So Robert Reich has a great column about the origins and causes for our budget shortfalls. Except that it casts Republicans in role of villain, it is a - great column by the gnome (who finds it easy to scream about this but did bup-kist about it when he had a chance).
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The link above still works, but I removed the column after re-reading it. I think RR's nearsightedness on this issue is that he sees the Rich and Powerful (caps in lieu of airquotes) as only Republicans. I think the elected class, whether Republican or Democratic, are financed by wealthy and therefore loath to bite the hand that feeds them.
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It makes reforming the system nearly impossible. But, if you substitute "powerful" for "Republican" in his essay - it is great.
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