Trickle Up Poverty

{{bronze}}{{uspolitics}}{{Books}}{{title-italics}}
{{cquote|They don't know socialism from sausage.|||''Trickle Up Poverty''}}
'''''Trickle Up Poverty: Stopping Obama's Attack on Our Borders, Economy, and Security'''''  ({{isbn|0062010972}}) is a 2010 book written by  ultra-[[neoconservative]] [[radio]] pundit [[Michael Savage]].  It is an attack on United States' President [[Barack Obama]] and his policies which Savage has labeled "pan-Leninist."  Savage used and recycled a bunch of savagely cheap insults like "Comrade Obama," "Red Diaper Baby," and "Chairman Obama," among many others.  

One weird facet of the book is the constant use of anecdotes from Savage's life.  He addresses many issues such as why 
'Merican
 English should be America's official language; why Obama is an evil closet-[[Communism|commie]] who wants to see [[America]] destroyed and owned by [[atheism|atheist]] [[Islam|Muslim]] [[Communism|commie]] [[Fundamentalism|fundamentalists]]; and how to stop Obama in 2012.  Savage also indulges in puerile idioms (e.g. referring to a certain Congressman as "giddy as a junior high girl getting her first kiss").

Savage frequently cites questionable sources like [[WorldNetDaily]], [[Newsmax]], [[Breitbart]], ''[[The Washington Times]]'', and [[Media Research Center|CNSNews.com]] in addition to general news sources like the Associated Press, ''[[The New York Times]]'' (he calls it ''The Old York Times''; laugh) and ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (or in Savage-ese, ''The Washington ComPost''; laugh some more).  Occasionally he cites more left-leaning sources like a ''Rolling Stone'' article by Matt Taibbi about the Wall Street bailouts, or a ''Crooks and Liars'' blog post.  And to be fair, Savage also takes shots at Republicans (or "[[RINO]]s", "checked-pants Republicans") and [[George W. Bush]] whenever warranted.

However, Savage has a few good ideas that liberals can actually support, such as applying tariffs to products imported from [[China]], opposing the Wall Street bailouts, and reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act.

==Origin of the "trickle up poverty" phrase==
In the introduction to the book, Savage reprints a commentary he made on his radio program ''The Savage Nation'' on October 15, 2008, the day of the final presidential debate of the year, calling on 2008 Republican presidential candidate [[John McCain]] to use "trickle up poverty" to describe Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]]'s economic policies;<ref name="xiv">''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. xiv.</ref> a hilarious inverse of [[Ronald Reagan]]'s "trickle-down wealth" effect.

==Views in the book==
===The Republicans threw the 2008 election to blame Obama===
Savage made this observation in the introduction:

{{cquote|The Republican establishment knew they had to give the power to a Democrat in order to take the spotlight off their own failure and excess—no matter how dangerous Obama might be once in power. They knew they had wrecked things so badly by running up the largest deficits in history and expanding the size of government—all under George Bush. They reason, "Let’s give it to a Democrat so the country can blame him for the worst four years in American history, and then we’ll come back triumphant with another Republicrat who will continue to hoodwink the sheeple."<ref name="xiv"/>}}

What Savage described is the Two Santa Claus Theory by Republican strategist Jude Wanniski.<ref name="Santa">Jude Wanniski, "[http://capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1701/jude-wanniski-taxes-and-two-santa-theory Taxes and a Two-Santa Theory]". ''National Observer'': March 6, 1976.</ref> Progressive talk radio host [[Thom Hartmann]] frequently invokes the Two Santa Claus Theory in observing the way Republican presidents like Reagan and GW Bush handled budgets.<ref name="Hartmann">Thom Hartmann, "[http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0 Two Santa Clauses or How The Republican Party Has Conned America for Thirty Years]" (Jan. 26, 2009).</ref> In 1976, the Republican Party was in tatters after [[Watergate]], the low popularity of President [[Gerald Ford]], and conservative hero [[Barry Goldwater]] being blown out in the 1964 presidential election. Wanniski wrote:

{{cquote|The Democrats, the party of income redistribution, are best suited for the role of Spending Santa Claus. The Republicans, traditionally the party of income growth, should be the Santa Claus of Tax Reduction. It has been the failure of the GOP to stick to this traditional role that has caused much of the nation’s economic misery...[Republicans] embrace the role of Scrooge, playing into the hands of the Democrats, who know the first rule of successful politics is Never Shoot Santa Claus.

...In learning how to play both Santa Clauses, the Democratic majorities in Congress grow larger and larger. They can alternate between increased spending and occasional tax cuts and take credit at the polls for both. The economy suffers, though, because the Democrats do not fulfill both roles with equal zest. They spend with exuberance and cut tax rates only when in doing so they can redistribute income from the middle and upper incomes to the less affluent.<ref name="Santa"/>}}

As Hartmann summarizes:

{{cquote|...Republicans could be double Santa Clauses by cutting people's taxes! For working people it would only be a small token – a few hundred dollars a year on average – but would be heavily marketed. And for the rich it would amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in tax cuts. The rich, in turn, would use that money to import or build more stuff to market, thus increasing supply and stimulating the economy. And that growth in the economy would mean that the people still paying taxes would pay more because they were earning more.

