"Government spending grew more under Republican rule than Democratic ..."

I would love to use this as a talking point the next time I'm jousting with a wingnut, but the statement is a little vague. Could I ask over what period you are referring to and how you're measuring it? Thx.

For supposedly being the moral majority party they sure tell alot of fibs.

Of course even that was never true.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Federal_Debt_as_Percent_of_GDP_by_President.jpg

Here ya go Menthol, a nice graph that shows Reagan, Bush I and Bush II spending. Clickable link here

Bloody-shirt Republicans have a despicable heritage - Cantor carries on! -Kevo

i thought we decided on "perpetually-confused House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor (R-Va.)."

The Republicans are actively and repeatedly taking (undeserved) credit for the improvement in the economy, even as they try to install programs that will badly damage the economy. But the key to that statement is "actively and repeatedly taking (undeserved) credit."

Meanwhile the Democrats are saying --- what? The comparative silence from the Democrats is disturbing. Are they aware that the media is not their friend and not even neutral?

Guess what idea the voters and many of the media members are going to carry away? If you guess they will believe the lies you are correct. Who is telling them otherwise?

"I find it hard to believe even the most shameless, pathetic hack in Washington actually believes any of this."

You have a higher opinion of average people than I do. I think LOTS of people will believe this, especially after the MSLM (the "hacks" in Washington)echo it a thousand times.

Menthol: spending under Bush from FY 2001 to 2007, when the Dems took over congress, grew at 6.57% per year on average. Under Obama, it's grown 4.39% per year on average.

And Mark-NC: if Steve meant "Cantor" by "the most shameless, pathetic hack in Washington" (which probably isn't true in itself - there are worse - but is close enough) then I find it not only hard but impossible to believe that he believes the garbage he's spewing. He knows perfectly well that he's lying through his teeth, but he also knows nobody important is going to call him on it, so he doesn't care.

"...and it's possible no one is foolish enough to take it seriously..."
Enough people took their BS seriously in November 2010. Why would they think they won't in 2012?

What?
Democrats are going to say something about it effectively?
LOL!!! Sometimes I just crack myself up.

Well this means we need an (R)tard president in 2012 for a full recovery! Yes-sir-reeeee!

The high corporate profits, Wall-Street boom, big financial bonuses, etc. can probably be attributed to "Republican" policies, although it would be more correct to say they are big-money policies. The high unemployment can also be attributed to Republican policies. The 2012 election, especially for President, will turn on the public's perception of whether the general economy is improving, and according to polls the employment situation will be most important.

To: DavidNOE on January 29, 2011 at 11:50 AM

I believe there are two basic Republican types: Shameless liars (Cantor?) or the Fox News crowd that gets their news from "Republican approved" sources and ignore everything else.

In this case, Cantor knows he's a liar - an obvious one. He also knows that the MSLM won't care and will repeat his lie endlessly. He knows that the Fox News propagandists will rally behind his lie. AND, that leads to the 2nd Republican type who only know what the "approved" sources tell them.

Ever seen Michelle Bachmann? The scary part is she is dumb enough to believe every word Cantor says.

I get depressed when I read stories like this, because I painfully realize what utterly shameless, craven and ruthless opponents progressives have. With opposition like the pallid, fish-eyed Eric Cantor, you really have someone who will literally say or do anything to win a political race. I have no doubt this reptile would kill his own grandmother in cold blood to win a political race. With enemies like that, what hope is there?

"But the larger point is probably more important: Republicans actually want people to believe that they rescued the economy."

Selective amnesia alert!

We, in this country have the same problems as the Egyptians, a ruling class that has most of the wealth of the country, a reasonably well educated young population that cannot get jobs, unless it is taxi driver, or some other low paying work.With citizens united allowing corporations to buy the elections for the rich and the corporate elite - what do Americans do - they vote for the people that enabled all of this to happen.Why do Americans vote against their interests?

