Do you think the Democratic Party should fight for a "moral economy"?

[Ken Burch]

That is, an economy, however it is organized, treats human need and human dignity as being just as important as short term gain for the few?

Corollary...if you do, how do you think we should get there?

if you don't...how do you think we can still defend humane, decent, small-d democratic values?

24 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Yes, the Democratic Party should support the idea of "a moral economy"
	24 (100%)
	No, the Democratic Party should NOT support the idea of "a moral economy".
	0 (0%)
	Not sure
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	Other
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	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[uponit7771]

1. Not one defined by Sanders

[Ken Burch]

3. So now, you're just automatically against ANYTHING Bernie might possibly support?

I know you don't want him to be president, but how you end up going to total opposition to any ideas he might advocate?

And why, might I ask, do you think a "moral economy" defined by Bernie would be a bad thing?

[uponit7771]

4. no

[Jackilope]

2. Expanding Medicare for all, raising cap on SS, free and public post secondary schools

Closing tax havens and loopholes for the corporations and obscenely wealthy.

[CharlotteVale]

9. [phone]

[WhenTheLeveeBreaks]

5. What is a "moral economy"?

1) An economy that guarantees "moral" outcomes?
2) An economy that guarantees "moral" opportunities?

[Ken Burch]

7. At a pathetically bare minimum, 1)

But really, it should be as close as possible to 2)

The truth is, in the post-1981 economy, "success" has had almost nothing to do with "merit". Mostly, what has been called "success" has been people getting richer by inflicting suffering on other people(through outsourcing, benefit cuts, wage cuts, and mass layoffs. Almost no one has become ultrarich since 1981 as a result of actually working any harder than anybody else or as a result of bringing anything positive to the world.

And y'know "equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome" is a Republican line. There's no excuse for a Democrat ever using right-wing rhetoric like that.

[WhenTheLeveeBreaks]

8. No reason to fling insults

I think it's a valid question. Your answer prompts more questions.

Is a "moral" outcome an equal outcome?

Is a "moral" outcome one that is based on "merit"?

Who decides who has "merit"?

Does Warren Buffet have "merit"? Lebron James?, Susan Sarandon?

I really don't understand what you mean when you say "moral" outcome.

[Ken Burch]

13. No insult was intended.

I'm sensitive about the "equal opportunities, not equal outcomes" thing because it's basically a Republican word usage in its origins.
Wasn't meaning to say anything about you as a person. Look at the way I defined a moral economy in the OP to see what I mean.

[jwirr]

16. Bernie uses the words "an economy that works for all not just

the 1%". To me that is a moral economy.

You asked if it would be based on merit? Even John Calvin in The Protestant Work Ethic made exceptions. He indicated that if the government was going to require work then the government had to provide work. He also exempted widows and children of that day.

In other words the economy should consider the basic needs of all people.

[Lone_Wolf]

10. It's an economy that's used to improve the lives of people

And not just the top 0.1%

[tech3149]

6. The party "leadership" should read Tom Franks new book

or an least listen to some of his interviews regarding his new book. I'd recommend his interview with This Is Hell host Chuck Mertz (https://thisishell.com/interviews/892-thomas-frank) or Thom Hartmanns' The Big Picture(https://www.rt.com/shows/big-picture/336241-democratic-party-special-hour/).
He expresses the primary problem and its roots for the party today. They very closely reflect my life experience from the 60's till today.
I understand the concept of identity protective cognition, but at some point you have to recognize reality or be consumed by it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. I said yes, but prefer to call it a fair economy. Do not like to bring up morality,

even though in this case it is quite relevant, simply because we have a terrible problem with "moral" politicians handing down "moral" policies of their own from the right. They ruined that word for me.

[Ken Burch]

12. I was using the phrase because that was the term they used at the Vatican conference

And also by those who take part in the "Moral Mondays" movement in North Carolina and other areas of the South.

Wasn't trying to tie it to "morality" as defined by any one spiritual/religious tradition.

I hear what you are saying about how the term "morality" has been abused by politicians.

[GreenPartyVoter]

17. Yeah,no I understood where you were coming from, it's just that from a civil liberties standpoint

"morality" in politics tend to give me the heebie-jeebies. LOL

[Electric Monk]

14. A moral economy must also take the environment into account.

I care about the future because I plan to spend the rest of my life there

[Ken Burch]

15. Absolutely. n/t.

[pdsimdars]

18. Isn't that what should be considered a FUNDAMENTAL DEMOCRATIC ISSUE?

And those who aren't fighting for it are the one who are not REAL Democrats.