There was no way, Wanniski said, that the Democrats could ever win again. They'd have to be anti-Santas by raising taxes, or anti-Santas by cutting spending. Either one would lose them elections.

When Reagan rolled out Supply Side Economics in the early 80s, dramatically cutting taxes while exploding (mostly military) spending, there was a moment when it seemed to Wanniski and Laffer that all was lost. The budget deficit exploded and the country fell into a deep recession – the worst since the Great Depression – and Republicans nationwide held their collective breath. But David Stockman came up with a great new theory about what was going on – they were "[[Starve the beast|starving the beast]]" of government by running up such huge deficits that Democrats would never, ever in the future be able to talk again about national health care or improving Social Security...}}<ref name="Hartmann"/>

===Tying Obama with Communism, Marxism, and anti-white racism===
In Chapter 2 "Obama's Marxist-Leninist Roots", Savage attempts to tie Obama's policies with people who supposedly influenced Obama before he became president, such as communist Frank Marshall Davis,<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 33-35. Sources cited include: 
*Toby Harnden, "[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/2601914/Frank-Marshall-Davis-alleged-Communist-was-early-influence-on-Barack-Obama.html Frank Marshall Davis, alleged Communist, was early influence on Barack Obama]". ''The Telegraph'': August 22, 2008.
*Sudhin Thanawala, "[http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Aug/03/ln/hawaii808030372.html Black poet, journalist advised young Obama]". Associated Press via ''Honolulu Advertiser'': August 3, 2008.
*Cliff Kincaid, "[http://www.aim.org/aim-column/obamas-communist-mentor/ Obama's communist mentor]." Accuracy in Media: February 18, 2008.</ref> the Rev. [[Jeremiah Wright]],<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 38-42.</ref> and former Weather Underground activist Bill Ayers.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 42-43.</ref> Specifically:
*Obama "apologized for America" due to hearing Rev. Wright's anti-American sermons.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 40-41.</ref>
*Obama did the auto bailouts and has talked about "spreading the wealth around" due to influence by Davis and Marxist professors at Columbia University.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 36-38.</ref> No comment about the [[George W. Bush]] administration having any similar influences when that administration initiated [[banking crisis|Wall Street bailouts]].

Savage complained about Obama's manufacturing advisor Ron Bloom and communications director Anita Dunn quoting or praising [[Mao Zedong]]<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 45-46.</ref> but ignored how Republicans like [[Newt Gingrich]] and [[Karl Rove]] have expressed interest in the philosophy of Mao.<ref>Suzanne Malveaux and Ed Hornick, [http://cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/16/beck.dunn/index.html Obama aide fires back at Beck over Mao remarks]. CNN: October 16, 2009.</ref>

Chapter 3 is titled "Spending Other People's Money" and continues on Savage's claims about Obama administration policies being a lighter form of communism: "...Stalin's behavior is no different from Barack Obama's imposition of a socialist revolution here in America. From the moment Obama came to power, he leveraged the power of the government to nationalize major portions of the economy and private industries",<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 67.</ref> even though the Obama administration ''didn't'' nationalize businesses. Savage explores the economics of the [[Soviet Union]] under Stalin and Lenin in the chapter and draws analogies with the Obama administration.

Savage asserts: "...spreading the wealth around impoverishes us...Taking money from you and me to give to someone who is looking only for a handout, a bailout, or a way out removes our incentive to excel, to grow, to risk investments, to invent, and to dream big dreams."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty''. p. 76.</ref> However, entrepreneurship under the American capitalist system has declined since the Reagan years.<ref>Barry C. Lynn and Lina Khan, "[http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/julyaugust_2012/features/the_slowmotion_collapse_of_ame038414.php?page=all The Slow-Motion Collapse of American Entrepreneurship]." ''Washington Monthly'': July/August 2012.</ref><ref>John Bussey, "[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904823804576502482906192742.html Shrinking in a Bad Economy: America's Entrepreneur Class]." ''Wall Street Journal'': August 12, 2011.</ref> [[Free trade]] and Reagan stopping enforcement of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act aren't helping either.<ref>Thom Hartmann, "[http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2012/07/america%E2%80%99s-entrepreneurial-class-dying America’s entrepreneurial class is dying]." July 11, 2012.</ref> While Savage rails on and on about the bad examples of socialism in the Soviet Union, [[China]] under [[Mao Zedong]], [[Cuba]] under [[Fidel Castro]], and [[Venezuela]] under [[Hugo Chavez]], he doesn't bother explaining how [[democratic socialism]] (with such evils as [[universal health care]]) didn't murder the economies of the European countries like Sweden.

