General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSo what in the new progressive economic agenda are you most excited about?
There was a big speech. I heard it was really good.
So what is the new progressive agenda? What are the proposals that people are most excited about, that are finally going to hold criminal banks and corporations accountable and reverse the massive theft of wealth from the poor and middle classes to the one percent?
I really hope he talked about finally rejecting austerity and cuts to Social Security. And did he mention putting his foot down and rejecting the Trans-Pacific job and wage-killing agreement? What did he say about criminal banks and corporations? Did he mention the trillions being stashed overseas?
Let's talk about the bold new progressive agenda. What is he going to fight for and passionately advocate from the bully pulpit? What is the bold new narrative, and what are the *major* new proposals revealed today, that you think will finally bring fundamental change and economic security and growth to the 99 percent?
Recursion
(56,582 posts)Failing at doing the right thing doesn't help anybody.
temporary311
(955 posts)succeeding at doing the wrong thing, I would imagine.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)There are situations where that's true, and situations where a bad plan is better than no plan. The trick is knowing the difference.
delrem
(9,688 posts)ohheckyeah
(9,314 posts)that is "feasible"?
Fearless
(18,421 posts)Dream big and you can achieve big dreams. Don't dream and you achieve nothing.
leftstreet
(36,110 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)I didn't see it! Can you tell me about it?
Oh...you were kidding.
leftstreet
(36,110 posts)or something
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)You can look down your nose at his removing all troops from Iraq, escalating removal of all troops in Afghanistan, passing the stimulus bill, passing health care reform, ending DADT, coming out in support of gay marriage, and getting a financial consumer protection agency in place, but those and many other accomplishments are big deals.
YoungDemCA
(5,714 posts)Removing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, while keeping an American "presence" there, passing a watered-down, tax-cut heavy stimulus to appeal to a Republican House conference that voted unanimously against it, passing the Heritage Foundation's health care plan, dragging his feet on DADT and gay marriage until finally caving to pressure from LGBT activists, and getting one agency in place amidst the Too Big to Jail bankers being protected and strengthened...
Yeah, I can't see why anyone would have a problem with Obama's policies. No siree...
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)I am now an ex democrat because I am so disgusted. I can't believe so many people just accept that this is the way it has to be. People didn't just accept things the way they were during the civil rights movement or the women's rights movement or even during the labor movement when unions were born. We can have another labor movement. I do not accept that this is the way it has to be.
Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)Because that is what it will take
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)they are willing to risk it all just for the chance to make it better for their children. That is when you see real change, and with corporations trying to make minimum wage the standard wage for all it won't take long to reach that point.
kath
(10,565 posts)Heads on pikes.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)villager
(26,001 posts)Stuff done, indeed!
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)This was a big economic speech! How about that TPP? He can decide to stop that! Do you think he will?
What do you think are his greatest and most important proposals to address the devastation of the middle class and economic inequality?
Rex
(65,616 posts)until they completely destroy the middle class.
adirondacker
(2,921 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)You can't help but think of good things, like the beach! What do we know about this "Summers" fellow?
Oh....my.
adirondacker
(2,921 posts)people go.
kath
(10,565 posts)adirondacker
(2,921 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Is he a union leader? Or someone like Krugman or Reich, who will offer some really bold and sound economic ideas for bringing back the middle class?
Skittles
(153,174 posts)limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)Glad we can put all that ugly mass surveillance nonsense behind us, and move forward into another fake battle over which party will screw us less.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)all the billions and billions of our tax dollars being poured into those Bush programs to spy on every single American and militarize our police and put surveillance drones in our skies...and how under a Democrat, that money could be put to so much better use, helping Americans and rebuilding our cities.
Did he say anything about that?
limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)New product roll-out!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/a-better-bargain
(To be real, I have no idea what he talked about. )
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Why do you think that is?!
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Is this "Boehner" fellow responsible? Somebody must be responsible. It couldn't be a DEMOCRAT!
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)I'm not sure why you've changed the discussion to who is responsible. All facets of government are responsible in this case. (Legislative, Executive, and even Judicial vetting.)
I'm just curious as to what you expect Obama can actually do that would do anything. Other than pandering to both sides and compromising whenever he can because he's the most bipartisan President in US history...
Assume he's a magical liberal. What could he do?
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)REALLY?! I did not know a free trade agreement could FORCE a President to support a free trade agreement.
That is very spooky!
You said I changed the discussion, so let's go back to my question! You wrote this:
That sounds very, very depressing to me. Do you mean you really don't think Obama can do ANYTHING to help? Then why did he give a speech?
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)And once it did a President has basically no power over the trade agreement, that's other parts of government.
Regardless, your rhetorical questions aside, answer mine, please. What can Obama do that would be significant? That would be substantial? That would have an actual effect?
Write a flowery speech?
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 25, 2013, 07:33 AM - Edit history (1)
Not in response to that absurdity: Congress is forcing Obama to negotiate the TPP.
That's the most absurd, desperate reach I've read all day.
And your demand to me is equally absurd, given that we have spent the past four YEARS talking about the things Obama could be doing, including bringing legitimate economists and liberals into his administration instead of this parade of corporate thieves; instructing his Justice Department to prosecute banking criminals instead of medical marijuana users, journalists, and whistleblowers; eschewing "Grand Bargains" or at the very least proposing corporate welfare as a cut rather than the subsistence checks of the elderly poor; and saying no to this fucking evil free trade agreement that will drive millions more of us into poverty and subvert our democratic sovereignty to the interests of profit-mongering corporations.
