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Many Republicans, desperate to find any — ANY — Republican, but Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, have begun to settle on John Kasich, because he supposedly is a “moderate.”

Compared with the bigotry, lying and sheer craziness of Trump, perhaps Kasich might be considered “moderate.”  So can virtually every politician in the world.

And compared with the doomsday rigidity of “shut-down-the-government” Cruz, Kasich again might be considered moderate. So can Justices Alito and Thomas, as well as Cliven Bundy, the NRA and Genghis Khan.

But if Kasich is the desperation fall-back candidate, it’s important to know exactly what he stands for, and I doubt his new (“anybody but Trump or Cruz) fans do.

We went to his web site and in an effort to give you a picture of this “moderate,” we provide you with these tidbits:

BALANCE THE BUDGET AND KEEP IT BALANCED
John Kasich will work with Congress to balance the budget in eight years.

By reining-in spending, reforming our broken entitlement programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, sending federal programs back to our states and communities where they belong, and spurring economic growth, it can be done.

It is a big job, but John Kasich did it in Ohio and he can provide the leadership to do it again for our nation.

To Kasich “reforming entitlement” means cutting your Social Security benefits, cutting your Medicare benefits and cutting your Medicaid benefits.

In fact, Kasich would like to cut every benefit for the middle-class and the poor, while of course, maintaining tax benefits for the rich.

No Republicans will talk straight about that, so they all use the mealy-mouth word, “reform.”

KEEP THE BUDGET BALANCED:
John Kasich will work with Congress to pass a resolution amending the Constitution to require a balanced budget and submit it to the states for ratification.

Kasich either pretends ignorance or really is ignorant about the fact that balanced budgets lead to recessions and depressions, and deficit spending cures recessions and depressions.

If he understands this, why does he advocate balanced budgets? Because balancing the budget inevitably leads to cuts to spending on social programs: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, etc., which widens the Gap.

Widening the Gap is the primary goal of the right-wing.

REDUCE AND CONTROL SPENDING:
John Kasich will set priorities to get spending under control. National security is a priority, however, and he will increase defense spending to restore our military and help keep Americans safe.

Spending cuts invariably cut benefits to the poor and middle classes, not to the rich.

Kasich will — after cutting all spending that puts dollars in your pocket — increase military spending, perhaps so he can invade Iraq, again and enrich the military/industrial complex.

Xenophobic fear-mongering worked so well for Bush II and for the American rich, Kasich sees no reason not to keep doing it.

REFORM ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS:
The cost of entitlement programs like Medicaid and Medicare are growing uncontrollably and must be fundamentally reformed to reduce their growth rates and become more efficient while still providing the services that Americans want and need.

There’s that word “reform,” again. Hang on to your wallet.

How will cutting Medicaid and Medicare “make them more efficient while still providing the services”? Kasich has no idea, and he really doesn’t care.

Every time a politician tells you that cuts to your benefits actually will help you, he is lying, plain and simple.

REVENUE GROWTH:
Reducing personal and corporate income taxes, cutting federal red tape, providing access to affordable, reliable energy and getting government out of the way will all help contribute to America’s economic revival.

Any tax cuts will benefit the rich far more than you, and any benefit to you will be overwhelmed by cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other social spending.

This is a reverse Robin Hood plan, to take from the poor and give to the rich and widen the Gap between the two.

CUTTING TAXES & MAKING THE TAX CODE SIMPLER & FAIRER

Lowering income tax rates, reducing the number of brackets, and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit will allow all taxpayers, especially low and middle income earners, to keep more of their own money and be better able to save and invest for the future.

Note the word “FAIRER” in the title. To Kasich, it’s unfair that the rich sometimes pay at a higher rate than the poor. Right wingers love regressive taxes like flat taxes, FICA, and sales taxes. They all punish the middle more than the rich.

His line about “keep more of their own money,” is like saying that deporting immigrants gives them the “freedom” to return to their native land. It’s all sweet-talk, that is supposed to lull the peasants.

TAX CUTS FOR JOB CREATORS:

Lower taxes and incentives to invest will restore global competitiveness to America’s business tax system to help create new jobs.

In Republican-speak, “job creators” are rich corporate executives. These people never created a job in their lives.

Corporations create the jobs and overpay their super-rich executives, who simply go along for the ride. The real fact is, the corporate CEOs do everything possible to cut the number of employees.

