Thanks, that is a bit more opto-mystic than my internal ravings. Werid system however. Probably take an act of congress to abolish it? Or just an act of the DNC?
Wait a minute..... Trump gained wealth in part by purchasing elected officials, and now using that same wealth, he may purchase the White House, but claims he stands against "corruption in our campaign finance system"??????....... yeah right!
"...looks after the interests of American, not multinational corporations" is only what things appear to be on this side of the Looking Glass. A friend joined a national intelligence agency some time ago and said that the most important thing he learned was that there are no such things as nations, only multinationals. "Nations" provide services. E.g., the US provides mercenary and health care services (he was in the latter profession) and facilitates some aspects of banking through the Fort Knox facility. I am not making a political statement (having grown conservative in my old age, I'm forced to vote for Democrats). Vote Papoon: He's Not Insane!
Good call Thom. Like I've been saying, we can do it the peaceful way by putting Senator Sanders in the W.H. for a political revolution or the other way. Which will be a revolution without Senator Sanders in the W.H. and definately not peaceful. America is at the bottom and the only way to go is up after destroying the bottom.
What worries me about the NH Primary is the Super Delegates. How are they chosen? Do they know each other? Can they vote en-block? Why would the 6 NH Super Delegates all vote for the same candidate? Turns out Bernie and Hillary tied. Are Super Delegates the people that actually elect a nominee? Can they be bought? How many Super Delegates are there in total for all 50 states? I find it disturbing that someone can win by 22 points and yet end up with the same number of Delegates.
FYI The correct pronunciation of Nevada is Ne vad (like bad) a
I was born and raised in Reno and have been a speech therapist for 32 years. I know FOR SURE that this is how you pronounce it. Linguists agree. Look it up!
I don't think Nevadans like to hear their state mispronounced. It is NOT Ne vah da!
***Keep up the good work! Sorry I couldn't help myself on this!
Hint: Think of the word "bad" and then say NeBada, Nebada, Nebada, Nebada, Nebada to yourself then end it with "NeVada." If you do this a few times an hour for the next few hours it should stick for good or make yourself a note. :)
happyashell; "The Fed could use the excess funds it returns to the federal government each year to slowly buy down all underwater mortgages"
No need for that, the Fed has already bailed out those private banks, who were left holding all this toxic debt that was justified with bogus performance ratings and promises of full insurance backing by companies like AIG. Using Quantitative Easing, the Fed printed 85 Billion a month for a number of years after the 2008 collapse to bail out these distressed banks, the Fed was essentially buying all this worthless paper from the banks using printed U.S. Dollars making these worthless holdings the property of the American Taxpayer ! A semi-government agency that has existed for a hundred and three years and the taxpayers of this country weren't even consulted when their tax Dollars were used to build them their own headquarters in Washington ! When the Fed was first created, one of the justifications for allowing a non-government agency to print our currency was to head off unrestricted printing of Dollars by the U.S. Treasury that could invite runaway inflation ! Yet it was OK for the Fed to do this to bail out private banking interests !
1) I'm super pleased, not surprised, by NH & can't see an alternative for Bernie's progressive agenda. Recently returned to NC, I'm as shocked by the "religious right" and as by the "samrt" people, saying: "Young people won't appreciate a free education! I say they pay for it themselves, like I did!" No facts penetrate, but a few people get the picture and that's encouraging. 2) Plus, here, I'm getting a clearer view of the Clinton Alabama scandels and the trail of bodies left behind so as not-to-tell-the-tale is scary. 3) If Bernie isn't nominated, I won't know how to vote, for president.
I crave Bernie-ism in governance, - and so I’m worried that so many cards are stacked against him. Such as: - the complexities of party-conventions’ delegate-selection processes {which involve much more than merely the primaries}, - f’instance the “Superdelegates” among whom Hillary is apparently ‘way ‘Way ‘WAY ahead support-wise. … {I enjoyed teaching ’bout the inside-parties’ fistfights over these delegate-selection processes. OFTEN, the Establishment wins these internally-fought battles re rules for delegate-selection; - this is often a KEY factor in who-gets-nominated.} {Perhaps this is among the big-Big-BIG obstacles to Bernie’s success.}
The truth is that as long as there are 218 Republicans in the House of Represntatives and 60 Repubulican Senators non of Bernie's agenda will ever be enacted into law. If the Republican get 291 House seats and 66 Senate seats then the veto pen becomes a museum piece. If you want Bernie to succeed as a president then you must work very very very hard to elect members of congress who will support his goals. The next census will not be done unitl 2020. The last census was used to establish a near impossible to defeat Republican control of Congress. So find 1 person in each of 435 legislative districts to elect to the House and 33 Senators this election cycle.
