The Bigger the Lie: Propagandizing the Republican Tax Plan

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You have heard me argue, more than once, that our nation is in the grips of three specific phenomenon which appeal to Trump’s base: Americans placing high value on shortcuts, their impatience, and their selfishness. Take notice, however, liberals are not immune to these phenomena, and that is the problem.

So, when the Republicans pitch a tax plan which supposedly reforms taxes, heck, every single citizen can get behind that, right? After all folks who doesn’t want to see someone stick it to the darned IRS? How about a government which appeals to the selfish side of American culture? In order to benefit from the darned tax cut you need to earn at least $70,000 or more, a figure that MOST Americans will not see in THREE years of their employment.

Added to this is the way the entire package is being sold: We are told we can fill out our taxes on one little tiny postcard because after all who wants to have to go through all of that work in order to file our taxes, right? This demonstrates the propensity we have as Americans for taking short-cuts. Additionally, and more specifically, conservatives are not advocates of critical thinking.

I mean, when White Evangelical leaders – who support Trump by a margin of 81-19 percent – tell their flocks that it is okay to vote for Trump despite his alleged sexual abuse of females – which he admits to on tape and never once asks for forgiveness, under the guise that they are not voting for a spiritual leader, those leaders provide us an example of what blind conformity looks like, folks. Or, when a conservative United States senator brings into the chamber a snowball in the dead of winter as his evidence that “climate change” is a hoax, we must ask ourselves how we arrived at this point in politics.

So you see folks? It isn’t that conservatives are stupid, dumb, or idiotic, when it comes to their voting patterns, even if the policies embraced by the GOP will violate every interest the conservative has, but it is how the message is being framed by their leaders. They know the American citizen all too well and realize all they need to garner support for any plan is appeal to the shortcut taking, selfish, and materialistic notions we Americans have become accustomed to, while in the process – even if lying – how those who believe government is too large are finally going to be able to get out of paying their fair share of taxes to the federal government. In short, conservatives have stellar messaging as admitted to by General Michael Flynn in this short statement:

Isn’t it odd then, that conservatives demanded the previous president be questioned on nearly every single front – and rightfully so – but have not one ounce of fortitude to ask the difficult questions about the policies this President wants implemented? Look at the cuts already made to nearly every department which benefits people who are in the middle-class and below, and yet, we still hear how the “Democratic Party no longer cares for the working middle-class, or has their backs when it comes to assisting those in need.” Or, we are wont to see articles discussing who was really to blame for the presidential election loss in 2016, or worse, why Senator Franken must resign.

Never mind the now exposed well constructed argument demonstrated how the Franken debacle is being pushed by Russian bots. Yes, you read that right: Russian bots. This is not a conspiracy theory but a well supported argument showing the timeline of Roger Stone leaking to the public how “Al Franken was in the barrel,” to Tweeden’s station corroborating with a network other than ABC News; the network with which she is affiliated. Lest you experience difficulty understanding that latter part, it would be the equivalent of CNN consulting with Fox News to work on a story. None of this proves Franken’s innocence, nor justify the objectification or harassment of women, but merely demonstrates how liberals eat their own. They remain divided while republicans rule with an iron fist taking from the powerless and giving to the powerful, and sadly, we liberals are more than happy to oblige, aren’t we?

We’ve been here before folks and we know how this ends, don’t we?

Trickle-down economics doesn’t work because it is a conservative plan and liberals just “don’t like it.” No, far from it. We have witnessed the effects of that economic approach repeatedly from Reagan onward. And if you really DO believe it works as well as they argue – that is giving tax cuts to the wealthiest while adding to our deficit over a 1.7 TRILLION dollars – then ask yourself, when the last time a corporation called you out of the blue telling you that they would like to assist you regarding a difficult patch you are going through? Let’s not equate corporations which create jobs as though they WILL create them. Remember what Mitt Romney said? “Corporations are people.” If Romney’s assumption is true, people are quite unpredictable, aren’t they?

In fact, Wednesday on MSNBC, Katy Tur questioned a guest making this same pro-argument, and according to Tur, apparently a meeting of CEO”S was presented this specific question:

“Once these tax breaks go into effect, how many of you (referencing the CEO’S) will be hiring for new employees and giving a raise to the ones you have.”

Very few hands went up in that audience folks.

Let me be clear: The tax-break savings these corporations get will go directly into the pockets of those running them. It has always worked that way. In psychology, we say the best predictor of future behavior is to look at one’s past behavior. Well, we have seen what trickle-down economics does, haven’t we? It landed us in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, a stock market that bottomed out at 7,000, and a deficit that skyrocketed. But when the former President wanted to stimulate the economy, assisting the “least of these,” conservatives portrayed him as “being against America,” while “seeking reparations for the wrongs against Blacks in slavery.” Also folks, nearly 57% of the American electorate bought into that blatant lie.

Finally, if Trump cannot find the fortitude to show his tax returns to the American people – as nearly every other President has – so we know how he will personally benefit from the passage of this of this legislation then he has no darned business promoting the legislation, does he? Yet, nearly every expert alleges Trump stands to benefit by over a billion dollars by some estimates, while depriving 13 million people from receiving medical care through the ACA. Despite this, has a single liberal accused Trump of trying to exact revenge on those who benefited from the former President economically? No? Yet, we have strong evidence that this is precisely what is taking place as we observe him dismantle nearly every single thing former President Obama has accomplished.

You say as a liberal, “But wait. We’re better than they are.” And that is the darned problem, if you ask me. We always are “better” than they are when it comes to taking the higher road. But we suck when it comes to our messaging. Why do you think we continue to lose elections? We acquiesce, each and every time. Me? I am sick and tired of being nice. I want Chuck Schumer telling the American people that “his top political priority is to make Trump a one-term President.” But trust me folks: He won’t!

If you have taken the time to read this piece, I really would appreciate you connecting with me on Facebook or Twitter as I continue holding the current administration to account in a factual manner, without click-bait, hyperbole or sensationalism. I am published with several publishers and it will ensure you receive all of my work, but most importantly there is strength in numbers. We have never witnessed our democratic institutions under attack at this unprecedented level. Will you join me by connecting with me? I look forward to seeing you soon.