What Republicans Mean by "Freedom"

[What Would Jesus Do?]

The favorite Republican word is "freedom," but they're not referring to your freedom. They mean the freedom of corporations to do what they want to do -- pay low wages, bust unions, spy on employees, pollute the atmosphere, collude with one another, and monopolize markets. And the freedom of the wealthy to pay low taxes and get bailed out when their risks go bad. Republicans certainly don't mean your freedom to marry whom you wish or a woman's freedom over her own body.

Their idea of freedom is rooted in Social Darwinism -- the idea (never advocated by Charles Darwin himself) that society will be stronger if only the strongest survive and dominate. Yet even here, they're inconsistent because they also want the heirs of the wealthy to inherit as much as possible tax free -- thereby creating a new class of non-working rich whose strength and dominance has nothing to do with their own abilities and everything to do with who their parents happen to be.

And they're in favor of socialism for the rich -- not only bank bailouts and corporate welfare but also loan guarantees, easy access to bankruptcy, and CEO pay that rises regardless of CEO performance -- all of which immunize the wealthy against risk. They want to put the real risks of capitalism on the middle class and the poor.

In other words, when Republicans use the word "freedom," watch your wallets.

[Robert Reich on Facebook today]

 

[THE_DEVIL]

I saw that the other day and for a moment thought about posting it here. RR is a very smart man. If you haven't watched Inequality for All yet, I highly suggest spending the time to catch it.
Inequality for ALL

 

[thewop]

The favorite Republican word is "freedom," but they're not referring to your freedom. They mean the freedom of corporations to do what they want to do -- pay low wages, bust unions, spy on employees, pollute the atmosphere, collude with one another, and monopolize markets. And the freedom of the wealthy to pay low taxes and get bailed out when their risks go bad. Republicans certainly don't mean your freedom to marry whom you wish or a woman's freedom over her own body.

Their idea of freedom is rooted in Social Darwinism -- the idea (never advocated by Charles Darwin himself) that society will be stronger if only the strongest survive and dominate. Yet even here, they're inconsistent because they also want the heirs of the wealthy to inherit as much as possible tax free -- thereby creating a new class of non-working rich whose strength and dominance has nothing to do with their own abilities and everything to do with who their parents happen to be.

And they're in favor of socialism for the rich -- not only bank bailouts and corporate welfare but also loan guarantees, easy access to bankruptcy, and CEO pay that rises regardless of CEO performance -- all of which immunize the wealthy against risk. They want to put the real risks of capitalism on the middle class and the poor.

In other words, when Republicans use the word "freedom," watch your wallets.

[Robert Reich on Facebook today]

To anyone who believes the above, ask yourself honestly: Do I truly believe this? Or do I only believe it because I want it to be true, because that makes my opponent evil, which makes me good?

 

[TexMichFan]

That I get to go fishing in the morning.

 

[Huey Grey]

As long as you're white, Christian, and have a penis you can have all the freedom you want under standard GOP bylaws. Everyone else should just learn to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and stop being so ethnic.

 

[DanL53]

To anyone who believes the above, ask yourself honestly: Do I truly believe this? Or do I only believe it because I want it to be true, because that makes my opponent evil, which makes me good?

I know what you mean. The way I see it is that is a perfectly written piece and honest as the day is long until it points fingers in only one direction. What exactly separates the Dems in all of this? Hillary Clinton would no more change the status quo than would any Republican.

Which is why I've been taking a long look at Bernie Sanders, which is kind of gross. But his ideas are very interesting. With support he just might be able to salvage the middle class.

But it is a long way from having to decide. Right now just worth paying attention and having a joke and a jab at the politicians.

I'm looking for the candidate who says, "You can pull yourself up by the bootstraps again! We're going to give you BACK your bootstraps!"

 

[BioHawk]

To anyone who believes the above, ask yourself honestly: Do I truly believe this? Or do I only believe it because I want it to be true, because that makes my opponent evil, which makes me good?

How many CEO's bankrupting a company and getting million dollar parachutes do you need to see before you realize this is exactly what happens? How many massive corporate welfare programs do you need to see while the same people try and eliminate programs like welfare and food stamps do you need to see before you realize this is exactly what happens? How many 1%'er's who pay a lower tax rate than people in the middle class or poor do you need to see before realizing this is exactly what happens? Poor and middle class can't declare bankruptcy because of student loans either. It's not about making someone seem evil, it's realizing that the wealthiest and most powerful individuals are doing a lot of really evil things.

You can try and pretend that these things aren't happening all you want, it will never change the fact that they are taking place all the time.

 

[DanL53]

How many CEO's bankrupting a company and getting million dollar parachutes do you need to see before you realize this is exactly what happens? How many massive corporate welfare programs do you need to see while the same people try and eliminate programs like welfare and food stamps do you need to see before you realize this is exactly what happens? How many 1%'er's who pay a lower tax rate than people in the middle class or poor do you need to see before realizing this is exactly what happens? Poor and middle class can't declare bankruptcy because of student loans either. It's not about making someone seem evil, it's realizing that the wealthiest and most powerful individuals are doing a lot of really evil things.

You can try and pretend that these things aren't happening all you want, it will never change the fact that they are taking place all the time.

I get that, and maybe wop more resembles your remark than I think, but I doubt it. Anyway, my interpretation of what he meant. Read the last line again, about it making your opponent evil and your side good.

We've got to stop playing the Red/Blue football game and recognize that neither "side" is representing most of us enough!

 

[BioHawk]

I get that, and maybe wop more resembles your remark than I think, but I doubt it. Anyway, my interpretation of what he meant. Read the last line again, about it making your opponent evil and your side good.

We've got to stop playing the Red/Blue football game and recognize that neither "side" is representing most of us enough!

Fair enough. For me, actions make one "evil" or "good", although I don't like those terms. I think nobody is 100% evil or 100% good. If someone's actions consistently harm others or their ability to pursue happiness then they are more of a problem for me.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

To anyone who believes the above, ask yourself honestly: Do I truly believe this? Or do I only believe it because I want it to be true, because that makes my opponent evil, which makes me good?

If your point is that there are plenty of people who pull the R lever who genuinely like freedom in the conventional understanding of the word, I certainly agree. But if you are suggesting that those pulling the strings of and in the GOP are other than what RR described, you haven't been paying attention.

And if you want to say that some Ds and their string-pullers feel exactly the same way as the Rs he criticizes, I won't argue with you on that, either, but merely point out that at least the whole party hasn't been taken over. Yet. And there are other parties that haven't succumbed either, such as the Green party.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

As long as you're white, Christian, and have a penis you can have all the freedom you want under standard GOP bylaws. Everyone else should just learn to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and stop being so ethnic.

Well . . . as long as you don't belong to or want to form a union, or work for the federal government, or teach, or need economic or medical assistance, or want a good public education, or hope to save the planet from global warming, or are a vet with health needs - because then, even if you are a white male Christian, you're out of luck.

 

[IMCC965]

As long as you're white, Christian, and have a penis you can have all the freedom you want under standard GOP bylaws. Everyone else should just learn to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and stop being so ethnic.

Yeah. No white person has ever had a difficult life.

You've completely bought into the "white privilege" crap haven't you?

 

[thewop]

I get that, and maybe wop more resembles your remark than I think, but I doubt it. Anyway, my interpretation of what he meant. Read the last line again, about it making your opponent evil and your side good.

We've got to stop playing the Red/Blue football game and recognize that neither "side" is representing most of us enough!

Exactly!

 

[DanL53]

Exactly!

I felt like I was trespassing a little in your head, but I'm glad I described it right.