The GOP Meets the Main Street Movement

[jhnwllms47]

that was really good get the Republican out of the congress

[yarmo28]

Wow! What goes around comes around. And it does my heart good to see those self-serving, hypocritical Republican politicians get what they deserve. Now, let those people vote against them.

[DMiyash248]

@yarmo28

G.O.P. ≠ Grand Old Party

G.O.P. = Greater One Percent

Democrats = Democracy

[GOPkicksbutt]

Thanks to liberal policy the world economy is crashing. We must do two things to stop the meltdown NOW!!! Firstly, we need to raise all payroll taxes 10% for one year. We also need to stop (right now) wasteful handout programs like medicare, social security, unemployment,, etc. and lower the minimum wage to $2/hr so we can compete with China for jobs. I will work with Boehner, Ryan and my other republican colleagues and take immediate action on these proposals. God bless the GOP!

[DMiyash248]

@GOPkicksbutt Are you talking out of your ass? If we lower the minimum wage to $2 an hour, then the "average" American worker will be earning before taxes about $320.00 a month. There will not be enough money for the mortgage, utilities, and importantly food and medicine to survive. This is not the "American Dream."

[semisweeet]

to jepst41: And on top of that, the capital gains taxes, which are the main taxes that the wealthy do pay - if they haven't found enough tax shelters, offshore accounts, foreign investments, etc., etc. - is far LESS than the tax on the income of the American WORKER, who gets his/her income by the sweat of his brow. If that's not back-***wards... I don't know HOW you can sit there and say LIBERALS don't understand cause and effect!!! The rich DO NOT CREATE JOBS! Why would they need to??

[jepst41]

@semisweeet Liberals don't understand cause and effect. Your ramblings prove it. The top 1% of income earners pay almost 40% of the taxes. The super wealthy are the ones who take advantage of what you pointed out. By raising the taxes on the high income earners, you put a class system in place where no one can rise above their current level. The rich do create jobs. They spend their money. Basic cause and effect. Try to wrap your brain around that and not have a seizure.

[semisweeet]

to jepst41: You have it exactly backwards. It is the rich who have been bringing everyone else down since Reagan. The middle class and the poor are not parasites. It is the wealthy who are parasites! The WORKERS are the ones who create the wealth. What do the wealthy do? They mostly just rake in the profits, trading and investing, etc. IF they work at all, they do NOT do enough work to justify the kinds of incomes they get.

[jepst41]

@semisweeet You should have replied, then it wouldn't have taken me three months to see this. The wealthy spend money and invest, thus giving the workers something to do. If you take the wealth from the high income earners and give it to government, you strangle the private sector, which is the source of the public sector.

[jepst41]

I've never understood the whole "class warfare" mentality. For the middle class to try and bring down the rich, it is like a symbiont trying to bring down its host. For the government and dependent class trying to bring down the rich, its like a PARASITE trying to bring down its host! Alas, liberals don't understand cause and effect.

[yarmo28]

@jepst41 I think your imagery is a bit skewed. As any decent economist will tell you, a prosperous country is one in which the majority of the people have enough money to buy necessities and enough left over to save or spend - discretionary funds (cf. the USA in the 1950's when the income tax rate for the ultra-rich was 90%+). Thus, the parasites are those who amass and hold vast fortunes at the expense of the nation.

[jepst41]

@yarmo28 The 1950's was during the post WW2 fantasy land where America had the only industry left in the world and a world full of demand for our products. The rest of the world has caught up and things are returning to normal. If we are to survive as a nation, we need return to being competitive, a concept which very few alive today remember. When you hurt the rich, you hurt the source of income for the vast majority of the private sector. That is an inarguable fact.

[yarmo28]

@jepst41 You're mistaken. The USA in the 1950's was an enormous market which grew richer as the middle classes had more money to spend. Controlling the growth of unbridled wealth (and power) is what is called for. Such a policy doesn't hurt the rich at all; they will still be far richer than the rest of the population.

[jepst41]

@yarmo28 No, I'm not mistaken. WW2 DID happen, the rest of the world DID have their industry destroyed by it, and that was the reason for that economic expansion. Now that the rest of the world has caught up, high taxes on the rich and corporations will hurt the poor and middle class, because they can pick up and move overseas, pay less for labor and in taxes. They will still be wealthy, but the jobs for the middle class and working poor will be gone.

[DMiyash248]

@jepst41 The Rich and corporations are creating jobs, however, not in our country. I was wondering why most of the things I buy are "Made in China." Apple's iPads and iPhones are designed in America but manufactured in China. Apple should be known as a Chinese company from now on. Sorry Steve Jobs you are Chinese and your company is Chinese.

