Speaker of the House John Boehner is being widely quoted as explaining that the United States does not have to fear protests by citizens for better government because many are too “poor and lazy” to act. This seems pretty unbelievable and a likely hoax. If so, it is a remarkably vicious act.
In the supposed interview with Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone, Boehner is quoted as saying about America’s youth:
“Can’t pay your student loan? Face it your parents were lazy and you couldn’t afford college. The world needs ditch diggers and you were born into a family of them. Can’t pay your mortgage? Your house was too expensive and you couldn’t afford it. “It’s not going to happen in the US. The kids here are too fat, too lazy, to addicted to TV, fast food, cheap credit, and facebook.” I have news for you- there are plenty of jobs out there- the unemployed don’t want them. Today’s college student feels entitled to make at least $24 right after college. I’m not worried for this country- there are a few of them who actually want to work, take Mark Zucker(sic). You don’t build a site like facebook out of thin air- it takes talent and hard work. I went to a community college and all I saw were people sitting in front of computers typing away, their eyes were fixed. Probably just facebooking away.”
Not only does this lacks credibility, but it lack any factual basis as the picture below demonstrates. As this picture found on Reddit demonstrates, we are still raising children with a can-do attitude:
Source: Examiner
Jonathan Turley
Dr. Harris:
Howdy. Long time no see. What happened to your post size?
Mike Spindell:
“Campaigns should be time limited and media access free.”
So we should fund campaigns and grant media access? Who is going to do/allow that? So say my side wins, who is going to make sure your side has fair access?
And anyway there is that pesky first amendment thingy.
Some ideas are better stillborn.
“And oh by the way there are more than just corporate lobbyists in DC. In addition there are many lobbyists working at cross purposes to each other. In other words the net effect of their action is 0.”
Chan,
You never let the facts get in the way of your argument, do you? The corporate Plutocracy controls this country through its’ lobbyists and it ownership of propaganda spewing media outlets. FOX News, makes Pravda look like good journalism, which in itself is oxymoronic.
Mike Spindell 1, April 5, 2011 at 2:30 pm
“indefinite detention is the way to go.”
###################################
Actually, indefinite detention of humans may be be working quite well indeed…
No human stayed for long on the moon, and no human has gone any farther yet (or did I miss something?)…
Therefore, it appears to me that living humanity, taken as a whole, is already in indefinite detention here on planet earth…
“I think we are at a chicken or the egg impasse. Does business corrupt politicians or do politicians corrupt business?”
Chan,
No impasse. Yes there have always been many corrupt politicians, but their understanding of where the corrupting cash is coming from is in fact the real corruption in our republic. We have institutionalized the corruption via the system of campaign contributions and paid political advertising. Campaigns should be time limited and media access free. That wouldn’t wipe out corruption, but it would make clear what is outright bribery rather than institutionalizing a big part of it by allowing campaign contributions.
“I think we are at a chicken or the egg impasse. Does business corrupt politicians or do politicians corrupt business?”
Chan,
No impasse. Yes there have always been many corrupt politicians, but their understanding of when the corrupting cash is coming from is in fact the real corruption in our republic. We have institutionalized the corruption via the system of campaign contributions and paid political advertising. Campaigns should be time limited and media access free. That wouldn’t wipe out corruption, but it would make clear what is outright bribery rather than institutionalizing a big part of it by allowing campaign contributions.
Chan,
“Who makes the laws? Who enforces the laws? Business doesn’t.”
Seriously – did you just come off a spring break drinking binge?
Okay, okay, okay . . . I’ve resisted as long as I could.
Boehner Hoax?
That’s what his wife told me anyway.
No. It being a false dichotomy makes it a false dichotomy. A false dichotomy is created when a situation is framed in such at way that only two alternatives are considered, when in fact there are additional options.
As to corporate lobbyists? It is far from a zero sum game. The damage they do to our democracy is quite abundant and evidenced by stories like these:
U.S. agency let oil industry write offshore drilling rules
Koch Industries’ Web Of Influence
The problem of corruption is much more complicated that your simplistic and purposefully politically skewed view.
