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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsToles: The elites have led the way: Permission granted to be irresponsible
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/02/01/elites-have-led-way-permission-granted-be-irresponsible/By Tom Toles
Editorial cartoonist
February 1 at 9:23 AM
It is more than a little ironic to see progressive ideas being subjected to the test of whether they are responsible. Where does the idea come from that responsibility is a standard anymore?
Elites and I define those as the wealthy, the leaders of corporations, government, think tanks, universities and the media enjoy their positions and privileges to set the ethical standards for a society and to guide the direction a society moves in. So how have they been doing?
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Last I saw, the federal government gave stupendously MORE in tax cuts to the rich. How was this funded? It wasnt! It was written entirely in red ink! Oh, yeah, the deficit. Which has been another area of endless empty lecturing from the elites. And yet there is always room for more tax cuts for the rich.
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But suddenly, its: Is Medicare-for-all RESPONSIBLE? Are higher marginal tax rates RISKY? Is a Green New Deal properly DETAILED? Mightnt there be costs or TRADE-OFFS? And again, for progressives only what about the DEFICIT? These progressive proposals arent irresponsible. They are aimed at undoing prior irresponsibility. If we are going to use responsibility as a standard, lets let the current swath of leaders back things up, reduce the vast inequality they have allowed and institute their own program of carbon reduction, and then well resume the discussion about responsibility.
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This is what I want and expect to hear from Dems running in 2020 primaries. It's also worth bookmarking for future personal use as needed.
SWBTATTReg
(22,191 posts)I love his cartoons! I heard him on Arts & Lectures on NPR a few months ago, made me like him even more.
Hekate
(90,978 posts)robbob
(3,539 posts)And of course the expected concern that left-leaning Dems are moving too fast, talk of slowly expanding coverage even while acknowledging that millions have lost health care under tRump. I found myself yelling at the radio; what about the f***ing military budget? How many TRILLIONS of $$$ have been wasted in the Iraq quagmire! How is THAT helping Americans?
Ive learned a simple lesson about American (primarily reThug) politics; if you ever wonder why we cant have better schools, medical coverage, roads and bridges just ask the question: who will get rich from it? Paying teachers, nurses and construction workers a decent living wage doing jobs that benefit ALL Americans isnt helping the super rich accumulate even more riches, so of course its a low, how can we afford it priority. But theres always money for another war, more missiles, huge tax breaks. Its discouraging.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,178 posts)This.
I am sick of "conservatives" spending the treasury like sailors on themselves, and then the MSM dusts off their old print outs, the pages a bit curled, and the papers stained with spilled coffee from years of use, and repeat repeat repeat (through carefully selected guests) how horribly irresponsible it is to spend money on healthcare, minimum wages, or social security for American citizens, things that would help all, but not a peep about Republicans lavishing themselves and others in the highest incomes with tax scam giveaways that they can't pay for.
oasis
(49,454 posts)Very true.