Made a Teabagger's Head Explode Today. [View all]

[Tommykun]

All of the GOPers and teabaggers tout Reagan as the prime example of conservative principles. Many also contend that Kennedy was not too bad of a guy. Today, I was discussing economics with a relative, who is a teabagger, and he began doing the whole "Reagan was awesome," shtick. Saying that his tax rates were the best for all, his economic policies were great and that it brought in the tech boom we saw during the 80s and 90s, etc etc etc... Also threw in a bit about Kennedy's policies being good and so on.

Then I brought up the active top tax rate under Reagan during his early years (before the Sec. of Treasury began ordering him around) was around 50% and I even showed him my source. He was, to say the least, appalled and claimed it was some liberal conspiracy and that Reagan had the lowest tax rates and it's only been since Reagan that taxes on the rich have been "so high." Ya know, since big bad ol' Clinton and the black guy. You can't point out that tax rates are lower on the rich than they've been in over a century or they go into seizures or, even worse, Limbaugh Parrot mode.

I then proceeded to school him on tax rates during a period of abounding economic prosperity in the US, which existed from the end of WWII to around the late 60's to early 70's. Top tax rates were in the 80-91% area until Kennedy dropped top rates to around 70%. This rate would stay in effect until the 1980's. I also informed him of the wondrous regulations that were in place during this time that kept companies from monopolizing markets, which allowed for small business owners to not just survive but thrive during this period.

I also pointed out something which I honestly believe he never thought about; NAFTA. NAFTA eliminated tariffs on goods coming from many countries (read as China) which, essentially, took America's competitive ability and beat it over the head with a horribly painted, lead-infused hammer that reads "Pack&Mecker." Tariffs are the equalizing factor in many developed countries. If a company wants to break into a market, they don't export their goods from their home nation to another. They create a branch, build factories and create jobs in the country they want a foothold in. That's how companies got around tariffs, by being productive members of each country's economy.

NAFTA stopped that for us. Companies that were founded here shipped their workforce to China because they could pay less than 10% of current wages, work them longer, harder, and with worse environments, and torture under-performing employees. Companies that were here but were from other nations shut down their branches and bolstered their Chinese production efforts.

However, I digress... After this old-school thrashing, he was left speechless. His confusion turned to rage, his rage turned to obscenities and a small dent in my storm door's paneling. However, from now on when his almighty messiah Ryan says certain things, he will always have a flash of the webpages I showed him and a whisper of my words float through his mind.

They may hate us, but they damn sure can't forget us.