I've heard of the "post hoc ergo propter hoc" fallacy. But "ante hoc ergo propter hoc?" I think logicians need a new term to describe the "hoc-wash" coming out of the Republican House.

""won our majority and we're pursuing pro-growth policies.""

That sounds fine with me, because when the economy starts taking another dive later in the year we can all blame the Republicans and their pro-growth policies, right?

"Meanwhile the Democrats are saying --- what?" Rick B @ 11: 17 AM.

I wondered about the lack of any (known) response by the Democrats. I understand that anyone can issue statements, but it depends on the media whether or not anyone else sees said statement. Did ANY MSM "journalist" (snicker) call ANY Democrat for a rebuttal to Cantor?
Bueller? Bueller? Anyone...?

Yes but there is no one to call them on it. Cantor and Kyl will be all over the news media spouting this crap and no one can get the same coverage in pointing out the stupidity of such lying cantor.

Here it comes...the media, the money, and the bought and paid for lobbyist's pets all backed by the SC....It's the 1930s coming again. First...the '20s

The tax deal didn't pass Congress until mid-December, so unless the business community invented a time machine [...] Steve Benen

No need for a time machine. Just a perfectly reasonable prediction that the Dems would fold on the tax cuts for the multimillionaires, same as they have always folded on everything else.

Dems haven't pushed back too aggressively against this nonsense . . .

It's just as well. If Democrats ever pushed back aggressively against any Republican nonsense, I would probably die of a heart attack. I've grown accustomed to the Democratic party's 'win by losing' approach. It sucks, but it's what Democrats do.

To Mark-NC at 12:08 PM

Have you read Bob Altemeyer's superb book "The Authoritarians?" He analyzes the leaders separately from the followers and then analyzes the interaction between the two groups.

Authoritarian groups have folowers who tend to be ignorant, deluded and lied to. But they believe it. That's why they act irrationally. But there are two kinds of leaders. Some are playing the followers for suckers, but the most dangerous ones believe the lies the group is based on.

Cantor appears to be a committed Libertarian which makes him one of the dangerous ones. Like so many libertarians he can seem quite rational. Alan Greenspan was very good at it. Cantor is also capable of planning and accomplishing things. Michelle Bachmann is another of the whacked out leaders, but she is one of the social conservative Republicans. She is convinced that America needs to be a theocracy under the Bible, but she is sufficiently aware to understand that such an attitude would keep her from getting elected.

John Boehner and Mitch McConnell are two of the leaders who are lying and playing the rest for suckers.

Those of us greedy liberals with 401k's and brokerage accounts are seeing our wealth grow lately, as it usually does under Democratic Presidents. This after a lost decade under Republicans. Now I am fear the Republicans are going to undermine all of it.

To: Rick B on January 29, 2011 at 9:27 PM

I said there are two groups: the deliberate liars and the idiots who believe whatever the "approved" press tells them.

However, I think there is probably group #3. The ones who know what is true BUT, are in the culture of "whatever it takes to win" and are compelled to repeat the talking points of the day - regardless of merit. An example of that group was Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) on Bill Mahar's show last week. When asked about the tax cut extensions he said - I don't know why Obama abandoned his position and extended the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%. Sure he does! Another was former Sen. Trent Lott on Mahar's show saying that the founding Fathers ALWAYS intended the Senate to work on a 60 vote super majority vote. Lott ran the Senate and knows all too well that the statement is a lie. Yet I don't see these guys as deliberate liars like Hannity, Limbaugh, McConnell.

A third category? Or is that the same as group #1 - simply liars.

Anyway, Sam Simple on January 29, 2011 at 12:14 PM gets it right. Fighting Republicans, people with no moral core, is like playing tennis with someone who cheats. You can win, but it takes vast superiority. In general, the lies/cheating are hard to overcome.

I find it hard to believe even the most shameless, pathetic hack in Washington actually believes any of this.

get your head out of your arse. They sell this drool non-stop whether they believe it or not in order for the plutocrats to engorge themselves by stealing from the sweat of the average working slobs.
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