This is such bullshit. The Banksters or Ruling Elites know very well how to fix our economic woes. And that is money creation in the real economy, often called Quantitative Easing or QE for the people, or Helicopter Money or is including in Basic Income plans. Central Banks are lowering interest rates to zero or below zero to no effect, claiming they must have 2% inflation. This ain't gonna work because big business and even small to medium enterprises have all the money they need, the problem is impoverished poor & middle class don't have the money to spend to stimulate the economy and the rich, the 1% who have all the money don't spend much of their wealth in the Real Economy, they just park their wealth in assets that do zip for the 99%, that is the Real Economy. There is only two conclusions:
1) The Bankster Elites have a contempt for the 99% that really must be something close to absolute disdain and could care less how much they suffer.
2) The Bankster Elites don't want anyone to wise up on their incredible scam of allowing criminal Private Banks to create our money supply out of thin air, as a debt, our privately owned, privately controlled debt-money system, whereby private Banksters get to create 10's of $trillions and they are not even taxed on that welfare. If good citizens ever found out how easily the Federal Gov't could self-finance by public money creation, and cause a rapidly growing economy, that very much benefits the 99% rather than the 1%, that promotes domestic jobs & small business rather than big multi-nationals and foreign jobs - well there could be revolution!
If there was a World War tomorrow, a conventional not-nuclear war, like WWII, then our governments would be borrowing $trillions at interest, private banks would create that money by typing numbers into a computer, and suddenly like magic, Detroit is back to full employment. Shuttered factories are opened up, working at full capacity, 24/7, tanks, planes, ships, artillery, submarines, rations, rifles, missiles, bombs are rolling off the assembly line. Not only does the production of military hardware expand by a massive amount but consumer goods as well. Flint Michigan which can't afford a decent water supply, suddenly easily achieves that. Obama's fake 5% unemployment, becomes negative 40% unemployment, because the people working actually damn near double. The magic of money creation. Bombs don't cause deflation, ships are sunk and don't add to the goods being sold.
We can't do that with our crumbling infrastructure? Bull-SHITE! We can and we should. Build bridges not bombs. Create millions of good paying, honest jobs. And the domestic workers, i.e. not Obama's & Hillary's foreign workers, spend their income in the local economy, and create more jobs. So what's the problem. Oh, criminal Banksters have a seething hatred for public money creation. They figure money creation is their divine right.
Interesting ultra-conservative Finland, after trying the Banksters neoliberal economic policies has said Fuck-this, after 8 yrs of failure and they are the first country to start QE for the people. You got to hand it to the pragmatic Fins.
A must-see video that explains all of this:
"...In this special Winter Why Not? episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert talk to Professor Steve Keen about solutions to our unpayable debts, including: basic income, a People’s Quantitative Easing and a global debt jubilee. Professor Keen explains why a modern debt jubilee could please both debtors and creditors, savers and spenders..."
An Alternative to Capitalism (since we cannot legislate morality) Several decades ago, Margaret Thatcher claimed: "There is no alternative". She was referring to capitalism. Today, this negative attitude still persists. I would like to offer an alternative to capitalism for the American people to consider. Please click on the following link. It will take you to my essay titled: "Home of the Brave?" which was published in the OPEDNEWS: http://www.opednews.com/articles/An-Alternative-to-Capitali-by-John-Steinsvold-130326-864.html John Steinsvold "Give me neither poverty nor riches"Proverbs 30:8
The true definition of economic poverty is the inability of the individual to create economic value for himself or herself and/or for others.
This should be the only accepted definition of economic poverty in the public lexicon. We can only reduce economic poverty by enabling individuals to create legitimate value according to their own enlightened self-interest. We all have the inalienable right to have the opportunity to create legitimate value for ourselves and for others. In the long run, income inequality is the inequality of value creation. Society, through its governments, agencies, institutions, altruistic organizations, and enterprises has the obligation to promote and facilitate individual value creation by constantly improving the five essential resources:
1. A sense of positive persistence. 2. Knowledge of ways to create legitimate value. 3. Enterprises that provide the tools with which to create value. 4. Health and hygiene. 5. Security of rewards and security of person.
Establishing priorities, setting goals, formulating policies, growing public promotional organizations, enacting legislation, creating regulations, and promoting individualism to improve these five resources will provide the only possible holistic approach to reducing economic poverty. History proves that the failure of securing rewards dooms socialism everytime.
As an individual, as an enterprise, or as a national economy, when you consume more value than you create you have to relenquish capital. A trade deficit of $700 billion plus hemorages the demand out of our country for over 70 million jobs. Every dollar of trade deficit reduces combined Federal and State revenue by two dollars. We need trade agreements that enforce reciprocity. This should be our number one priority but it is never discussed in any of the debates. Until we reconstruct our individual and corporate tax base, we will only increase deficit spending with all of these pollyanna give aways until the house of cards falls in.
