georgeatkins
Ah, so the war on drugs was lost solely because of Democratic governments failings? The war on Poverty wasn't won by trickle down economics in the 80s? Poverty wasn't erased with the deregulation of banks and financial institutions...which was supposed to bring in a reign of prosperity for all?
This is pretty thin soup George. Yes, The issues you note are still festering. That the people affected negatively by them, decide on how to vote in part by considering the policies of the parties and candidates running is how democracy is supposed to work.
It strikes me that the complaint that the Dems have certain groups locked up, even though they haven't delivered on them, should give republicans pause... If they can't attract these groups with republican policies despite the supposed non-delivery by the Democrats - why are their own republican policies so poorly perceived?
Thats not on the minority groups. Thats on the republicans who can't fathom why their alternatives are such non-starters.
g
One thing about the prevalence of cameras and video evidence in todays society is that there is now so much evidence that the stories told about the jeopardy that blacks are in when they encounter police is well documented.
The evidence that blacks face unequal jepardy in the criminal justice system is also well documented.
g
I said it was working the way it was designed. Not that it was working well. (Its a crappy design)
And today its working to benefit a small segment of society the most. The financial community, corporation exectuives and the very wealthy.
After the turn of the 19th century and especially after WWII there was a golden period where the American middle classs was built, and where the economy grew and benefitted a broad swathe of the populace. It was also a period with increasing political clout for women and the working class because they had political clout. The vote.
As corporatism took over through the 50s 60s and 70s things tended to change. A progressive taxation system became less progressive, the financial sector threw off regulations despite regularly causing billions, and finally trillions, in losses stopped gapped by taxpayers, (see Lobby groups gained greater and greater control of the regulartory enviroment. For instance despite loosing to the creation of Medicare, the health care industries managed to grow their industry to where it represents a larger section of the US economy than any other western nation by a factor of 2 and sometimes 3 (depending on the nation you compare it to) and yet with no better results for the populace...
george
thats the problem. Opposition isn't supposed to be intransigence, and obstruction. Its supposed to be offering ideas and polcies that offer an alternative.
However the political system you have provides a determined opposition the ability to actually grind things to a halt. And nothing gets accomplished.
I think we probably agree that things are not going well for the wrokign class, and middle class...
I just happen to think Trump offers nothing for them either.... He's a con. He's ensconcing Wall Street into his cabinet and putting no nothings in charge of cabinet positions. Perry in charge of energy? What does he know or offer regarding nuclear energy? (75% of his job)
You seem to think he's going to shake things up enough that somehow things will change.. I think all he'll do is line his pockets and the pockets of his cronies . Maybe he will deliver on infrastructure. I have some hope there.
What I mean is that the Democratic Party uses real and believed issues with specific socio-economic groups to further their own cause, more than fixing any real problems. Did we win the War on Poverty? (in some ways, I think so) How about the War on Drugs? Nope. The War on the Achievement Gap? Nope. The Education Gap? Nope. They all make good pep talks and rallying points, but nothing much comes out of them, in the end.
Ah, so the war on drugs was lost solely because of Democratic governments failings? The war on Poverty wasn't won by trickle down economics in the 80s? Poverty wasn't erased with the deregulation of banks and financial institutions...which was supposed to bring in a reign of prosperity for all?
This is pretty thin soup George. Yes, The issues you note are still festering. That the people affected negatively by them, decide on how to vote in part by considering the policies of the parties and candidates running is how democracy is supposed to work.
It strikes me that the complaint that the Dems have certain groups locked up, even though they haven't delivered on them, should give republicans pause... If they can't attract these groups with republican policies despite the supposed non-delivery by the Democrats - why are their own republican policies so poorly perceived?
Thats not on the minority groups. Thats on the republicans who can't fathom why their alternatives are such non-starters.
g
Well, in some cases, they are manufactured. The idea that police (as a group or entity) have a vendetta against blacks and feel they are entitled to kill them with impunity (a common BLM accusation) is without foundation
One thing about the prevalence of cameras and video evidence in todays society is that there is now so much evidence that the stories told about the jeopardy that blacks are in when they encounter police is well documented.
The evidence that blacks face unequal jepardy in the criminal justice system is also well documented.
g
Sorry, Rick. This seems muddled. Is the system working or not?
I said it was working the way it was designed. Not that it was working well. (Its a crappy design)
And today its working to benefit a small segment of society the most. The financial community, corporation exectuives and the very wealthy.
After the turn of the 19th century and especially after WWII there was a golden period where the American middle classs was built, and where the economy grew and benefitted a broad swathe of the populace. It was also a period with increasing political clout for women and the working class because they had political clout. The vote.
As corporatism took over through the 50s 60s and 70s things tended to change. A progressive taxation system became less progressive, the financial sector threw off regulations despite regularly causing billions, and finally trillions, in losses stopped gapped by taxpayers, (see Lobby groups gained greater and greater control of the regulartory enviroment. For instance despite loosing to the creation of Medicare, the health care industries managed to grow their industry to where it represents a larger section of the US economy than any other western nation by a factor of 2 and sometimes 3 (depending on the nation you compare it to) and yet with no better results for the populace...
george
On the other hand, keep in mind that it is the "job" of one party to oppose the other
thats the problem. Opposition isn't supposed to be intransigence, and obstruction. Its supposed to be offering ideas and polcies that offer an alternative.
However the political system you have provides a determined opposition the ability to actually grind things to a halt. And nothing gets accomplished.
I think we probably agree that things are not going well for the wrokign class, and middle class...
I just happen to think Trump offers nothing for them either.... He's a con. He's ensconcing Wall Street into his cabinet and putting no nothings in charge of cabinet positions. Perry in charge of energy? What does he know or offer regarding nuclear energy? (75% of his job)
You seem to think he's going to shake things up enough that somehow things will change.. I think all he'll do is line his pockets and the pockets of his cronies . Maybe he will deliver on infrastructure. I have some hope there.