These guys get bonuses for cutting payroll costs, and Kasich wants to pay them for job creation.

It’s madness.

REGULATORY REFORM: USING COMMON SENSE TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO JOB CREATION

Getting federal regulations under control is essential to making sure Americans have the health and safety protections they need without unnecessary burdens.

In other words, any regulation that prevents businesses from screwing the public, is an “unnecessary burden.” That is why the major banks still are as unregulated as ever, though their stealing caused the Great Recession.

Remember this: The Great Recession was not caused by too many regulations. It was exacerbated by too few regulations and by non-enforcement of existing regulations

A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM:

A one-year moratorium on all major, new regulations will give businesses a respite from the costs of Obama Administration regulations and allow time to overhaul the regulatory process.

This is childish on its face. A one-year moratorium allows criminals to have an additional year of stealing.

And as for “overhaul of the regulatory process, specifically what overhaul (other than removing all regulations) would satisfy him?

MANDATORY COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS:
John Kasich will call on Congress to make cost-benefit analyses mandatory for all new regulations to make sure their benefit outweighs their costs.

A true cost-benefit analysis is one of the most time-consuming, unproductive activities imaginable.

First, there is the question, “What is the value of any specific benefit.” Then there is the question, “What is the cost?”

For instance, assume Congress passes a law saying that any bank CEO whose bank has been shown to have cheated 100 mortgage holders, must be sentenced to 1 year in jail.

What exactly is the dollar value of the benefit to the public? What is the cost, exactly? What about 50 mortgage holders? 10? 1?

His call for cost-benefit analyses on every new regulation is just a method for stopping Congress altogether and allowing the criminals to roam free.

How about this: Run a cost-benefit analysis of Kasich’s proposal. Come back in 20 years, when it has finished.

INDEPENDENT, COMMON SENSE APPEALS

Today a small business that wants to fight an agency decision can sue in federal court and go bankrupt hiring lawyers, or use an agency’s own appeals process staffed by its own bureaucrats.

Only an independent administrative review can ensure businesses get fair, reasonable treatment and John Kasich will create new appointed common sense review panels comprised of real Americans.”

When a politician stuffs his proposal with words like “independent,” “fair,” “reasonable,” “common sense” and “real Americans,” you know it’s bull poop.

He’s going to find and pay thousands of “real Americans” (not fake Americans), who are “independent, fair, and reasonable,” having “common sense and technical knowledge for every single agency in the government.

What could possible go wrong with that?

DISMANTLING WASHINGTON AND TAKING BACK OUR POWER, MONEY AND INFLUENCE

For decades Washington has steadily expanded its role, size and cost, adding to the debt that crowds out private investment and chokes our economic growth, all while creating tentacles of bureaucracy that increasingly seek to weave into our lives, communities and businesses.

To fix these problems—and keep them fixed—John Kasich will begin dismantling Washington and taking our power, money and influence back to our states and communities.

Not only do states have the ability to execute faster and more efficiently, but because they are on the frontlines they better understand Americans’ needs and can be more responsive to them.

Yes, the old “big government” and “crowds out” arguments. Take the cost of regulation from the federal government, which can afford to regulate, and force it on the states, many of which are going broke.

This is every right-wingers dream: Cut regulation so the rich can steal more.

There is zero evidence that states are more honest, more capable and more willing to stop crime than is the federal government. In fact, the contrary is true.

And consider the effect of every state having different regulations on everything. Things are bad enough, with differing laws on marriage, aiding the poor, voting and on and on and on.

Kasich wants to turn the United States into the Separate States of little fiefdoms.

Further, federal deficit spending does not “crowd out” private investment or “choke economic growth.” On the contrary, deficit spending adds dollars to the economy which facilitates private investment and provides economic growth.

Kasich has his economics backwards.

And by the way, this money-saving man is the same guy who wants to “create hundreds of new appointed common sense review panels comprised of real Americans.”

TRANSPORTATION:

Not since the completion of the interstate highway system over two decades ago has there been a clear vision for the federal government’s role in surface transportation.

John Kasich will direct policy authority, funding and responsibilities to the states, which are in the best position to assess infrastructure needs and develop strategies to manage them.

This is crazy, even for Kasich. Think of it: An interstate highway system directed by the individual states.

