Democratic Corporatism Brings Reagan Back from the Grave

[Truth2Tell]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/5463/democratic_corporatism_brings_reagan_back_from_the_grave/

By David Sirota

"After months of struggling to find their footing, it looks like the GOP has finally found an effective spokesman: Republican leaders have unveiled the reanimated corpse of Ronald Reagan (and) the undead former president has quickly emerged as the new face of the Republican Party." —The Onion

This line from a recent satire perfectly captures the moment’s political zeitgeist—except for one detail: Republicans aren’t responsible for the revival of Reaganism. Democrats are.

-snip

In 2009, Democrats made clear that their idea of government is radically different from the one embedded in their legacy and campaign promises. They unleashed what The Nation’s Chris Hayes calls "corporatism" — an agenda that fuses public and private sectors, replacing Rooseveltian regulations and LBJ-esque social safety nets with taxpayer-funded bribes of rapacious business interests.

Under Democratic corporatism, "government" is not what it used to be—it is not tough financial rules or public programs like Medicare. Instead, "government" now means giving public dollars to private banking, insurance and drug firms, and then hoping (but not mandating) that such largesse compels those companies to change.

-snip

The difference is that unlike business-affiliated Republicans, Democrats in 2008 explicitly pledged to fight such state-sponsored larceny, and America sees their subsequent betrayal as an unseemly attempt to feign concern for voters while enriching the party’s corporate donors.

The problem, of course, is that those are mutually exclusive constituencies. You cannot fix the financial system, punish Wall Street thieves and reform health care as the electorate wants while also preserving the same financial system, rewarding Wall Street thieves and strengthening the health care status quo, as wealthy campaign benefactors demand.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/5463/democratic_corporatism_brings_reagan_back_from_the_grave/">Read more...

[asdjrocky]

1. Dave tells the truth.

[jpak]

2. Horseshit

:thumbsdown:

[blue neen]

3. +1

n/t

[MineralMan]

4. +2

[omega minimo]

5. #5 Rec for Sirota who rocks and takes a lot more shite than he deserves. Read now.

:hi:

[omega minimo]

6. Oh David I love it when you talk dirty

"Now, even in its rotting and pulpy form, the Gipper’s pallid avatar is poised to mount a more cogent—and destructive—crusade than even his previous self."

:loveya:

[Truth2Tell]

8. best part!

:hi:

[omega minimo]

10. Tell2Truth

:toast:

[scentopine]

7. Wiretapping (AT&T), Health Care CEOs, Torture Contractors, Wall Street Bailout...

its all there. The decline in the middle class wealth is accelerating. No use in pretending the democrats shit doesn't stink as bad as the republicans shit. At some point there will be a violent reaction and all the democratic leadership numb nuts will wonder why.

It shouldn't be a choice between eating, health care or college. It is. By sitting back and protecting the status quo, we are helping democratic leadership slit our own throats. We are tilling the soil for an organic form of fascist government.

There needs to be a third party.

[omega minimo]

11. There needs to be a second party

Have you ever voted for a Reagan or a Bush? If so, step right up and take credit for what your lameness has inflicted on us all.

[scentopine]

14. 31 years - straight dem - thousands (or more) in cash - labor

volunteer - phone calls, door knocking. Never a single vote for a republican, the last election (referendums, I was one of 400 people out of 10,000 or so that bothered to show up ... "should the state have the right to seize private property to expand military bases?"

Unfucking believable even that piece of shit passed with a yes. But this is Texas,

Stops here. Sorry. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

If you don't believe me and you cannot fathom the reasons behind my decision, then I do feel a bit sorry for that.

Don't take it personally - its the right thing to do if you aren't getting representation in your own party.

[omega minimo]

15. Thank you for your dedication

One line throws this off:

"No use in pretending the democrats shit doesn't stink as bad as the republicans shit."

Paying attention for 30 years provides examples of how R shit stinks much worse.

:thumbsup:

[scentopine]

17. one more thing - I'm burned out on democrats

NAFTA, outsourcing, torture, wire tapping, war, health care, wall street, Geithner, Rahm, and the rest of the neo-con neo-dems - jesus, I'm also working 12 hours a day 6 days a week - what the hell? I read some fine stuff here from lots of people, but tired of being told I'm not a loyal democrat for not no longer supporting Obama (I was a delegate, btw) - Our CEO is going to get a record bonus - he has nothing to fear from democrats.

This isn't change. This completely sucks. There is a time and place for anger and it is now. I'm older and don't want to think that all the hard work from so many people and this health care piece of shit is the best we can do?

There are two parties - republican and more republican. We need a third liberal party. Liberals in the democratic party get less respect than the log cabin yo-yos get in the republican party. Dems have a don't ask - don't tell policy regarding liberals.

Anyone liberal who thinks change can come from within the democratic party is mistaken. I claim with confidence, liberals are hated by both republicans and democrats. I am a liberal so why the fuck would I ever vote democratic after watching the last 12 months?

Liberals need a third party. Pressure needs to come from outside the democratic party. I have nothing to offer democrats except money and labor - I don't want a pony, but I also don't want horseshit - torture, outsourcing, free market cap/trade voodoo, wall street bailouts, charter schools, tax cuts masquerading as stimulus, health care written by CEOs, education reforms written by CEOs, while they outsource to untrained labor in India, on and on and on

For example - do you realize that companies like AT&T and others are complaining US citizens are too dumb to hire and they are outspending local schools training unskilled labor in India and China? Why - because the labor market is unregulated, if you get sick you get fired- they aren't smarter!!!

These are policy priorities that democrats are keeping off the table. Nothing here for a liberal like me in the new democratic party, time to move on.

Things ARE getting worse and democrats are pouring gasoline on the fire!

[omega minimo]

19. wow

can I vote for you?

Aside from the fact you have one of the best screen names ever! :hi:

[Spheric]

20. K&R Thanks for telling it like it is.

You're my hero for the day.

[Leopolds Ghost]

21. Reagan never even ASKED for Wiretapping, InsuriCare, Torture, Wall St Bailout, or spending freeze.

He might have dreamed that someday the American people would embrace such philosophies, and it looks like he was right.

Obama seems out to prove Reagan right.

[amborin]

26. Obama praised Reagan back during the campaign n/t

[Edweird]

9. Sadly and regrettably accurate.

[mdmc]

12. kick

[Individualist]

13. Sirota is the best!

[omega minimo]

25. +

[WillyT]

16. Yep... K & R !!!

:kick:

[leftstreet]

18. K&R

[havocmom]

22. K&R

'cuz ya can't fix the problem by pretending it isn't there and then carrying water for the class that created the problem. Mr Sirota gets it. And he has the integrity to speak the truth.

[invictus]

23. K&R

[Faryn Balyncd]

24. K & R

[branders seine]

27. Obama is not Bush!

Obama is more like reagan.

Hmmm.