In Iowa, Only Offensive Choices Available

About 120,000 voters will make national headlines with the choices they make in the Iowa caucuses. Those who turn up will be disproportionately white, conservative, affluent and old. Conservative evangelicals will turn out in significant numbers. Their influence has been exercised before they even go to the caucuses, for every Republican candidate now embraces an extreme right-wing agenda that would make Ronald Reagan look like a liberal.

For all the attack ads, on policy there is little substantive difference in the Republican candidates, with the exception of the more-libertarian Ron Paul. Let's focus on the front-runners -- Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry -- all of whom are peddling an agenda that offends both common sense and the opinions of the vast majority of Americans.

At a time of Gilded Age inequality and record budget deficits, every Republican candidate wants to LOWER taxes on the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations. Romney and the rest, for example, are for eliminating the inheritance tax that applies only to the wealthiest 0.3 percent of families. That would add about $1.3 trillion to projected deficits over the next decade, forcing deep cuts in basic services and in programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

With the U.S. having squandered an estimated $3 trillion on the misbegotten war in Iraq, Romney, Gingrich and Perry denounce Obama for removing U.S. troops (at the insistence of the elected government of Iraq). And all three promise war with Iran to keep that nation from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Romney and Perry call for increasing the military budget, which would require deeper cuts of basic domestic investments.

After Wall Street excesses blew up the world economy and the lobby power of the big banks blocked fundamental reform, every Republican candidate is committed to repealing the reforms that did pass, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau designed to protect consumers from being fleeced by predatory lenders.

With catastrophic climate change accelerating, Romney, Gingrich and Perry all scorn the existence of global warming, pledge to shackle the Environmental Protection Agency and embrace "Drill, baby, drill" policies that would drive America into greater dependence on carbon-based energy production. Who pays for the mess that Wall Street's excesses caused? The wealthiest Americans captured essentially all the rewards of growth under Bush, as most families lost ground. But Romney, Gingrich and Perry would send the bill to working families. They favor deep cuts in basic services, which have already begun with layoffs of teachers and police, hikes in transit fares, and even harsh reductions in home-heating assistance for the elderly.

This is the vision offered by Romney, Gingrich and Perry: An America entangled in wars abroad and impoverished at home, Wall Street free to gamble while seniors are left less secure, and a country of greater inequality and less opportunity.

No wonder Republicans have had a hard time warming to a candidate.

 

Follow Rev. Jesse Jackson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/revjjackson

Comments

[A Colored 1]

07:34 PM on 01/05/2012

The nerve of you Mr Jackson! you said "At a time of Gilded Age inequality and record budget deficits, every Republican candidate wants to LOWER taxes on the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations..."
All you do is talk ...talk ...and talk! Lets us see your tax returns.

[Nikesha]

05:10 PM on 01/04/2012

With one candidate down, two going down and four more looking to come out on top the GOP electorate has a big decision on their hands that they don’t seem like they want to make. They must pick from a crop of unpickables. This election season they received the low hanging fruit of candidates; asking anyone and everyone to join the race to free them of Obama’s nation, yet there isn’t one candidate who has proven himself to be able to do that. As they try to find the best of the worst, the incumbent is spending time beating it over the heads of all American people that the best of the worst is probably still the best thing you hope to never have.

http://changecomesslow.com/2012/01/04/a-party-divided-the-gop-after-iowa/

[a lo ha]

01:21 PM on 01/04/2012

I cannot believe this man has the audacity to call anyone offensive, and I find it even harder to believe that people still support him. He used the Civil Rights Movement to enrich himself! Read "Shakedown: exposing the real Jesse Jackson." It is absolutely sickening!! For a very long time, he just assumed the Reverend title because he deperately wanted to be like Martin Luther King, Jr.

[disporting]

04:20 PM on 01/03/2012

Hey, Mr. Jackson, let's not forget about Buddy Roemer. He stands out completely from the rest of the GOP field, and it is HE who I would like to support,

[disporting]

04:16 PM on 01/03/2012

Wow, you think "Those who turn up will be disproportionately white, conservative, affluent and old. Conservative evangelicals will turn out in significant numbers. " Conservatives showing up for a GOP caucus to help pick the GOP nominee for President? My God, Iowa has conservatives who are GOP supporters!

