Republicans Will Say Anything for a Sound Byte

what eye thynk:  The Republican Party is only too happy to tell the poor and middle class that the fastest way to balance a family budget is to be willing to raise our incomes by getting a second job or working longer hours.  

At the same time, in a classic case of do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do, Republicans look at federal and state  budgets and, being too afraid to buck their big money backers and risk losing their own cushy positions, refuse to consider raising government income through higher taxes in order to balance government budgets. Instead, they continue to campaign on cutting costs, reducing spending, and eliminating the unnecessary (Translation: social programs.). 

Individual members of the GOP 17 (18?) continue to attempt to stand out from the crowd with ever more revealing choices for government agency eliminations.

 1.  Marco Rubio (R) was in Nevada this week where he floated the idea that, when it comes to educating our young people, curriculum and standards should be left to the states.   "I honestly think we don't need a Department of Education."

I can only imagine how the U.S. would look if state politicians were to be given full reign over education.  Liberal states would be producing educated young people ready to live in a modern and increasingly scientific world while the South would be awash in evangelical preachers, Biblical scholars and climate deniers. Of course, being unable to come to a consensus on climate change, the rest of the world would move on, leaving us alone to struggle against rising ocean levels.  

There might be one positive outcome: the South would be geographically smaller.  Florida and Louisiana, in particular, would see large pieces of real estate disappear under rising waters.  When the people there find themselves crowded into territories the size of Rhode Island, they can all move to Texas where the Lone Star State Board of Education will be only too happy to show them their latest history text, particularly the chapter that explains Obama did it.

(Digression over.)

Of course, dismantling the Department of Education seems a logical cost-cutting measure to the GOP where education in total is so universally underrated.  

And, incidentally, Mr. Rubio's college education was paid for through Pell Grants and Stafford Loans, both of which are administered by the Department of Education.  More Republican "I've-got-mine-so-you're-on-your-own" think.

2.  Ben Carson (R) was a guest on a national radio show late last month where he floated the idea that "We don't need a Department of Veterans Affairs."

Because caring for the men and women who risk their lives to keep America free is such a waste of government money?  

Several of the GOP 17/18 have said they would like to "fix" our VA hospital system by issuing vouchers to our veterans and leaving them on their own to find health care; but Mr. Carson is the first one to suggest wiping the agency completely off the books.

War is expensive, but Republicans love war.  Nothing gets their blood pumping like the chance to rumble some tanks and drop some bombs; so Ben Carson wants to put aside money for the next invasion instead of having to spend it caring for people who can no longer be counted as viable armament.

John Biedrzyck, head of the Veterans of Foreign Wars responded, "To suggest that desabled veterans could be sent out into the economy with a health savings account card...presupposes that civilian doctors have the same skill sets as VA doctors."

A Military Times report said Carson's idea was "a misguided notion born from ignorance."

It is obvious that being Commander in Chief is not brain surgery.