General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Krugman: 'Mr. Obama is looking like a very consequential president indeed' [View all]Armstead
(47,803 posts)I am all for incrementalism. But the way I see that is taking a small step in the direction you want to go -- not going in the opposite direction, which is what I've seen too often by Democratic leaders.
I fear, for example, the ACA has done tat by making it mandatiry to buy "free market" private insurance with no public alternatives. That further embedded Big Insurance into the marrow of the healthcare system. That,IMO, is going to give us the equivalent of "too big to fail" banks, where it will basically be impossible to dislodge them -- or even reform their bad behavior or offer public alternatives.
I would have preferred to see it start with some small, and popular, steps towards tightening regulations on insurance companies, and putting price controls on insurance coverage to prevent them from gouging us. Also, as a modest step, open up a "public option" to allow people to voluntarily buy into Medicare at a younger age....Things like that. yes there wold have been pushback, but if such things were carefully crafted and actively sold to the public, I think it wold have done a lot more to nudge us in the right direction.
As for free trade -- Well, I'm not against legitimate trade agreeents that are focused specifically on the mechanisms to truly promote free and open global trade. But the Obama administration is doing the opposite by pushing these massive and overly complex corporate giveaways and imposition of "free market over civil policies. And worse they ate undermining the concept of free and open debate. They are doing nothing to enable the public to see or understand the policies that are being drawn up in secret in things like the TPP.
I share your goals, but i do not think we should allow counterproductive policies and actions to be excused or supported when they are more like the drivel the GOP pushes.