Without increasing taxable individual and corporate income from jobs in this country, who is going to create the commensurate value to pay for free community college education? Who is going to create commensurate value to pay for infrastructure? If any employee cannot create commensurate value for their pay rate, they will lose their job.
We need a flat 15% individual and corporate tax on all income. This would eliminate at least two thirds of a bloated and often abuse IRS bureaucracy . It would help to bring back enterprises to this country and it would stimulate entrepreneurism which means more value creation.
pabrex: There is an enormous magnification in the potential to communicate economic and social justice truth to the masses when going from Senator of Vermont to the the leader of the free world. Bernie has always spoke truth to power, and as President his message would finally reach everyone. His message is so powerful that if congress fails to act, I have every confidence in the world that we the people will finally take to the streets, and demand that change. If our so called representatives still refuse to get behind and follow us, then they'll be seeking employment elsewhere in the next election.
BTW: I love the label Democratic Socialist, but the media is cashing in on the rich man's demonization of the word Socialist, and taking full advantage of the ignorance surrounding it. Why not counter this with the label Fascist, which actually fits those who have purchased and control virtually the entire Teapublican Party????.
This is one of those "duh!" conclusions that everyone sort of knows but no one pays attention to until an economist spells it out. I caught your interview with Prof. Friedman, and he repeatedly said this was just basic stuff -- not rocket science. It makes perfect sense, too. When you rattle off "infrastructure spending, free public college, higher social security benefits, and a $15 dollar an hour minimum wage," what these four have in common is that (1) they can't be out-sourced to China or some other lower-wage country, (2) the money is being put to use here rather than hidden in the Caymans or "invested" in some foreign enterprise promising cheap labor, and (3) the local benefit to the U.S. economy and to the wellbeing of people here is both immediate and longlasting.
Bernie plan will get the economy going again. If it becomes too good again the Fed will use its monetary policies to create another recession or a complete bust. Relying on the Fed manage the economic cycles is a flaw in our economic policies. This flaw in our economic policies need to be corrected to strengthen the middle class, and lengthen the periods good economy activity.
The Fed has the ability to do a better job of performing it's mandates of employment and price stability. It could use the excess funds it returns to the federal government each year to slowly buy down all underwater mortgages as homeowners continue to make their monthly payments over a ten year period. This action by the Fed would stimulate the economy by increasing consumer confidence and disposable income. Inflating the housing bubble was the wrong way to heal the economy after the financial crisis of 2008. www.http://www.wp.me/p42WQA-7c
Fanni and Fredi could also help stimulate the housing market and the economy by agreeing to purchase the Asending Interest Rate Mortgage. http://www.wp.me/p42WQA-1Y
If wide spread principal reduction of underwater mortgages had been used, coupled with the low interest rates that the Fed created, the Great Recession would not have been so bad on main St. People would have been able to remain in their homes, and the unemployment rate would not have gone as high. If the 2% Apprection/Inflation Taxation Policy had been in the income tax code the bubbles in the period from 2000 to 2008 may not have occurred! http://www.taxpolicyusa.wordpress.com
Incomes could be raised on a sliding scale but if growing the middle class results in more resource use, climate change will be accelerated, Don't cheer when the GNP goes up.
No denying that he is creating a strong following, but that doesn't necessarily translate into a staunch, unwavering support once he's elected and things start getting tough. Not saying he's unelectable. Not saying he's out of touch. I'm saying that Americans typically don't stick around when the energy and inspiration of the revolution starts to wane.
Obviously he doesn't need the national media to talk about this platform - he is still creating a huge following. I'm not reacting to the corporate media. I'm listening to him and watching him and making my own decisions. Labels are meaningless to me. I don't care what he calls himself, I'm interested in what he's about and does.
I have to ask myself why someone who has been in congress for 30 years wasn't able to create enough support to make some of his big changes. He was an author of the ACA, at least I've heard him say that, and yet he didn't hold out for single payer then. Why does he think it will be any easier to do it when he's president and has a bigger target on his back as far as the congress thinks. He will have to rely on his big following to stand behind him then and I don't believe they will still be there.
Thanks, that is a bit more opto-mystic than my internal ravings. Werid system however. Probably take an act of congress to abolish it? Or just an act of the DNC?
John, read this about the delegates:
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/democratic_partys_superdelegate_system_threatens_bernie_20160211
Wait a minute..... Trump gained wealth in part by purchasing elected officials, and now using that same wealth, he may purchase the White House, but claims he stands against "corruption in our campaign finance system"??????....... yeah right!
