The Emerging Populist Agenda

[RiverLover]

The Emerging Populist Agenda
Originally published Tues May 12, 2015 by The Washington Post
Katrina vanden Heuvel



The most surprising development in our political debate isn’t the gaggle of Republican presidential contenders or the ceaseless attacks on Hillary Clinton. What is stunning is the emergence of a populist reform agenda that is driving the debate inside and outside the Democratic Party.

A range of groups and leaders are putting forward a reform agenda of increasing coherence. Today, the Roosevelt Institute will present a report by Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, while New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is to release a “Progressive Agenda to Combat Income Inequality.” These follow the Populism 2015 Platform, released in April by an alliance of grass-roots groups and the Campaign for America’s Future. Also in April, the Center for Community Change (CCC) joined with several grass-roots allies to launch Putting Families First: Good Jobs for All.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), now contending for the Democratic presidential nomination, released his Economic Agenda for America last December. And while Hillary Clinton has chosen a slow rollout of her agenda, the Center for American Progress published the report of the Commission on Inclusive Prosperity headed by former treasury secretary Larry Summers, widely seen as a marker of where Hillary might move.

Not surprisingly, these offerings differ in analysis, emphasis and specific reforms. But more striking is their scope of consensus.

All agree that our extreme inequality is not the inevitable result of globalization or technology. It is the result of policy and power. The rules have been rigged. No one reform offers an answer; broad reforms are needed.

All link growth and inequality. As Stiglitz argues, extreme inequality cripples growth, and full employment is vital to reducing inequality.

The central elements of the emerging populist agenda include:

Please read the central elements & the rest of the article here~
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2015/05/12/emerging-populist-agenda

(xposted in GD)

[TM99]

1. Excellent article.

Thank you for sharing this.

[RiverLover]

8. TM99!!

[SHRED]

2. Thank you Occupy Movement!

For help bringing this to awareness.

[RiverLover]

5. Right? They sure did!! I join you in your appreciation.

[daleanime]

14. +1

[Enthusiast]

3. Kicked and recommended to the Max!

Thank you, RiverLover!

I fear the response from the malevolent thieves. They won't just lie down and accept a change. We know for certain they are unethical to the bone—they might do anything.

[RiverLover]

6. I have that fear as well. I read an article this am pointing to it being a very real threat to US

Wall Street greed refuses to die: How lobbyists & dark-money groups are exposing us to another disaster

A recent paper from a rightwing advocacy group makes clear just how desperate the 1 percent is to get its way

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/12/wall_street_greed_refuses_to_die_how_lobbyists_dark_money_groups_are_exposing_us_to_another_disaster/

They're furiously working behind the scene/curtain.

[Enthusiast]

11. That is one excellent article.

[sabrina 1]

18. That's true. The one thing we should emulate about them is how they never give up.

Even when defeated, which happens occasionally, they are back almost instantly to turn the defeat into a win. For THEM.

We definitely need people who have the energy and drive to participate in this war, and it is a war, against the people.

A united population is probably the ONLY way to defeat them.

Their most successful strategy has been to 'divide and conquer'.

[marym625]

4. K&R!

I just love being able to use these two little dudes

[RiverLover]

7. LOL

Me too!!



Plus this one!

[marym625]

12. Yes!

That one too!

In here, we seldom have to use the WillyT emoticon Though I do love that little dude

[Enthusiast]

9. I want to point something out. Why is this agenda being labeled populist?

I'll tell you why. Because it is supported by a majority of American citizens. That makes this agenda a centrist agenda. There is simply no logical alternate way to look at this phenomenon.

So, far from crazy, wild eyed, far left liberal Marxist ideology, this stuff is mainstream and what the American people want. We can throw water on that bullshit right from the start.

When we hear someone in the MSM, on any TV channel, claim Bernie, Elizabeth, Sherrod Brown or Alan Grayson are so far left they are like some crazy leftover 1960s hippies, we know that is a lie and we can and should say it is a lie. This bullshit must not go unchallenged.

[RiverLover]

10. We should do that. Spin alerts!

Really great suggestion, enthusiast!!

[Overseas]

13. K&R. Glad to hear it.

[daleanime]

15. K&R....

And bookmarked(and maybe even printed) for anytime I get depressed during the campaign. and

[Eleanors38]

16. Thanks for the post! This is what we need...

the big task ahead is to identify and participate in a Coalescence of populist organizations AND how & where it is perceived. Reliance on the legitimizing function of MSM is a thing of the past. There are TWO tasks:

1. Defining ourselves

2. Defining our presence

The two CANNOT be separated! I guarantee you this: When we define our presence, a true Revolution will have occurred.

[polichick]

17. "People before profits" - what a concept!