According to the Republicans pushing for its passage, the recent, massive overhaul of the tax code was a “middle-class” tax cut. Yes, they admitted that it bestowed largesse on the wealthy, and yes, they recognized that the benefits to corporate taxpayers dwarfed the pennies that the poor and middle-class will realize, but that, they assured us, was because the GOP is all about job creation. Give corporations tax “relief” (not that most of them had been paying at the going rate) and they would use those dollars to create jobs.
Right.
Opponents of the tax bill publicly doubted that corporate savings would be used to create jobs, or to raise pay levels. They predicted that the money would be used instead to buy back stock and “reward” management with bonuses. And they pointed out that the meager tax relief granted to the middle class will phase out, while the corporate cuts are permanent.
Once the bill passed–and the Koch Brothers had donated $500,000 to Paul Ryan (a contribution I’m sure was merely coincidental, despite coming a mere two weeks after the measure was approved)–there was an initial flurry of publicity suggesting that ordinary workers at several large companies had been given bonuses. (It later turned out that those payments went to far fewer workers than the original publicity had suggested.)
Now, it turns out that the cynics were right all along. I know–you’re shocked.
After President Trump signed the Republican tax cut into law, companies put out cheery announcements that they were giving workers bonuses because of their expected windfalls from the tax reductions. The president and Republican lawmakers quickly held up these news releases as vindication for their argument that cutting the top federal corporate tax rate to 21 percent, from 35 percent, would boost workers’ incomes even as it added $1.5 trillion to the debt that future generations would have to pay off.
Now corporate announcements and analyst reports confirm what honest observers always said — this claim is pure fantasy. As executives tell investors what they intend to do with their tax savings and their spending plans are tabulated into neat charts and graphs, the reports jibe with what most experts said would happen: Companies are rewarding their stockholders.
Businesses are buying back shares, which creates demand for the stocks, boosts share prices and benefits investors. Some of the cash is going to increase dividends. And a chunk will go to acquiring other businesses, creating larger corporations that face less competition.
It isn’t just liberal pundits making these claims. Morgan Stanley analysts have estimated that 43 percent of the savings realized by corporations will be used for buybacks and dividends and another 19 percent will fund mergers and acquisitions. They calculate that 17 percent will go into capital investments, and a mere 13 percent will be used for bonuses and raises. CNBC reports that stock buy-backs are at a record pace. Axios has reported that nine pharmaceutical companies have announced $50 billion in buybacks since the tax law was passed.
The open question is whether voters whose paychecks are marginally fatter under the new withholding tables will believe they were the beneficiaries of this “reform,” and whether that belief will influence their votes in November.
As Lincoln said, you can fool some of the people some of the time….
to update the Lincoln quote
It seems you can fool most of the people most of the time
…You can fool Republican voters all of the time…
Not sure if you’ve all seen the Donnelly attack ad by the Koch funded “Americans for Prosperity” non-profit. It’s a classic and already airing in Indiana.
The Koch’s don’t have to spend much in Indiana for one reason only. We are one of the most gullible group of people in the union. At least the young people show a flash of hope in seeing through all the propaganda tossed our way.
It was the role of the free press to keep our government leaders in check. That hasn’t happened in decades. And most of us know that our government “leaders” and just industry puppets – it was evident to Einstein in the 40’s and 50’s. I suppose that’s why we started the Red Scare and Cold War against Russia. Deflection.
Same as today…the DCCC loses a rigged election so let’s blame it on the evil Russians.
This ancient democracy is held together by smoke and mirrors and lots of propaganda birthed by Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud.
If voters remain oblivious to the fact that the Rs intended to fund this tax cut by reducing or eliminating Medicare, Social Security and other safety nets they will vote them back into office and that will give the Kochs and their paid puppets enough time to accomplish their goals.
The President also said Americans would average a $4000 salary increase. Has anyone received their $4000 check yet?
A visit yesterday with my granddaughter, the one who married into the wealthy, Catholic, Republican family from the southern part of Indiana, the one whose in-laws staged the lavish wedding and reception for 400 guests last June, the granddaughter who voted for Trump along with her new husband. They both have “good jobs” with slightly above middle-income salaries and live in Carmel but when I asked if they saw any benefit from Trump’s tax cut to the middle-income, she only shrugged. When I pressed the issue she admitted it wasn’t a noticeable tax cut; only her husband viewed it as an actual cut. She is the first person I have asked this question of; maybe we should begin asking those who supported Trump about their promised beneficial tax cut now that it is more than a Trump Tweet. How beneficial was yours?
