I get so damn sick and tired of all the idiots who believe what they hear in the media, as long as it supports something they want to believe anyway, or gives them someone to blame, for What Went Wrong (by default: in their lives):
Only an idiot tries to place blame in politics.
One hears on TV that This, tHis, and thIs - is causing "the most massive tax increase in history!" (or any other highly charged emotional issue you care to name, crises-of-the-month)
The Democrats blame Republican scapegoats, the Republicans blame Democrat scapegoats. Each side finds some emotional issue they can take out of context or use as a partial truth to spin the emotion the way they want it to run. All sides support Wall Street's agenda.
In the end the consumer pays. It doesn't really matter who raised taxes or lowered taxes - the price of your lifestyle is what counts. Inflation is a tax, higher consumer prices are a tax, cheap goods now that ship jobs and production overseas is a tax with a slightly deferred payment plan.
The system is designed, and works, by telling idiot A that one thing is causing his problems and telling idiot B that another is causing his problems. Both idiots are up in arms and "fighting injustice," (or high prices, low wages, high taxes, high inflation). Both idiots are dissipating their ire and anger on the smoke and mirrors provided for that purpose. Neither idiot is directing his wrath at the real culprit - the game.
The game is simple to play - it has to be, idiots play it. The game is absorbing - it keeps the rats occupied and discourages them from poking their heads over the walls to see the extent of the maze - or they wouldn't play.
"We" play "Their" game. No one who plays wins, there is no way to win. The best you can do at the Game is to get a consolation prize or two along the way. The prizes are small compared to the effort expended but they keep people occupied. Really good prizes are at risk of being taxed or taken over by the game. A really good player can make into the higher tiers and get his name on the scoreboard - most have to be born into it.
The purpose of this game is that you die before you realize it was a game.
No country will survive that doesn't produce something that others are willing to buy in a global economy. It can't be otherwise - goods are what matters. The "information economy," or "service economy," are smoke and mirrors.
The less fortunate? "They can just get jobs at McDonalds"