Weighing in on the Airbus vs. Boeing competition, Savage falsely asserted Boeing "has no such benefits as government subsidies,"<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 69.</ref> when in fact Boeing has gotten subsidies through military and government contracts.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_between_Airbus_and_Boeing#Subsidies</ref>

In Chapter 7 "The Real Cost of Legalizing Illegals", Savage extensively exposes how some Obama appointees were members of Latino advocacy organizations like the National Coalition of La Raza. He also smears the Obama nominee for US Ambassador for El Salvador, Mari Carmen Aponte, as a "committed communist" with "intimate ties with the DGI, the Cuban intelligence agency", citing an article by the [[John Birch Society]] magazine ''The New American''.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 198. Cites: Joe Wolverton II, "[http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/2843-obama-nominates-la-raza-activist-as-ambassador Obama Nominates La Raza Activist as Ambassador]." ''The New American'': December 19, 2009.</ref> This claim is based on the fact that Aponte's ex boyfriend Roberto Tamayo, who was accused of being a Cuban spy but also said to be an FBI informant.<ref>Gail Collins, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/opinion/collins-the-ghost-of-boyfriends-past.html The ghosts of boyfriends past]." ''New York Times'': December 10, 2011.</ref>

===There's no such thing as a living wage, and achieve prosperity through Wal-Mart===
In his criticisms of ACORN in chapter 8, Savage dismisses the idea of a living wage based on the conservative economic theory that higher minimum wages 
avoid people having to work two or three jobs just to get by
 stifle job growth. Citing an article in the John Birch Society's ''The New American'', Savage criticizes ACORN for paying less than minimum wage to people picketing Wal-Mart and other retailers over wages and benefits.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 229. Cites: Gregory A. Hession, "[http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/item/2451-acorn-war-on-the-poor ACORN: War on the Poor]." ''The New American'': October 31, 2008.</ref> Both sources miss the entire point of such protests and would have dismissed the protesters as elitist snobs if the protesters had better wages and benefits than the retail workers.

After quoting a Brennan Center for Justice study about the cost of living in New York City, Savage argues, without denying the facts in the Brennan study of low-wage workers and welfare:

{{cquote|...the living wage movement also impacts the quality of life of those where such laws are in effect in other ways. One of the consequences of such legislation is that it either keeps companies such as [[Wal-Mart]] and other big box retailers out of the areas where the laws are in effect, or it drives them out after they've located there. This means that, not only are residents of such areas denied employment opportunities, they're also penalized by not having access to the low priced goods that outlets such as Wal-Mart provide.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 227-228. Cites: Annette D. Bernhardt, Scott Schell, and Paul K. Sonn, "[http://nelp.3cdn.net/1eb354b478fb76adde_g5m6b1vqr.pdf Making every dollar count: A Targeted Proposal to Help Working New Yorkers While Protecting the Budget]." Brennan Center for Justice: April 23, 2002.</ref>}}

But Savage still cannot deny the hidden costs of the cheap Wal-Mart products: the thousands of Wal-Mart workers eligible for 
socialized medicine
 Medicaid,<ref>"[http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/27/Opinion/Wal_Mart_welfare.shtml Wal-Mart welfare]." ''St. Petersburg Times'': March 27, 2005. Editorial.</ref><ref>Ralph Thomas, "[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002791346_walmart07m.html State subsidy to Wal-Mart employees put at $12 million]." ''The Seattle Times'': February 8, 2006.</ref> the presence of Wal-Mart stores driving down ''everyone's'' average wages in the vicinity,<ref>"[http://www.walmartmovie.com/facts.php/ Citation of Statistics Used in the Film]." ''Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price'' (Brave New Films).</ref> and Wal-Mart killing American manufacturing by importing cheaper Chinese-made products.<ref>Robert E. Scott, "[http://www.epi.org/publication/webfeatures_snapshots_20070627/ Wal-Mart’s reliance on Chinese imports costs U.S. jobs]." Economic Policy Institute: June 27, 2007.</ref>

===Let Wall Street and Detroit go bankrupt===
Savage devotes Chapter 4 "Nightmare on Wall Street" to criticizing the bailouts under both Bush and Obama of the banks and auto industry. He actually gets some things right in this chapter in exposing the Wall Street lobbyists who crashed the economy but delves into [[Alex Jones]]-level hysterical speculation about the crash being timed to help Obama win (see section below).<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 79-87.</ref> He then goes on about the [[New World Order]] and [[Bilderberg Group]].<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 87-90.</ref>

Regarding the bailouts of the American auto companies, Savage fumed about the fact that...gasp!...UNIONS now were the majority shareholders of the companies! He wishes that American auto workers could work for less with the foreign auto companies that "don't have the staggering labor-related financial obligations under which GM, Chrystler, and Ford are struggling."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 99-101.</ref>