[freddyhuey]

04:02 PM on 01/03/2012

it is funny how this guy jesse was dissed by bill clinton the only real black pres[jesse himself said it] and now OBAMA wants nothing to do with him and never did,i guess the huff is his only political friend= funny

[cgrmn]

03:59 PM on 01/03/2012

Hey "Rev" Jackson, how about not using the old tax dodge that you are a non profit? Pay your fair share? Oh no not you. But thats a nice Rolex Presidential you wear, and you always fly first class, I see you there. Jr is in hot water for trying to buy
a Senate seat , and your other sons get a Bud distributorship by holding them up to a boycot. What a proud legacy.

[beckjr2000]

03:52 PM on 01/03/2012

Never let it be said that the Rev. Jesse lets an opportunity pass to insult those who don't believe in his Left Wing Fantasy World. I especially like the way he makes number up like with the Estate Tax. According to the "Fiscal Year 2011 Budget for the United States" the projected collection for the Federal Estate & Gift Tax for 2011 will be $25 billion dollars. Projected over a decade that would be $250 billion not $1.3 trillion. Then there is the Party Standard that the Republicans will "forcing deep cuts in basic services and in programs like Medicare and Medicaid." Who was it that actually did cut $500 Billion Dollars from Medicare in ObamaCare? Please name all the Republicans involved in passing this Government take over. Or that the economic collapse started with the housing market and the push by those on the Left to insure that everyone whether they could afford one or not could buy a house. Or the fact that the Big Banks and Wall Street were just two of the current administration's biggest financial supporters. Notice how many have been brought up on criminal charges? Who is it that's currently adding $1 Trillion dollars to our debt each and every year? Who has already devalued the Dollar twice since taking office? It's not the Republicans.

[TheTrue2]

03:32 PM on 01/03/2012

The Republican Candidates position on how to fix the economy is a return to the "go,go 20's"- small government and little regulations which only led to the Great Depression 80 years ago. What we need is large investment fiscal policy of the magnitude used to build the Arsenal of Freedom during World War II. The Right Wing Fixes for what is wrong with America Today recommended by the Republican Candidates are disconnected with the problem and will only make matters worst then they already are if they get a chance to implement them.

[John Denney]

08:39 PM on 01/03/2012

What makes a country prosper? When its people prosper.
What makes a person prosper? My observations over decades led me to conclude that the Four Pillars of Personal Prosperity are:
1) Can-Do attitude
2) Diligence
3) Continuous Learning
4) Trustworthiness

They can be given to no one, only encouraged, and their opposites discouraged.
They apply to all regardless of age, gender, or coloration.
Our leaders should exemplify them.
The job of the government ("We the People") is to protect each person's life, liberty, and property.

[TheTrue2]

11:51 AM on 01/06/2012

I agree with you 110%...However, when 300 Million people "prosper" to the level of their aspirations, it usually cost a great deal in terms of resources, environment and standard of living for someone else. We live in a World of scarce resources which means that controls on consumption have to exist. There is a need for individualism for a healthy society, but, because of scarcity there needs to be a balance approach to self realization of everyone's desires and aspirations. The Welfare State which some Scandinavian Countries enjoy, do a better job than us, specially with the love affair of individualism of the Right, in providing for public services. We are last in what our people get in Healthcare services of all Western Societies even though we spend more... because of the issues raised by Climate Change and the potential for how these issues are affecting our economic systems today and the near future, the solution requires greater government participation through fiscal policy than individuals...

[TheTrue2]

12:09 PM on 01/06/2012

....We rank low in education of our young people compared with other Countries in the World. We use more Energy for food and consume more lbs/person then anyone else in the World. The gap between the Rich and Poor is the largest of any Rich Country in the World. In the United States, we have 40% of the 1% of all the Rich people in the World. All these issues in our society today have been magnified by Reagonomics and an attitude exemplified by George Bush when people asked about the Financial Industry and he responded " the American People are Good People and they will do the right thing". Even though it is a true statement, and the freedom and liberty for self-realization is essential to a society, individualism cannot solve problems that affect equally 300 million people...things like Climate Change, Defense, Healthcare, Education. This is a job for governments to participate or outright deliver to its citizens. We fall short where the "rubber meet the road" in at least three of these areas.

