The Republican Agenda
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-09-29/republican-agenda
Republican leaders have pledged to make dramatic legislative changes if they retake control of Congress in the midterm elections. The GOP's plans for tax cuts, deficit reduction, jobs creation and health care.
Guests
Brendan Steinhauser
director of federal and state campaigns for FreedomWorks.
Naftali Bendavid
national correspondent, The Wall Street Journal; author of "The Thumpin': How Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats Learned to be Ruthless and Ended the Republican Revolution."
Brian Gaston
managing director, government relations practice, The Glover Park Group.
Congressman Phil Gingrey
Republican, 11th District, Georgia.
Comments
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One of your panel members continues to be afraid of unions. Unions make up maybe 8% of the private sector. How much power is that? What is he afraid of?
Don't let the man from texas and his 800k jobs fool you - texas ranks last in almost every way - education, medical coverage, child welfare, drop out rates, and the jobs we got were very low paying -
You are right. Republicans and free for all approach pushed us almost over the cliff. It will take long time to undo it.
Texas is the one of backward states. As are all states that voted republican in last presidential elections.
Put a statement in the "A Pledge to America" that the person will resign their office if all is not fulfilled within one year. Make them accountable for what they promise.
I'm with you Brian, radio off, enjoying the silence ... DR's usual balance has been lost.
Remember during the W when "Pentagon experts" were on network news shows touting particular programs or policies? Remember how slick it all was, how well-prepared they were, how sure of themselves? Remember how we found out that they were corporation-paid lackeys, paid to set out a particular point of view?
That's what this edition of the DR show reminds me of. It was a nice shock to hear one of the panelists remind us, even though he is not a Dem, that the Democrats have a point of view!
The only slick touch missing was elevator music playing in the background of this hourlong commercial for corporate-think.
Your guest from Texas needs a reality check. Unemployment rates in TX has mirrored unemployment in states such as NY and MA over the last decade. Yes, Texas has managed to balance it's budget but has only been able to accomplish that because their safety net for it's citizens is one of the worst in the nation.
Regarding the idea of creating/or not jobs through small businesses. One thing that has not been discussed is the quality of those jobs. Many small businesses do not offer benefits, such as health care, retirement savings, sick leave, and so on. So the number of jobs alone is not the answer to the problem, some government programs now in place like health care can help people take those jobs and have it be a livable situation.
The Republicans' comments about Social Security are nothing more than symbolic. The fund is fine for years to come. Medicare is another story. There is not enough money in Medicare to handle the baby boomer medical expenses in the near future. And I have to add that the comment about Texas jobs is ironic considering Texas has one of the highest rates of uninsured in the US. This was true when Bush was governor and it hasn't changed under Perry. Shame.
Thanks to Patricia (the last caller for this segment of the show) for acknowledging the impatience of the electorate and for reminding us that it takes time to crawl out of a hole as deep as the one that's been dug.
One of your panelists referred to "all the billions of $ wasted by the Obama Health Care Program." This is the program that just began to take effect in the last few days, and much of which will not be fully implemented until 2014. If you are going to have these sessions on the Tea Party and the Republicans, you need to have someone on the show that will call these biased panelists on the exaggerations and outright lies that they spout on your program. Why not have a program with Democrats and neutral observers to examine the cynicism and foolishness of the latest Republican pack of lies to America.
Congress needs term limits. That will limit the power, which corrupts and opens the representatives up to influence. For example, one term of 8 years for senators and 6 years for House representatives. Then limit them from lobbying firms and organizations for a period of time, such as 8 years.
"Trillions have been spent on Obama care"! Very little has been spent so far. You are talking about future spending and I don't trust your numbers after you have uttered this falsehood.
Where is all the concern about leaving a huge debt for our grandchildren during this tax cut debate? To pay off WWII and Korea, President Eisenhower had a top marginal tax rate for married couples of 91% yet we think we are being over taxed. We still have to pay off these wars. Does "fairness" for the very wealthy (not the small businesses your guest evokes, as one caller pointed out) trump "concern for our grandchildren"?
When you say "small business" you evoke the image of the mom and pop store, but the majority of small businesses are not in the top 2% income bracket. The small businesses in the top 2% do hire the majority of the workers, but that's because they're really not that small to begin with.
This show was a total waste of time: hearing one side rarely or weakly challenged does nothing to raise the level of debate. Lordy, the WSJ reporter even felt compelled to offer Democrat rebuttal! DO NOT HAVE SHOWS THAT ARE JUST THE MOUTHPIECE FOR ONE POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW! We all learn more when both sides are present to counter and challenge each other.
I don't think we should worry about not have a opposition view. Not all views need to be expressed to get information. Maybe the show needed more callers to provide those alternatives.
Normally this show is well balanced, offering a variety of perspectives. This program on the republican agenda presented NO disenting perspectives. This particular show was no better than the FOX propaganda network. I would not be surprised if they rebroadcast this show.
I am very disappointed and hope that this sort of biased programming will not be repeated.
Wow... that was most one sided show I have ever heard on NPR. You know it's bad when even someone from the WSJ pipes up and points out that no one is there to speak for the opposition.