Savage pointed out that the Ford Motor Company did not receive any direct bailout money yet generated a $2.1 billion profit for the first quarter of 2010.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 100.</ref> However, Savage did not report that the CEO of Ford testified before a US House committee in favor of the bailout for Chrysler and GM: "In particular, the collapse of one or both of our domestic competitors would threaten Ford because we have 80 percent overlap in supplier networks and nearly 25 percent of Ford’s top dealers also own GM and Chrysler franchises."<ref name="Ford bailouts">"[http://www.factcheck.org/2011/09/ford-motor-co-does-u-turn-on-bailouts/ Ford Motor Co. Does U-turn on Bailouts]." FactCheck.org: September 20, 2011.</ref> Also, it must have been inconvenient to note the federal loan Ford got to manufacture fuel-efficient vehicles.<ref name="Ford bailouts"/>

Laughably, Savage predicted: "...Obama's 'solution' to this crisis might spell the end of American automobile manufacturing."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 102.</ref> Guess what? By 2012, sales and employment of cars and trucks in the US actually '''increased'''.<ref>"[http://www.toledoblade.com/Automotive/2012/02/28/Sales-fueling-surge-in-auto-industry-hiring.html Sales fueling surge in auto industry hiring]." ''Toledo Blade'': February 28, 2012.</ref>

===Say no to stimulus===
In the introduction, Savage tries to discredit Obama about the 2009 stimulus package by attacking Obama's lack of private sector experience (but John McCain didn't have any private sector experience either) and cites a ''[[Washington Times]]'' article "American reliance on government at all-time high".<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. xi-x. Cites: Patrice Baker, "[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/01/americans-reliance-on-government-at-all-time-high/?page=all American reliance on government at all-time high]." ''The Washington Times'': March 1, 2010.</ref> Why is it shocking that more people would rely on government assistance during a recession? Furthermore, Savage never even mentions any job growth data: throughout 2009, the US was losing hundreds of thousands of jobs per month, the months from March to May 2010 actually experienced a net gain of 944,000 jobs, and only one of the first nine months of 2010 (the book was released in October 2010) experienced a job loss beyond 100,000.<ref>http://data.bls.gov/pdq/SurveyOutputServlet</reF>

Savage cites a study by the libertarian Mercatus Center finding that most stimulus funds went to House districts represented by Democrats.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 245. Cited: Veronique de Rugy, "[http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2010/03/26/Politics--Democratic-Stimulus-Haul-is-Almost-Double-Republicans Politics: Democratic Stimulus Haul is Almost Double Republicans]." ''Big Government'': March 26, 2010.</ref> How is that very surprising given that '''no''' Republicans in the House voted for the stimulus to begin with? For example, one Republican state representative in Tennessee proposed allowing state representatives to reject federal stimulus dollars.<ref>Hank Hayes, "[http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9011985 Lawmaker's proposal would exempt Tennessee districts from stimulus money]." ''Kingsport Times News'': February 24, 2009.</ref>

===Watch out! GEORGE SOROS!===
Savage makes sure to point out that [[George Soros]] is bankrolling whatever evil left-wing cause or organization is out there and even asserted that Soros crashed the economy so that Obama could win the 2008 election.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 22, 49, 80-84, 233.</ref> Citing a [[WorldNetDaily]] article by Aaron Klein, Savage accused an Obama appointee as State Department advisor, Ben Scott, of leading a "communist" organization called Free Press.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 49. Cited Aaron Klein, "[http://www.wnd.com/2010/05/159337/ Head of Marxist-led institute joins Obama team]". WorldNetDaily: May 28, 2010.</ref> Of course, it's easy to be scared at the prospect of government control of media until you actually ''read'' Free Press' mission statement.<ref>http://www.freepress.net/about</ref>

===Obamacare=death panels, rationing, and tax increases===
Chapter 5 of the book is titled "The Health Scare Fraud: What's Really in the Bill", devoted to criticizing the 2010 [[Affordable Care Act]]. Among what Savage claims is really in the bill, he claims that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board (created by Section 1899A of the bill) will arbitrarily withhhold medical care from the elderly.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 121-126.</ref> However, Savage ignores Section 3403 of the bill, which reads: "The proposal shall not include any recommendation to ration health care, raise revenues or Medicare beneficiary premiums under section 1818, 1818A, or 1839, increase Medicare beneficiary cost sharing (including deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments), or otherwise restrict benefits or modify eligibility criteria."<ref>"[http://mediamatters.org/research/2009/12/23/morris-falsely-asserted-medicare-advisory-board/158468 Morris falsely asserted Medicare Advisory Board is "death panel" that will deny treatment for broken hips, colon cancer]". Media Matters: December 23, 2009.</ref> And what did Savage and the right wing have to say about end-of-life counseling initiatives by the Veterans' Administration under Bush? 

