To quote the new speaker of the House, if thousands of Americans lose their government jobs, why, so be it.
Yes, folks, the Republicans you voted in (well, maybe not you, but somebody you know) are showing their true colors. They are not only on a rampage against the poor, the old and the sick, but also against the middle class. And they are intent on union busting to please the corporate bosses who funded their campaigns.
House Speaker John Boehner is demanding Congress get rid of all those federal jobs created since President Obama came to Washington. It’s necessary to control that pesky deficit, don’t you know.
Yes, the deficit that Republicans inflated by slashing taxes to millionaires, waging wars hither and thither,and doling out billions to oil companies, agribusiness and defense contractors.
It’s the beginning of the dawning of the Age of So-Be-It.
If Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker moves to ban union membership for teachers and other state employees, and threatens to call out the National Guard to break up their protests, why, so be it.
If Florida Governor Rick Scott plans to abolish thousands of government jobs, and slash programs that aid poor children and the catastrophically sick – while cutting corporate income taxes – why, so be it.
In Congress, the newly elected Republicans are demanding the abolition of social programs and the wholesale slashing of federal payrolls.
And all over the United States, Republican governors and state legislators are taking the hammer to public employees – teachers, cops, social workers, firefighters, all those folks who make society function.
Predictably, the protests have begun. While your television brings you scenes from the Middle East, thousands of Americans throng the streets of Madison, Wisconsin, in response to the governor’s assault on workers’ rights (photo above).
And you. What about you?
If you work for the feds, or the state, or the school board, or some municipality – or have a spouse, child or other relative who does… If you have customers who work for some public agency or if you work for a business that does… If you work for a private company that gets revenue from government contracts, or for someone who does business with such a company … If you have children who will be cheated out of an adequate education as their teachers are laid off… In fact, if you work – or just live – in America… The so-be-it tsunami will rock your world.
So I have a question for my neighbors who flocked to the polling station next door to vote the Republicans into power:
Now that you’ve got your wish, how does it feel?
