Screw the Catholic Church, but the Pope is speaking some truths.

This writer has been trickling all over supply-side economics for quite some time now, going back to the Reagan era when the idiotic notion first reared its ugly-assed head. And so have many others. But Pope Francis has outdone us all.

Here is Francis taking the academic approach:

“Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world,” Francis wrote in the papal statement. “This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naive trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacra­lized workings of the prevailing economic system.”

“Meanwhile,” he added, “the excluded are still waiting.”

And here he is with the killer phrase, offering a perfect summation of Voodoo Economics:

“The promise was that when the glass was full, it would overflow, benefiting the poor. But what happens instead, is that when the glass is full, it magically gets bigger, and nothing ever comes out for the poor”.

Being a descendant of Huguenot refugees who fled from the terrors and crimes of Rome, Mr. B & C has long felt (and continues to feel) a huge antipathy towards the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Screw that organization with a rusty chain saw. They have done immense damage to Jews, Protestants, women, and the LGBT community over the centuries, and continue to to wreak havoc today, bringing misery and death to untold millions. And they rarely (if ever) apologize or make recompense for their crimes. So, again, screw that organization.

But let’s give credit where it’s due: Pope Francis has revealed the Laffer-Curve Emperor to be naked. He has brilliantly summed up the con job that was foisted upon the world by a bunch of fake “Republicans”, starting in the late 70’s. He has linked the cause (Supply-Side Economics) to its effect: the historically unprecedented inequality that plagues our planet. He has, in short, truly done God’s work this time.

It may be nothing more than the leader of one criminal organization calling out another: but it is truth. It is a truth that the world needs to hear. So, bless you, Pope Francis. Just for today, and thank you.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky

The Heritage Foundation’s Immigration Study Has An Enormous Hidden Flaw

All studies are based on assumptions, and the recent Immigration Cost-Benefit Analysis from Jim DeMint’s latest scam the Heritage Foundation is no exception. And the liberals that hates them some Heritage Foundation are quite right in attacking the assumption that immigrants would be a drag on the economy because of their level of education.

That assumption and the study as a whole have already been pretty thoroughly eviscerated, but there is one assumption that has been missed thus far: DeMint and Co.assume that wealth is being taken from the rich and given to the poor. This is the exact opposite of what has actually happened: in fact, the majority of the nation’s wealth has been handed over to the wealthiest among us since the dawn of the Reagan Era.

Anyone expecting objectivity from a Wingnut outfit like the Heritage Foundation is likely to be sorely disappointed, of course. Even the Libertarian sock puppet Cato Institute has debunked the study, which shows you how crazy it is. But when this writer heard DeMint spouting off about “wealth redistribution” this morning, he knew there was something else lurking in the bowels of this study.

And, like the contents of most bowels, this assumption and the study on which it was based is just so much s***.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky

Why America in 2012 is Like France in 1789 (And Why You Should Care)

Mr. Blunt and Cranky was made to study entirely too much history in his youth, and after reading Twain and Dumas chose to study the French Revolution in more depth. Recent events in our own country have brought that bloody, mindless, and savage period back to mind: and the parallels are eerie. A few examples:

Number A:  Poverty and malnutrition were increasingly common due to economic instability, governmental ineffectiveness and a distribution network that failed to deliver food to those who needed it. Indeed, the nation’s overall  infrastructure was antiquated and crumbling, and no one was willing or able to take the needed steps to update and repair it.

Letter 2: Previous wars of choice had left the French government deeply in debt, and the dire economic situation led to a steep drop in revenues, effectively bankrupting the national treasury.  There was a huge wealth gap between the very small percentage of the nobility (and other rich folk) and the rest of the population. The legislature spent its time taking potshots at the head of state (and each other) instead of addressing the problems of the nation.

Thirdly: Those who had wealth and power were disconnected from the vast majority of the nation.  While Marie Antoinette did not exactly say “let them eat cake”, the aristocracy did express such sentiments: this further inflamed the anger of a population who were already frustrated by the actions of disinterested royals, priests and plutocrats.

The resulting revolution destroyed an entire culture, killed uncounted people, and left much of Europe destabilized for over a decade.  If the monarchy had listened to their ministers and adopted the needed reforms, it is likely that any needed societal changes would have been made in a far less traumatic fashion. As we know, the ruling class did no such thing, and they (and France as a whole) paid with their lives.

