THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
An Online Journal of Political Commentary & Analysis
Volume XII, Issue # 258, December 8, 2010
Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
Government Committed to & Acting in Accord with Conservative Principles
Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity
TAX SQUABBLE PUTS AMERICA AT A CROSSROADS
By Christopher G. Adamo
AMERICAN POLITICS, THE 2010 CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS, THE CONSERVATIVE GROUNDSWELL, & THE CURRENT
PREDICAMENT OF THE POLITICAL LEFT: ISSUES & SITUATIONS THAT COULD BRING DISASTER TO THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY & THE WASHINGTON LIBERAL LEFTIST ELITE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL & CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS OF 2012 -- THE
BUSH ERA TAX CUTS & THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY -- DEMOCRATS STILL MIRED IN THE KEYNESIAN LIBERAL
ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY & THE CONSEQUENT IMPACT ON U.S. GOVERNMENT FISCAL & ECONOMIC POLICY -- PUBLIC
AWARNESS OF THE DANGEROUS POLICIES THAT DEVASTATED THE U.S.A. DURING 2007-2011, WHEN THE DEMOCRATS
CONTROLLED THE U.S. CONGRESS
FULL STORY:
The unprecedented power of this year’s Conservative groundswell has placed Washington Liberals completely on the
defensive, which is a fate they never expected. It was barely two years ago that the future was seemingly in their hands.
Now they must navigate an incredibly difficult course in order to maintain any political viability whatsoever. And, if
Republicans remain firm and on message, the political Left may be steered inexorably towards a no win situation.
Consider their unenviable position. Disturbing though the notion may be, America is already in the early phases of the
2012 presidential campaign, and everything that happens inside the Beltway must be analyzed from that perspective. At
such an inauspicious time, the entire Liberal/Leftist/Democrat house of cards is collapsing around them.
The American economy is on life-support, and showing no tangible signs of improvement, despite nearly two years of
media prognostications of an impending “recovery” every few weeks. And, in an unbelievable twist of fate that could
not have been timed more poorly for Democrats' political fortunes, the tax cuts implemented by George W. Bush early in
his Presidency are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. Democrats may wish in vain that they could simply ignore
the situation, as they did with this year’s federal budget, punting until after the mid-term congressional elections. Yet,
they have no such option. If no action is taken, America will be hit with a major tax increase that could deal a deathblow
to this struggling economy.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party's entire Keynesian Liberal economic philosophy is predicated on the concept
that money, under the supervision of government, can be effectively channeled and directed to the proper recipients in
a manner that will sustain and grow a nation’s economy. Of course, this theory has always proven a complete disaster,
and America is in the midst of presenting more dismal evidence of the same. Nevertheless, Leftists continue to insist
that, if a government would only pour enough of a nation’s wealth down such a sinkhole, something wonderful will
miraculously ensue.
In this manner, the Obama/Reid/Pelosi cabal has pillaged and squandered trillions of dollars in the past two years,
always promising that a rosy economic upturn is right around the next corner. And when no economic rebound resulted,
they assured us that, with only a few more billion thrown cavalierly about, the recovery would indeed begin. To the
dismay of these political charlatans, the American people saw through the sham and resoundingly rejected it in the
November, 2010, elections.
As a result, and, with the 2012 election cycle looming, any new evidence of more economic gloom will be disastrous to
the Democrats' political fortunes. Yet, equally appalling to the Democrats, is the prospect of the implementation of sound tax
policy, followed by even a small degree recuperation from the disastrous course of the past few years. Better economic
times will only benefit the Democrats if they can credibly take responsibility for the upturn. And prosperity through
lowered taxes (Or more accurately, merely maintaining the current levels, in lieu of sharply raising them) is not a
concept that the Democrats have ever convincingly embraced.
Thus, even at this late hour, they continue to cloud and complicate the issue with their standard Leftist diatribe. In her
waning days as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (Democrat - California), has repeatedly made the absurd claim that a
continuation of unemployment “benefits” (a likely component of any compromise bill to maintain the Bush tax cuts)
will stimulate the economy. The last hundred weeks of such lavish expenditures has not accomplished anything of the
kind, but has, instead, only significantly worsened the debt component of the sluggish economy.
President Barack Obama consistently disparaged the notion of allowing “the wealthy” (Meaning those who earn over
two hundred fifty thousand dollars annually) to escape the tax hike. In his world, that such individuals “would still buy
their flat screen televisions,” even while facing higher taxes, incontrovertibly proves that they do not need all of their
income. Ultimately, he is asserting that people who have earned in abundance have no legitimate right to keep the fruits
of their work.
What President Obama does not explain, and what he obviously believes the American people are too stupid to
comprehend, is that, while upper income individuals and companies may maintain the means to make a comparatively
small expenditure of that nature, their ability to expand business will definitely be impacted by higher taxes. The end
result of this is continued contraction of the market and the economy.
Conversely, a cease-fire in the Liberal war on American affluence would set the stage for a much-needed economic
revitalization, not because of government, but in spite of it. And this is a prospect that Democrats revile more than any
other, with the lone exception of losing more seats in Congress, and possibly the White House in 2012. This quandary
has left them frustrated and desperate. So now they are compelled to make a case that some Keynesian baggage that
they can attach to the tax-rate extension bill will be the real reason for any economic rebound.
With each passing day, it seems more likely that all of the Bush tax cuts will be preserved. On the heels of this, America
may indeed take a first step towards repairing the damage inflicted by Pelosi, Reid, and eventually, Obama. If so, the
message of how and why the country was able to turn around must be touted relentlessly in order to counter the
misinformation campaign that is sure to follow.
The alternative is that, during the next two years, the political Left will resurrect itself on the false premise that its nanny
state policies fixed the crisis, placing it in a position to restore its political hegemony and revert back to the dangerous
policies that have devastated the nation since the Democrats retook the Congress in 2007.
LINKS TO RELATED TOPICS:
American Politics, Political Competition, & the Control of
Public Policy: Elections, Political Parties, Political Factions,
Ideologies, & Special Interest Groups
American Government & the U.S. Congress:
Congressional Legislative Politics & National Public Policy
American Government & the U.S. Presidency:
Presidential Politics & National Leadership
Political Economy -- Philosophies, Systems, & Public Policies:
Government, the Economy, & Economic Prosperity
Fiscal Policy: Taxation & Government Spending
The American Political & Cultural Left:
Liberals, Statists, Socialists, Marxists, & Other Leftists:
The Democratic Party, Academia, & the Mainstream Media
The American Political System:
Politics & Government in the U.S.A.
Liberalism Versus Conservatism in American Politics
-------------------------
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES:
COMPETING SYSTEMS OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Conservatism
Traditional Conservatism: Questions & Answers
Conservatism: Attitudes, Types, & Present Status
Constitutional Conservatism: American & British
Liberalism
Classical Liberalism: Intellectual Foundations
Classical Liberalism: Conservative Liberalism
Manchester Liberalism & Social Darwinism
Modern Social "Liberalism": Statist "Liberalism"
Radical & Totalitarian Ideologies
Radicalism, Utopianism, & Totalitarianism
Christopher G. Adamo is a resident of southeastern Wyoming. He has been involved in politics at the local and state
level for many years, and is a contributing columnist at the new print publication, Liberty Ink Journal. His contact
information and article archives can be found at www.chrisadamo.com
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THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE, USA
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Dr. Almon Leroy Way, Jr., Editor
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Conservative Government Ensures a Nation's Strength, Progress, & Prosperity