Robert Reich: Why Bill Clinton’s Favorable View of Obama’s Tax Deal Should Be Disregarded

[Better Believe It]

Why Bill Clinton’s Favorable View of Obama’s Tax Deal Should Be Disregarded
By Robert Reich
December 11, 2010

If the Democratic Party has stood for anything over the years it is to maintain and restore upward mobility for the majority of working Americans, ensure that the playing field isn’t tilted in the direction of the privileged, and limit the power of the richest among us to entrench themselves and their heirs into a semi-permanent plutocracy.

Continuing the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, including a sharp cut in the estate tax, violates these core principles. Doing so in the midst of an economic emergency that demands bold measures to rescue America’s vast middle and working class adds further insult. For President Obama and former President Clinton to tell America there’s “no other choice” or that “this is the best we can do” — when Democrats remain putatively in control of the House, Senate, and the presidency — is misleading.

I admire Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. I advised the former and worked for the latter. They are good men. But they have either been outwitted by the privileged and powerful of America, or seduced by those on Wall Street and the executive suites of America into believing that the Republican nostrums are necessary, or succumbed Democratic advisors who think in terms of small-bore tactics rather than large and principled strategies.

I urge congressional Democrats to remember the larger principles — not in order to be purist or make the perfect the enemy of the better, but to move toward an economy and a society that we believe in, that reflects the needs of the vast majority of Americans at this difficult time.

Read the full article at:

http://robertreich.org/

[dkf]

1. Beats me how not passing this bill does anything good for the poor or middle

Frankly the rich are better off containing the deficit.

[starroute]

9. The rich expect to make out like bandits as the deficit swells

Because it will enable to them to pick up all sorts of valuable stuff at fire sale prices.

Not all the rich think that way. There are still some who believe it's better to have a functioning economy than to be squatting on top of a dying society. But the disaster capitalists who are pushing this pile of stinking turds are perfectly happy to see the deficit grow beyond control.

[dkf]

11. Sane rich people don't want to drown this country til we are all in

Gated communities. Crazy rich people are prepared to move

[leftstreet]

12. Why would the Global Capitalist Ruling Elite give a fuck about our conditions?

You can't seriously think they do

[dkf]

13. Because they don't want to live on a deserted island.

There is no security in chaos.

[leftstreet]

18. They can BUY their own islands

If there's no security in chaos, why wouldn't THEY be pushing for single payer healthcare and a $25 an hour minimum wage?

Jeez

[dkf]

19. It takes worse conditions than not having healthcare and being paid less that $25 an hour

to put your life and family on the line. The problem is if your break a society you aren't likely to get those things either. It has to be so bad that crashing everything doesn't make a difference and basically all it does is satisfy rage.

[leftstreet]

22. We don't need rich people

Let them all go bankrupt. Ship them off to their fav SweatShop-istan countries

What do they produce? Profit. For themselves.

Be gone with them!

[dkf]

24. Then they take their assets.

And then you really don't get any taxes from them.

[leftstreet]

26. Seize them. Have a yard sale

Or don't. Let them take their marbles and get the fuck out

WE produce wealth, THEY steal it

[dkf]

27. That is probably what the Chinese say about you.

You wanna talk about hard work? Those Chinese work hard for peanuts in crappy conditions.

[leftstreet]

28. er....I cannot fathom the point you're trying to make here

??

Chinese people are talking about me?

:crazy:

[dkf]

29. If you have a car you are better off than the average Chinese who did all the labor to provide your

TV, clothes, gadgets, toys, plates, and who is funding your share of the national debt.

To the Chinese you live like a rich person.

Me too, but I recognize that I'm lucky. To them you and I are the equivalent of the person you hate.

[leftstreet]

30. so....this tax bill should pass so Chinese workers can still be exploited?

That's an...interesting leap

[dkf]

32. No, just that it's hypocritical to want to take everything away from the rich if you are not

willing to give everything you have to really poor people. We live pretty well you know.

Now if you said take away from the rich and from you to give to Haitians and Ethiopians that would be consistent.

[leftstreet]

33. LOL

We're done here

Bougie Arguments 101 FAIL

[tblue37]

34. They don't think that far ahead. If they did, you wouldn't see rich Brazilians

having to helicopter around because they cannot safely drive the streets. The super-rich think only about how to get richer, not about how immiserating the rest of the population might lead to chaos and make their own lives more difficult.

The destruction of the middle class consumer base in this country tanks the US economy, since our economy is 70% consumer-based, but you don't see the rich in the US thinking that they must help the American middle class to thrive, even though in the long run that would be better for the rich, too.

In the Superman III movie, the wealthy villain played by Robert Vaughn explained to the Richard Pryor character, "It is not enough that I win. Everyone else must lose."

[ladjf]

15. That is exactly what happened during the "Great Depression". nt

[polichick]

2. Wow - good for Reich! imo there's no point in being a Democrat...

...if core principles mean nothing.

[AzDar]

3. K & R

:kick:

[Poboy]

4. Bill Clinton wants us to listen to Charles Krauthammer.

[Gin]

16. because he is so "brilliant" according to the big dog......heard that

and thought...go away Bill.

[Enthusiast]

20. Apparently he does. nt

[Faryn Balyncd]

5. Important article. K&R #5

:hi:




:kick:

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

6. Good for Robert Reich!

Damn! :thumbsup:

[TheKentuckian]

7. Because he is a hopeless neoliberal and a conservative, thats why.

[geckosfeet]

8. The article is good. Thought provoking and typically Reich, but unusually provocative in his own

understated way.

This IMO, is the money line, Also quoted in the op.

'I urge congressional Democrats to remember the larger principles — not in order to be purist or make the perfect the enemy of the better, but to move toward an economy and a society that we believe in, that reflects the needs of the vast majority of Americans at this difficult time.'

[democracy1st]

10. K & R

[ladjf]

14. Thank you Dr., Reich for your continued good thinking and for

sharing it with us. nt

[ibegurpard]

17. why? look at the fallout from policy Clinton signed we're dealing with now.

It ain't rocket science.

[Enthusiast]

21. K&R

One thing for sure. The anger of the American people is being sharply focused by this piece of shit deal. We know who to be angry with- Republicans and pretend Democrats.

[Edweird]

23. The fact that he brought us NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagall is enough for me.

[WillyT]

25. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[laughingliberal]

31. K & R nt

[Better Believe It]

35. For Sunday DU'ers