What Kind Of Change Can You Believe In?

By Dale Bowling

Lately Republicans have seized on the message of "Change".

They must have seen how well it has worked for Democrats and having no appealing ideas of their
own, Republicans figured that they might borrow it for a little while.

That sort of raises the question: What kind of "Change" do you get with the Republicans vs. the
Democrats? Since this was a Democratic slogan first, let's start with them.


DEMOCRATIC CHANGE:


Democrats wanted change from the Bush Era policies that led to the greatest economic crisis since
World War II.

The Great Depression and the Bush Recession bear a lot of similarities. Both began in a deregulated
financial environment where investment banks were free to take on more risk than was good for them
or the economy in the pursuit of as much profit as possible at the expense of everyday Americans.
When this situation blew up the economy began to hemorrhage jobs. In last few months of Bush's
presidency, the economy was shedding over 500,000 jobs/month.

Democrats wanted to "Change" this dreadful jobs picture.

Since the Private Sector was MIA on job creation, Democrats stepped up and brought us the Stimulus which helped America find the bottom of the crisis, created millions of jobs and prevented America from sliding into a second Great Depression. Only three Republicans in all of Congress voted for the Stimulus.

When Democrats tried again to get the economy moving with the American Jobs Act which through a series of tax breaks and badly-needed infrastructure spending would have created millions more jobs, Republicans voted it down. Using the powers of government to get America working wasn't change they believed in.

Democrats wanted "Change" that would reform Wall Street in order to protect Main Street.

Democrats reformed Wall Street with the Dodd-Frank Bill which puts new, more stringent limits on what the financial industry can do and how much risk it can take. Republicans didn't want this change, tried to water it down and voted against it anyway.

Democrats wanted "Change" that would address the rising cost of health care and make sure that all
Americans could have access to health care.

So Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act. Before that every American (you, me, your kids, your
neighbors) was only a doctor's visit or an intersection away from being uninsurable for life. Democrats changed that. Only one Republican voted for the Affordable Care Act. Republicans didn't care to make that change. 


REPUBLICAN CHANGE:


Republicans want the "Change" that looks backwards. The return to Bush Era policies.

Republicans want to repeal Wall Street reforms that protect America's economy from predatory financial maneuvers.

They want to repeal the Affordable Care Act and make it so you have to live in fear of losing your existing insurance or make it so you might never get insurance again.

For Republicans, "Change" means to cut taxes by 20% across the board, eliminate taxes that mostly affect the wealthy and have no real plan to pay for that that's not going to cost the middle class one way or another.

They want to turn Medicare into a "defined benefits" aka voucher program that might save taxpayers money, but only by making the elderly pay more for their health care.

Ultimately they'll try to privatize Social Security (you know this one will come back) and let the same people who ruined your 401(k) under Bush, gamble with your Social Security benefits.

Republicans want to spend billions on military hardware the Pentagon hasn't asked for, doesn't want and can't use.  

So the real question is: Do you want "Change" that will primarily benefit the wealthy and "hope" that
trickles down to you and me? If so, vote for the other guys.

But if you want change that truly benefits America across the board,  then VOTE DEMOCRAT on Nov. 6!