Have Democrats become too center right on economic issues?

[inthebrain]

You be the judge?

Personally I think the country as a whole has gone that way. I see the Immigration debate a one big huge trojan-fucking-horse!!!!! I don;t think having a mass influx of illegals here are as harmufll as having a culture of exploitation south of our borders. Not to mention the "free zone" in Jamaica.

I think we should be carefull with this issue and start looking at how labor has worked together in order to improve conditions. For a long time the border between Maxico and the United States has stood as a border to reduce labor standards. Having people work for a dollar a say on one side VS nearly $200 a day on this side.

We talk of "spreading fear" by the BA. I see a lot of this going by people who don't understand the stakes in the world of Multi National corporations of today. We as labor win by building bridges not by building fences and walls. Those walls and fences represent a limit to human rights.

It breaks my heart to see so many willing to put the boot to our brothers and sisters. We as Democrats/Liberals/Progressives are supposed to stand up for the little guy!!!!!! Not kick him in the teeth for trying to feed his family. We have tons of money and resources in this country to go around and then some. Our focus should be on strangthening labor and the right to live this life in a dignifyed manner.

Tightening borders and advocating the building of a wall will hurt the middle class more than an influx of labor. Budging out of your center right positions and a little solidarity will go much further in improving the middle class.

[queenbdem87]

1. agreed

[inthebrain]

2. Another talking point that needs to vanish.....

is "willing to work for low wages".

How decpetive is that?

Nobody on the planet is "willing to work for low wages". It's not even a matter of choice. People have to work.

It's really that simple.

[unlawflcombatnt]

9. Wrong as usual

Illegal immigrants are willing to work for lower wages. Period.

Everyone but you knows this and it's not just a talking point. It's a matter of fact. No one but you claims there aren't people willing to work for lower wages, as in China, where many work for $2/day.

In fact, illegal immigration unquestionably lowers American wages.

"It's really that simple."

[AJ9000]

3. Center right!? Far-right is more like it for ex NAFTA. n/t

[AJH032]

4. uh...we need to define the economic left/right/center first

What does each of those terms mean? If I were the government and I raise a tax, am I liberal? If I lower a tax, am I conservative? If I do both, am I a centrist? Does liberal mean you spend more, or nowadays, does conservative mean you spend more? Does liberal mean you no longer want any big business at all, or simply that they pay a higher share in taxes? If I'm a fiscal conservative, do I have to believe that cutting taxes are the most important thing the government can do? If I'm fiscally liberal, do I have to believe solely in increasing government spending as a means of economic growth? What about keeping a balanced budget? What is that?

These questions need to be answered before we can answer your original question.

[papau]

5. My question also, A balanced budget leads to steady growth if done

correctly - is this left or right?

Likewise Defense of America is the number one priority of US government - is this left or right?

[mrgorth]

6. I think we have

but I'm for building the wall.

[primative1]

8. Its something ...

What we know is that anything we are told is likely a lie.
We can talk about all the nice things we can do in the world at some later date but right now I want to see a wall or its equivalent. That is something I can see, it wont be a lie. I will not accept a picture of Bush, Fox and Kennedy standing in a circle grinning over some perceived agreements as actual progress. Wall first. The damage is real.

[unlawflcombatnt]

10. Right on target

I'd rather see severe employer prosecution for illegal hiring. But I'll settle for a wall if that's all we can get.

[mmonk]

7. Democrats are more to the right

than the republicans of my youth. That's how far right the country has moved with republicans now being extreme right and the center being right. The center of the past is far left from where we are now.