The NY Times mentioned about this one.
The general idea is that we are all getting older, and, allegedly, “Obama is spending too much”—even though most of this “debt” is the result of George Bush policies that were put on autopilot at the end of 2010.
They do this cheesy CGI where the woman ages 20 or 25 years. The basketball kids grow up as they go through the kitchen door.
This is supposed to convince us of something, besides the fact that I am getting older. Maybe it is supposed to make me think of shape-shifting that politicians like Mitt Romney do, saying whatever they have to, to win.
What was the big joke for me is the story that the woman’s kids went to college, and now they’re 30-somethings back at home. They have student debt–thank Ronald Reagan and the hardcore GOP for getting that started. I am surprised the gray mare herself doesn’t have student debt, too!
Allegedly, she can’t afford to retire, but we’re never told if it’s because Bain Capital came to town, or her company decided to switch her to a 401(k) or some cash balance plan.
We don’t know where the husband (ehem, father) is.
We don’t know why she is so concerned about the national debt of $15 trillion, where about $6 trillion is held in “intra-governmental” accounts, so it doesn’t exist like credit card debt. We get no information if she favors the 2% borrowing rates the Treasury gets now, compared to 15% back in 1981.
Why is the woman more concerned about the National Debt than her own childrens’ debt? Why does she think that the Debt “destroys” jobs, when in fact most smart economists are telling us that we should be pumping more government spending into the economy—and taxing the rich if we don’t borrow for it? Demand creates jobs, not billionaires.
I hate to think of all those 20th century middle-class careers that were made off government spending, and government-related spending. Like defense. Education. Road construction and maintenance. The Apollo program.
This is contemporary American politics: an ad that insults your intelligence while it tries to push emotional buttons.
By the way, “Crossroads GPS” IS the Republican Party now. Nice far-suburban sounding name, too: Crossroads. I guess you use your GPS when you get lost among the cookie-cutter minimansions.
Hoofin 