Quote (Skinned @ Apr 9 2014 01:39pm)
I dunno, the GOP seems to think austerity is a successful policy when it causes more problems when it is implemented.
The new Ryan budget raises taxes on middle class families by over $2k a year while making massive tax cuts to the top 1%. I think that is a massive failure, as it stinks of Reaganomics and trickle-down drivel that only works in the minds of the uberwealthy and those who serve them. It has cuts to education, medical research, public works, job training, food stamps, will turn medicare into a voucher program, and kill millions of people off their current insurance policies.
It is a massive failure on an economic and political front.
The last Republican president spear-headed relief spending and QE, stop excusing Democratic incompetence with some boogeyman about how Republicans are going to ignore the advice of economists. That's the Democratic play book.
The left needs to understand that Medicare is insolvent and that salvaging it isn't possible. They need to admit that SS benefits need to be reduced and the age req boosted by 2-3 years.
They need to stop advocating the same left populism that has categorically failed Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil.
They need to admit that their policies towards African-Americans has left them as impoverished as ever and they need to stop scape-goating the rich.
They need to meaningfully combat the decline in American education and withdraw support from public unions interested only in enriching themselves at the expense of society as they fight to perpetuate the status quo.
Once the Democratic Party stops being an anti-intellectual populist movement drawing support from the uninformed poor we can work to fix health-care and realize environmental sustainability.