Hate Driving Republicans
Hate toward Wall Street from the party of small business that has never liked "eastern" money is in every conversation. It is this gut hatred that could kill the "bailout." Add to the fire the fact that the "fat cats" have donated a ton to Democrats and you have the formula for continued financial paralysis. The idea that the Republicans are pro "Big Business" is simply an east coast idea pushed by Democrats during the Depression in order to get votes, and by and large this was true. Ain't true now. "Main Street" Republicans mistrust Wall Street as if they were the old time communists, in fact their dislike runs deeper than most of you realize. Take a look at the Republicans opposed to the "bailout" and you will see essentially reps from rural dominated states, not places like New York or California. This is quickly becoming Wall Street vs Main Street.
Another reason for the bailout problem is the "I'm better than you" attitude of both Paulson and Bernanke who use language only the elites can understand. I ask a simple question: would any of you hire either one of them as salesmen? Who would they sell anything to? Ivies, elite school grads, and beach club members. This also feeds into the Main Street hatred of the plan.
4 comments:
In the last ten yeaars, I have never once actually talked to the Member when I've called a Congressional office, and only twice even gotten so much as a form letter reply in response to letters I've written. For the most part, Congress and their me-first pals in the Board Rooms have no loyalty,integrity or morality. I no longer trust anyone I can't do business with on a handshake; in other words, I want to personally deal with the guy whose name is on the door.
On Main St. in Richmond,
Dick
I am an upper middle class business owner, educated, live in an affluent Orange County (CA) suburb, and DO understand what pricks like Paulson and Bernanke are talking about without having to run for a thesaurus.
All that said, no one in either party is to be trusted. The great divide in American politics isn't Republican vs. Democrat, left vs. right, business vs. labor, or any such thing. It's the elites (big business, big media, organized labor, education, and big relgion) vs. the rest of us.
Contrary to what the media would have us believe, big business is not at all uncomfortable with big, instrusive government, because they've got the money to contribute to campaigns (read: pay protection money) and buy favorable legislation; they can also depend on the government to erect barriers to entry that keep startup companies from causing trouble for them.
Look, I'm no lefty. I like the idea of meritocracy and self-responsbility. What I don't like is the nagging feeling that if given the chance to do this all over again, guys like George Bush (no conservative, BTW), Obama, McCain, et al would do the very same thing all over again. Oh, and they'd cheap shot us as bigots for not wanting to give free money to "God's children" while they were at it.
You could see Main Street Republicans coming alive in their reaction to the nomination of Sarah Palin, one of their own. Wall Street and K Street can both go to hell.
As I've been saying to people, the nomination of Sarah Palin means things. The unraveling of the deal shows this.
No one told the big man (Bush) that members of his own party, were upset with the deal. It was just assumed, that all the Repubs would go along, and the man at the top didn't want to hear about any objections. Not anymore...the backbenchers got a face and a name now, and the party is over for the oldsters. The torch has been passed (by McCain, no less!) and the elite wing of the Republican party is toast. They must now deal, with the Dems, AND with the new Republicans.
The new Democrats are still being repressed, but not for long.
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