All important points. But I have a hard time believing that the responsibility for all of these problems rest entirely on the shoulders of the GOP. The tax structure, the underfunding of the IRS, the blind eye turned toward children and families -- all of these have persisted over many years, and under many administrations. Take a look at state-run agencies in California, New York and other states controlled by Democratic governors and legislatures; I think you'll find endemic problems there with family- and child-welfare agencies. Here in California we've had several children die of abuse while supposedly under the supervision of child protection workers.
We have a lot of problems in this country, most recently a tribal divisiveness in the body politic. Exacerbating that by blaming one political party for all of our ills is hardly a recipe for bipartisan commitment to progress.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. You note that there are bipartisan fingerprints on our rigged tax code and many inequities in the welfare of residents of blue states (as referenced in the photo and story about foster children in California). These are fair points, but distractions from the thrust of my essay. I think it fair to observe that my essay does not purport to blame the GOP for all of our ills. Let me be clear that I am simply blaming the GOP for its knee-jerk opposition to increasing the national debt through federal spending on social welfare programs. That said, I’ll use this reply to blame the GOP for its doomsday attack ads calling social safety net spending Marxist, communist, wasteful, inflationary and anti-American. I also fault the GOP for its single-minded determination to oppose every initiative of the Democratic Presidencies of the 21st Century, with the cynical goal of denying them a second term, regardless of the consequences to the American people. For example, there is virtually universal agreement by economists that the economic recovery from the Great Recession would have been considerably faster had Republicans not blocked Obama’s spending requests. The GOP was eager to prolong public misery, betting that the public would associate that with the incumbent President. I agree that there are grave risks in increasing “tribal divisiveness,” but the GOP needs no help from me in that endeavor.
All important points. But I have a hard time believing that the responsibility for all of these problems rest entirely on the shoulders of the GOP. The tax structure, the underfunding of the IRS, the blind eye turned toward children and families -- all of these have persisted over many years, and under many administrations. Take a look at state-run agencies in California, New York and other states controlled by Democratic governors and legislatures; I think you'll find endemic problems there with family- and child-welfare agencies. Here in California we've had several children die of abuse while supposedly under the supervision of child protection workers.
We have a lot of problems in this country, most recently a tribal divisiveness in the body politic. Exacerbating that by blaming one political party for all of our ills is hardly a recipe for bipartisan commitment to progress.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. You note that there are bipartisan fingerprints on our rigged tax code and many inequities in the welfare of residents of blue states (as referenced in the photo and story about foster children in California). These are fair points, but distractions from the thrust of my essay. I think it fair to observe that my essay does not purport to blame the GOP for all of our ills. Let me be clear that I am simply blaming the GOP for its knee-jerk opposition to increasing the national debt through federal spending on social welfare programs. That said, I’ll use this reply to blame the GOP for its doomsday attack ads calling social safety net spending Marxist, communist, wasteful, inflationary and anti-American. I also fault the GOP for its single-minded determination to oppose every initiative of the Democratic Presidencies of the 21st Century, with the cynical goal of denying them a second term, regardless of the consequences to the American people. For example, there is virtually universal agreement by economists that the economic recovery from the Great Recession would have been considerably faster had Republicans not blocked Obama’s spending requests. The GOP was eager to prolong public misery, betting that the public would associate that with the incumbent President. I agree that there are grave risks in increasing “tribal divisiveness,” but the GOP needs no help from me in that endeavor.