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Cardboard Hearts, Beware
Some excerpts:
NJ: The last time a Democratic president took over -- when President Clinton faced a big deficit and a foundering economy -- he proposed a big deficit reduction package as a way to deal with that. Do you see parallels to that time?
Obey: I am very, very tired of one-dimensional politicians who simply talk about the deficit. In fact, we've got a hell of a lot of deficits. We've got a budget deficit. We've got an education deficit. We've got a health care coverage deficit. We've got a scientific research deficit. We've got an infrastructure deficit. This country has neglected for a long time so many of the basic investments that we need to make this country strong over time. And we also have an equity deficit, a fairness deficit. I want to know that we're going to attack all of them.
The top 10 percent [of income earners] today are skimming off 50 percent of all the income in the country. In 1980 that was 33 percent. That's a massive shift up the income scale. People in the bottom 40 percent essentially are being told, "To hell with you, you're on your own. Good luck. Buy a big rabbit's foot, and maybe life will be lucky to you." We've got to deal with those problems.
So if you want to talk to me about the deficit, I want to know that you're going to be dealing with all of the deficits that we've got, because otherwise, you're just a one-dimensional bookkeeper with a cardboard heart, and that's not where I come from.
OK.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same guy who has earmarked funds for his "library" in northern WI.
His words ring true, but the actions seem out of step.
Yes, well, I would guess (and this is totally uninformed and based on my observations and experiences- please correct me if I am wrong) that of the bottom 40% who vote, many of them vote Republican. And they do this based on the religous, anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-gun agenda that the Democrats have let the Republicans use to frame our poltical discourse. People who are struggling to pay for the basics each month have somehow been hoodwinked into thinking that the conservatives have their best interests at heart when nothing could be further from reality. They get people to focus on school prayer while they stick it to them with regressive tax policies. They focus on so-called "partial birth abortion" (a procedure almost never used) while sticking it to us on health care. And so it goes. When will the middle class wake up to what is really going on?
ReplyDelete"People who are struggling to pay for the basics each month have somehow been hoodwinked into thinking that the conservatives have their best interests at heart when nothing could be further from reality."
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. However, I do not think the democrats have the the interest of the working class in their minds either. They make noises and sounds (ie Obey), but then do nothing but feather their donors or their own nests.
"However, I do not think the democrats have the the interest of the working class in their minds either. They make noises and sounds (ie Obey), but then do nothing but feather their donors or their own nests."
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that we do not have a political party that primarily serves the interests of working people, I think saying there is no real difference between the dems and GOP runs the risk of falling into the trap that "elections don't matter". Elections do matter, even if you have to settle for something less than you really want.
"The Democrats" include some real dogs or DINOs (Lieberman is only the worst example) but also has political leaders genuinely interested in the interests of ordinary people. The problem you describe is worst at the national level and becomes less true the farther you go down the political food chain.
"The problem you describe is worst at the national level and becomes less true the farther you go down the political food chain.
ReplyDelete"
Doug, I strong agree with your statement.
Elections do matter-make doubt about that and especially at the local level.
Yet, I just am jadded about the bigger national scene. The democrats will not return to a more progressive tax structure that was implmented by Ron. AND-I will bet my house Obey would not even try do this...
As much as I disagree with you at times, I do respect that you put your honest thoughts out there for all to see.