Blogging Blue » Debunking Conservatives

Another Shotgun Blast to a Zombie Lie

Phil Scarr — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 01:37:49 +0000

Time to try again to kill the lie that government housing policy caused the subprime crisis. Maybe this time it’ll knock the zombie down for good. Probably not.

In an working paper entitled The Subprime Crisis: Is Government Housing Policy to Blame?, the authors conclude the following,

We find little evidence that either the [Community Reinvestment Act] or the [government sponsored enterprise] goals played a significant role in the subprime crisis. Our lender tests indicate that areas disproportionately served by lenders covered by the CRA experienced lower delinquency rates and less risky lending. Similarly, the threshold tests show no evidence that either program had a significantly negative effect on outcomes.

So when a Republican tells you the subprime crisis was the fault of FANNIE and FREDIE, reach for your shotgun because there’s a zombie that needs putting down.

We don’t need no stinkin’ EPA…

Ed Heinzelman — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:21:39 +0000

Despite never actually providing a plan to create jobs, several of the leading Republican candidates for President point to federal regulations as a reason we aren’t growing jobs in the United States. We are in fact just a few tax breaks and deregulation away from renewed prosperity. And of course competition and the free market will take care of the rest…

Well, we know of a robust economy with very few environmental regulations…China!

But if we follow their lead, yesterday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel headline might have a ‘Milwaukee’ or ‘Glendale’ dateline next time: “Johnson Controls plant in China under investigation”.

Johnson Controls says it believes its lead-acid battery plant in Shanghai is not the source of lead poisoning among children in a village near the sprawling Chinese city.

The Glendale-based company issued a statement Friday after The Associated Press reported that a Shanghai environmental agency had ordered two factories, including the Johnson Controls plant, to halt production pending an investigation into the source of the lead poisoning.

The Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau reported on its website Friday that it was studying lead emissions from the two factories. At the same time, the Pudong district government, where the cases were found, issued a statement saying it believed the Johnson Controls factory was the main source of lead emissions in the area, the AP reported.

In a statement sent to the Journal Sentinel, Johnson Controls said the Pudong government had requested that it suspend lead-related production in the Shanghai plant because the plant had reached its lead quota for the year.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we have complied with this request,” the statement says.

The company said it was aware that local citizens had questions about possible potential exposure to lead. With that in mind, Johnson Controls said it would cooperate with the government in any investigation.

“However, we have no reason to believe we are the source of the issue,” the company said.

The AP reported that the source of the lead contamination has not been confirmed.

There are some very real reasons that the EPA was created and there are some very real reasons that they impose environmental regulations on American businesses. The Republicans continually voice concerns about leaving the debts of the deficit and bankcrupting our children and grandchildren…but they show no concern about leaving them clean air, clean water, or a clean environment to enjoy.

Social Security Works…

Ed Heinzelman — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:49:52 +0000

I have a couple of longer posts in the works on Social Security and Republicans and Taxes…but they aren’t ready for tonight!

But I thought I’d leave us all with this quick little tidbit: by now everyone has read the census news from any of a number of different outlets…more Americans are living in poverty now than in many recent years…that 2010 was worse than 2009 for far too many Americans…that poverty has continued to rise for four consecutive years. There needs to be more discussion on this…but for tonight I am leaving you with this:

Two lines from the actual U.S. Census Bureau press release:

•The poverty rate increased for children younger than 18 (from 20.7 percent in 2009 to 22.0 percent in 2010) and people 18 to 64 (from 12.9 percent in 2009 to 13.7 percent in 2010), while it was not statistically different for people 65 and older (9.0 percent).

•Similar to the patterns observed for the poverty rate in 2010, the number of people in poverty increased for children younger than 18 (15.5 million in 2009 to 16.4 million in 2010) and people 18 to 64 (24.7 million in 2009 to 26.3 million in 2010) and was not statistically different for people 65 and older (3.5 million).

Let me emphasize this statement as it applies to 2009 and 2010: “…was not statistically different for people 65 and older.” Despite a lack of cost of living raises recently, SOCIAL SECURITY WORKS!

Tax Breaks create jobs…horse hockey

Ed Heinzelman — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:05:54 +0000

We have continually been harangued that we need to continue to cut taxes for the wealthy and for corporations so that they have the extra wherewithal to create more jobs. We’ve just had the tenth anniversary of the original Bush tax cuts. We have a myriad of state tax cuts and credits. But unemployment is creeping back up again.

Today’s paper had another letter to the editor extolling Gov. Walker’s tax cuts that will spur the economy and create jobs.

Well the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s business page talks about companies having record cash reserves. But are they creating new jobs? Hell no they are buying back their own stock to push its value up.

When are the idiots out there going to realize that demand for products and services are what create jobs…companies hire when the demand in the marketplace requires a larger workforce. Until then they are going to bank their cash, pay CEO’s huge salaries and bonuses for creating the cash hoard, and buy back their stock to increase share holder value. None of these activities create jobs.

btw: In the print version the headline today says Cash Hordes…shouldn’t it be Cash Hoards?

Instead of shareholders someone needs to be reminded that STAKEHOLDERS are the key to business success.

added 6/13/2011 9:00 CDT: Just a few more words on the subject from the liberal media demons themselves, the New York Times on the fantasia that is repeated tax cutting for job creation:

High unemployment numbers may be good for Republicans in the next election, which makes it disturbing that Republican leaders have blocked any discussion of stimulus policies that might succeed in putting people back to work.

In fact, all job-creating proposals that involve spending money are considered verboten among both parties, because Republicans have cowed Democrats with the argument that the 2009 stimulus bill was an irredeemable failure and the deficit is causing unemployment.

