AMEN!

Bob Burnett

Simply stated, the reason why rich folks continue to get tax cuts is that they are able to make huge political contributions to powerful Republicans. They can afford to retain influential GOP lobbyists. America’s wealthy can grease the palms of Washington insiders in order to take a bigger share of the “pie.” The gap between the rich and poor grew again last year, as it has for every year of the Bush Administration. Republicans made this happen.

Poor folks get the shaft because they can’t play the game. They aren’t able to make political contributions to powerful Republicans. They don’t grease the palms of Washington insiders for one simple reason: They are poor. They are struggling to make ends meet while they watch the American dream sail away.

There used to be a lot of talk in American politics about a level playing field. Not any more. Republicans have abandoned this concept. They replaced it with a boatload of neo-Christian blarney about the rich and powerful being where they are because God has recognized their initiative. Now, when regular folks complain that the power elite is getting preferential treatment, Republicans snap that this is “success envy.” They claim that talk about justice and equality is liberal camouflage for their desire to get ahead without working. (And without making payoffs to Republicans.)

Fundamentalist have taken over the Republican Party and, in the process, consummated the Devil’s bargain. They get to implement a conservative Christian theocracy. And Republican politicians get to keep the money.

Meanwhile, the rest of us ask what happened to the American dream of “liberty and justice for all.”