My income has been too low to file with IRS since 1994 so I have no direct knowledge of benefit levels; I do keep seeing the repeated celebrations regarding our vastly “improved economy due to Trump’s tax reform”. I am, however, well aware of the fact that my $14 monthly increase in Social Security was immediately removed by the $14 monthly increase in Medicare payment with a loss of some services. Am also well aware of the increase in all grocery items and my prescription drugs and my recent car repair cost. So; if you did benefit by the tax reform, isn’t it being taken from you with the increase in soaring costs of all goods and services. When it comes to these Republicans; the left hand knows full well what the right hand is doing – give with one and take back with the other. Another prearranged benefit for the 1%.
“The open question is whether voters whose paychecks are marginally fatter under the new withholding tables will believe they were the beneficiaries of this “reform,” and whether that belief will influence their votes in November.”
We might also ask if those who have been non-voters for years will be aware of the non-existent benefits of this “reform” and will decide to vote, hoping maybe their vote will count.
Today’s column makes me feel prescient. What did anyone think would happen when corporations who were already drowning in cash got even more cash? If statistics show wages are going up remember that, if you double the salaries at the top, it looks like all wages are rising.
I still work for a decent salary; after the “tax cut” I emailed our corporate accountant and asked when I would see the new rates in my paycheck. She said they were already in effect – I saw no difference in my check. So much for prevaracations in that Americans For Prosperity attack ad. I guess the $4000 increase is reserved for those that need it least.
Mean while as our Corporate McMega-Media continues on with it’s addiction to all things Russia.
– Truly Wicked’: Trump EPA Dissolves Program That Studies Effects of Chemical Exposure on Children — Just one more example of why Trump is Agent Orange. —- The EPA Is Closing An Office That Helps Keep Arsenic Out Of Baby Food And Much More. The EPA will shutter the National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), according a report by The Hill. One of the main functions of NCER was to hand out grants and fellowships to scientists investigating the effects of chemical exposure on human health. https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2018/02/27/epa-ending-national-center-environmental-research-scott-pruitt-chemical-health/#69bef86b4328
This is a despicable move. Since there will be no research or investigation any and all harmful effects of chemical poisoning will not be known. Protection of human health from the depredations of corporate AmeriKa is an onerous regulation that inhibits profits.
One more benefit that would accrue to the top brass at corporations, their bonuses could be tied to stock prices, which if the corporations buy-back stock it drives the price up.
In 2013, I published my third book titled, “Killing the Dream: America’s Flirtation With Third World Status”. Then, in 2015, I published “Racing to the Brink: The End Game for Race and Capitalism”. As my hero Molly Ivins said about her two books on George W. Bush, “If more of you had read the first one, I wouldn’t have had to write the second one.”
Anyway, the tax “reform” and eliminating social safety nets are not new ideas for Republicans. They’ve been their leads since 1934. Add to that the seditious Lewis Powell memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1971, and the embracing of Milton Friedman’s “Supply-Side Economics” theory by the Reagan administration, and you have the formula for where we are today. All this history is in my books. Trump is a babe in the woods compared to Ryan, McConnell and all the other trough feeders in Congress and in the state houses across the country.
PEOPLE!! These guys want it ALL for themselves and their donors. Bob Corker even insisted that a special real estate provision be added to this roll of TP so he wouldn’t have to pay any taxes on his latest, largest “investment”. Then, of course, it was time for “little Bobby” to retire from politics. His job was done. Typical.
Today’s “prosperity” as brought to you by the GOP, is as phony as the proverbial $3 bill. As with every major tax cut made by Republicans, the rich get favored for a short time, become greedy for more and then an economic catastrophe follows. Even writers with actual “platforms” say this. Read Thom Hartmann’s “The Crash of 2016” to view even more detail.
Not that anyone on this blog actually votes for Republicans, it’s just that the truth is lost on Republican voters who use ANY excuse to vote against their own best interests, because admitting they’re wrong blows up their whole life of lies they’ve been telling themselves. When the next crash happens, the Republicans will blame it all on Democrats and Obama. It’s what they do.
