aPo: Democrats Need Elizabeth Warren's Brand of Populism

[eridani]

http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/27589-democrats-need-elizabeth-warrens-brand-of-populism

The breadth of support for the populist critique of the American economy is apparent in a range of surveys. In a Washington Post/ABC poll conducted just before the midterms, 71 percent of Americans said that our economic system generally favors the wealthy — a figure that included 59 percent of conservatives and 56 percent of Republicans. Andrew Levison’s book “The White Working Class Today” includes an analysis of a 2011 poll by the Pew Research Center showing that 54 percent of working-class whites “strongly” believed that “corporations make too much profit,” while just 28 percent believed that those profits were “fair and reasonable.” By a margin of better than 2 to 1, those respondents also said that Wall Street hurts the economy more than it helps it.

The critiques and policies that Warren advances resonate with a far wider segment of the public, and more particularly the potential Democratic electorate, than those equating her with Cruz would have us believe. Economic populism is not a niche ideology, and here’s why:

At the request of some trade union officials, the Economic Policy Institute recently conducted an unpublished analysis of research on the past 100 years of income tax data compiled by University of California at Berkeley economics professor Emmanuel Saez. Looking at income growth (excluding government payments and benefits) from 1935 through 1980 — the years of the New Deal economy and high union membership — the institute found that the bottom 90 percent of households claimed 70 percent of the income growth. The 90th to 95th percentiles claimed 11 percent; the 95th to 99th, 12 percent; and the wealthiest 1 percent claimed 7 percent.

Looking at the United States we live in now, however — from 1997 through 2012 (the most recent period for which tax data are available) — the institute found that the 90th to 95th percentile claimed 9 percent of all income growth and that the 95th to 99th claimed 19 percent. The wealthiest 1 percent saw its share balloon to 72 percent.

Do the addition, and you’ll see that adds up to 100 percent. The bottom 90 percent of American households got none of the income growth of the past 15 years, as income from work declined and income from investment soared.

[RunInCircles]

1. And I don't think anybody believes Hillary would work to reverse this trend

Bill Clinton was one of the enablers for this (repeal of Glass-Steagall, Robert Rubin, and Larry Summers working to force the world to deal with banks with toxic derivatives etc.) This is the area (along with offering to cut Social Security) where I have a problem with Barack Obama's policies also. If you refuse to look back and see how destructive your economic policies were then you will not work to fix them. Hillary Clinton will never be able to call out Bill and work to undo the destructive economic policies he supported. The time is now to work to elect a populist leader.

[Thinkingabout]

2. For those who believe Hillary would not be able to work hard on income disparity do not

know her record.

[RunInCircles]

4. Enlighten me!

Please point to her record in opposing income inequality.
I can change my mind if I am shown evidence that I am wrong.
I do not see any actions taken which would indicate she is not totally a captive of wall street money.

Show me evidence and I will reevaluate my position.

[Thinkingabout]

6. This is easy

•Outraged at CEO compensation. (Oct 2007)
•Corporate elite treat working-class America as invisible. (Apr 2007
•No salary increase for Congress until minimum wage increased. (Jul 2007)
•Would accept minimum wage as president. (Jul 2007)
•Stand up for unions; organize for fair wages. (Jun 2007)
•Get tough with China and bring jobs back home. (Feb 2007)
•Minimum wage increases haven’t kept up with Congress’ wages. (Dec 2006)
•Passed 2 planks of 7-plank platform, “New Jobs for New York”. (Oct 2006)
•Minimum wage should be tied to congressional salaries. (Jun 2006)
•Pushed for extension of unemployment insurance. (Feb 2004)
•The working poor deserve a living wage. (Oct 1999)
•America can afford to raise the minimum wage. (Sep 1999)
•Recently “we’re in it together” became “you’re on your own”. (Sep 1996)
•Voted YES on extending unemployment benefits from 39 weeks to 59 weeks. (Nov 2008)
•Voted NO on terminating legal challenges to English-only job rules. (Mar 2008)
•Voted YES on restricting employer interference in union organizing. (Jun 2007)
•Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25. (Feb 2007)
•Voted YES on raising the minimum wage to $7.25 rather than $6.25. (Mar 2005)
•Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001)
•Protect overtime pay protections. (Jun 2003)
•Rated 85% by the AFL-CIO, indicating a pro-union voting record. (Dec 2003)
•Allow an Air Traffic Controller's Union. (Jan 2006)
•Sponsored bill linking minimum wage to Congress' pay raises. (May 2006)
•Extend unemployment compensation during recession. (Jan 2008)
•Ban discriminatory compensation; allow 2 years to sue. (Jan 2009)
•Sponsored bill enforcing against gender pay discrimination. (Jan 2009)

You can read more here
http://ontheissues.org/hillary_clinton.htm

[RunInCircles]

8. I will not Critique Hillary again until I do more research

OK
I will need to do more research to make sure my general impression is warranted.
No Hillary criticism until I know more facts.
Your post is helpful.

[RunInCircles]

9. Hillary votes on special rates for wall street

•Chief advocate for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). (Aug 2014)
•TPP agreement creates more growth and better growth. (Aug 2014)
•Have a trade prosecutor to enforce the trade agreements. (Feb 2008)
•Voted YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends. (Feb 2006)
•Voted YES on extending the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends. (Nov 2005)

I have turned up many things I like about Hillary in a quick perusal of her voting record.
Above are issues with Hillary I have a problem with.

She is a remarkable women and very good on social issues I like her more after doing research into her voting record and stances. She is a hawk and the above indicates too much support for wall street and other large business entities.

[Thinkingabout]

10. Do as much research as you like, her record still stands.

[Phlem]

11. Thank you.

I still believe issues will raise themselves closer to election time, and while all this great, it's still a one sided list. But be certain that I will be watching at the utmost needle point attention.

-p

[Thinkingabout]

12. Okay by me.

[Phlem]

5. Yes please enlighten me too.

My job got shipped overseas Because of Bill's NAFTA, what's Hillary going to bring to the table? Where is this pro populist record of income equality?

I love wading through bullshit first thing on a Sunday.

[Thinkingabout]

7. Read post #6

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Ha! This is *precisely* why new Progressive Hillary has the thing sewn up

A woman truly of the 99%, yet with a steely realism unmatched by Those On The Left.

Her victory is assured.

[Phlem]

13. While other posts in this thread prop up Hillary.

I still don't trust her at all. She definitely does not have my vote because she is absolutely a corporate 3rd way politician. Her gaffes have shown her true nature and a co author of the TTP is not OK.