Saturday, June 5, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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For the past 40 years, Republicans have stuck with their “starve the beast” economic policies, with huge tax cuts for the wealthy and budget cuts to infrastructure, education and safety net programs such as Social Security and Medicare. They have convinced their voters that tax cuts and deregulation for the rich will “trickle down.” After 40 years, it should be clear that it hasn’t happened and won’t ever happen.
One wonders why poor and working-class Americans continue to support the Republican Party and their wealthy donors? Maybe former President Lyndon B. Johnson was right when he said: “If you can convince the poorest white man he’s better than the richest (Black) man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
Republicans are adept at giving their supporters someone to look down on: African Americans, Mexican Americans, gays, Muslims, Asian Americans and Democrats. Maybe that is how they get their poor and working-class voters to empty their pockets while they make the richest Americans wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.
Republicans are going to fight to protect the wealthy and stop Democrats from raising taxes and investing that revenue to benefit all Americans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said time and time again that is his only goal.
