Chattanooga Times Free Press

IF YOU’RE READING THIS, YOU’RE DEAD

- Erick Erickson

Republican­s on the Federal Communicat­ions Commission ended President Obama’s “net neutrality” regulation­s. Those regulation­s were passed with no reason but a fear of what might happen to the internet by major corporatio­ns. They were not needed. But Democrats declared that their repeal would cause people to die.

Republican­s rolled back Barack Obama’s individual mandate that forces Americans to buy health insurance whether or not they want it. Statistici­ans declared Americans would lose their health insurance if the GOP did this, ignoring that those losing health insurance would be those actively choosing to forego an insurance plan. Again, Democrats declared the GOP would cause people to die.

Then there was the overall tax reform plan. Republican­s wanted to lower corporate income tax rates, small business tax rates and individual income tax rates. If they did it, Democrats said people would die. In fact, at this point there appears to be no policy position the GOP can enact that will not end in mass casualties.

What is the result of all of this? CVS has announced it is raising its minimum wage and giving workers bonuses. BB&T Bank, Fifth Third Bank, PNC Financial and a host of other companies are raising their minimum wage to $15 per hour, which the left has demanded for years. Suddenly, the left is outraged. Companies from AT&T to American Airlines to Comcast to Walmart are paying employees bonuses. But to the American left, it is all blood money.

Political activists on the left are recruiting people now for President Trump’s proposed military parade. Back in 2014, Sen. Chuck Schumer called for a military parade. Now he ridicules the idea. The left wants its activists to lay down in front of any tanks that might participat­e in the parade as a sign of protest. Like the $15-an-hour minimum wage, progressiv­es really wanted it until Donald Trump delivered it.

President Trump has proposed giving a path to citizenshi­p to 1.8 million DACA recipients. The political left has been calling for citizenshi­p for DACA recipients for years. At one point, the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the White House, but they chose not to give those immigrants citizenshi­p. Now, after renewing calls for citizenshi­p, President Trump said OK. You would think the left would be happy. Instead, they are calling the president a racist for wanting to give those illegal aliens citizenshi­p. Naturally, if we go along with the president’s plan, people will apparently die.

Ivanka Trump and Marco Rubio have prepared a family leave plan. The plan would allow parents to take extended paid leave for the birth of a child. They would pay for the plan by offsetting a person’s future Social Security earnings instead of forcing corporatio­ns to pay for it. When Bill Clinton ran for president in the ’90s, Democrats wanted paid family leave. Hillary Clinton campaigned for it. Barack Obama wanted it. But now that Donald Trump has presented a plan, Democrats think it is the worst thing ever.

There is nothing President Trump and the GOP can do that Democrats will not declare as the worst thing ever. Perhaps the president should get really creative and declare his support for a complete, universal health care plan so that Democrats can go on record against it.

We are in an age of unreasonab­leness and hysteria. Republican­s are not immune, but Democrats have added new rhetorical flourishes with claims of mass casualties.

Wages are up, bonuses are up and people’s views on the economy are at super positive levels. I am really tired of Republican­s killing Americans by letting them keep more of their own money. CREATORS.COM

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