Imagine a highway stopping at the state border, because the neighboring state doesn’t want to spend money on an extension or on repairs.

EDUCATION:

John Kasich will reduce the power of the U.S. Department of Education and end Washington’s education micromanagement.

He will reaffirm the fundamental principle of local control and will give local school districts and states more flexibility to use federal resources to meet the educational needs of their students.

“Use federal resources”?? Has Kasich forgotten all those “tentacles of (federal) bureaucracy” he complained about?

WORKFORCE:
Washington should provide more flexibility from rigid guidelines so states can align programs to the skills and positions for which local job creators are hiring.

“Flexibility from rigid guidelines” is exactly what the rich criminals always want, so they can pay less and provide worse working conditions, especially for minorities.

MEDICAID:

Getting Medicaid’s unsustainable growth rates under control requires giving states more freedom to innovate, improve quality and increase efficiency.

How noble. It also would give states more freedom to cut medical coverage for the poor and least powerful. His use of the words,“unsustainable growth rates” is the tipoff to what the Kasich really wants.

LOW-INCOME PUBLIC ASSISTANCE:

Block granting welfare in the 1990s was a start, but excessive constraints by the federal government have limited its overall success.

As president John Kasich will make sure welfare programs actually help Americans move up and out of poverty and give taxpayers the value they deserve.

Translation: “We’ll cut aid to the poor, because public assistance just makes these lazy people lazier.”

AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE ENERGY FOR GROWTH: INDEPENDENCE AND LOW COSTS THROUGH ABUNDANCE

An exclusive focus on unnecessary environmental regulation drives up energy costs and keeps energy independence out of reach. America needs balance.

John Kasich believes that Americans need an energy policy that encourages more energy production from a broad base of sources.

Translation: Drill baby, drill.

Kasich won’t admit it, but the United States already is energy independent. “Broad base of resources” is right-wing speak for coal and tar-sands oil — the two most polluting sources of energy.

ACHIEVE ENERGY INDEPENDENCE:
Sourcing all our energy from North America and eliminating our reliance on overseas energy makes America safer and stronger. John Kasich will approve the Keystone XL pipeline to help make this happen.

As I said, “Drill baby, drill” and allow the the Koch brothers’ Keystone XL pipeline spill tar-sands oil all over the country. After all, the Kochs have paid the politicians for this service.

ENCOURAGE RESEARCH IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES:

Both the economy and environment benefit from technological breakthroughs. High-capacity, long-life batteries; fuel cells; the high-efficiency “smart” electricity grid; clean coal and other technologies can help improve the environment, increase efficiency and conserve energy.

Unreasonable barriers to their development should be identified and removed to help make them a reality.

Good idea. It would require federal spending which Kasich hates.

DISMANTLING WASHINGTON: THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT IS A TEXT BOOK EXAMPLE OF WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE

For at least 30 years people have talked about dismantling the 40,000+ employee, $12 billion U.S. Department of Commerce to help shrink the Washington bureaucracy.

The reason is simple: the Department has become a cluttered “attic” for the federal government, hiding political pet projects, outdated programs, and agencies without a logical home.

John Kasich will eliminate it, as part of an overall freeze and reduction of the federal workforce.

Essential work of Commerce would be transferred to other agencies. Highlights include:

Almost half of the Commerce Department’s budget goes to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service and its satellites, and the National Hurricane Center.

These and other efforts align closely with the work of the Department of Interior to preserve and safeguard America’s natural resources and, after a review to eliminate duplication, would be moved there.

Merging two agencies does not in itself create efficiencies. They still need to accomplish the assignments. Rather than talking about eliminating an agency, Kasich should point out duplications.

RETURN ECONOMIC POWER TO STATES AND COMMUNITIES:

The Economic Development Administration’s grant programs for local communities would be carefully analyzed for duplication and those not eliminated would be transferred to HUD where they would be returned to states and communities in large flexible block grants.

If Kasich had been around in 1776, there would be no United States of America. We still would be individual colonies.

The myth that states, counties and cities, working independently, are more honest and efficient than the federal government is just that: A myth.

BETTER SUPPORT MINORITY BUSINESS:

Shutting the Department of Minority Business Development Agency to eliminate functions and consolidate overhead costs in others would produce significant savings.

While closing and moving offices could bring initial cost increases, they would be more than recouped over time.