[clsact6]

"When you have your town hall, you can stand up and give your presentation..." Charging for the right to speak to your representative? Laughing at constituents? What arrogance! Time to retire these corporate pawns.

[MrChristerWS]

A few of the GOPers are now CHARGING to get to ask them questions......they need to be taken out, tarred and feathered and thrown into a river.

[tw1704]

THIS IS THE AMERICA I LOVE!!! YOU CANT RUN THAT GAME ON THE PEOPLE NO MORE!!! IM SO PROUD OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE OUT ON THIS VIDEO.

[Squigibo]

We NEED to get every GOP congressman out of Washington. Us 55 and under have paid our fair share for years. The GOP took our jobs, our homes, our 401K and now they want our retirement. Vote em all out.

[vgcq02]

The GOP has held America Hostage at least twice so far since 2009. At the end of 2010, the GOP was gonna the tax cuts expire for all Americans simply because they wanted to protect the top 3% while nearing the deadline. In August 2011, the republicans were willing to let the country default (and crash economy completely) in order to protect the top 3%. The wealthy need to be taxed to make space for the middle class to grow. The republicans need to stop holding America hostage.

[DMiyash248]

For the past decade, the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy have failed. The wealthy have not hired. No new jobs were created. EXPIRE THE TAX CUTS! Our country needs revenues now. Hey GOP, Where is the proof that extending the tax cuts would make companies begin hiring and create jobs? Where is the proof? I only see the U.S. unemployment rate rising. Where is the proof that the "Trickle Down Economy" has worked this past ten years?

[asparra]

Fuck the GOP. Vote them all out!

[RobVanMeter]

That Real World guy is such a DOUCHE...

[DMiyash248]

Democrats = Democracy

Liberals = Liberty

Republicans = Empire

Conservatives = New World Order

[2012thedevil]

GOP'S AND PAUL RYAN'S PLAN....

If you are sick. old and can't work.DIE AND DIE QUICKLY!!!

GIVE THE TOP 1% ALL YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND SUFFER!!!

IF YOU GET SICK DON'T EXPECT ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT JUST TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!!

!!!!LETS GET ALL THESE FUCKIN GOP FUCKS OUT OF OFFICE AND CAREFUL WHO YOU VOTE INTO OFFICE!!!!

[13madcat]

Wonderful job of putting these clips together. Thanks, ThinkProgress! I hope you get a few millions hits.

[Vetwolf13]

Everyone in Washington knows that Paul Ryan has been told he has a million dollar a year lobbying job for the health industry if he gets his health care law passed.

Here's how it works-he lies through his teeth to get it passed-the healthcare insurance industry makes billions more from vouchers while still denying it's customers health care.

Meanwhile this nigger gets a cushy one million dollar a year job as a lobbyist. Way to sell out your own people Ryan!

[bdf429]

Corporations don't pay taxes! If the government taxes any corporation they build the cost of the tax into whatever product they produce and you pay for it! Every single dime comes out of your pocket not the corporation! To top that off you don't have any idea how much tax you pay each year because of all of the so called corporate taxes on all of the things you buy every day. Just put my tax bill up front so I know exactly what I owe and eliminate all corporate taxes and give me better prices.

[FaintingSpellzz]

FUCK PAUL RYAN

[photodharma]

@FaintingSpellzz No thanks...he's been a whore to his corporate slave masters too darned long. I wouldn't touch him with YOUR ten foot pole! 

[ImNeilPatrickHarris]

these people are retarded.

the tax cuts for corporation KEEP COSTS DOWN. look in Europe. In Europe, corporate taxes are among the highest in the world. but the corporations don't care - all they do is simply jack up the price of their products to offset the tax hikes.

so costs don't change. it makes things more expensive,. re-distributing wealth to medicare by taxing corporations is retarded.

[bathotic]

@ImNeilPatrickHarris have you ever been to Europe? They live FAT. The disparity between rich and poor is substantially smaller. Minimizing the distance between rich and poor has been shown to correlate positively with the well being of communities according to most substantial measures (infant mortality, longevity, crime rates etc.). Raising taxes is not redistribution of wealth but the redirection of the future flow of wealth. This is the rational and humane course of action.

[CrazyCheeseMagee]

Goes to show that Republicans don't care about anyone who isn't making millions and billions a year and just consider non-super-rich Americans troublesome vermin who's only job is to keep them in power.

[CrazyCheeseMagee]

How DARE Americans ask for evil socialist things such as free/affordable healthcare, social security, and the right to collective bargaining!

[SunKing4Life]

Ron Paul for President in 2012, the majority of both establishment parties are corrupt. To help us the free people we must turn to the wisdom of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Search for Ron Paul and listen with a OPEN MIND.Godspeed.