{{crickets}}<ref>"[http://mediamatters.org/research/2009/08/25/during-bush-administration-fox-ignored-what-it/153870 During Bush administration, Fox ignored what it now smears as "death panels," "death books"]". Media Matters: August 25, 2009.</ref>

Furthermore, Savage balks at the idea that '''any''' form of health care (be it pediatric services or maternal care) may be publicly funded! For example: "Let's say you're 28, 48, or 88, and have no projected need for pediatric services. So you're in the market to buy a health coverage plan without an option to insure children in order to enjoy lower premiums. Too damn bad."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 131.</ref> Opposing Section 5000A of the health care bill, Savage even advocates the right not to pay for health insurance: "Let's say you're a young person, you're healthy, you jog, eat right, take vitamins, drink plenty of water, and don't feel the need or want to pay for health insurance at your stage in life. Too damn bad."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 130.</ref>

Savage worries about illegal immigrants going to emergency rooms and thus getting publicly funded health care,<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 118-119. Cites: Chris McGreal, "[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/22/us-healthcare-bill-illegal-immigrants US healthcare bill leaves illegal immigrants excluded]." ''[[The Guardian]]'': March 22, 2010.</ref> although he does acknowledge "the ObamaCare bill excludes extending coverage for illegal aliens" rather than echo Rep. [[Joe Wilson]]'s "you lie" heckle to Obama's statement in the September 2009 health care speech "the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally." Savage obviously can't say out loud he'd just let those illegals die in the streets (but two years later, some [[Ron Paul]] fans [http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/the_big_idea/2011/09/let_him_die.html did] during a presidential primary debate). And in fact, the reason why even illegal immigrants get ER treatment is a law signed by [[Ronald Reagan]], the [[wiki:Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act|Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act]].

Of course, no attack on "socialized medicine" is complete without attacking the [[Massachusetts]] universal health care plan signed by Republican governor and two-time presidential candidate [[Mitt Romney]] in 2006. So Savage does include a criticism of "RomneyCare" without mentioning that Romney is a Republican, a very telling omission.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 131-133.</ref> Savage cites a ''Fortune'' magazine article from June 2010 reporting that RomneyCare has exploded health care costs in Massachusetts.<ref>Shawn Tully, "[http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/15/news/economy/massachusetts_healthcare_reform.fortune/index.htm 5 painful health-care lessons from Massachusetts]". ''Fortune'': June 15, 2010.</ref> Awkwardly, two years after Savage wrote ''Trickle Up Poverty'', Romney became the Republican presidential candidate in the [[2012 U.S. Presidential Election |2012 election]].

Echoing Rep. [[Paul Ryan]] (R-WI)'s claim that the Obama administration placed a "gag order" on the health insurance provider Humana, Savage called the administration "gangster thugs" who committed a "violation of free speech".<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 129-130.  Cites: Paul Ryan, "[http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2009/11/06/health-care-overhaul-plan-breaks-promises-seniors Health Care Overhaul Plan Breaks Promises to Seniors]." Heartland Institute: November 6, 2009.</ref> In fact, the letter simply "expressed concerns that the Humana mailer may be 'contrary to federal regulations and guidance' for federal health programs."<ref>Jocelyn Fong, "[http://mediamatters.org/research/2009/09/23/beck-fox-news-lead-conservative-media-in-unifor/154950 Beck, Fox News lead conservative media in uniformly decrying "McCarthy"-like violation of Humana's "free speech" rights]." Media Matters: September 23, 2009.</ref>

===...and then there's Big Pharma===
Savage closes the chapter about Obamacare with an attack on [[Big Pharma]] by suggesting that Americans have ''too much'' access to health care, "graz[ing] from one doctor to another for every little ailment...encouraged by the drug industry through endless streams of TV ads."<ref name="p147">''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 147.</ref> Savage encourages readers to practice "self-control...dietary control...some level of exercise...[and] [[holistic medicine]]" to prevent the need for "expsneive health care".<ref name="p147"/>

===Faith healers should sue!===
Actual passage: "If you're a religious person...[who] does not believe in using modern medicine who, instead, believes in [[faith healing]]—you can follow the [[wiki:Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States|Schecter brothers]]. You can get yourself a top-flight lawyer and sue Obama once you are forced to buy a healthcare plan."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 152.</ref> This comment follows a quotation of a religious exemption clause in the health care bill ([http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/18081 42 USC § 18081 (b) (5)]).

===What global warming?===
Chapter 6 is titled "The Late Great Climate Scam". Basically, Savage rehashes a bunch of [[global warming denial]] arguments and presents the typical [[Climategate]] framing of the leaked East Anglia emails. Hypocritically, Savage attacked actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Danny Glover for speaking out about climate change despite lacking scientific credentials but proudly quoted global warming denier [[Christopher Monckton]] from his interview<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA9U7XIcgJM</ref> on ''The Savage Nation'' despite Monckton not being a trained scientist.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 178, 182-185.</ref>

