Did anybody hear the right-wing propaganda on Diane Rehm today?

[mistertrickster]

The "moderate" guests said the middle-class should be screwed with a VAT (value-added tax) because we need "broad based revenue enhancement."

Translation: pass the most regressive kind of tax possible so that the rich who are responsible for the financial melt-down don't have to pay for it.

The moderates also want to give vouchers to medicaid patients so they can get their own private insurance because the private sector is more efficient.

The blatantly right wing guests (CATO Institute) argued that "citizens need to be educated for the need for sacrifice to lower the deficit."

Translation: There're still a few scraps of meat left of the rotting corpse of America's middle class and the zombie rich want to cannibalize that too.

Folks, this is CLASS WAR, and the rich are totally winning.

We've got to organize and fight back.

[brewens]

1. I saw a teabagger on Ed's show say his VAT would be 23%.

At about $34k last year my effective federal rate was 7.6%. I'd have to see a whole shitload of stuff be exempt from the VAT to think that it would even come close to evening out.
Most middle class people that think a VAT or flat tax would be more fair are assuming they will pay less. The reality is, if anyone pays less, someone will end up paying more. I have a feeling the people on the paying more end, will be what used to be called middle class working people.

[mistertrickster]

3. Absolutely, it will be the middle class. If you spend all or most of your

income on living expenses, you'll be paying on just about everything you make.

If you invest your money like the rich do, you won't pay.

It doesn't get any simpler than that--this is a regressive tax on the very people who can least afford it.

[snot]

2. I've almost lost interest in her show –

it seems to me usually dominated by right-leaning commentators; and even when they have a left-leaning one, it's usually someone relatively clueless/ineffective.

[mistertrickster]

4. By design, my friend, by design. Katrina Vanden Heuvel was on last

week, and she chewed the right-wing up and spat them out, but she's the exception that proves the rule.

[mistertrickster]

5. Here's one small step in the right direction--Sen. Bernie Sanders on line LIVE

Tuesday, December 7th

8 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Central)

This is a Democracy for America (DFA) event.

Sign up here:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/416?t=e2

[truth2power]

6. Diane has a decided RW bias. She lost credibility with me this past summer

when she had a guest on who was discussing the alleged underwear bomber. A caller asked if Diane and her guest would comment on the lawyer, Haskell, who observed a well-dressed man helping Mr. Abdulmutallab through security.

Diane said to her guest (in substance) "I've never heard anything about that. Have you?" Her guest replied that he had no idea what the caller was talking about. End of story. Not one more word from either of them.

What a crock! You'd have to be living under a rock to NOT have heard about Mr. Haskell and his story. It was all over the internet and in the print media, and probably in the broadcast media, I don't remember for sure.

As a talk show host, Diane surely glances at the internet occasionally or picks up a newspaper now and then. She and her guest didn't want to open that can of worms. Disingenuous, indeed.

[4_TN_TITANS]

7. With the recent R call to defund NPR

it's gotten much worse. NPR is kissing conservative ass like crazy these days.