Thom Hartmann tells Grover Norquist he's been a shill for the rich

Run time: 09:17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW4EqvdkEVU   Posted on YouTube: April 14, 2010 By YouTube Member: thomhartmann Views on YouTube: 8   Posted on DU: April 14, 2010 By DU Member: thomhartmann Views on DU: 822

 
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That is the difference between Europe and the US. Europe has a greater social safety net and has chosen to protect it citizens at the cost of growing a little bit slower yes, but safer. While the US is like the wild west, no regulations, little social safety net, so we've grown faster and more dangerously. Our lows more painful our highs more soaring.

It's like the story of the Turtle and the Hare. Who won the race? The turtle (Europe) or the hare (US)? Who was smarter? The turtle or the hare?

However, when economic growth is based on ever-increasing debt (both private and federal) (as it is here) what you're actually doing is building a very expensive house of cards. For a wealthy country with a robust economy like the United States, it may take 30 years (or less if not for an 8-year reprieve under Clinton) for that house of cards to begin collapsing under the weight of its debt, but it will collapse eventually. That's the thing these short-sighted Republicans can never grasp- they think debt-based economic growth can be maintained indefinitely. It's the same short-sightedness that keeps them from understanding global climate change: The 'if it doesn't kill me today, it won't kill me tomorrow' mentality.

I'm reminded of a story I once had to read in school:

A man had a simpleton friend who had resolved to become the strongest man in the world. This friend had a farm- every day, he would go outside and lift a calf over his head. He explains to the narrator that he can lift it today, and since the calf's weight changes by so little evey day, he will still be able to lift it tomorrow. Ultimately this calf will grow into a cow, and by his reasoning if he continues to lift it every day he should still be able to lift it when it's fully grown. He will then be the strongest man in the world. He continues lifting the calf for several weeks until one day he breaks his back and is paralyzed.

If only he'd gone to school- he could have been a Republican economist.