===Obama is giving illegals amnesty for votes===
To open Chapter 7, "The Real Cost of Legalizing Illegals—It's the Vote, Stupid!", Savage notes that in 2006, the U.S. Senate passed the [[wiki:Secure Fence Act of 2006|Secure Fence Act of 2006]] by an 80-19 vote.<ref name="p188">''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 188. Cited:
* "[http://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/after-squandering-700-million-janet-napolitano-freezes-funds-for-virtual-fence/ After squandering $700 million Janet Napolitano freezes funds for virtual fence]" by a conservative blogger in Arizona.</ref> However, Savage did not note that both Barack Obama and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] as senators both voted "Yea" on the bill.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00262 US Senate roll call vote 262]. September 29, 2006.</ref> Savage also accused Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano of "abdicating the primary responsibility associated with her office" by suspending funding to the Secure Border Initiative Network,<ref name="p188"/> without noting "congressional questioning about the plan's feasibility" as well as the fact that Napolitano actually re-directed funding towards "other tested, commercially available security technology along the Southwest border",<ref>Spencer S. Hsu, "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/16/AR2010031603573.html Work to cease on 'virtual fence' along U.S.-Mexico border]." ''The Washington Post'': March 16, 2010.</ref> as Savage's source quoted the Department of Homeland Security.<ref name="p188"/><ref>Janet Napolitano, "[http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1268769368466.shtm Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano]." Department of Homeland Security: March 16, 2010.</ref>

In his typical authoritarian fashion, Savage buys into the assurances that Arizona's controversial SB 1070 law does not racially profile and attacks "Obamanics" and "leftist whiners" who accused SB 1070 of racism.<ref name="pp189-190">''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 189-190.</ref> However, there have been cases even before SB 1070 passed of Hispanic-American legal immigrants and citizens falsely accused of being in the US illegally.<ref>Alicia E. Barrón, "[http://www.azfamily.com/video/featured-videos/Man-says-he-was-racially-targeted-forced-to-provide-birth-certificate-91769419.html Truck driver forced to show birth certificate claims racial-profiling]." KTVK: April 22, 2010.</ref> Citing a WorldNetDaily article,<ref>"[http://www.wnd.com/2006/09/38029/ 80,000 violent felons run free on U.S. streets]". ''WorldNetDaily'': September 22, 2006.</reF> Savage defends SB 1070 based on a bill passed by the US House of Representatives in 2006 that affirmed "the authority of state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws while in the course of their regular duties."<ref name="pp189-190"/> However, that bill was never made into federal law, and generally local law enforcement departments ''collaborate'' with the federal government in carrying out federal arrest warrants rather than conduct those arrests independently.<ref>For example in 2009, a fed gov press release began: "Eight men and one juvenile with ties to the violent Sur-13 and Vatos Locos street gangs are facing deportation following a day-long enforcement operation involving [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) and several local law enforcement agencies." "[http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/0908/090814greenville.htm ICE works with local law enforcement to arrest 9 gang members in South Carolina]." ICE: August 14, 2009.</ref>

===ACORN steals elections and aids child prostitution===
Opening chapter 8 "From Panthers to ACORNs—Little Dictatorships Grow", Savage takes [[James O'Keefe]]'s discredited undercover [[ACORN]] investigative videos at face value, calling ACORN "little more than a front organization for lawbreakers...who were perfectly willing to support the opening of houses of prostitution for underage illegal immigrant girls and human trafficking."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 213.</ref> In fact, an investigation by the office of California Attorney General Jerry Brown found "'highly inappropriate behavior,' but...no violation of criminal laws" committed by ACORN after reviewing the O'Keefe videos.<ref name="CA attorney general">"[http://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/brown-releases-report-detailing-litany-problems-acorn-no-criminality Brown Releases Report Detailing a Litany of Problems with ACORN, But No Criminality]". California Department of Justice: April 1, 2010.</ref> Regarding ACORN and child prostitution:

{{cquote|One ACORN worker in San Diego called the cops. Another ACORN worker in San Bernardino caught on to the scheme and played along with it, claiming among other things that she had murdered her abusive husband. Her two former husbands are alive and well, the Attorney General’s report noted. At the beginning and end of the Internet videos, O’Keefe was dressed as a 1970s Superfly pimp, but in his actual taped sessions with ACORN workers, he was dressed in a shirt and tie, presented himself as a law student, and said he planned to use the prostitution proceeds to run for Congress. He never claimed he was a pimp.<ref name="CA attorney general"/>}}

An investigation by the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger reached a similar conclusion.<ref>Zachary Roth, "[http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/acorn_report_finds_no_illegal_conduct.php ACORN Report Finds No Illegal Conduct]". ''Talking Points Memo'': December 7, 2009.</ref>

Savage then baselessly alleges that Carol Moseley Braun, a one-term Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois, won election in 1992 from fraudulent votes registered by Obama and ACORN through "Project VOTE".<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 214.</ref> Citing a ''Washington Examiner'' article,<ref>Mark Hemingway, "[http://washingtonexaminer.com/article/5881 Obama Justice Dept. shut down FBI's ACORN investigation]". ''Washington Examiner'': March 15, 2010.</ref> Savage attacked US Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] for shutting down a federal voter registration fraud investigation of ACORN.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 214-215.</reF> However, those fraudulent registrations were on the part of individual negligent employees rather than actively encouraged by ACORN itself. FactCheck.org also notes: "ACORN also says it cannot simply discard suspicious forms on its own, but is required by law in most states to submit to local election officials all the forms its canvassers bring in...ACORN says that it first flags all suspicious registrations...The group says that it alerts election officials to forms that look fishy when it sends them in."<ref>"[http://factcheck.org/2008/10/acorn-accusations/ ACORN Accusations]." FactCheck.org: October 21, 2008.</ref>

===Obama is waging war on the military and national security===
Chapter 10 is titled "Obama's War on the Military and Our National Security".