Todd can keep harping on how weak the Democrats are, and much of it is true. But, where else to we turn – those of us who care about equality, fairness and our future? The Republicans certainly don’t care about any of those things. They will lie forever, even after they are voted out of office. It’s what they do.
The fact that so many Americans fell for the tax cut ruse is as good a symptom of our root problem as there is – politicians lying, gullible voters, and oligarchs funding propaganda. In short a country where enough people have no idea what’s going on being stolen by those who are among those who already have most of the wealth created by all of the workers.
I’ve noticed lately that the Koch Bros are also now funding advertising for those who might not have fallen for their propaganda touting how beneficial their companies are through the solutions they research. My sense is that most liberals won’t fall for it.
Make more money regardless of the impact on others. That’s the whole story. We have been convinced by oligarchs and Russia to tear down the walls separating government and business and voters. It’s one institution now united in distrbuting the wealth that we created to a tiny gang who need none of it.
My sense is that 2018 will produce winners, either we the people or they the aristocracy. If it’s not us now it never will be.
Perhaps strangely, today’s business press tells us that February was the worst in two years, what with impending rises in inflation and interest rates, and guess what? Those rises are not only bad for business; they are bad for American workers who thought they were getting a raise with the chump change reduction in their taxes. The lord giveth and the lord taketh away. Their so-called raises were not wage increases, they were miniature tax cuts, paid for by borrowed money to the tune of at least 1.5 trillion dollars which they and their grandchildren will be paying in perpetuity, and depending upon the state, even cuts in wages (while inflation zooms and it costs more money in interest to buy a car, do home repair etc., all downers to demand and why I have predicted a recession this year or next year at the latest). At bottom, Trump not only gave away almost 1.5 trillion of our money to the rich and corporate class; he also borrowed from the future to pay a small increase in compensation that that class did not have to pay, all in order, of course, to quiet the restive proles and further enrich the already rich by paying their bills for them.
Republicans have sold America a bill of goods – their rich friends and donors received enormous gifts from the poor and middle class since even the chump change tax plan for workers lasts only 10 years while our largesse to the rich and corporate class has no time limit. We may by this Trump tax atrocity have assured not only our own penury but that of our grandchildren – and all to facilitate a gift to the rich today. The gifts to the rich, predictably, wound up in buybacks and dividends, executive bonuses and exercised stock options, and not to new plant and increases in employee wages which, measured by median rather than average terms where zillionaire compensation is added in, have hardly moved – and the increase in employment seen lately at slave wage rates has done little for demand (the sole arbiter of economic growth).
There are many good reasons why we need a blue tsunami this fall, and while we cannot hope to repeal this debt-enhancing monstrosity so long as we have a Republican president with veto pen in hand, we need to set the stage – and 2021 is not that far away.
Pete,
Your excellent summary of America’s situation has many haunting parallels to historical revolutions over the centuries where economics was the main issue. We used to be a smart country, but we’ve fallen into knowledge and intellectual disrepair with regard to our national leadership, its economics and its infrastructure.
See you at the barricades.
Although I’m a Democrat, half of my good friends are Republicans who wouldn’t think of trusting Democratic politicians to come up with a fair and accurate bit of legislation that would benefit everyone equally.
Half of my good friends are Democrats who wouldn’t think of trusting Republican politicians to come up with a fair and accurate bit of legislation that would benefit everyone equally. Amazing! Both parties seem to have similar negative feelings about both parties.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone would come up with simple verbiage like: Letter A = This is how much money you paid to the IRS last year. Letter B = This is how much money you’ll pay the IRS this year. Letter C = Subtract B from A and this is how much money you’ll save this year … before President takes his share.
The only thing I’m shocked about is that 45 is still sitting in the WH embarrassing all of us and the world with his twitter tantrums. I thought he was going to hire the “best people.” What makes me furious is the GOP in Congress that look the other way. We’re heading to a fall and I really believe it’s going to do a lot of damage around the world when it happens too.
“– Truly Wicked’: Trump EPA Dissolves Program That Studies Effects of Chemical Exposure on Children —”
Monotonous; the denied Johnson County Indiana “childhood cancer cluster” continues to grow as the hopes for attention of authorities and cleanup of the know chemicals found at the wellfield cleanup site near Franklin, Indiana, ends. Apparently; not even Erin Brockovich could help these children. Adult cancer victims haven’t been included in the count. I live one block from Raytheon and due to the missile production there, I wonder what emissions I should be concerned about, there must be something they are releasing into the air or dumping into the ground. What the Public Health Department claimed to be “safe levels of e-coli) in the drainage ditch running from their property and through my neighborhood caused no alarm. This was about 10 years ago; the city has been testing water in Pleasant Run Creek where the drainage ditch empties into it. None of us are safe.
