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Republicans/Conservatives don't get it. So I'll try to expound on the issue from a politically independent perspective. The issue we have with conservatives isn't BUSH (even though we LOATHE his negligence, corruption and incompetence), it's with public policies and legislative initiatives championed by Republicans championed in the past/present. After all, our current economic malaise points directly to virtually ALL of them. We ONLY point to Bush because he and his administration led the effort for the preceding 8 years. Trust me, the 1994 Republican Revolution laid most of the groundwork for our current economic circumstances, NOT government spending (your favorite distraction). I don't believe blaming Bush will solve our problems, but I DO believe that the solution to our problems is found in abandoning the public policies which have failed the country. They just happen to be Republican-championed policies that Wall Street is desperate to keep.

Do you have any idea what brought the U.S. out of the last Depression Republicans created? It was FDR, his policies/economic reform and WWII (aka SPENDING). That's right, SPENDING. Imagine how much better the U.S. would be if we expended a similar effort towards REBUILDING the country's infrastructure instead of a gargantuan war effort. Of course, this would NOT be a successful endeavor unless we radically reformed our trade policies simultaneously (which would bleed off most of the economic benefits). Free trade is a sham that's building China at our collective expense and the economic figures bear this out.

While I support efficient spending by our government, that's NOT what Republicans are aiming to accomplish and we both know that. That's why I oppose their current efforts. By the way, the only difference between Conservative perceptions of investing and spending is their point of origination (private vs public sector). This double standard is deeply misguided as the public sector has a long track record of fostering innovation and economic growth in our economy. No one should forget that, especially Republicans, since some appear to be exercising selective memory these days on the issue.

Democrat's in control over the past 10 years? Hardly. At best, I'd give them one year (the year before Scott Brown was elected). If you disagree, then post legislative initiatives championed by Democrat's as proof (particularly measures which became law). Remember, the Bush tax cuts did not enjoy bipartisan support and Republicans used the reconciliation process to get them approved. Of course, they roundly criticized similar Democratic efforts with healthcare reform.

I only consider conservatives as inept and corrupt because of their track record in office and persistence in championing economic/fiscalpolicies that DON'T work. Does this mean ALL conservatives suffer from these character flaws? NO, but those in possession of intelligence, competence and integrity are routinely culled from the party's ranks. Sadly, this has become a political party/movement where the inmates are running the asylum.

One of the things we definitely agree on is the corrupting effect of lobbyists and their employers, special interest groups and foreign interests. It's a political cancer that's most responsible for our government's dysfunction. The same goes for the government's revolving door employment practices which undermine government independence and objectivity.

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