The Republican strategy for next year’s presidential election is so evil that it’s hard to believe. They plan to get President Obama out of the White House by sabotaging the economy.
I know, who would do a thing like that?
Who would deliberately inflict misery on millions of Americans and undermine the health of their own country’s economy?
Republicans, that’s who.
They know that a high unemployment rate and a struggling economy spelled defeat for past presidents. And they are doing everything they can to plunge America into a deep depression in preparation for November 2012. That’s why they’re blocking ever conceivable stimulus measure and threatening to deny congressional permission to raise the national debt ceiling.
They might not actually crash the economy – not just America’s but the world’s – by voting against a debt ceiling increase, but they will bluff as long as they can, knowing that the mere threat of such a catastrophe is enough to do a lot of damage. And I wouldn’t even put it past them to carry out their threat; there’s a movement afoot to destroy the global economy so that a totally “free” market can be built on the ruins.
The only thing that might keep Republicans in Congress from actually blocking a debt ceiling increase is the danger it presents to their Wall Street and Big Business supporters. I don’t think the majority of those tycoons would welcome a short-term disaster as a prelude to future gains, however tempting that might be.
Still, the Republicans’ Big Business allies are not averse to the creation of a double-dip recession. The economic decline has not hurt them; the rich are getting richer even as the middle class suffers. I think that explains why so many companies are hoarding cash, delaying any expansion as long as a black Democrat occupies the White House. They don’t mind waiting until after they defeat him to resume hiring.
You might think voters would be sure to punish the Republicans at the polls for this despicable strategy, but with the kind of cash the Republicans have at their disposal (thanks in part to the U.S. Supreme Court decision to let companies spend as much as they like on election campaigns), they will inundate the airwaves and other media with expertly crafted propaganda designed to make it all Obama’s fault.
I expect an unprecedented assault on the truth in the coming campaign.
This will be an acid test for democracy. If the majority of voters are hoodwinked this time, America’s democratic system will be a thing of the past. Evil people will be able to do whatever they like, knowing they can always buy their way to power.
