A Democratic majority in the House would have focused on passing the President's agenda

[ProSense]

April 2011: A SPIRITED DEFENSE OF A PROGRESSIVE VISION....

As heartening as it was to hear President Obama's full-throated condemnation of the House Republican budget plan -- he didn't pull any punches -- what made his remarks this afternoon especially satisfying was his defense of the progressive vision.

The point of the remarks was primarily to advance two goals: explain why Paul Ryan's radical proposal must be rejected and present a "balanced" alternative towards long-term deficit reduction.

But along the way, the president made a point of reminding his audience that government, the institutions of the modern welfare state, and the modern social compact are worthy of a spirited defense. Indeed, to hear Obama tell it, the progressive vision is the American vision.

"(T)here has always been another thread running through our history -- a belief that we are all connected; and that there are some things we can only do together, as a nation. We believe, in the words of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, that through government, we should do together what we cannot do as well for ourselves. And so we've built a strong military to keep us secure, and public schools and universities to educate our citizens. We've laid down railroads and highways to facilitate travel and commerce. We've supported the work of scientists and researchers whose discoveries have saved lives, unleashed repeated technological revolutions, and led to countless new jobs and entire new industries. Each of us has benefitted from these investments, and we are a more prosperous country as a result.

"Part of this American belief that we are all connected also expresses itself in a conviction that each one of us deserves some basic measure of security and dignity. We recognize that no matter how responsibly we live our lives, hard times or bad luck, a crippling illness or a layoff, may strike any one of us. 'There but for the grace of God go I,' we say to ourselves, and so we contribute to programs like Medicare and Social Security, which guarantee us health care and a measure of basic income after a lifetime of hard work; unemployment insurance, which protects us against unexpected job loss; and Medicaid, which provides care for millions of seniors in nursing homes, poor children, and those with disabilities. We are a better country because of these commitments. I'll go further -- we would not be a great country without those commitments. <...>

"The America I know is generous and compassionate; a land of opportunity and optimism. We take responsibility for ourselves and each other; for the country we want and the future we share. We are the nation that built a railroad across a continent and brought light to communities shrouded in darkness. We sent a generation to college on the GI bill and saved millions of seniors from poverty with Social Security and Medicare. We have led the world in scientific research and technological breakthroughs that have transformed millions of lives. This is who we are."

There's a word to summarize this approach to government. It's called "liberalism."

As Jonathan Bernstein put it this way: "Liberals have wanted a full-throated affirmation of why government is a good thing? Obama delivered, with perhaps his strongest case for a liberal vision of government that he's given so far during his presidency."

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Robert Kuttner:

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President Obama has the right idea when he calls for major investment in 21st Century infrastructure. But he sends a mixed message when he also calls for a freeze on other domestic spending and cuts in public employment, undercutting the theme of the necessity of government during an economic emergency. The Republicans, meanwhile, are divided between fiscal conservatives who would slash public outlay and tea-party militants who would gut it even further.

The Republican triumph of November 2010 could be short lived. The public is starting to notice just how divided the party is, how destructive and unhelpful is its economic program, and how easily its already far-right "mainstream" increasingly gives into the GOP's lunatic fringe.

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President Obama spoke brave words about a high speed rail system within the reach of 80 percent of Americans within 25 years. This would be an achievement comparable to the great public works of the New Deal. It would revive major industries and supply chains, jump start transportation engineering, increase the efficiency of our economy, and create millions of jobs. But first, we need a politics to support it. That will take more than rhetoric -- it will take real leadership.

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Barack Obama could yet prove to be an inspirational leader. The Republicans are setting the table for a real Democratic resurgence. But this will require a far more assertive leader, painting a picture of a very different economy -- a leader not meeting Republicans halfway, but greeting their insane vision of America with the jaunty scorn that it invites.

President Obama’s FY 2012 Budget: An Analysis of the Public Investments

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Education: An 11% increase in education, investing in 100,000 new science, technology, engineering, and math teachers, and a $1.4 billion new investment in early childhood education. Pell Grant funding is increased by over 20%, although eligibility criteria will actually be narrowed to prevent a larger increase spurred by growing demand for higher education and rising tuition costs.

Transportation: A 60% increase in transportation infrastructure investments over six years, focusing on rebuilding and maintaining the current system and building out the transit and rail infrastructure (ensuring that 80% of Americans have convenient access to a passenger rail system within 25 years). This includes an immediate $50 billion investment as a down payment on this stronger commitment to transportation, and $30 billion for a National Infrastructure Bank.

Energy: A 12% increase, including a doubling of energy efficiency research, development, and deployment, increasing renewable energy investments by over 70% and continuing the vital investments in the national electricity grid.

Science and innovation: Doubles basic research at the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, while maintaining funding for the National Institute of Health. The budget would also invest $15 billion in the national broadband network to boost speed and increase access.

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The president, in a $3.7 trillion budget plan released yesterday in Washington, revived dozens of proposals that Congress has rejected, including $129 billion in higher taxes on the overseas profits of U.S. companies. He also proposed changing the tax treatment of oil, gas and coal companies, which would raise about $46 billion.

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The proposal also would bring back pre-2001 tax rates on income and capital gains for individuals earning more than $200,000 annually and married couples making more than $250,000. The estate tax would return to 2009 levels with a $3.5 million per-person exemption and a 45 percent top rate. Under a law Obama signed in December, lower rates expire at the end of 2012.

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The budget plan would limit itemized deductions for top earners to 28 percent, curbing the value of tax breaks for charitable contributions, home mortgage interest and state and local taxes. That proposal has been included in every budget of Obama’s presidency and was rejected as a revenue-raising provision to fund his overhaul of the health system last year.

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