The resulting improved services, better management and heightened teamwork will begin the long-overdue rebuilding of American’s confidence that the federal government actually works for them.

It’s fascinating that consolidating small agencies into larger agencies appeals to the same guy who decries “big government” as being inefficient. So “big government” is bad, but “big agencies” are good??

He has, by the way, no plan for “improves services.” He just thinks merger will do it — somehow.

Now you know about Kasich.

In summary, he is the typical pro-rich, anti-middle and anti-poor, right-winger.

He hates regulations because only with regulations can the endless stealing by the rich be slowed.

He hates “big government” (but ironically advocates merging small agencies into big agencies), because local governments alway have been more vulnerable to control by the local, rich “strongman.”

For Kasich, rich is good, poor is bad and ne-er the twain shall meet.

None of his ideas are new or “moderate.” They all come right out of the extreme right-wing playbook.

Kasich may appear moderate only by comparison with Trump and Cruz, two of the looniest candidates the Republicans ever have put before the American people.

In America today, Kasich is what passes for Republican “moderate.”

Rodger Malcolm Mitchell
Monetary Sovereignty

 

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Ten Steps to Prosperity:
1. Eliminate FICA (Click here)
2. Federally funded Medicare — parts A, B & D plus long term nursing care — for everyone (Click here)
3. Provide an Economic Bonus to every man, woman and child in America, and/or every state a per capita Economic Bonus. (Click here) Or institute a reverse income tax.
4. Free education (including post-grad) for everyone. Click here
5. Salary for attending school (Click here)
6. Eliminate corporate taxes (Click here)
7. Increase the standard income tax deduction annually Click here
8. Tax the very rich (.1%) more, with higher, progressive tax rates on all forms of income. (Click here)
9. Federal ownership of all banks (Click here and here)
10. Increase federal spending on the myriad initiatives that benefit America’s 99% (Click here)

The Ten Steps will grow the economy, and narrow the income/wealth/power Gap between the rich and you.
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10 Steps to Economic Misery: (Click here:)
1. Maintain or increase the FICA tax..
2. Spread the myth Social Security, Medicare and the U.S. government are insolvent.
3. Cut federal employment in the military, post office, other federal agencies.
4. Broaden the income tax base so more lower income people will pay.
5. Cut financial assistance to the states.
6. Spread the myth federal taxes pay for federal spending.
7. Allow banks to trade for their own accounts; save them when their investments go sour.
8. Never prosecute any banker for criminal activity.
9. Nominate arch conservatives to the Supreme Court.
10. Reduce the federal deficit and debt

THE RECESSION CLOCK

Recessions begin an average of 2 years after the blue line first dips below zero. A common phenomenon is for the line briefly to dip below zero, then rise above zero, before falling dramatically below zero. There was a brief dip below zero in 2015, followed by another dip – the familiar pre-recession pattern.
Recessions are cured by a rising red line.

Vertical gray bars mark recessions.

As the federal deficit growth lines drop, we approach recession, which will be cured only when the growth lines rise. Increasing federal deficit growth (aka “stimulus”) is necessary for long-term economic growth.

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Mitchell’s laws:
•Those, who do not understand the differences between Monetary Sovereignty and monetary non-sovereignty, do not understand economics.
•Any monetarily NON-sovereign government — be it city, county, state or nation — that runs an ongoing trade deficit, eventually will run out of money.
•The more federal budgets are cut and taxes increased, the weaker an economy becomes..
•No nation can tax itself into prosperity, nor grow without money growth.
•Cutting federal deficits to grow the economy is like applying leeches to cure anemia.
•A growing economy requires a growing supply of money (GDP = Federal Spending + Non-federal Spending + Net Exports)
•Deficit spending grows the supply of money
•The limit to federal deficit spending is an inflation that cannot be cured with interest rate control.
•The limit to non-federal deficit spending is the ability to borrow.

•Liberals think the purpose of government is to protect the poor and powerless from the rich and powerful. Conservatives think the purpose of government is to protect the rich and powerful from the poor and powerless.

•The single most important problem in economics is the Gap between rich and the rest..
•Austerity is the government’s method for widening the Gap between rich and poor.
•Until the 99% understand the need for federal deficits, the upper 1% will rule.
•Everything in economics devolves to motive, and the motive is the Gap between the rich and the rest..

MONETARY SOVEREIGNTY