IT'S AS PLAIN AS THE TRUNK ON IT'S FACE

You have to give the Republicans credit. If they retake control of the House of

Representatives. and possibly the Senate, it won't be because they hid their intentions.

They have been very vocal about the fact control will mean a direct assault on everything

President Obama achieved in the last two years, particularly his health reform plan. They

know they cannot repeal it. So, they are on the record as saying they intend to starve it to

death. They will force votes on repealing it; but they know those will fail and those votes

are really aimed ay the 2012 presidential race anyway. In the short term, they will use their

control over the appropriations process to deny money to the various bodies, boards, and

commissions necessary to regulate both healthcare reform and financial reform. (Wall Street

is pouring money into Republican coffers at unprecedented levels.)

In the area of healthcare reform, Republicans say they will block funding for the new

IRS agents needed to enforce some mandated tax increases. A new board to oversee which

Medicare procedures are the most cost effective and produce the best results would get no

money. Money to pay for a long term care insurance program would be denied. (I love that

one because so many Americans face financial destruction due to the cost of long-term

catastrophic health costs.) Republicans would also block funds to help states set up insurance

exchanges guaranteeing no competition at all for health insurance companies and no reduction

in premiums nor expansion of healthcare to 32 million more Americans.

The GOP doesn't stop at healthcare. Wall Street and business leaders have already given

them a list of regulations passed in the Financial Services Reform Bill that they want to stop

from being implemented. Once again, more regulation requires more oversight. Oversight

needs overseers and they have to be paid. No money, no oversight. Just as the GOP gutted

the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), as well as the Federal Reserve, it will now try

to prevent the new Consumer Protection Agency from coming into being and make it as

difficult as possible to regulate banks and commodity brokers, hedge funds, and future

speculation as well as Goldman Sachs and the boys. They don't try to hide any of this. They

brag about what they intend to do and how voters will reward them for their efforts. Oh, did

I mention they will also try to preserve the Bush tax cuts for the uber-rich even though they

would add billions to the deficit they care so much about reducing? Many of their young

Turks even threaten to shut the government down if they don't get their way.

Elections have consequences. The Republicans do not offer one single solution to a

sluggish economy or the lack of job creation. Their message is to turn back the clock to the

days of 2001-2009 when America was experiencing a "golden age" of prosperity. A healthcare

system whose costs are rising so fast they could sink the ship of state is in no need of reform.

A financial services industry which drove this country into an economic sinkhole is just fine as

it is. What they do propose is to try again to privatize Social Security and Medicare, cut

benefits, and turn everyone's retirement over to the casinos on Wall Street. They will increase

the military budget and continue wars which should be ended.

A lot of progressives are angry with Obama and the Democrats for good reasons.

However, you will not be able to say you didn't know the consequences of a GOP takeover of

the House. They are telling you straight up what they will do. You can't have your head in the

sand. Are you angry enough to let them implement their political "way-back" machine? Are

you frustrated enough to let Wall Street win again? Do you really want to fight the battle to

preserve Social Security and Medicare again? It isn't enough for you to vote. You have to talk

to neighbors and friends all over the nation and get them to turn out as well. I don't know if

it's too late, but I will give the Republicans credit. They are totally upfront about their vision

and direction for this country. Is it a vision you share as well? What do you think? I welcome

your comments and rebuttals. Please send them to lionoftheleft@gmail.com