The Long Con

Ever since Ronald Reagan, running large deficits has been part of the the Republican strategy. So why should their plutocratic masters want large deficits? It has never been a secret. These guys hate Social Security and Medicare more than anything, except perhaps the thought that some non-rich person might breathe an untroubled breath. If the deficits become large enough, the strategy goes, they can target these hated "socialist" programs. That's why Reagan financed his star wars program with increases in Social Security taxes and debt. That's why W. financed his Iraq adventure with the biggest deficits ever, and why W's Mega Recession was as much a feature as a defect. HW got the boot for quailing at going along with the program.

As I say, it's not like it's a secret - you can find it right wing think tank stuff from way back.

Still, I was a bit surprised to see Mitch McConnell brazenly proclaim his plans *just before* the midterms. I thought they would at least wait until after. The big deficits we have lately seen, he said, are due to the expense of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. No mention of the giant tax giveaways to plutocrats and corporations that they just passed last year.

If Democrats have any sense they will hit this plan to destroy Social Security hard between now and the election. Not that I have much faith in Red Staters to take their eyes off the various shiny objects being displayed by Republicans: Mexican bogeymen, Muslim bogeymen, Black people, they want to take your guns!

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