Thomas Frank knows about Republicans and populism.
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Author: hankkalet
Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet
Hank Kalet 
\”Plastic pitchforks\”?I don\’t think so. Admittedly I don\’t know. It too could be another gigantic conspiracy. But, I think not. For the first time in American history, the current generation in power is seeing — a lower standard of living for the next one, a dumbing down of \”graduates\”, and a net loss in their savings and earning power. It makes me mad. It makes them mad. And, it scares the dickens out of everyone.The political class, instead of providing leadership, has run around like chicken little spending money we don\’t have to feather their own nests, reward their friends, and punish their enemies. Once again, the rich and powerful had their losses made good from the public treasury. Little people lost their 401ks and became the butt of late night comedian jokes about 201ks. At least, they noticed.And don\’t forget employment. We\’ve gone from the 50\’s America where it was possible for a high school student to earn a living wage on one salary to now, where to wage earners is barely enough to pay the taxes and stay solvent. Never mind live comfortably.Astroturf?I don\’t think so. And, it flows back into huge gooferments that suck up money like a vacuum cleaner. With bureaucrats that whine about 5 and 10% annual raises, lifetime health care, and artificially fattened pensions for their \”lifetime\” of \”service\”.I think the \”tea parties\” are the undercurrent of political unrest that will make VietNam look like a walk in the park.imho, but then I\’m just one of those extremist vet that Nepaolitano and our version of the SS — Homeland Security — is watching out for. Got news for them, they could see a problem until it bites US in the A double Q!
Thomas Frank is great, I really concur with his writings and opinions. I recommend his books, \”What\’s the Matter with Kansas\” and \”The Wrecking Crew.\” The comments for his WSJ op-ed pieces are a hoot. The comments are 99% anti-Frank. I just love that Frank has upset all these right wingers and WSJ type anal retentive conservatives.As for all these astro-turd tea parties, they are just so much knee-jerk anti-Obama obsessive compulsive ventings.Our corporate overlords and the lackeys in Fox News and the rest of the corporate run media have stirred up gullible Neanderthals. These tea bag people are useful idiots for the CEO class who don\’t care to pay their fair share of taxes. Obama will lower taxes for the great mass of people and will raise the taxes of the super rich to a level lower than it was during the reign of Ronnie Raygun.