[REBEL LEADER]

03:21 PM on 01/03/2012

Of course they want to lower taxes and other areas for the wealthy because the majority of politicians their friends and family are grossly wealthy , Its only in their best interest to take care of their campaign contributers and those who helped them get elected . Its no shocking suprise the wealthy want the Taxpayers to pay for the poor and the corporate welfare. The only people who dont pay taxes is the wealthy. they have corporate subsidies and write off's the poor taxpayers arent afforded. So the imbalances will continue until taxpayers have enough and reform the system.taxpayers will and do pay for everything . Cost of goods and services and the costs for business to do business. Taxpayers take huge losses while politicians ,business and the wealthy make huge profits.Too many conflicts of interest.

[meadnite]

03:09 PM on 01/03/2012

"For all the attack ads, on policy there is little substantive difference in the Republican candidates, with the exception of the more-libertarian Ron Paul."

bless his heart, i know that was tough.

[EamonGeorge]

02:50 PM on 01/03/2012

Jesse tells it like it is!

[laundrybrick]

10:14 AM on 01/10/2012

Jesse needs to put his money where his mouth is because he is one of the 1%. He only wants rich WHITES to pay up, the REVEREND (Reverend of what??) shouldn't have to. Elitist!

[shrinkingMiddleClassmate]

02:29 PM on 01/03/2012

The current GOP candidate field brings to mind the adage: "Money is Power," since these candidates truly embody these words. The GOP has been bought by the global investor who cares about America only as far as what profits can be squeezed out of it. They're not Americans and do not particularly like America except that they love our money and our government that's clearly easily bought. In the end all of these candidates will join the Tea Party in being the guard dog of the big corporations' tax cuts and champions of deregulation (how dare the people impose rules on us?)
My hope is that Democrats remember another old adage: "Knowledge is Power," and never forget that the truth is on their side.

[no dash american]

03:19 PM on 01/03/2012

And you believe the Dems haven't been bought and paid for as well? You know what they says brings bliss.

[mlrose529]

02:22 PM on 01/03/2012

To the conservative mudslingers on here: We get it. You don't like the messenger. Now be grown-ups and address the message. I don't think you could even begin to refute the content in the arguments he made, so...yeah, your best bet is to distract with ad hominem attacks on the author. If you have anything of substance to contribute...well, we won't hold our breath.

[Barbara Sutton]

01:07 PM on 01/03/2012

Rev. Jackson, Do you thnk it is possible that any person in U.S.A. could make jobs for Americans. The Wealthy can and if they don't get tax breaks here, they will go overseas as so many Companies have done. Also, The Unions are causing the Companies to go over-seas....I wonder if a person multiplied Union Dues for a year X 12 would equal? Then multiply that by how many years you have been a member. Bet you would faint. Then calculate what they have spent on you. A Shop Steward for a major Company showed me her figures and I almost fainted.

[mlrose529]

02:28 PM on 01/03/2012

Oh please. The reason they go overseas is because of all the money you save from hiring eleven year olds at 50 cents an hour to work 16 hour shifts. But you're right. We too could be competitive if only we didn't maintain a stubborn insistence on being a civilized nation. Meanwhile, keep shedding those tears for those poor sensitive 'job creators' who have a gun to their head telling them to enrich China and our other global rivals.

[WebsterHatesU]

02:45 PM on 01/03/2012

I believe George W. Bush was quoted as saying that his tax cuts would create jobs and stimulate the economy. Ten years later all we have to show for them is a deficit that would unarguably be much lower had they never been passed, an unemployment rate that has doubled, and CEO's turning their record profits into bonuses while their employees remain underpaid and often overqualified. What exactly will it take for people to finally stop making the "tax cuts = job creation" argument?