/or Christie, "talk the talk" and NOT "walk the walk" ?
Lets see you walk your talk....

And talking about dim-witted they believe people became wealthy by thinking and caring about others.

I can only assume you mean liberals are dim-witted by this statement....
unless, in your land of la la...you think conservatives believe "
people became wealthy by thinking and caring about others"....

I do agree though...you gotta be dim-witted to believe something like that...its a good character quality, but it won't make you wealthy....

They believe if the wealthy are given more money, more tax breaks, then the wealthy will spend that money providing jobs.

The Cons can't grasp the fact that people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy.

Oh, well. Maybe the Annunaki space Gods will set them straight.

do you really think that poor people provide us jobs ????
do those poor people pay a good wage?
how may poor people have you worked for?


"people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy."....?
How did these fictitious poor people pay their employees before they became wealthy? Chickens?...Eggs?....promises?....

And the most important question of all.....is their any oxygen on your planet???


You've got balls to accuse anyone of being "dim-witted"

and it says a lot about the dim-wits that actually gave you a thumbs up for your post....

 

[apple0154]

do you really think that poor people provide us jobs ????
do those poor people pay a good wage?
how may poor people have you worked for?

"people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy."....?
How did these fictitious poor people pay their employees before they became wealthy? Chickens?...Eggs?....promises?....

And the most important question of all.....is their any oxygen on your planet???


You've got balls to accuse anyone of being "dim-witted"

and it says a lot about the dim-wits that actually gave you a thumbs up for your post....

Do try to read for comprehension, my naive Bravo. I said, "people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy."

Whether it's the local farmer or the hardware store owner or the plumber or electrician or the pizza shop owner they hire someone to increase business. They are not wealthy, however, they hope to become financially better off by hiring someone because they make money off the labor of the employee.

It's fine to give a company a tax incentive to hire people, however, to simply lower taxes in the hope they will hire people is insanity. In other words rather than a tax break the incentive should be paying part of the salary of an employee. The company receives the money if, and only if, they hire.

The statistics show companies are sitting on huge reserves of capital. Why are they not hiring? Do we give them more money and hope they will hire?

It appears you're the one lacking oxygen.

 

[Topspin]

Poor people crack me up, the wealthy are GIVEN more money!!!!

 

[NOVA]

Do try to read for comprehension, my naive Bravo. I said, "people created jobs so they could become wealthy, not because they were wealthy."

Whether it's the local farmer or the hardware store owner or the plumber or electrician or the pizza shop owner they hire someone to increase business. They are not wealthy, however, they hope to become financially better off by hiring someone because they make money off the labor of the employee.

It's fine to give a company a tax incentive to hire people, however, to simply lower taxes in the hope they will hire people is insanity. In other words rather than a tax break the incentive should be paying part of the salary of an employee. The company receives the money if, and only if, they hire.

The statistics show companies are sitting on huge reserves of capital. Why are they not hiring? Do we give them more money and hope they will hire?

It appears you're the one lacking oxygen.

And the tap dancing begins in earnest....the plumber isn't hiring...
the plumber is working for a plumbing company or owns a plumbing company, and is therefore closer to wealthy than poor...
The electrician isn't hiring, the electrician is working for a construction company or he owns the company, therefore is closer to wealthy than poor...and the pizza shop owner....
All small business owners. The guys Obama is dieing to raise taxes on....making 250K in their small business....and if they aren't making that amount, they ain't hiring anybody.....
And if there isn't any customers for the goods, those companies will sit on every nickel of capital rather than stockpile unsellable goods....

It takes thousands of those farmers, that in reality are working for companies like Kraft and Kellogg, that give those companies the ability to provide middle class jobs and decent wages....

The fact remains....poor people don't provide jobs to anyone but the volunteers filling their soup bowls at the rescue mission....
The wealthy, the venture capitalist, the investor, ...those are the folks that provide jobs,....middle class jobs with real middle class wages...not the pizza shop owner , not the plumber, and not the unions.....
all you need to do is open your eyes and that simple fact of life will slap you right in the puss.....and you need a slap like that.

 

[cawacko]

Of course based on one's politics 'telling the truth' or 'telling it like it is' can mean very different things but from my perspective I find it interesting Gov. Christie 'telling it like it is' is deemed "bullying".

I wouldn't be surprised if that term "bullying" is used more frequently as we approach needed entitlement reforms.