[maxnav12]

@SunKing4Life I'll vote for Ron Paul when you vote for Dennis Kucinich. They've got about the same chance.

[SunKing4Life]

@maxnav12 Vote for what you believe, I know I will when I vote for Ron Paul. Kucinich is a good man on Foreign Policy and Auditing the Federal Reserve but his Welfare Policies are Unconstitutional and undermine the economic freedoms of individuals. I would vote for Kucinich though if Ron Paul wasn't on the ballot and Kucinich was up against Neo-Lib Obama or some Neo-Con Republican .

[sterline80]

the (R)s are SO out of touch with reality its disgusting. idk what is more sickning, the fact they are SO against the working man, or the fact that people are so stupid they keep voting for them.

[bplturner]

"But guyyyyys, the reason why unemployment is so high is because the rich don't have enough money!" This is what they're argument boils down to.

Give me a fucking break. Where the fuck is Andrew Jackson when we need him? Someone needs to duel these motherfuckers on the front lawn like a real man instead of a snake oil peddling plutocrat who dangle by the strings of the rich and greedy.

[Robotsganks]

The U.S.A. has the highest wealth inequality of any "democratic" country. Ninety-five percent of the country should be making their own political party that focuses on fixing this problem.

Both of our current parties are in the pockets of corporate lobbyists, and our votes simply decide which block of special interests gets preferential treatment for the next two or four or six years.

[pinnpoint]

Our forefathers had to do something drastic to save themselves from tyranny, maybe we have come full circle, but nothing will be done about it <3 facebook

[narcodis]

Congrats america, this is the congress you voted for.

[raeplolz]

Don't be fooled into believing that it's just Republicans wanting to extend the tax cuts. Obama openly admits wanting it. Don't buy into the distraction.

[Nivlac1982]

@raeplolz obama has nothing to do with extending the tax cuts.... you obviously don't know how government works.

[monopoman]

Anyone notice that the GOP sounds like used car salesmen these days.

No really this is a great deal you will enjoy these cuts we assure you just sign on the dotted line sir.

Same crap you get when some asshole is trying to sell you a lemon at Al's used car lot.

[lowlygrunt]

@1947songbe, the rich have had almost a decade to create those jobs. Where are they?

Plus, how big a dick was the guy who said "when you have your own town hall, you can make your own presentation"? Dude....

[1947songbe]

There is no way to spin it, the GOP is for capitalism and that is a good thing. Why is it so hard for Democrats to figure out that businesses large or small create jobs, which pay people money, help offset health insurance and contribute to 401K programs. If you keep hitting the businesses with taxes unemployment will remain high. You can't tax and spend your way out of a disaster debt.. I agree with changing the tax code to eliminate deductions and loop holes. 

[satyricon451]

@1947songbe i thought the issue is over income tax.

[muhfuhkuh]

@1947songbe Those "deductions and loopholes" were written in by lobbyists. Whether we raise taxes or close tax loopholes, the end result is the rich and corporations still outsource, they still don't hire domestically, they still stash cash away from the very country who put them where they are.

How about this? We don't NEED THEM. We didn't for 300 years, we don't need them now.

[CaliforniaBoy1000]

I'm a democrat but on the debt issue, I must agree with the Tea Party. The Dems want to RAISE the natl. debt. The Tea Party is the ONLY politicians who refused to raise the natl. debt. The vast majority of Americans DONT want the debt ceiling raised. I have to agree.

[Ugotpwned66]

@CaliforniaBoy1000 Actually, raising taxes back up to previous level will eliminate the national debt. The last time there was a budget surplus was under a democrat. Soon after that a Republican run Congress, Senate, and President turned it into a record deficit. Cutting social safety nets doesn't help either. If you raise the GDP and taxes then the current spending levels are fine. Reducing waste and fraud are important as well, but point is you are wrong.

[1947songbe]

These astroturf plants in the townhall meetings are reading from a script printed up by MoveOn.org. All these people sound like little robots yelling the same thing.....TAX the RICH. Even though the top 10% pay 65% of the taxes and 50% pay no Federal Income tax. I have a better idea....lets make a new law called the Entertainment tax and lets put that tax at around 70%. So anyone in Hollywood, Sports and Music making over 250K per year gets taxed at 70%. How does that sound to you lefties??

[Soneclipseredvblue]

@1947songbe LOL Where are you getting your facts from? A Shel Silverstein book?

[11111110]

@1947songbe

The top 10% pay more because they have more money. Whereas if you were raise taxes on Americans with nothing, you will still get nothing.