Buddha is Laughing:
I am sorry but just because you say it is a false dichotomy doesn’t make it so. Who makes the laws? Who enforces the laws? Business doesn’t.
And oh by the way there are more than just corporate lobbyists in DC. In addition there are many lobbyists working at cross purposes to each other. In other words the net effect of their action is 0.
A false dichotomy that ignores the facts that business lobbyists have steadfastly worked to remove the systemic barriers to their spreading graft. Barriers that were put in place by politicians past who were able to see the benefit of fair and free elections without the undue influence of business interests on policy and law making. Conspiracy is a crime that by its nature requires at least two participants. One is no less guilty than the other. This does not mean one does not benefit more than the other. Getting a free house or use of a corporate jet pales in comparison to the benefit of being exempt from prosecution or being able to actually write the laws that regulate your industry – a state which is a good as not being regulated at all.
Allowing legal fictions like corporations to participate in elections and to have greater access to the systems of government beyond simple access to the courts – like petition and their ever expanding graft fueled legal personality – is the heart of the graft problem.
Once again, that Hillsdale Clown College education is paying off for you, Chan.
Mike Spindell:
I think we are at a chicken or the egg impasse. Does business corrupt politicians or do politicians corrupt business?
Who has favors to grant? They both do, but whose favors are worth more? In my mind the politicians have much more value in the favors they grant.
“what exactly is a plutocrat?”
Chan,
The people who control the politicians with money. The Koch’s, the Mellons, etc.
Yesterday on NPR some Republican shill from the Heritage Foundation was gushing all over Ryan the Savior’s tax proposal with NO MENTION of the fact that too many corporations pay no tax at all! i was so mad i called the station and told them what i thought then turned it off – i can’t listen to their lies anymore, it’s like the propaganda i heard so much about growing up has found a home here!
You are wrong chan….they just have a different approach…what is a tax…its indirectly a profit….if the cost of the items you purchased are the cost of the resource then you would pay penny’s for the same product…but since it moves through the course of distribution…each step adds value to the product…would it be more appropriate to include the moneys and have the company pay them directly? or are you happy paying the share of the corporation…if you don’t wanna pay it and you don’t want the company to pay it…where…would the money come from that provided the infrastructure for this internet….you are using the internet aren’t you? If not….you must be so wealthy that you have your own….right?
Mike Spindell:
what exactly is a plutocrat? As much as I don’t like GE’s boss man, he does not tax me. Now I will allow for the possibility he is bribing some law maker with trips, money and women to raise my taxes to help him out of a jam.
But then we are back to square one and the responsibility falls at the feet of politicians and government bureaucrats who write tax laws.
Personally, I would not take money to raise another persons taxes to pay for someone else’s tax burden no matter how much money I was offered. So it seems to me we need good government and in the end your plutocrats are in reality bureaucrats and politicians who succumb to the siren song of money and power. I think they need to put cotton in their ears so they can more ably navigate the ship of state.
Mike assuming that a clock is correct at least twice a day….and giving the benefit of doubt in converting hours to seconds…you have given chan way too much credit…there are like 43,200 seconds in 12 hours and if chan was correct that one second….his batting average has gone down….really its 1/43,200 rather that 1/12….
I see you did not want to confuse the child by stating 2 of of 24 hours a day he was correct….but given his simple views….1/12 means he is still wrong 11 hours out of the day….You are entirely too kind…
“Don’t you know your “betters” in DC will determine who to give your money to and how much?”
Chan,
Loke a broken clock you are right twice a day. Your problem is misidentifying the term “betters” by not understanding it means the Plutocracy, whose money controls politics and especially those you support. One out of twelve times right? That’s actually better than your normal percentage.
Chan,
Hyperbolic much, son?
smallguvguy:
you are kidding right? competition, deciding whom to help? Are you high?
Don’t you know your “betters” in DC will determine who to give your money to and how much?
Your only function is to make as much as you can and hand it over. They will let you have some crumbs.