Callers questions were glossed over, with "what the caller meant to ask?"
A very disappointed listener, I expect more from NPR. If I wanted a one sided mouth piece I would watch Fox.
The speaker on your show contends that small business will all be affected. Bullcrap...does he not know that gross sales MINUS costs equals net income. He is misleading your listeners since only 2% of small business is in the top brackets, yet he is trying to scare everyone with his misleading "facts" saying ALL will be affected. Stop letting these republicans get away with distorting the truth.
I'm a former Republican who won't play their deception game any more.
yes, so many blatantly false statements went unchallenged during this hour. Another was that the Republicans created a web site to get "the American People's" opinion on issues. In fact anyone who posted any suggestion that did not fit the neoliberal agenda was removed and the submitter was banned.
I too am disappointed at the lack of disclaimer(s) on the background on the panelists on today's show regarding the Tea Baggers. I've heard so much rhetoric from the Tea Party movement about the ineffectiveness of large government. Yet, everyone of these individuals I know personally who include my mother-in-law, many civil servants are all receiving government benefit in the form of Medicare, Social Security or a salary! Enough of people who receive benefits from our government yet are the first to attack spending! If there were more entrepreneurs and small business owners interviewed, it would present a far more balanced perspective.
I sent my comment, but of course it wasn't read over the air...WHERE IS THE BALANCE! Katy Kay, Diane Rhem...I expected better. One more reason to STOP my WAMU/NPR donations.
This was such a fluff piece for the Tea Pary/Republicans...which are ONE AND THE SAME! John Boehner, the spokesperson of the party...WHAT...the same ilk who said the SAME thing in 1994 with the launch of the infamous contract?
Dick Armey...Sarah Palin, all of the same retreads. But the Tea Party is a NEW effort of voiceless people who have now found their voices...WHAT! So now you're up in arms about what has happened in the last 18 months...but NOT the 8 previous years of abominable leadership that bankrupted our nation. And now WAMU and the Diane Rhem show are selling the same kool-aid. I for one, will NOT be drinking!
VooDoo economics, deregulation doesn't work. It cost us trillions in lost tax revenue and bailouts. Going to war, with no bid contract Halliburton mercenaries over oil added further to our Nat'l Debt. Now Republicans what to do the same failed policies again!!!!!!! Are Tea Partiers and the American voters really so easily fooled? I see bridge and road work all over the country causing by the stimulus. While under Bush bridges failed and people plunged into the river, roads went to potholed, heaved, washboard conditions. Now we have the greatest disparity in wealth since records have been kept and they want to extend the tax cuts and cut the deficit by phasing out Social Security. Don't be fooled their pledge it is a Pledge to Disaster after they already gave us the last depression disaster, and huge National Debt. Quoting Alan Greenspan twice “We all knew the Iraq War was over oil", "We must raise taxes".
Regarding the proposals to privatize social security:
What would have happened if we had privatized social security as Bush proposed? In 2008 they would have gone off the same cliff as private savings. Some people's portfolios may bounce back in the future, and already, stock indices have climbed somewhat, but what about the people who would be ready to retire around now?
What happens when either through an economic downturn such as this, or through bad investment decisions, or because of fraud, a retiree's savings are wiped out? Are we going to let them be destitute, since after all, like the prodigal son they took their money out of the system and lost it? Or out of humanitarian concern are we going to bail them out with our tax money. If so, we would be bailing them out from our income tax collections, since the payroll taxes have already been paid out to fund these retirees' private accounts.
Are we going to let the elderly fall through to our welfare system? Guess what, that already happened! It isn't as if social security was always around. Social Security came about precisely because the private market had failed seniors and most of them found themselves destitute. Congressman Claude Pepper is spinning in his grave as politicians preach a return to the risks of the market for our retirement accounts.
I ran as a republican for county council but was asked to step aside when I would not pass along outright slander about Obama. The plan has been to oppose every idea since before the last election. THATS UN-AMERICAN and simply obstructionist.
DON'T EVEN CONSIDER ELECTING INDIANA GOVERNOR MITCH DANIELS UNLESS YOU WANT OPEN CORRUPTION LIKE IN THE INDIANA JUDICIARY.
Wow!, I know that NPR often invites Neoliberal Corporate Shills on to spout their disinformation,often without balance or weakly challenged. This show really went over the top with dissemination of blatantly false and misleading disinformation. I did not hear the show in it's entirety since I was watching my grandchild. Thank goodness a few callers called in to make some counterpoints that the corporate panelists skillfully sidestepped. Faux News watch out! NPR is trying to compete!
Congratulations! This is the first time I have turned off NPR in disgust. You think you could get a few more conservatives on your show to spout lies and false information? The only thing I can think of us is that you couldn't get any "liberal" guests to join the show because they know debating with these liars is like trying to teach your dog Algebra.
And why wasn't this statement challenged as it is totally false? The moderator evidently didn't know and certainly no one from WSJ or Rep group is going to speak up!
Yes so so true. This is driving me crazy How can we convince NPR how much they are bending over backwards to appease to the right .
agree