Corporate Welfare

[Perd Hapley]

Yesterday morning, a local, right-wing hate radio host took a call from some leftist kook, who wanted to list his grievances with the Republican Party. Near the top of the list was "corporate welfare." And somehow, despite all the talk about Solyndra, and bank bail-outs, the host never got around to asking the caller how corporate welfare was somehow the province of the Republican Party.  

[HankB]

Right-wing hate radio? What, is it the Klan Channel or something?

The worst example of corporate welfare was the GM bailout, which swindled Delphi workers out of their pensions, robbed bond holders, and gave a BIG ownership stake to the unions. We're still $25,000,000,000 in a hole because of that entire deal.

[seeker_two]

The only way gov't should provide economic benefit to a business is as a consumer buying their goods and services....like they do with ammo companies. With what FedGov spent on the GM Bailout, they could have bought the entire year's production run of vehicles & accomplished more on both ends.

[Perd Hapley]

All this talk of GM needs to stop. Know ye not that only Republicans bail out businesses?

[MicroBalrog]

The GOP is supposed to be the free-market party. We expect better of them.

[Jamisjockey]

The GM bailout was not a big business bail out: it was a big labor bail out.

[Perd Hapley]

The GOP is supposed to be the free-market party. We expect better of them.

In the above case, it was someone who called a radio show, ostensibly to list the reasons why the GOP doesn't appeal to African-Americans (who voted >90% for Obama).

[RevDisk]

And somehow, despite all the talk about Solyndra, and bank bail-outs, the host never got around to asking the caller how corporate welfare was somehow the province of the Republican Party.  

It has been the province of both parties. The majority of the corporate welfare depends on who is in power. Bush used corporate welfare with the Kestrel project to help get European countries on board with our international nationbuilding exercises. Obama is using corporate welfare to shovel large amounts of cash into "green" businesses run by political allies. Both shoveled large amounts of money to banks.

[Perd Hapley]

It has been the province of both parties.

Per-zackly.

[longeyes]

Fistful is right (yes, I said that :)).  The economic history of the last half-century is littered with debris from both parties.  We are not where we are today just because government grew cancerously.  There were many people on the other side eager to give away our birthright for selfish reasons.  Look at the General System of Preference as an example--who pushed that?  Who stood by why our intellectual property was ripped off?  Who demanded that we provide a security umbrella for "the free world" and receive nothing in return for something paid for the American taxpayers? 

[Scout26]

Welfare = transferring money from one person or entity to another.

Welfare =/= allowing a person or entity to keep more of, or be taxed less on, what they earn.

[Perd Hapley]

Welfare = transferring money from one person or entity to another.

Welfare =/= allowing a person or entity to keep more of, or be taxed less on, what they earn.

[whine] But how are you going to pay for that tax cut? [/whine]

[Scout26]

Logical fallacy that the liberals have created in that tax cuts have to "be paid for".  That makes it out that the .gov has first claim to your money.

Also the CBO scoring methodology is flawed in that it shows that lower rates reduce revenue, when history shows that when tax rates have been reduced revenues increase (and vice versa.  Remember the 1990 Luxury Tax and how it not only reduced revenue but also destroyed jobs?)

The semantics and what words mean.  Another reason why we are losing. 

[Perd Hapley]

The semantics and what words mean.  Another reason why we are losing. 

+ a million. I'm sure you've noticed that an increase in taxes never has to be "paid for." 

[Ron]

The destruction of our language is creepily Orwellian.

It is almost like it is being done on purpose 

[longeyes]

You think?

Once terrorism becomes "unanticipated chaos" we are through the looking glass.

[Hawkmoon]

All this talk of GM needs to stop. Know ye not that only Republicans bail out businesses?

True.

Demoncrats nationalize them (only they call it "bailing them out").

[MicroBalrog]

Welfare = transferring money from one person or entity to another.

Welfare =/= allowing a person or entity to keep more of, or be taxed less on, what they earn.

This is why subsidies are a form of welfare, yes.

[Tallpine]

What good is government if you can't use it to steal from somebody else 

[JonnyB]

What good is government if you can't use it to steal from somebody else 

And give it to your friends.

jb

[ArfinGreebly]

You think?

Once terrorism becomes "unanticipated chaos" we are through the looking glass.

Workplace Violence.

[Ron]

Unanticipated workplace chaos

[brimic]

Unanticipated workplace chaos

Protest.

[Waitone]

The semantics and what words mean.  Another reason why we are losing.

And we keep putting inarticulate boobs like Boehner and McConnell in leadership positions who don't seem to be able to explain anything in terms Joe and Martha Sixpack could understand.  They both use DC shorthand techno-speak in talking with the media.  Sorts gives a clue as to their mindset.

[Myself]

Someday they may get the idea to start calling illegal aliens undocumented workers.