I Want Your Money

I remember a time when we as a people trusted in each other and upheld the notion of a person's character until proved otherwise. We trusted our government perhaps naively because we assumed others were like ourselves. We saw ourselves and others as decent and moral beings.

We don't do that much anymore. Look to this little piece of propaganda to understand why. Watch it to understand the politics of division and manipulation.

To get to the truth, do as the film suggests and follow the money. The characters in this cast have done pretty well for themselves by attacking and dividing, by slander and derision, and by inciting others to attack the foundations of our democracy. We were not always like that. We once had a good country, a wholesome spirit, and we believed in each other.

So watch this film. Ask what the makers of this film want from you. Do they want to build or destroy? Build trust or destroy it? Build a better nation or destroy it? Benefit you or benefit them? An examination of the message and intent of this film does indeed reveal that you cannot trust anybody anymore. Thus they succeed no matter what you believe.

Really bad accounting about half way through the movie where they try to dispel the fact that most of the 2009 deficit was inherited from Bush policies. For instance they try shift a $410 billion omnibus spending bill to Obama. Folks, an omnibus spending bill is no more than an congressional appropriation for funding the departments of government that have been approved under a budget -- that 2009 budget was Bush's.** They add another $60 billion to Obama for the auto bail out. The auto bail monies were funded by Bush's TARP before Obama ever walked in the door. I'm surprised they didn't try to shift the cost responsibility of the wars to Obama. After all he was the Commander in Chief when they made this so called documentary.

** (Yes there was about $8 Bil in earmarks tacked on for Rep & Dems -- but let's ask Bush about how many earmarks he approved during his tenure)

This movie is very convincing, in that it doesn't come out swinging. It slips in your back door, tries to make you feel at home, says "don't you remember the 80's? Yeah, those were good times..." It uses the words of two presidents, while utterly ignoring the fact that words and actions are usually worlds apart in politics. It makes Reagan seem like a free market godsend while ignoring the fact the government grew under his control, or that the deficit grew under his control. It ignores the fact that the current economic downturn is rooted in Reaganomics, and that any government attempt to influence this downturn requires money, that any businessman will tell you "you have to spend money to make money." It fails to mention the republicans that have come after Reagan, who have also expanded federal government size and spending. It paints one side as right, and the other as utterly wrong; it turns a gray, nuanced problem into a typical "black or white, you're with us or against us" argument. It's pure propaganda, financed by someone who wants your money. It fails to mention that free market is a ruler of sorts, that companies want your money just as badly as the government does. It fails to mention America's history of abuse at the hands of corporations, the bleak world of "free market" in the 19th and early 20th century, a time before weekends, vacation, raises, or benefits of any kind. Rather than explore what each side means, it expects you to sit down and agree. And some people will, which is sad. Rather than explore any actual solutions, it suggests that you just kind of agree with the message. And while you're not looking, it helps itself to that money in your cookie jar. And that makes it better than what it argues against?

Much has already been said by other viewers that I need not repeat. This is a pointless waist of film, because the only viewers it will convince are the ones who already agree with the viewpoint before even watching it. But there's one additional factor that should be an obvious sign to anyone considering this film...

Look at the so-called external "reviews"; It's amazing what garbage ends up on IMDb. I can only assume those critics (NOT) have their own agenda in hyping this piece of tripe. I know thoughtful and intelligent republicans who are my neighbors and friends. Nothing from them is in this film or those pandering reviews.

Talking about spending and without discussing how so called conservatives slashed revenue tells only half the story. Aside from WW2, we paid our bills up until Reagan.

Lyndon Johnson (D) cut taxes for the top bracket from 90% to 70% in 1964.

***Reagan and Bush 41 cut taxes on the top bracket from 70% to 28% from 1980-1986. That's a 42% tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.***

Clinton (D)raised taxes on the top bracket from 28 to 39%. We ran a budget surplus from 1998-2001.

Bush 43 created Dept. Homeland Security (huge) installed the unfunded prescription drug benefit, $700 billion in debt by 2015, and cut taxes for the top bracket to 35% during two wars (?)

Obama (D) wants to raise taxes 4% on the top bracket. If that helps us pay our bills, fine. I'm upper middle class. I can handle 4% more taxes to live in a balanced budget USA.

For the millionaires and billionaires who don't want to do their part, there's always Dubai. 90% up to 1964 and 70% up to 1981 seems draconian, but 39% isn't anything to cry about. We have the fifth lowest taxes in the developed world.

Why anyone in the US middle class would be so horny for Reagan has always baffled me. He talked a good game while he screwed us.

If 'conservatives' are so into personal responsibility, how about paying for the roads, bridges, schools, social security, and national security we all use, rather than borrowing tax cuts from our two time 20th Century proxy war opponent?