Vernon: intellectual disrepair says it all. Trump’s “solution”? Don’t fix it. Double down on dumb.
We knew it would be awful but we were too optimistic.
R’s and D’s used to be like chocolate and vanilla, a matter of taste. Now they are like arsenic and apples.
I see all kinds of problems with a one party system but they are all modest compared to what we have now.
All D’s in ‘18 and ‘20, sort them out later. This is a desperation strategy but it’s all we have.
AgingLGrl – Congress looks the other way because it’s pushing thru as many regulation rollbacks and judge appointments as it possibly can. It’s what they worked for in all the years of obstructionist politics. And what sucks is that it’s working very well for them. It will take years to overcome and it’s not going to be pretty.
JoAnn Green @ 10:25 am – We should keep in mind the people in the City of Flint, Michigan were told their water was “safe” too.
Per WIKI – Four government officials—one from the city of Flint, two from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and one from the Environmental Protection Agency—resigned over the mishandling of the crisis, and one additional MDEQ staff member was fired. There have also been fifteen criminal cases filed against local and state officials in regards to the crisis.
On June 14, 2017, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced new involuntary manslaughter charges—15-year felonies—against Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon, former Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley, former Flint Department of Public Works director Howard Croft, former Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Office of Drinking Water chief Liane Shekter-Smith and DEQ District Supervisor Stephen Busch.
Also charged was Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of DHHS, who faces allegations of obstruction of justice and lying to a police officer. Lyon was also charged with a single count of misconduct in office after being accused of having received notice of the Legionnaires’ outbreak at least a year before informing the public and the governor, while Wells is also accused of threatening to withhold funding to the Flint Area Community Health and Environment Partnership unless the partnership ceased its investigation into the source of the Legionnaires’ outbreak.
Lets think about how averages are calculated. If one person has 100 and another has 0. Their average is 50. Fun with numbers
Vernon Turner says “we used to be a smart country.” So it seems to me that until we regain that status, we will continue to be victimized by our inability to distinguish our own self-interest. Powerful, wealthy sources work to drive down our analytic skills in order to keep us as focused on gut beliefs (immigrants are stealing American jobs; guns are good even if they regularly kill kids; science is a conspiracy to take away your rights, etc.). Coal miners cheer Trump while black lung disease rates increase and coal dust is poured into West Virginia streams. Destitute people applaud Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy. People who are – or soon will be – without health care demonstrate in favor of ending the Affordable Care Act. Promises to bring back jobs that have already disappeared forever due to automation are raucously cheered.
If we are unable to educate our way out of a populist takeover and all that implies for democracy, where does our hope lie? If we are clueless about which politicians are trying to help and which serve only their own interests, who will compensate for our ignorance and our haphazard stewardship of our country’s values? Try as he may, Tom Steyer casts the same number of votes as you and I and the country’s least informed bigot.
The dumbing down of America, which has a lot of momentum, is the most successful program ever initiated by Republicans. Betsy DeVos is the latest in their series of triumphs. Democracy rests on an assumption that people will elect representative who pursue their constituents’ interests. But when a majority mistakes what makes them feel good for what is vital and sustainable, they erode that fundamental tenet.
What we need most is a way to re-awaken Americans’ interest in science, in logic, in analysis,
and in decision making. If we are unable to accomplish that, then democracy is in for a very rough slog.
I disagree with Terry Munson. The ACA is a piece of crap from the bowels of the Republican think-tank establishment. Btw,we were promised it would be tweaked…..What happened? There has been no tweaking after how many years now? No effort has been made to tweak it. Btw,has the cost of insulin gone down/stabilized? No. Instead we have constant harping about Russians from the “serious” people.
RomneyCare has been the biggest scam and getting out the pom poms for it is just as bad as the examples given by Terry for folks voting and applauding against their own interests. That’s the problem,Americans are stupid. If coal miners are dumb for applauding coal mines,Democrats are dumb for applauding RomneyThinkTankHeritageFoundationCare.
