A ‘Care Socialist’ Speaks Out

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from In These Times:



A ‘Care Socialist’ Speaks Out
An economist debunks the “austerity story”

BY Joel Bleifuss


In her work, Nancy Folbre, a University of Massachusetts economics professor, explores the intersection of feminist theory and political economy, with a special emphasis on what she calls “care work”—the labor, often outside the money economy, that goes into caring for children, the sick or the elderly.

.....(snip).....

What key perspectives are missing from our national debates about budget deficits and the national debt?

First, there is little or no reporting on progressive proposals to address the deficit, such as the People’s Budget, which has been mentioned only in a few opinion pieces in the mainstream print media, despite support from the Progressive Congressional Caucus and excellent reporting by In These Times. (Editor’s note: See “What Americans Want,” by David Moberg, June 2011.)

Second, there is little or no challenge (outside of op-ed pieces) to what one can call “the austerity story.” This story tells us that social spending in general is on an unsustainable path and needs to be cut. The debate is framed simply as one of levels and timing: The Republicans want us to cut more now, and the Democrats want us to cut less, later.

Only one big component of social spending is actually on an unsustainable path—healthcare spending. That’s one of the problems that President Obama’s healthcare reform was intended to address—and would certainly ameliorate, if not solve. Yet Republicans want to repeal it. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/12167/a_care_socialist_speaks_out

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