Is there any difference between Clark and Dean on the economy?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

They both seem to be NAFTA supporters, but prefer to use the label "fair trade" instead of "free trade", although there doesn't seem to be any difference. They both are against Universal Health Care, which is convenient for them because they can afford better health care than the rest of us. Neither one of them says too much about the multinational corporations that are currently gaining power over our democratic governments, here and in the rest of the world.

Both have proposed tax cuts for "small business" and "programs" to support "small business" but are vague about what that means (corporate welfare?) Clark says he supports a progressive income tax, I assume Dean does as well. Both are critical of Bush's tax giveaway to the rich, like all Democrats. I assume both want a balanced budget, which is great. But it seems Clark and Dean are only slightly different than the Republicans on most economic issues.

Kucinich on the other hand has proposed solid progressive economic policies, the kind which are very popular with the American people. Gephardt has spent years fighting NAFTA and making sure unions and workers have a say in the trade agreements - maybe that's why Gephardt is polling higher than anyone else right now? Moseley-Braun voted against NAFTA and GATT.

Is there any difference between Clark and Dean when it comes to the economy?

[HereSince1628]

1. Clark waffled all over the tax question on "Today"

Although I am sure he was honest, his reply made it clear that his plans are really not well formed.

This is something I expect will not change. Clark is clearly a DLC candidate and DLC candidates run on the concept of triangulation.
Getting staked to a position is a bad thing since it removes the candidate's freedom to "adjust" their position to the "center" actually, I think the mode, of national opinion.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. what did he waffle on?

I know he said he misspoke that the country was "founded" on progressive taxation, but did he waffle on the idea? I certainly hope he isn't going to turn into a flat taxer.

[kwolf68]

4. Who cares what the country was founded on

Back then we practiced slavery, genocide, oppression and some folks only bathed once a week.

There are some good things about "what we were founded on", but what makes HUMANS unique is their ability to change ways of doing things.

[CentristDemocrat]

3. Clark doesn't want to raise taxes on the middle class (nm)

[ShimokitaJer]

5. I believe that should read:

Dean believes all of Bush's tax cut should be revoked while Clark believes the tax cut for the middle class should be retained and the rest of it revoked.

That's a bit different from "raising taxes on the middle class" unless you've been trained by right wing pundits

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

6. okay, that's a slight difference

Clark wants to keep the Bush tax cuts on middle class (what income range is he proposing anyway?) and Dean wants to scrap the whole thing.

Is there any difference in their views on "fair trade"?

[Enraged American]

7. I will not support a pro-NAFTA candidate in the primaries...

which is why I am supporting Kucinich and Gephardt over mega-personality candidates Dean and Clark who really don't take any hard stands on the issues except the war in Iraq.

Edwards is beginning to catch my attention too on the trade issue.

Free trade = manufacturing jobs lost

Make sense?

NAFTA makes me sick.

[Enraged American]

8. kick

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. too bad you kicked

right before I posted :)

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. I won't support a pro-NAFTA candidate either

NAFTA is anti-democratic, and the fact that multinational corporations are getting more power than democraic governments is the number one issue.

Gephardt, Kucinich, Moseley-Braun, Sharpton are all strongly anti-NAFTA. Edwards is probably the most anti-NAFTA you can be and still get the kind of money he does. (So far I like Edwards a lot).