More on the scam aka RomneyCare/ObamaCare.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/19692-obamacare-the-biggest-insurance-scam-in-history
[snip]
The mass media is focused on the technical problems with getting the insurance exchanges up and running. These problems result from the complexity of the law and outsourcing of services to corporations that are often more costly and less effective than government. In comparison, in 1965 when Medicare started, everyone 65 and over was enrolled within six months – using index cards.
In the meantime, the health care crisis continues. Fewer people, even those with health insurance, can afford the health care they need because of out-of-pocket costs. The ACA continues that trend by pushing skimpy health plans with low coverage and restricted networks.
Of course, the Republicans attack Obamacare for partisan reasons. And they are often blatantly dishonest in their criticism. Their foundational claim, calling Obamacare socialized medicine, is the opposite of reality. And, the Obama administration and its allies in the nonprofit world also have their fair share of falsehoods about the ACA. We will describe these farther below.
[snip]
More reality behind the fold.
I see William is back at it after promising to stop blogging. As it happens, Bill, Romneycare is STILL in effect and Bay staters still pay the lowest public health care premiums in the land. Say what you will about the ACA (I say it was half a loaf), but the President at the time, managed to get it passed even with staunch Republican opposition. This was when the naive President though that Republicans were only kidding.
Yes, the insurance industry spent $1.4 million a DAY to trample the public option that over 60% of us wanted. Money in politics…. Who’da thunk it? As flawed as it is, the ACA (Obamacare is the Republican meme designed to appeal to racists who they wanted to vote against anything the brown guy put forth.) still managed to get almost 30 million previously uninsured people some assistance. I don’t think those folks think the ACA is “a piece of crap”.
No, Democrats are not dumb to be applauding something that works. Republicans are dumb for denying the citizens their right to have quality health care. It’s the health care insurance industry that are the pieces of crap. As we on this blog all agree, the only sensible solution to health care is expanding Medicare to cover everyone. Period.
William. If you re-read my submission you’ll see I was discussing The Republican project to make America more manipulable by making it more stupid. How you concluded it was about The Affordable Care Act is beyond me.
Uh no,I didn’t arrive at such a conclusion no more than your post was totally about coal miners cheering Trump. You mentioned the RepublicanThinkTankInsuranceGiveaway known as Obama/RomneyCare. I only used it as an example. And you know that was my intention. Thank you for letting me correct the record. Moreover,this gives me an opportunity to post the following proof that the Democratic Party isn’t going to be the answer against the Republicans.
Clinton’s pick for VP Tim Kaine is among a dozen Democrats that want to help banks hide racial discrimination in mortgages. Next week, the Senate is set to vote on a Tim Kaine-sponsored bill that deliberately undermines the government’s ability to enforce laws against racial discrimination in the housing market.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-banks-racial-discrimination_us_5a96e489e4b0e6a523042fc8
Sentient beings have known for 50 years that our make shift health care system would become unaffordable and, surprise, surprise, it has. During that time almost of the countries that we compete with solved the problem but Republicans have stymied every attempt here except for ACA which was a step forward they couldn’t block.
Now they are strangling it without any attempt to improve things at all.
Hollyd – isn’t it amazing how they are ramming these life-long judge positions through! Ugh
Not to get into the class war weeds that have ensnared a lot of the carp and carping on this thread but how many people really like having no interest income on their savings? Spend a life planning for a retirement which all the wise folks said should include interest income and see the government steal it…Obama did that. Running the printing presses 24/7 will eventually destroy confidence in the fiat currency which is backed by the same substance as bitcoins are. Yet, unlike 60 years ago when Sheila last looked at the stock market and who owned stocks….every day the market is faced with people buying stocks for 401-K plans and Pension Plans. Most of corporate America might now be owned by these entities? For dividends to increase is a good thing given the squandering of public pension plans and their looting by public sector unions. Raise dividends, raise interest rates…the historical interest rate is around 3% per year….over centuries, goes up and down but if higher than 3% it is because of risk, if lower it is because of government theft. I don’t know anyone who has the right to theft me out of 40% of what I earn. Even this new corporate rate of 21% is a theft in my view…..but those are the weeds. The Communists advising FDR didn’t mind a 90% top marginal rate….
