The extension of the Bush tax cuts for people making over $250,000 a year is madness in the face of a crumbling economy and an outsourced-to-death job market (remember factories and union jobs anyone?). I'm mad as hell to see my country become a dysfunctional 3rd world banana republic because of corrupt politicians like John Boehner and Mitch McConnell and beaten down corporate hybrid democrats like Obama, Summers and Geitner. So let's let's send them a gift of thanks from the people who will really benefit from these tax cuts: The Chinese Government.
Below are the addresses of Boehner, McConell and the White House. Send them Chinese food or soy sauce or any Chinese gift with a note:
"Thanks for borrowing more money from us to pay for your tax cuts for the rich. And thank you for always placing China first over your own American people. With love, China."
For me personally, I'm sending the food to McConnell and Boehner. As disappointing as Obama has turned out to be I think he still knows that $110 billion more added to the deficit in the next two years is a bad idea. I just think he's in a corrupt hell hole (aka: Washington DC) and doesn't have the fight in him to call it out. But hey, if you're a Republican or a really, really pissed off progressive or just a sane American who cares about the future of our country by all means send the President some oyster sauce and hot mustard.
The addresses:
Office of John Boehner
H-204 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
Senator Mitch McConnell
United States Senate
361A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1702
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
The Chinese gifts:
Here's some good sites for Chinese gifts. I sent some sichuan noodle sauce because Boehner and McConnell bend like noodles however the corporations and banks want them to. But be creative and feel free to include your own note....
http://www.indianfoodsco.com/EthnicGroceryStores/ChineseGrocery.htm
The Note:
"Thanks for borrowing more money from us to pay for your tax cuts for the super rich. And thank you for always placing China first over your own people. With love, China."
Alternate note:
"More tax breaks that you have to borrow money from us to pay for? Wow! You're the best! China loves you! Keep that debt coming and say hello to the Chamber of Commerce for us! Love and kisses, the Chinese Government"
***
A few preemptive responses to comments:
Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson: America's Hostage Crisis: Day 3,500 -- And Counting
What always puzzled me is this:
While the middle class is almost by definition bound to spend their tax cuts on goods and services, the rich have much more leeway in its use. What prevents them from investing their cut in Brazil or China where they can get much higher return.
Meantime, Ben tries to print over the hole in our budget, making our currency weaker and weaker - in effect extracting another tax from everyone's (rich or poor) pocket.
Most importantly, I feel so stupid for believing all of Obama's promises, especially the one he said over and over and over and over - that he would NOT allow the tax breaks for the wealthy to continue after the end of this year. Guess money talks and I don't have enough to sway his thoughts about pandering to the rich. Of course, I'm sure he'll want to 'know' me again when he wants my vote in a couple of years. Not gonna get it, Barack, not gonna get it.
The Corporate lords, Congress and the President are de facto emissaries of China. We can longer trust them to do what is good for We the People.
China's not really the bad guy here at the end of the day. They're just the lucky (and industrious) third party.
It would actually be fairer all of the nations of the world to work with a single international currency no one nation or government could unduly manipulate.
the rich. After all how many fat government contracts go to poor people? I would venture about zero. who owns the company that will build the next billion dollar fighter plane? Safe to say its not a poor person.
rich people on average receive far more from the government in both money and services (e.g. a huge amount of military spending is dedicated to defending US "interests" abroad which is equivalent to rich peoples foreign investments). therefore they should pay more. If they don't think its a good deal why don't we see them flocking to Somalia where they wouldn't have to pay any taxes at all?
protesting the redistribution of wealth from blue states to red states
to support the red state plantation economies.
red states on average receive $1.33 in subsidies and pork barreling
for every $1 they sent to washington.
http://scatter.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/red-state-blue-state-welfare-state-subsidizing-state/
http://www.sustainablemiddleclass.com/Subsidized-Red-Donor-Blue.html
Mean while California only gets $0.78 back for every dollar it pays in federal taxes.
Then the cons love to bag on CA - talk about biting the hand that feed you.
OK you want to cut big gov? let start with the red state federal subsidies
...crickets
Politicians all over the South would climb over each other to be the first to oppose that.
problem is too many of the liberals would try to reach a "consensus", end up caving in, and give the cons even more than their current take.
the only hope may be that some of those southern states actually carry through on their incessant threats to secede one of these days, and this time the blue states just kindly show them the door.
It'd probably be one of the best things that could happen for California, New York, Massachusetts, and some of the other states that bankroll all those so-called self-reliant, rugged individualists.
This article and posters here, like Representatives along with senators and President, have to be honest and state unequivocally their priority:
Eliminate long-term debt and have short-term pain with cuts and rising taxes. OR
Stimulate current economy, create jobs by private sector and worsen long-term debt (compromise budget bill).
No longer can the country and we "have our cake and eat it too"; which is what most posters are trying to do. That's why Progressives, leftists and unions are getting no-where; and spinning their wheels.
Economists on both sides agree the compromise bill adds 2-3 points to GDP growth. This will hopefully relieve unemployment and need for unemployment benefits.
IMO eliminating the long-term debt will start getting our fiscal-house in order and we'll finally start getting off the gravy-train. That seriousness of purpose will raise stock-market and govt will collect more in taxes as in President Clinton's time.
Take your pick! As President Nixon famously said, "Sh*t or get-off the pot".
I personally would go for eliminating Bush tax cuts for ALL. Increase employment by making Medicare available for 55+. This permits those who wish to retire to do so and open-up job opportunities for those who want to work.