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Grover Norquist, the leading strategist in Bush's tax reform plans said, “My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.”
It has always been a Conservative axiom that smaller government is something to strive for. Why is it that Republicans never cut the size of government? Because contrary to conservative beliefs, government exists to serve the constituency. People want a government that is responsive to their needs and rebel at the idea of losing those services that government provides.
Given this, how is it possible to cut the size of government?
Starve it to death. That, my gentle readers, it exactly what the Republicans set out to do. They now have control of both houses, the Administration and arguably the Judiciary. The only thing they don't control is the voting public. Knowing that they can't openly cut or dismantle existing programs they have reduced funding to the point that many of them cannot continue to function.
Step one is to reduce revenue coming into the federal accounts and build a budgetary crisis. Cut taxes and increase spending for big contributors like the energy, pharmaceutical and banking industries. Run up record deficits. It helps to have a war to drain away resources as well. Move funding from existing programs to the war effort.
The result is a failing federal government that can't do anything right.
No Child Left Behind is un-funded and a burden on state and local governments. The teaching of religion based "science" graduates poorly prepared students and the US falls behind in science and math education. Everyone complains about public education.
Medicare is under funded, so the program has to reduce payments for services which means that doctors can't afford to treat Medicare patients. Medicare becomes a government failure and the poor go without health care.
The Corps of Engineers funding is cut 40% two budgets in a row. Levees fail. Another failure of government to protect it's citizens.
Gut funding for FEMA and appoint completely unqualified leadership. Issue conflicting and confusing orders. People die. Government fails yet again.
Eventually it becomes possible to dismantle government programs because people are taught to believe that government is inept. The result is a government of the wealthy, by the wealthy and for the wealthy. If you are a CEO you earn 184 times what your average employee does (up from 64 times in 1966). If you are the average worker, you no longer get overtime. If you are rich you catch a plane out of New Orleans and insurance covers your losses. If you are poor, you drown in a home that will be bull dozed in the "recovery" process.
New Orleans is the bath tub that Norquist was talking about.
If those of you on this list who voted Republican like what you see in Louisiana and Mississippi keep voting Republican. You'll get more of it.
Unfortunately, so will the rest us.
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