Savage claims that the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia would cut missile defense systems.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 269-270.</ref> In fact, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) chief Lt. General Patrick O'Reilly testified in April 2010: "Relative to the recently expired START treaty, the new START treaty actually reduces constraints on the development of the missile defense program."<ref name="New START">[http://www.state.gov/t/avc/newstart/c40713.htm New START: Reality Check]. US State Department.</ref>

Savage blames Obama administration actions for failing to prevent the Fort Hood massacre, underwear bomber, and Times Square bomber.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 282-289.</ref> As a preface, he rightly condemns the [[TSA]] for forcing a 4-year-old boy to remove leg braces before going through a metal detector.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 282-283.</ref>

Savage makes it seem like the Obama administration is most concerned about Christian terrorism while ignoring Muslim terrorist plots, citing the failed prosecution of the [[Hutaree]] militia.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp 288-290.</ref> As of press time, there have been Muslim terrorism cases successfully thwarted by the feds under Obama, including the [[wiki:2009 Bronx terrorism plot|2009 Bronx terrorism plot]], the [[wiki:Hosam Maher Husein Smadi|2009 Dallas fake garage bomb]], and [[wiki:Operation Arabian Knight|Operation Arabian Knight]].

===Conclusion: Borders, language, culture, and economics===
Chapter 11 "The Savage Manifesto: Borders, Language, Culture, and Economics", is the final chapter with Savage's conclusion and his proposed solutions. Savage endorses the [[Tea Party movement]]'s "Contract from America".<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 301-302. Cites: Teddy Davis, "[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/tea-party-activists-unveil-contract-america/story?id=10376437&singlePage=true#.UV5AG6t4YhI Tea Party Activists Unveil 'Contract from America']." ABC News: April 15, 2010.</ref> Savage then presents a 37-point "Savage Manifesto":<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 303-305.</ref>
# English-only policies
# Close the borders: "Use illegal aliens to build a wall between the United States and Mexico." (Utilize unemployed U.S. citizens for supervision of the project.)
# Defend the borders: "Pull the troops out of Germany and South Korea where they're doing nothing and put them on our southern border where there's a real threat to our citizens."
# De-fund and repeal [[Obamacare]]
# Reduce the size and scope of government: "With the exception of military and defense, reduce all departments in size by 4 percent each year, for the next 5 years. Require government employees to speak English and to have achieved at least a high school diploma." 
# Liquidate TARP
# Oil for illegals: "...Mexico should pay one barrel of oil per month per illegal alien that sneaks into our country. Americans are also owed tens of billions of dollars in ''reparations from Mexico'' for the generous free health care, welfare, and ACLU-care they've received for five decades." 
# Strike down anchor babies law: "Eliminate the loophole in our law that encourages illegal immigrants to enter this country for the purpose of having '[[anchor baby|anchor babies]]' who are U.S. citizens simply because they happened to have been born in our hospitals." (Of course, never mind the fact that thousands of U.S. citizen children have been forced into foster care because their illegal immigrant parents were deported,<ref>"[http://arc.org/shatteredfamilies Shattered Families: The Perilous Intersection of Immigration Enforcement and the Child Welfare System]." Applied Research Center: 2011.</ref> of that 47,000 parents of US-born children were deported in the first half of 2011.<ref>Ruxandra Guidi, "[http://www.scpr.org/news/2012/04/05/31914/report-us-deported-47000-parents-us-born-kids-1st-/ Report: US deported 47,000 parents of US-born kids in 1st half of 2011, including  1,500 from LA]." KPCC: April 5, 2012.</ref> A representative of ICE said in 2009 about illegal immigrant parents of US-born children: "Parenthood does not make you immune from having to comply with the nation's laws, and the responsibility for any negative consequences lies squarely with the violator."<ref>Kristin Collins, "[http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/12/20/249127/deported-parents-leaving-children.html Deported parents leaving children born in U.S.]" ''Raleigh News & Observer'': December 20, 2009.</ref>)
# Export jailed illegal aliens
# Fire Janet Napolitano
# Use profiling to prevent terror attacks
# Name the enemy: "Identify radical Islam as the enemy. Demand that Attorney General Eric Holder stops scrubbing federal policies and communications of truly descriptive words such as 'terrorist' and 'jihad'  and 'Islam' and start telling it like it is."
# Rewrite the rules of engagement: "The ROE should match the real world that our troops face on the ground rather than the politically correct virtual world the bureaucrats live in with their computer models and fake war-game scenarios."
# Save the SEALs
# Re-enforce the military infrastructure
# Pay raise for the military personnel
# Silence the [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad|Hitler of Iran]]
# Impose tariffs on China (both liberals and conservatives can agree on this!)
# Offer health savings plans
# Institute a flat tax
# Keep the [[estate tax]] at zero.
# Say "no" to the VAT tax
# Reduce pay and pensions for civil servants
# Defend the [[Defense of Marriage Act]]
# Encourage child bearing among tax-paying citizens
# Make [[abortion|abortions]] illegal: "With the exception of the physical survival of the mother—to be determined by two licensed medical doctors. Require [[wiki:Norplant|Norplant]] for all women on welfare of childbearing age. At the very least, prohibit taxpayer funded abortion through organizations such as [[Planned Parenthood]]." (Due to lawsuits over undisclosed side effects, Norplant no longer is sold in the US.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norplant#Norplant_discontinued_in_the_United_States</ref> This point shows that Savage cannot bear the idea that a woman can make her own reproduction decisions. Does Savage realize with his Norplant argument he's using the same arguments by [[Margaret Sanger]] that other conservatives like [[Michelle Malkin]] have condemned?<ref>Michelle Malkin, "[http://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2012/02/10/to_stop_the_multiplication_of_the_unfit/page/full/ 'To Stop the Multiplication of the Unfit']." Townahll.com: Feb. 10, 2012.</ref> Savage omits [[wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_13535|Executive Order 13535]] signed by Pres. Obama that upheld the [[wiki:Hyde Amendment|Hyde Amendment]] prohibitions on federal funding of abortions. And only a measly '''3%''' of Planned Parenthood services go to abortions.<ref>"[http://www.factcheck.org/2011/04/planned-parenthood/ Planned Parenthood]." Factcheck.org: April 20, 2011.</ref>)
# End [[affirmative action]]
# Limit [[welfare]] benefits
# Voting reform (including voter ID)
# Boot the czars
# Put the brakes on GM
# Reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act (another good idea!)
# Re-instate the Wall Street "uptick" rule
# Privatize the regulation of Wall Street
# Encourage risk taking and entrepreneurship
# Institute [[tort reform]]
# Run the country like a business, not an empire (of course, because government is not a for-profit enterprise unlike business, it's a common right-wing fallacy to want to run government like a business.<ref>Paul Constant, "[http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/04/25/the-fallacy-of-running-the-united-states-like-a-business The Fallacy of Running the United States Like a Business]." ''The Stranger'': April 25, 2011.</ref><reF>Ann Davidow, "[http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/13199  Government is Not a Business]." ''Buzzflash'': December 12, 2011.</ref>)

