Collateral damage

We all know that being a liberal means never having to say "I'm sorry," but it also means never, ever, under any circumstances, learning from experience. No matter how badly an idea fails, no matter what the unintended consequences, no matter how obvious that the unintended consequences will again be the consequences, no idea needs be shelved if liberals can feel that they're hurting someone successful by implementing it.

We all remember how the 1990 tax bill that George H. W. Bush foolishly signed killed the luxury boat industry in this country. Aimed at "socking it to the rich," the end result was the elimination of jobs for many lower-educated but skilled workers. (Which is actually the result of most liberal economic plans.) Well, in their state of high dudgeon, the President and members of Congress are once again villifying the rich for spending money, resulting in pain and suffering for the rich more working class workers. Here's a great piece from comedian Jeffrey Jena which addresses the issue clearly:

I am a stand-up comedian and have been slinging jokes for over thirty years...During the last ten years, I have moved from the club market into mostly corporate events....Recently, my job has come under attack by some high ranking Democrats. While bragging about how many jobs he was going to create and save, about how many shovels he was going to get turning, Mr. Obama has sent my industry into a tail spin. He has taken several broad swipes at corporate entertainment in the past few weeks. Because they also hate corporate fat cats, Senator John Kerry and Representative Barney Frank joined in and started slamming my little corner of show business as well...He embarrassed business leaders and they have been cutting back on entertaining. Unfortunately, due to the law of unintended consequences, it wasn’t the corporate fat cats that got hurt. They have mothballed their corporate jets and are suffering by flying first class to their vacation homes in the Bahamas, poor guys!

Who the president hurt were thousands of waiters, caterers, bartenders, stage hands, sound technicians, floor sweepers, decorators, jet pilots, mechanics, parts suppliers, hotel workers and even a few stand up comics who depend on those fat cats for their livelihoods.

Oh, and the hypocrisy is rich, too:

Not all fat cats come under this Democrat microscope. This week in Miami, at the Fontainebleau Hotel, a fairly swanky joint, the AFL-CIO is hosting a little shindig. Not only are they not under fire for reckless spending while their union members are losing their jobs left and right, but a couple of high ranking Democrats including the Joe Biden will be down there cheering them on.

Ah, hope and change, hope and change...