This writer trusts that the present-day situation is sufficiently similar to his readers as to not require a long-winded explanation: many Americans are suffering while a very few live high on the hog; we have members of the new aristocracy like Carly Fiorina, Mitt Romney, Lloyd Blankfein  et.al. saying very Antoinette-ish things; and the legislature is far too busy playing reindeer games  to solve the urgent problems that are slowly destroying the social fabric of our country.

If we do the same things that France did in 1789, we will have the same results. Want to avoid winding up like they did? Work to change the current paradigm in a firm but peaceful manner. Or just sit around hoping for divine intervention, and watch centuries of progress go up in flames.

Next time: why a revolution would be even worse this time around.

Mr. B & C

Reasons to Vote for Mitt Romney

“Mister Blunt and Cranky”, readers complain, “you are so effing negative: you are against this, against that, you vote against people and not for them. Can’t you be FOR something, every once in a while?”.

Fair enough. Starting today, and for as many days as the Crankster can stomach it, there shall be posts about being for people, things, causes and such. Today, we’ll start with a really challenging one: voting for ol’ Willie M. Romneykins:

Reason One: You are white, male, Republican, and worth over a million dollars.

Reason Two:  You are white, male, Republican, and worth over a billion dollars.

That’s it.

Mr. B & C

Spoiled Rich Boys Oftentimes Grow Into Entitled Men

People need to know this about Romney and Ryan, this year’s Bull Elephants: they are both rich men; born rich infants, raised as rich boys, grew up with their paths greased by wealth and privilege, and act today  as one  might expect them to act, given the lavish amounts of money available to them both. (Yes, Ryan, too, for all that the media can’t tear themselves away from Mitt’s millions long enough to look at the Ryan family fortunes.) They are privileged and have always been so: indeed, they know nothing else.

Neither man knows what it is like to have to choose between food or shelter; heat or medicine; or to be forced to live without even the basics. Neither knows what it is like to live paycheck-to-paycheck, nor have they had to make horrible sacrifices and compromises to keep a job that they loathe, but is all that stands between their family and starvation. Neither “gets” the working class, much less the working poor, even less so the unemployed or unemployable.

Once you understand this key point, then the actions and underlying logic of Paulie and Willie make sense. Ryan’s budget decimates the safety net because he has no grasp of its importance; he is unconcerned with health care, assistance, or even infrastructure for the 99.9% because he has never known want or privation (except emotionally). Ryan does not sweat about women being raped or becoming pregnant as a result because, well, when you have money, those things can be taken care of quietly. He does not understand not being rich. He cannot comprehend not being rich. Being rich is all he has ever known.

It is similar with Romney, though it manifests itself differently. You see, Mitt took seed money from his somewhat-well-to-do parents and made hundreds of millions of dollars with it. New money, not old money like Ryan’s. Yes, he was a spoiled little rich brat, but instead of spending his entire adult life in politics, Romney spent most of it making pots of cash.  So, in addition to the sense of entitlement he was raised with, he has added massive amounts of “I deserve to be treated like a king” egotism from his business success.  What he has not gotten was Ounce One of humility, perspective or understanding of those from different backgrounds or walks of life. So when you ask about his finances, he does not understand that you have a legitimate right to know about them. He isn’t so being much secretive as acting from an enlarged sense of entitlement.

Dear Readers (and especially any journalists among you); remember this every time you ask yourself “why doesn’t he get it?”: these Richie Rich clones don’t know how to “get it”. They are the product of an exclusive, isolated, protected, privileged world that most of us can’t even visualize. Likewise, they cannot visualize us and our needs, wants and sense of morals.  They are not from the America that most of us know and love.

They could have learned what life is like for the rest of us; indeed, they should have been so taught. But they weren’t. Look at their policies, proposals, and how they live: they are not part of this country, not really. They exist for others of their kind, and seek to serve them. (They might even think they are serving all of us, because of their ignorance.)  They are part of one of the smallest minorities in the nation, and don’t even know it. They don’t understand America, they won’t understand America, they can’t understand America, because they are under the mistaken and unshakeable impression that they already do.

And not understanding America, they are not qualified to run America.

Mr. B & C

Tomorrow – When minorities rule majorities. It never ends well.