===Give me that old time religion, 'cause it's good enough for me===
Savage also engages in godbotting, expressing nostalgia for the days of teacher-led prayer in schools<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 249.</ref> and expressing "the real basis of our existence as a nation is a contract with the Judeo-Christian God."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 309.</ref> Savage writes: 

{{cquote|It's time that we begin to revisit and reestablish the religious and moral principles that flow from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and from the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—principles that have enabled us to become the great nation we are today. No, I'm not suggesting we turn America into a theocracy. Rather, this means that we would do well to put our religious beliefs into practice in such a way that we cleanse our national soul of the immoral and degrading cultural practices that have done our country such enormous harm.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 310.</ref>}}

To back up his claim about America being a Christian nation, Savage cites [[Benjamin Franklin]]'s June 28, 1787 prayer speech at the Constitutional Convention.<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', pp. 309-310. Speech is in full [http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/benfranklin.htm here].</ref> However, the greater convention rejected Franklin's proposal for a daily prayer, "citing the numerous religious sects represented in the Convention and a lack of funds to pay a chaplain."<ref>"[http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/creatingtheus/Constitution/Ratification/ExhibitObjects/ConventionRejectsProposedDailyPrayer.aspx Convention Rejects Franklin’s Proposed Daily Prayer]."</ref>

Regarding [[secular humanism]], Savage calls it "the religion of choice for libs" and "a spin-off from Marxism, developed by godless communists to justify a self-centered view of the world, one where the State is God."<ref>''Trickle Up Poverty'', p. 309.</ref> Of course, calling secular humanism or [[atheism]] a religion is a [[PRATT]] fallacy used by the [[religious right]] since the 20th century. Furthermore, in the "r/atheism" forum on [[Reddit]]: "Most members of r/atheism are secularists and oppose" the notion of state atheism.<ref>[http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/faq#Atheismvs.Anti-theismvs.StateAtheismvs.Secularism R/atheism FAQ]</ref>

==Aftermath==
In 2012, preceding the [[2012 U.S. Presidential Election|presidential election that year]] and also on the heels of the controversial signing of the NDAA by Obama, Savage published the sequel to ''Trickle Up Poverty'', ''[[Trickle Down Tyranny]]''. Also, since ''Trickle Up Poverty'' was published in October 2010, the US has experienced net job growth '''every''' month.

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}