In keeping with the theme of dengre's excellent diary today currently sitting on top of the Rec List, I want to point out Krugman's column today in the Times. Somebody will eventually do it and I don't think they have yet. It deals with what he refers to as The Question.
Krugman, currently on his book tour, thinks that the end of right-wing dominance in our political system is near. Yet, as he says that, he quickly gets asked The Question.
"How can you be optimistic about the prospects for progressive change, when big money has so much influence on politics?"
Its a good question, Krugman says, so much so that he's dubbed it The Question. I know it is certainly My Question too. And, according to the excellent analyses in dengre's diary, it is an important one with implications that may shape the next election and the political future of our country for the next generation. So, what's Krugman's answer?
He cites a Democracy Corp poll for providing much of his optimism.
Democracy Corps asked those who believe America is on the wrong track to choose phrases that best described their views of what’s gone wrong. The most commonly chosen were "Big businesses get whatever they want in Washington" and "Leaders have forgotten the middle class."
So much, by the way, for pundits who claim that Americans don’t care about economic inequality.
Yes... so much for those pundits. After all of this time, I guess those pundits really don't know what they are talking about. Who would have guessed that? (Ok... that was one of those sarcastic questions like who could have predicted that these people would take an airplane and slam it into the World Trade Center? Or, who could have anticipated the breach of the levees?)
Anyway, Krugman then goes on to address the theme that has so many of us pulling out our hair here - and the main point of dengre's diary, of course. The Democratic Party is not acting on this issue leaving those of us on all sides of the spectrum to start concluding they are too influenced, as well. The one Democrat who stands to get hit the hardest by that.... your Presidential front-runner, naturally.
Fears of betrayal are often focused on Hillary Clinton. Some people who raise The Question cite an article in The Nation from last summer, which suggested that Hillary Clinton’s commitment to change is suspect.
Hillary supporters may bash the question, but that doesn't make it go away. It is the single biggest thing holding me back from supporting her. I like things about Hillary. She is smart. She is effective. She is intense. I think her heart is in the right place and she would run an effective government that this country so badly needs. But, I can't help but worry that she will not adequately be able to address the biggest problems this nation faces because she is influenced by big money - no matter her ridiculous proteststations to the contrary. I need to hear Hillary come out much stronger on the role of money in politics. Even if she makes a statement that says she supports getting big money out of politics even though she needs to raise big money in this election because this is the climate and these are the rules now, I would be ok with it.
I am not alone in this, obviously.
... I’d be reassured if she made her views on tax reform clearer, and matched John Edwards’s focus on corporate reform.
The tax reform bit was in reference to Democrats inability to just come out and say they will reform the hedge fund tax loophole mentioned earlier in the column.
If Hillary wants to be the leader of the Democratic Party going forward, she needs to realize where Democrats, and the nation are. We are sick and tired of losing our government and country to corrupt corporate America. We are ready for a little economic populism. We want change and we are ready to start being vocal and then active about it. Where will she stand?!! I'm rooting for her to make the right call here.
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