If the tax code were to be revised so that the top 10% were to only pay 10% of the taxes in this country, and the top 2% were to only pay 2% of the taxes, it would turn tax revenues into a fraction of what they are today. It'd be disastrous. The utlra-wealthy pay more in taxes because when all is said and done, they are still ultra-wealthy

[ADDMOREMAPS]

Cut the defense budget in half

[djkarupt413]

when u get your town halls, you can stand here and have your presentation. ok dipshit get off the stage, ill hold my presentation.

[grasd2]

The average American is finally catching on to the fact that they're getting royally screwed by the rich. It was about time, this has been happening slowly for the last 40 years. The last time the economic system was designed to help the middle class more than the richest 10% was in the late 60s.

[enchiladaplatter1]

why did these young greasy corporate shills ever take foot in the GOP. you should want your GRAND OL' PARTY back not the GRAND ol PANDERING they have

[schucker88]

That last person who was talking - who was that? "When you give your own town hall you can give your own presentation." - That guy needs to be hung by his nuts and left to dry.

[madest]

@schucker88 That's representative sean Duffy from the great union hating state of Wisconsin. He was formerly a contestant on MTVs real world and there's tape of him on here somewhere bemoaning how difficult it his for him to get by on his congressman salary of $175k a year... Wisconsinites need their collective heads checked.

[PogueMoran]

@schucker88 Wish i was there I'd ask Duffy if I could be as much of a dick as he was at his town hall?

[tekdiveraz]

These elite congressman. What a bunch of arrogant pricks. Folks, if you don't like what you see, show up and vote them out.

[LSH20101]

Kick their naturally ass my people. Great job of telling them we are informed and not going to take it anymore.

[UCVibes]

The best question to ask is what health insurance company will insure an older person with a pre condition? All the vouchers in the world will not solve that problem. What happens when the insurance companies milk you of your voucher money and you still need more medicines? Sale the house?

[angelzngods]

@UCVibes

Uh, yeah. If that still does not cover the cost, well then fuck em and let them die. As long as the these type of people have more than there fair share and the best health care taxpayers can buy them why should they give a fat rats ass about old or disabled people?

[pmdillavou]

America is finally waking up - and I love it!!

[QuiGon52]

2012 GET THEM ALL OUT !! They 'stone wall' the democrats and any bill for WE THE PEOPLE.... 2012 get'em out !

[Scipio2021]

America's war against the GOP is far more important than the wars we're fighting overseas.

Make no mistake about it, the GOP establishment and the robber barons that they speak for are domestic enemies of the United States.

[marytnurse]

stop electing those who sell us to the wealthy. when we ALL profit (including the wealthy) our economy does better!!!! take away person-hood for corporations and reduce their power through lobbyists.

[HostileNegotiator]

GOP doesn't need you. They just buy or cheat their way. We need to impeach now and we need to impeach retrospectively as well. Elections and congress must be fixed 1st. Starting with the ousting of all these corporate bankster clowns.

[coconnel51]

Sure - the GOP buys its passionate "grassroots movements" with Koch money

and fuels them with FOX endorsements, but at least that strategy seems to

work. $10 bucks says Democratic leadership won't figure out how to

harness the real deal... or, worse - won't have the moral and political

courage necessary to do so.

[ratty88]

republicans are lying; bought and paid for by the rich.

pathetic stuff.

this is what an uninformed public brings us (republican "leadership" - attacks on the middle class+

[NostalgiaUKBedeviled]

lol @ the 1 vote for dislike at the moment, I guess that was a rich untaxed top-percenter , that doesn't want to pay for American infrastructure like the rest of us. I wonder if they clicked the down vote or their butler, mouse clicking may be too common and strenuous for them ?

[wgmyler]

How novel...a bunch of entitled libs who support the idea of others paying for their benefits, regardless of how insolvent the program is & if it contributes to the financial ruin of their nation.

At least they're actually talking to their constituents unlike Gov. Jerry Brown (CA) who comes to my town (Santa Clarita) & has the nerve to call his invite-only mtg. a "townhall" while protesters stand outside. Coward.

[InYourFaceRadio]

Those GOP skunks wanted intimate Town Hall meetings when it served them ... till now. I bet the GOP will stop these immediately.

[DMiyash248]

@InYourFaceRadio

G.O.P. ≠ Grand Old Party

G.O.P. = Greater One Percent

[cmfluteguy]

Main street can throw all the fits they want.

The GOP can outspend anyone 100 to 1.

Democracy is over.

Brought to you by the LIE PIG li CON "supreme" court.

Unless someone kills a few of them, we are screwed for a very long time.

[yowowulu]

There's no way to spin it any other way... the GOP stands solidly with the wealthy and the powerful and firmly on the throats of the rest of us. They simply cannot dodge that fact any longer and anyone who votes for them thinking they will get a different response is delusional.