Third Way Democrats warn of 'economic populism' and Bernie Sanders

[portlander23]

Markell, centrist Democrats warn of 'economic populism'
Nicole Gaudiano
Delaware Online

Centrist Democrats, including Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, are warning fellow party members that the economic populism championed by the left wing risks “political perils,” and they’re offering an alternative.

A report unveiled Wednesday by the centrist group Third Way, Markell and others includes more than 70 “fully paid-for” policy ideas they say would create new skills, jobs and wealth for the middle class.

“We need a new direction that creates jobs, growth, and wealth in an economy where businesses can locate, hire, and expand anywhere in the world,” Markell said in a statement. “This report offers more than a critique of populism; it offers an ambitious and politically effective economic alternative for the Democratic Party to pursue in the 21st century.”

Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., a Third Way honorary co-chair, also lauded the report as a way to “help solve the riddle of middle-class wage stagnation.”

It also rejects policies offered by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would expand Social Security benefits and create a single-payer health care system, saying his policies would “divert money away from job-creating public investments – such as cancer research, bridge repair, and school construction.”

“To regain majorities and boost middle class prosperity, Democrats must move past populism and embrace a modern, pro-growth economic message and agenda,” said Jon Cowan, a report author and co-founder of Third Way. “It’s time for Democrats to be Democrats, not Socialists.”

Sanders’ senior media strategist, Tad Devine, said in a statement that Third Way’s analysis is wrong and that only big ideas, such as free tuition at public universities, will bring young people into the electorate.

“Bernie has the potential to change the composition of the electorate, and getting young people and lower income voters back into it on the side of the Democrats because his message (a rigged economy that sends all the wealth to the top held in place by a corrupt system of campaign finance) is so powerful and believable coming from him,” Devine said. “I think the Third Way message was great in ‘92 but out of date for a 2016 electorate.”

A spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did not respond to a request for comment.

Third Way, named for former President Bill Clinton’s governing philosophy, has previously taken aim at populist policies, calling them “disastrous” for the party in a 2013 Wall Street Journal op-ed.

Related:

Third Way Predicted Sanders as liberal "candidate TBD" to challenge Clinton in 2014

Third Way Founder: Clinton has done a good job straddling the two wings of the party

Not so fast! Clinton Now Re-Opens Door to Supporting Obama Trade Deal

Vox: Hillary Clinton's flip-flop on the TPP makes no sense

Third Way in struggle for the Democratic Party’s soul

Let's talk Third Way. Some links about its founding and the founders.

[KeepItReal]

1. Social Security is funded by payroll taxes, highways are supposed to be funded by Congress

Third Way clowns refuse to hold Congress accountable for doing their job and properly appropriating funds to keep this country running smoothly.

Instead it's self imposed economic crisis after crisis because the Congress doesn't pass a full fledged budget.

[ibegurpard]

2. idiots

Single payer would remove the burden of health insurance from the backs of small business. Also I'm not really interested in greasing the skids for businesses to set up shop "anywhere in the world." They can fund those ventures on their own with their cost savings from single payer healthcare.

[Armstead]

3. Exact same bullshiot they spouted in the 90s'

Motherf----- glasshouses. Yeah let's do the same crap that got us into this mess.



"The report rejects progressives’ theory that the primary culprit is a system that favors the wealthy. Instead, it blames changes related to globalization and technology and the country’s lack of preparedness for a new economy.

It also rejects policies offered by Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that would expand Social Security benefits and create a single-payer health care system, saying his policies would “divert money away from job-creating public investments – such as cancer research, bridge repair, and school construction.”

Instead, the group aims to usher in a “skills revolution” to help Americans get middle-class jobs. It also wants to boost private-sector employment by lowering trade barriers, and to increase public job-creating investments. The report argues that a narrative of “fairness and inequality” is a political loser, pointing to Democrats’ losses among middle-class voters in the last three election cycles."

[aidbo]

4. Delaware has lots of connections to banks.

http://m.wisegeek.com/why-do-so-many-credit-card-companies-have-a-wilmington-delaware-address.htm

Makes sense to have some Delaware Dems in Third Way.

[djean111]

5. Just look at the members of that New Democrat Coalition - this is advised by the Third Way.

There is a Congressional version, and another version that includes some governors and mayors.
I will not be voting for any members of that, come hell or high water. Here in Florida, that includes Bill Nelson, Patrick Murphy, Gwen Graham, and Debbie Wasserman-DINO. A couple more, too, I think.

[Matariki]

6. "where businesses can locate, hire, and expand anywhere in the world"

says it all.

[Matariki]

7. "pro-growth economic message"

is that what they're calling "trickle down economics" these days?

[Scuba]

8. Why don't they just call themselves what they are?

Moderate Republicans