November 7, 2010
By Thom Hartmann
Thom Hartmann describes how the Republican victories on Nov. 2 spell their ultimate defeat. Sadly, the United States could go down with them.
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This is the End of the Republican Party by Thom Hartmann
Whoever is saying that last night was the demise of the Democratic
party - they're wrong! In reality, it's the end of the Republican party.
As the money in this election points out, the party of (old
republicans) is now the party of (CEOs). So how much does it cost to buy
the House of Representatives? Try over $300 million dollars - $123
million of which came from anonymous donors. That's how much money was
funneled into this year's elections by outside groups. In a full assault
on our democracy, the Chamber of Commerce and its big business
associates rained down millions in hit pieces to knock off Democrats
around the country. Also in the game, Super PACs - or front groups for
billionaires - like Karl Rove's "American Crossroads" and Norm Coleman's
"American Action Network" tossed in over a hundred million dollars to
ensure that Republican corporate puppets are elected to Congress.
The puppets now control the House with a likely 50-seat majority.
And now in power, they have to live up to their end of the deal -
legislate on behalf of billionaires like the Koch brother who want
massive tax breaks, freedom to ship jobs overseas, and freedom to
irreparably pollute our environment - in other words, freedom to finish
off the dismantling of the middle class. Corporations were successful in
knocking out good guys like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, Alan Grayson in
Florida, and Tom Perriello in Virginia - replacing them in each case
with millionaires who adamantly oppose middle class policies like
raising the minimum wage and extending unemployment insurance -
millionaires who have promised to sell their votes in Congress to the
highest bidder.
What does this Congress look like when it's bought and paid for by
big business? Look no further than Rand Paul in Kentucky who made these
comments this morning, "there are no rich. There are no middle class.
There are no poor...We all either work for rich people or we sell stuff
to rich people. So just punishing rich people is as bad for the economy
as punishing anyone..." He practically spelled it out for us. Not since
1906 has our country witnessed this type of special interest subversion
of our democracy. Back then, it only took 2 years to neuter the fat cat
CEO's and keep them out of politics when Teddy Roosevelt worked to get
the 1907 Tillman Act passed out of Congress - an act that stopped
corporations from messing around in American politics. Now, over 100
years later and a Supreme Court decision in Citizens United - our
country has regressed back to the age of the robber barons of the late
19th century.
Submitter: John Basel
Submitters Bio:
A graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo with an MBA in 1980, John went into the banking business from 1981-1991. John went into the gymnastics business with his wife, with whom he has two children, in 1992 and grew it enough by 1995 that he could quit conventional employment. He became politically active after his divorce in 2004 becoming a news reporter and talk show host for KPFT, a Pacifica station, in Houston. He has since been involved with the peace movement in many ways and continues to promote progressive interests. John now volunteers in his neighborhood Civic Association and the local homeless center.
