Cantor Concedes Flawed Republican Tax Cut Policy

For decades now, the Republican party has adhered to the notion that tax cuts reduce the deficit. The thinking goes that if the government taxes the very rich less, they'll spend more and it'll "trickle down" to the rest of us. Once the money drips down, deficits are reduced because the spending habits of the wealthy boost the economy. However, as we have seen the national debt explode since Reagan enacted this insane ideology, Republicans have unsuccessfully made their case in the real world. Today, G.O.P. Minority Whip Eric Cantor admitted it on live television....even if it came out unwittingly.

Heuvel Vs. Cantor, Not Even Close

When it comes to health care, or any issue for that matter, smart, strong women like Katrina vanden Heuvel will decimate GOP hacks like Congressman Cantor anytime, any day. Here on MSNBC, she made him look like a fool when discussing the merits of having a public option in the upcoming health care reform legislation.

Eric Cantor's Hypocritical Tracks

Eric Cantor has been one of a few younger GOP officials that have been trying to assert themselves into a leadership role for the faltering Republican party. If tales of hypocrisy were the main criteria to be a leader, Cantor would certainly be on or near the top of the list. He may not be a secessionist who turns around the next week clamoring for specific kinds of federal assistance, but this is too good not to mention.

From The Huffington Post:

While the stimulus was being debated in January, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor called a group of reporters into his office to outline the GOP's objections. As we filed in, we walked past a giant poster ridiculing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for allegedly pushing for high-speed rail connecting Disneyland and Las Vegas.

On NBC's "Meet the Press," Cantor called that project an example of "waste and pork-barrel spending."

Yet one man's pork is another man's prudent investment in transit -- and sometimes the same man's.

Asked about high-speed rail at a recent local event in Virginia, Cantor was all thumbs up. "If there is one thing that I think all of us here on both sides of the political aisle from all parts of the region agree with, it's that we need to do all we can to promote jobs here in the Richmond area," Cantor said of the high-speed rail.

Even though the Disneyland to Vegas high speed rail story was a complete fabrication, Cantor went with it anyway. After being thoroughly disproved the Congressman continued to repeat the lie for the sake of cheap political points among his base. Now that the bill has passed and his vote was recorded as a no, he is trying to claim credit and hype the stimulus money that is coming Virginia's way. It really is amazing to watch Cantor tout the jobs Obama and Democrats in Congress helped create, fighting off people like him to make it happen.

"Do as I say, not as I do," seems to be this politician's creed.

Congressman Cantor Thinks Life-Saving Research Is A Distraction

Just when you think that the Republican *cough* leadership couldn't distance themselves more from the American public, Eric Cantor (R-VA) comes through for his party. Today, Barack Obama will officially end the White House ban on embryonic stem cell research. In response, Mr. Cantor says that this is a distraction for the nation in our time of economic peril (caused by his party's love of greed and deregulation, but that's besides the point). Perhaps the Congressman would like to say that to these people, or perhaps this group, just so that they know how compassionate conservatism is supposed to work.

In his own callous, uncaring and purely political words:

"Why are we going and distracting ourselves from the economy? This is job No. 1. Let's focus on what needs to be done," Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, told CNN's "State of the Union."[...]

Cantor, R-Virginia, has been among the leaders of GOP opposition to Obama's economic policies.

In a conference call with reporters, (White House domestic policy adviser Melody) Barnes said funding research is also part of the administration's plan to boost the plunging U.S. economy.

"Advances with regard to science and technology help advance our overall national goals around economic growth and job creation," she said, adding, "I think anytime you make an effort to try and separate these pieces of the puzzle, you're missing the entire picture."

And of course, that is what it is all about. Eric Cantor, along with the great majority of his dwindling party just doesn't get the big picture. He can't understand that Americans want to find cures for diseases and that by doing so, you create (drumroll please) jobs! To Cantor, the "economy" is code word for less taxes on the rich and more penalties for the poor. Then when you talk about spending freezes at a time like this, it shows a real loathing for the health of our nation and partisan politics gone wild. So for the people out there that are waiting for stem-cell research to help find treatments for your particular disease, Eric Cantor doesn't just not care about you, that uncaring attitude is reserved for all of us.

Aerosmith Calls Eric Cantor Out For Copyright Infringement

When I posted that video from GOP House Whip Eric Cantor yesterday, I wondered to myself how long it would take Aerosmith to get in his face about playing their song. Members of Aerosmith (except for Joe Perry) are no fans of the Republican Party and hearing their work in a deceptive ad is by one of its leaders has to be rather ear-wrenching. Anyways, the response didn't take long, and since Cantor put it on YouTube, YouTube was able to quickly pull it for a copyright violation.

From TPM:

Poor House Republicans. They were pretty psyched yesterday about that new troops-rallying video from Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) that used Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle" to declare that "The House GOP is back" thanks to the party's unanimous opposition to the stimulus.

But unfortunately, Aerosmith wasn't feeling the love. Cantor's clip has been pulled from YouTube after a copyright infringement claim made by Stage Three Music, which owns the rights to "Back in the Saddle."

The GOP's use of the tune "was something we, as the publishers, didn't approve and would not have approved without going to the writers," Connie Ashton, director of copyright and licensing at Stage Three, told me. "Aerosmith did not approve of its use and also wanted to have it taken down," she added.

Maybe Congressman Cantor could play this song instead for his party. It perfectly reflects how Cantor posted the song and of course, it is an official motto for his merry band of elephants, no matter who gets hurt.

Eric Cantor: Rockstar Republican

Using Aerosmith's "Back in the Saddle Again" to describe their "Party of No" label couldn't be further from the truth for the Republican caucus. The American people have stood up and rejected them by wide margins in the last two cycles. They've shredded the economy with their wasteful, de-regulated ways and they are mad that they don't have much power left. This cute little commercial tries to swing (the youth?) audiences to believe that they're fighting for you, or some empty rhetoric like that.



The truth is, that stimulus bill is the best thing we have going for us, with an investment in the American economy and millions of jobs that we desperately need. Eric Cantor can whip his party into song and dance all he wants, but the chorus behind him is shrinking by the moment.

Update: Oh and when Mr. Cantor says he's looking out for you, perhaps he just meant his wife and her lust for TARP funds.

Rep. Cantor Tries To Escape From Bush's Legacy

Chris Matthews, in one of his more indignant forms, goes after Congressman Cantor for trying to distance himself from Bush. With Fiorina's "disappearance," McCain needed new surrogate blood to help him run from Dubya but with the record as it is, it is a tough job even for the most ammoral Republican.