If Republicans are as deeply concerned about the 13.9 million out-of-work people as they claim to be, they might have offered ideas of their own that have some possibility of creating jobs. Instead, they have been chanting the same tired and discredited mantras the party has offered since the 1980s: huge tax cuts, huge cuts in safety-net spending, the clear-cutting of regulations, and the inevitable balanced-budget amendment.

Read the piece, it has something to say about former Gov. Pawlenty’s ideas on taxes and job creation as well…archaic ideas. And this last bit on Mr. Pawlenty stolen from cartoonist Tom Toles: Pawlenty of Nothing!

So…about Ronald Reagan and the national debt

Zach W — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:44:19 +0000

Referencing the fact that the federal debt didn’t decrease under both Presidents Bush, here’s what far-right conservative blogger Randy Hollenbeck said:

P.S. -You on the left, I know you don’t and cannot understand this, but both President Bushes were not Conservatives, but they were Republicans.

Interestingly, Hollenbeck didn’t include Ronald Reagan in his list of Republicans who weren’t conservatives, leaving one to assume Hollenbeck considers Reagan to be a true conservative. However, as the chart below shows, Ronald Reagan wasn’t exactly “conservative” when it came to running up the national debt.

(Click for full size - SOURCE)

As you can see, under President Reagan the national debt increased as a percentage of GDP from under 40% to well over 50%, and in real dollars Reagan increased the national debt from roughly $900 billion to over $3.2 trillion. What’s more, during Reagan’s time in office, federal government employment rose from 2,143,000 employees to 2,238,000 employees, so if there’s one thing that’s pretty clear about Ronald Reagan, it’s that he was no small government conservative, despite the mythologizing today about Reagan as the “patron saint” of small government conservatism.

Palin to speak at fundraiser for “socialist” Canadian hospital

Zach W — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:39:23 +0000

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who’s made no secret of her feelings for the”socialist” health care system in Canada, is scheduled to speak at a fundraiser for a hospital and cancer center in Canada. The hospital in question, St. Peter’s Hospital, is a public hospital, and in addition to offering “socialized medicine,” it also offers end-of-life decision support (death panels, anyone?).

Considering Sarah Palin was so vocal in her opposition to the end-of-life planning, or as she called them, “death panels,” that are a part of health care reform legislation here in the U.S., it seems like a strange decision on the part of Sarah Palin to offer her support to St. Peter’s Hospital.

The myth about government health care

Zach W — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:12:38 +0000

One common conservative talking point posits that a government-run health care system would lead to a rationing of care, as was suggested in an editorial in Investors Business Daily, which used world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking as “proof” of their point:

People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.

The notion that an individual like Stephen Hawking would be deemed worthless under a British-style national health care system is laughable and completely false, but don’t just take my word for it – read what Stephen Hawking himself had to say about government-run health care:

“I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the NHS,” he said. “I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.”

It’s worth noting individuals diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis typically live 3-5 years after being diagnosed with the disease, and Stephen Hawking has lived 30+ years following his diagnosis, no doubt thanks to the quality health care he has received through the British National Health System.

New Book Release “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party”

MadCityMan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:01:19 +0000

Max Blumenthal has released his new book “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party”. The 416 page book published by Nation Books, is available for purchase from his former employer Buzzflash (for $28.50 including shipping) or at other book sellers.

Here’s what Buzzflash had to say about the book “An explosive book that gets to the heart of the winger psychoses.” The New York Times Book Reviewer Rick Perlstein had this to say “A brave and resourceful reporter adept at turning over rocks that public-relations-savvy Christian conservative leaders would prefer remain undisturbed.”

To help promote his book, Max Blumenthal did some interviews with people covered in his book including Ralph Reed and Joe the Plumber. These interview clips speak for themselves.

Divorce rate lower in (gay-marriage legal) Massachusetts

Zach W — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:32:19 +0000

Bruce Wilson of the Huffington Post is reporting some interesting findings debunking the myth that same-sex marriage will lead to a breakdown in the traditional family structure (emphasis mine):

Provisional data from 2008 indicates that the Massachusetts divorce rate has dropped from 2.3 per thousand in 2007 down to about 2.0 per thousand for 2008. What does that mean? To get a sense of perspective consider that the last time the US national divorce rate was 2.0 per thousand (people) was 1940. You read that correctly. The Massachusetts divorce rate is now at about where the US divorce rate was the year before the United States entered World War Two.

Back in summer 2006, after more than a year of poring over accumulating data I reported what was, to my mind, a foregone conclusion; after two years of legal gay marriage, the Bay State still boasted the lowest divorce rate of any state in the nation. That was notable in light of the absurdly histrionic claims made by leaders on the Christian right that legal gay marriage in Massachusetts would be an “apocalypse” that would destroy the institution of marriage and lead to the destruction of Western Civilization or even the Earth itself.

I’ve always maintained that the argument same-sex marriage would lead to a breakdown in the traditional family is absolute crap, and I’m glad to see data is actually backing up my belief.

There’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more

Zach W — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:38:56 +0000

For all the controversy Sen. John McCain and his supporters have tried to drum up about Sen. Barack Obama’s supposed socialist ideas when it comes to taxes, Sen. McCain himself has his own dirty little secret: he’s supported tax plans that tax the wealthy so the middle class can have tax relief (aka “spreading the wealth”):

My favorite quote? Sen. McCain saying, “When you are….when you reach a certain level of comfort, there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more.” Couple that with Sen. McCain’s previously stated support for middle class tax relief at the expense of the wealthy, and you’ve got all the makings of a closet socialist.