Frontline of the Class War: Insurance, Teachers, and Snakes, Oh My

The Republicans are right, there is a class war going on in this country. And they're the ones waging it against the middle and working class:

• Most people have already seen the footage of the crowd at the last Republican Presidential debate cheering at the idea of someone simply because they can't afford health insurance.  Newt Gingrich pretty much summed up the Republican position by arguing that private charity, not government, should help those who can't afford it.  In unrelated news, Ron Paul's former campaign manager died $400,000 in debt of pneumonia because pre-existing conditions prevented him from being able to get health insurance.

• A Philadelphia woman was fired from her job when she went over her scheduled sick days so she could donate a kidney that saved her sons life.  While the company is now considering giving her her job back in the face of international condemnation, the bigger problem is that something like this could have even happened in the first place.

• A Republican Congressional aide explained succinctly why the Republicans won't be doing anything to create jobs, "Obama is on the ropes; why do we appear ready to hand him a win?"  Which is why Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott is already pledging to reject any job stimulus money for his state.

• In a personally surreal moment, shame on Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe for failing to make the case that despite the Republicans best efforts to bankrupt it, the Post Office is still thriving.

• Rep. Darrell Issa thinks that the 600,000 government workers who have lost their jobs in the recession aren't enough, and thinks that states need to start firing more teachers.  Michigan Republicans are trying to make it easier to do just that, ending automatic dues deductions for the Teachers Unions in an effort to cripple collective bargaining in the state.  And as long as teachers do still have their jobs, they're forced to use history textbooks that systemically under represent or ignore the contributions and importance of organized labor in America.

• If you wanted evidence that all issues are connected, Republican denial of Global Warming is also an attack on the poor, who will take the brunt of the damage from climate change first.

• Senator Rand Paul argued that "People move up, the American Dream does exist...The rich are getting richer, but the poor are getting richer even faster."  And he's half right.  Since 1978 the rich have been getting richer, but the poor have been getting poorer.

• In order to accelerate that trend Republicans are proposing a variety of plans.  Rick Perry touts his Texas tax system, which taxes the poor at 4x the rate it does the rich.  As previously mentioned, Rep. Louie Gohmert wants to eliminate all corporate taxes.  Despite record industry profits, Michele Bachmann claims that regulations are killing the banks and need to be repealed.  Rep. Steve King wants to cut unemployment insurance because unemployment is simply caused be "a nation of slackers."  And Paul Ryan wants to increase taxes on the middle class, but opposes Obama's proposed new taxes on millionaires, because, you guessed it, that would be "Class Warfare."

• They do have one proposal to create new jobs though, eliminate the regulations against transporting poisonous snakes across state lines.

Happy Monday everyone, and welcome to the working week.