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-01/manufacturing-in-u-s-expands-at-fastest-pace-since-may-2004 This is more typical of business reporting than the slanted NYT. Unemployment claims are at near historic lows, at least new ones are. It may be harder to see the expected decline in actual understated unemployment (90,000,000 or so) because per capita taxation stupidities on the working man acting as a cut out for banks and usurers push manufacturing into robotics or AI both of which then have market advantage in spite of huge capital expenses to implement.
Simple example: government spending $1M raised by taxes has the same effect on the economy as the same amount spent directly by consumers for the same good or service supplied by private business.
Since the tax reform, I’m bringing home an extra $80 a month. Honestly, I didn’t expect to see any additional pay. Momma didn’t raise a fool.
I’m single, no kids, no debt, own a home, make $40K.. I am the latchkey kid of tax brackets. Too wealthy to complain, but too poor to afford insurance or a retirement account. No handouts, no compassion, no voice.
As things stand, I will have to work every day of my life till I die. You’re welcome, America.
By Annafi Wahed
March 1, 2018 7:19 p.m. ET
260 COMMENTS
‘Make sure to check in with us!” one friend told me. “Try not to get killed,” another warned. I wasn’t off to a war zone or a spy mission in Moscow. I was riding a bus from New York to Washington to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference.
To be sure, I’m a tiny, talkative South Asian woman who spent four months on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign staff. I wasn’t exactly in my element surrounded by people in “Make America Great Again” hats chanting “Lock her up! Lock her up!“ But there was more to CPAC than that. In four days, I spoke with more than 100 conservatives, most of whom greeted me with open arms and thanked me for being there and having an open mind. They happily engaged me in meaningful political conversation and invited me for drinks and after-parties.
Where some saw a circus, I saw a big tent. I spoke with Jennifer C. Williams, chairman of the Trenton, N.J., Republican Committee and a transgender activist. Twenty feet away, I spoke with a religious leader who opposes same-sex marriage. While a panelist touted capital punishment, several attendees crowded the Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty booth. Hours after President Trump recast Oscar Brown Jr. ’s song “The Snake” as an ugly anti-immigrant parable, several influential Republicans were asking me, a naturalized citizen, how they can support my startup.
In retrospect, I’m embarrassed at how nervous I was when I arrived. I found myself singing along to “God Bless the USA” with a hilariously rowdy group of college Republicans, having nuanced discussions about gun control and education policy with people from all walks of life, nodding my head in agreement with parts of Ben Shapiro’s speech, and coming away with a greater determination to burst ideological media bubbles.
Among liberals, conservatives have a reputation for being closed-minded, even deplorable. But in the Washington Republicans I encountered at CPAC, I found a group of people who acknowledged their party’s shortcomings, genuinely wondered why I left my corporate job to join Mrs. Clinton’s campaign in 2016, and listened to my arguments before defending their own positions.
Although CPAC attendees were as passionate about policy as my liberal friends, they took a more lighthearted approach. At one after-party, they alternated between taking selfies with Milo Yiannopoulos and engaging in a thoughtful, substantive discussion with a Democrat. One notable exchange: I exclaimed, “Of course the Department of Education is necessary!” which drew the rejoinder, “Great! Let’s make 50 of them!”
As I look back on all the people who greeted me warmly, made sure I didn’t get lost in the crowd, and went out of their way to introduce me to their friends, I can’t help but wonder how a Trump supporter would have fared at a Democratic rally. Would someone wearing a MAGA hat be greeted with smiles or suspicion, be listened to or shouted down?
At Hillary rallies, we always filled the stands with our biggest supporters. At CPAC, most of the few liberals in attendance had media credentials, as I did. I’m new to this, but shouldn’t we want to engage with people who aren’t convinced of our viewpoints? Why aren’t there more conservatives at Democratic rallies and more liberals at CPAC? What are we afraid of?
Ms. Wahed is founder of TheFlipSide.io, a daily digest of liberal and conservative commentary.
Appeared in the March 2, 2018, print edition as ‘A Hillary Staffer Goes To CPAC.’ This is from the Wall Street Journal, copied and pasted to avoid their pay wall. Good reading for this coven of left leaning sorts of people. Really? Well, WSJ noted that lots of companies were buying back their stock. My guess is that it is the smartest move they have. The sneering about stock prices being of benefit only to the bigwigs is a loser. Tell me again, Sheila, that when you look at your 401 K or pension plan that you are displeased when the market values it higher than it had been. Really?