How the GOP Used a Two Santa Clauses Tactic to Con America for Nearly 40 Years
By Thom Hartmann A...
This scam has been killing wages and enriching billionaires for decades.
"The only thing wrong with the U.S. economy is the failure of the Republican Party to play Santa Claus."
-Jude Wanniski, March 6, 1976
The Republican Party has been running a long con on America since Reagan's inauguration, and somehow our nation's media has missed it - even though it was announced in The Wall Street Journal in the 1970s and the GOP has clung tenaciously to it ever since.
In fact, Republican strategist Jude Wanniski's 1974 "Two Santa Clauses Theory" has been the main reason why the GOP has succeeded in producing our last two Republican presidents, Bush and Trump (despite losing the popular vote both times). It's also why Reagan's economy seemed to be "good."
Here's how it works, laid it out in simple summary:
First, when Republicans control the federal government, and particularly the White House, spend money like a drunken sailor and run up the US debt as far and as fast as possible. This produces three results - it stimulates the economy thus making people think that the GOP can produce a good economy, it raises the debt dramatically, and it makes people think that Republicans are the "tax-cut Santa Claus."
Second, when a Democrat is in the White House, scream about the national debt as loudly and frantically as possible, freaking out about how "our children will have to pay for it!" and "we have to cut spending to solve the crisis!" This will force the Democrats in power to cut their own social safety net programs, thus shooting their welfare-of-the-American-people Santa Claus.
Think back to Ronald Reagan, who more than tripled the US debt from a mere $800 billion to $2.6 trillion in his 8 years. That spending produced a massive stimulus to the economy, and the biggest non-wartime increase in the debt in history. Nary a peep from Republicans about that 218% increase in our debt; they were just fine with it.
And then along came Bill Clinton.
Read more here.
Comments
#2
Banksters surely have a role in this seeming never ending cycle
#3
We need to find out who, how, why, and where the military industrial spy complex is laundering all of those missing billions. We know Cheney got massively rich off all the for profit global death and destruction.
If you think our system is less corrupt than Putin's Russia, better guess again.
Reliable word is out that Pompeo won't do a god damn thing to stop the Russian interference in the midterms....that from Rex Tillerson. T-Rex's words.."we can't do much about it" Why would they do anything about it? Putin supports their fascist cause which will lead to our economic collapse.
#4
Well of course, give people what they want and, as my father (1900-90) said, they will vote their pocketbooks. Unfortunately the link between reckless spending for pointless wars, cutting useful spending by government, and boiling the economy into steam is missed by most people. Which, since Congress collects the campaign contributions from contractors (hired to fight the enemies created by pointless wars) is exactly how they want it. The fact that this is totally unsustainable, and a growing war department has less and less of value to defend at home is, to their way of thinking, nobody's problem.
#5
Sooo...
Let me get this straight...
This " two Santa Clauses" tactic is based on insane supply side, Laissez Faire economic philosophies.
You know.. The economic philosophy that won Milton Friedman a Nobel prize?!?
"Chuckling"
And.. Alan Greenspan the Medal of Freedom?!?
"Chuckling"
And l thought us Jews didn't believe in Santa Clause?
Let alone...two of them!!
What this Jew wants to know is...
In the science of economics:
Why in the world, did the world, listen to the crazy economic ramblings of a couple of...absolutely insane Jews??
Wasn't there any economic- Jewish "voice of reason" 40 years ago??
Where the fuck was Paul Krugman back then?!?
"Not chuckling"
#6
Interesting article. An excellent comparison of Republicans with drunken sailors. If you recall the story, the Republican Party advocated the prohibition of slavery in the territories of the states north of the 36th parallel (which was abolished in 1854 by the act of Kansas-Nebraska), the distribution of free lands free of charge to all comers (formally free lands were in fact populated by Indian tribes, whose opinion , however, no one was interested), and also for the establishment of high duties on imported industrial goods from Europe. After the victory of the northerners and their leader Abraham Lincoln in the Civil War, the Republicans almost 50 years dominated both in the presidential and parliamentary elections. They always knew how to throw dust into the eyes of the people! By the way, such information can be found or ordered on online assignment writing services (well, this is for those who are interested). Thanks to the author, good article.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"In an age rife with media-inspired confusion and political cowardice, we yearn for a decent, caring, deeply human soul whose grasp of the problems confronting us provides a light by which we can make our way through the quagmire of lies, distortions, pandering, and hollow self-puffery that strips the American Dream of its promise. How lucky we are, then, to have access to the wit, wisdom, and willingness of Thom Hartmann, who shares with us here that very light, grown out of his own life experience."
From Screwed:
"Once again, Thom Hartmann hits the bull’s eye with a much needed exposé of the so-called ‘free market.’ Anyone concerned about the future of our nation needs to read Screwed now."
From Screwed:
"If we are going to live in a Democracy, we need to have a healthy middle class. Thom Hartmann shows us how the ‘cons’ have wronged this country, and tells us what needs to be done to reclaim what it is to be American."
History keeps repeating itself and the Republicans (that should be Democrats) keep falling for it and voting for it. How many times does it take. Huge tax cuts for the wealthy + massive increases in Defense Spending = Recession.