How's that for a start?
And you'll notice that all the things I mentioned merely involve his stopping BLUDGEONING the 99 percent, rather than actually doing something proactive to HELP us. I didn't even mention an actual jobs program or putting on his legendary walking shoes to stand publicly with some union leaders in demand of a living wage. How outrageous is that?
How sad and pathetic and disgusting is it that we have reached a place in this party, and this country, when any expectation for vision and plans on behalf of the people from a Democratic President is immediately met with knee-jerk disapproval for even *suggesting* that the people might find a passionate and vocal advocate for their interests within the administration.
That's about as pathetic a response I have ever seen from someone who purports to defend a President.
You will come back with some attempt, I'm sure, to keep this ridiculous exchange going. It will be some question or insinuation with the absurd premise that Obama is, in reality, a secret advocate of the 99 percent but is merely helpless in the face of overwhelming circumstances.* Or perhaps you will switch gears and scold us for not remembering that Obama was never a liberal in the first place, as though even a "moderate" President** cannot be expected to stand up against the wholesale selling out and impoverishment of millions once in a while. Either way, there will probably be another smear in there about unreasonable expectations.
Spare me. We have been watching this administration for nearly five years now, and it has been one horrific sell out and betrayal after another. At this point, if we can't mobilize together to somehow force the elites to pay attention to our agenda....Well, then their agenda - including Obama's precious new Grand Bargain and the TPP - is going to bury us.
___________________________________
___________________________________
And now, the asterisks:
*Just for the record, here's the list again of Obama's major achievements in office, wholly apart from Republican obstructionism. This list does not show the President trying to enact an agenda for the 99 percent and being obstructed. It shows him working aggressively and proactively, over and over again, to install corporatists into his administration and to enact, in every policy area important to them, the agenda of the corporate one percent:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023330641#post90
**There is absolutely nothing "moderate" about what's being done to this country. Indefinite detention, "kill lists" and drone wars, pre-emptive war as administration doctrine, mass surveillance, internet IDs and internet-censoring measures like ACTA, military drones in American skies, coordinated violent crackdowns against peaceful protesters, strip searches for any arrestee, corporate education deform, new drilling and selling off the Gulf of Mexico, job-killing free trade agreements, big agriculture appointments, bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks, austerity budgets, and attacking Social Security and Medicare in an economy that has already impoverished its middle class.....These are not moderate or centrist positions. Not by a long shot. They are extreme corporatist, neocon, and police state policies. Corporate Trojan horses now control our political parties, and our Constitution and our country are being dismantled in the name of profit.
joshcryer
(62,276 posts)Obviously Obama wants TPP. He said it soon after being elected. In 2009. No brainer. I don't disagree on that nor do I suggest that Congress is forcing his hand.
But let's say Obama was a magical liberal lovely awesome guy. What could he do if Congress wanted TPP? Nothing.
You've done nothing but insult me in a deflection from the question I asked. You and I both know that due to the separation of powers Obama is powerless, even if he was a magical liberal leftist (which I warned DU he wasn't even back in 2007). Legislation requires Congress. Congress composed of a Senate and a House. Which is divided.
Presidents tend to be powerless unless they want to go blow shit up (whole Commander and Chief nonsense; what an utter mistake that idea was). Your desire to see Obama, mister uber-bipartisan to do something is just delusional fantasy and pitiful, to be honest.
Defending Obama? No, posting facts. Obama is the best bipartisan President I have ever known. Possibly even the best President in my lifetime. But a liberal? A leftist? Even a center-left President? Nonsense. Read my journal.
What to do, what to do?
Hydra
(14,459 posts)The Administration's defenders are actually making the President look bad at this point. They should just give up the mask and tell us that this is how it is and our vote is demanded anyway.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)was something like our "future is like a shining city on a hill", and we need to get a handle on parking because there is some woman with 32 Cadillacs taking up all the spaces.
Or something like that.
kath
(10,565 posts)His actions and appointments, not so much.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)Is very telling.
Looks like people are tired of Republican supported policies.
adirondacker
(2,921 posts)Fearless
(18,421 posts)Corporations should have to work hard at it for a bit. We're tired. And online college is a joke. We need comprehensive education reform that PROMOTES interaction with high quality instructors, not increases the distance from them.
adirondacker
(2,921 posts)I'll give him credit for bringing up the 1% inequality on several occasions. Actions speak louder then words. We'll see who he appoints.
Fearless
(18,421 posts)AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)nt
DeSwiss
(27,137 posts)K&R
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)It sounded like that would be now.
I think he means he needs to think up some new PR. While I agree that's true, it won't help anything. Bottom line, it appears that we can expect more of the same (not much).
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)and let go of cherished priorities. And Congress needs to work with us to build a better economy.
"...we've never guaranteed success we expect people to be self-reliant
we've tolerated a little inequality for the sake of a more dynamic, adaptable economy"
(I am pretty sure he wasn't talking about bankers and the wealthy here ^^^, since they are hardly self-reliant with the help of the last three administrations. Just everyone else, who is doing the belt-tightening he praised)
There was some other stuff about jobs and manufacturing initiatives and stuff, which one can watch on CSpan.
The editorial b4 the speech in the local rag was interesting, as were the comments, Here.
Broward
(1,976 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)to read or listen to.
Hilarious. John Boehner must wish all Democrats were this stupid.