The twelve-step program that works, but probably not for you

[ThinkerFeeler]

Over the last thirty years, Republicans, conservative Democrats, and their well-to-do allies have perfected a twelve-step program that has enabled them to transform America.

1. Cut taxes and establish loopholes for the rich and the corporations, to redistribute wealth upwards and drown government in red ink.
   a. Lowest tax rates in decades for the well-to-do.
   b. Capital gains taxed at lower rate than earned income.
   c. Social Security cap at $107,000, exempting most of a rich person's income from Social Security taxes.
   d. International corporations allowed to avoid US taxes by shipping profits overseas.
   e. Many large corporations, such as GE, pay no taxes at all. Many corporations (especially Big Oil) receive subsidies.
   f. Lowered estate taxes.
   g. Anti-tax initiatives (like Washington State's 1-1053) that benefit the super-rich.
   h. Lax enforcement of existing tax laws.


2. Maintain the country in a perpetual state of war, to enrich military contractors, to open markets for oil and other resources, and to justify draconian cuts to social services. Support regressive regimes and, when convenient, instigate coups.


3. Keep politicians dependent on private campaign donations.


4. Manipulate news and concentrate the ownership of media, to hide the truth and mislead the public. This is accomplished both by owned media (Fox News, AM radio stations) and by well-funded right-wing think tanks that market misinformation, character assassination, and attack ads.


5. Blame government, taxation, unions, and regulation for the nation's problems.


6. Corrupt, privatize and mismanage government agencies and the military, to enrich well-connected corporations and to destroy the People's trust in government. Conservatives exploit public anger at government waste and corruption that they themselves are largely responsible for. So, conservatives win twice by their corruption and mismanagement: they profit directly from the kickbacks and then they win at the polls when voters express their disgust with government waste.


7. Exploit bigotry, religion, patriotism, and fear to divide the people and to distract them from the important issues.


8. Destroy unions and public sector employment. Slash wages, raid pension funds.


9. Export jobs overseas, via tax laws that reward such exporting and via "Free Trade" agreements that also weaken environmental and other regulations.


10. Oppose regulations: of Wall Street, of toxins, carbon, health care, insurance, the mortgage industry, and financial transactions. Oppose all government initiatives and regulations that might actually help the middle class and the poor, that might reduce dependence on oil, and that might lower health care costs.


11. Corrupt the courts and criminal justice system, by politicizing the Justice Department, protecting torturers, prosecuting whistle-blowers, stacking the courts with right wing ideologues, privatizing prisons, and pursuing a senseless war on drugs that enriches drug gangs and harms minorities. White collar crime, insurance fraud, and credit card fraud are rampant and largely unopposed, since the police and FBI are underfunded.


12. Manipulate elections by: promoting the use of hackable electronic voting machines, by gerrymandering , and by suppression of minority turnout (e.g., restrictive anti-fraud laws that require voters to show photo IDs, shortening the time for submission of absentee ballots, and providing insufficient voting machines).

Quite a lot to fix. First we gotta fix #4 by developing an effective progressive media that educates the public about the issues.

Originally published Here.

[izquierdista]

1. First we gotta fix #3, #11, #12, and #4

Before there's even a chance at chipping away at the other 8.

[snot]

2. Agree with prioritizing fixing 12, 4, & 3; & we need to fight their take-over of education, too.

[era veteran]

3. Campaign finance reform is the lynch pin IMO

Welcome to the DU, good post.