"...looks after the interests of American, not multinational corporations" is only what things appear to be on this side of the Looking Glass. A friend joined a national intelligence agency some time ago and said that the most important thing he learned was that there are no such things as nations, only multinationals. "Nations" provide services. E.g., the US provides mercenary and health care services (he was in the latter profession) and facilitates some aspects of banking through the Fort Knox facility. I am not making a political statement (having grown conservative in my old age, I'm forced to vote for Democrats). Vote Papoon: He's Not Insane!
Good call Thom. Like I've been saying, we can do it the peaceful way by putting Senator Sanders in the W.H. for a political revolution or the other way. Which will be a revolution without Senator Sanders in the W.H. and definately not peaceful. America is at the bottom and the only way to go is up after destroying the bottom.
What worries me about the NH Primary is the Super Delegates. How are they chosen? Do they know each other? Can they vote en-block? Why would the 6 NH Super Delegates all vote for the same candidate? Turns out Bernie and Hillary tied. Are Super Delegates the people that actually elect a nominee? Can they be bought? How many Super Delegates are there in total for all 50 states? I find it disturbing that someone can win by 22 points and yet end up with the same number of Delegates.
Hi Tom and friends,
FYI The correct pronunciation of Nevada is Ne vad (like bad) a
I was born and raised in Reno and have been a speech therapist for 32 years. I know FOR SURE that this is how you pronounce it. Linguists agree. Look it up!
I don't think Nevadans like to hear their state mispronounced. It is NOT Ne vah da!
***Keep up the good work! Sorry I couldn't help myself on this!
Hint: Think of the word "bad" and then say NeBada, Nebada, Nebada, Nebada, Nebada to yourself then end it with "NeVada." If you do this a few times an hour for the next few hours it should stick for good or make yourself a note. :)
I love your program!
Patty Hay-Chapman
So did Scott walker privatize the water in Wisconsin ?
Hillary's a DINO.
happyashell; "The Fed could use the excess funds it returns to the federal government each year to slowly buy down all underwater mortgages"
No need for that, the Fed has already bailed out those private banks, who were left holding all this toxic debt that was justified with bogus performance ratings and promises of full insurance backing by companies like AIG. Using Quantitative Easing, the Fed printed 85 Billion a month for a number of years after the 2008 collapse to bail out these distressed banks, the Fed was essentially buying all this worthless paper from the banks using printed U.S. Dollars making these worthless holdings the property of the American Taxpayer ! A semi-government agency that has existed for a hundred and three years and the taxpayers of this country weren't even consulted when their tax Dollars were used to build them their own headquarters in Washington ! When the Fed was first created, one of the justifications for allowing a non-government agency to print our currency was to head off unrestricted printing of Dollars by the U.S. Treasury that could invite runaway inflation ! Yet it was OK for the Fed to do this to bail out private banking interests !
1) I'm super pleased, not surprised, by NH & can't see an alternative for Bernie's progressive agenda. Recently returned to NC, I'm as shocked by the "religious right" and as by the "samrt" people, saying: "Young people won't appreciate a free education! I say they pay for it themselves, like I did!" No facts penetrate, but a few people get the picture and that's encouraging. 2) Plus, here, I'm getting a clearer view of the Clinton Alabama scandels and the trail of bodies left behind so as not-to-tell-the-tale is scary. 3) If Bernie isn't nominated, I won't know how to vote, for president.
JFK'S "HEALTH CARE" SPEECH FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN (MAY 20, 1962)
https://youtu.be/VXUJErr_vfo
Right-brain Seizures
{… a limerick …}
Our neural system’s diseased. -
- Rightists’ brain-seizures have seized
us by anger and lies
which paralyze
our nation, … and we are displeased.
==============================
Bernienomics 101
{… a rhyme…}
“Bernie-onomics one-o-one"
is clearly the way to bring back the sun
which’s shining was by old Roosevelt begun, -
- but then darkened by old Reagan the hun.
===================================
I crave Bernie-ism in governance, - and so I’m worried that so many cards are stacked against him. Such as: - the complexities of party-conventions’ delegate-selection processes {which involve much more than merely the primaries}, - f’instance the “Superdelegates” among whom Hillary is apparently ‘way ‘Way ‘WAY ahead support-wise. … {I enjoyed teaching ’bout the inside-parties’ fistfights over these delegate-selection processes. OFTEN, the Establishment wins these internally-fought battles re rules for delegate-selection; - this is often a KEY factor in who-gets-nominated.} {Perhaps this is among the big-Big-BIG obstacles to Bernie’s success.}
The truth is that as long as there are 218 Republicans in the House of Represntatives and 60 Repubulican Senators non of Bernie's agenda will ever be enacted into law. If the Republican get 291 House seats and 66 Senate seats then the veto pen becomes a museum piece. If you want Bernie to succeed as a president then you must work very very very hard to elect members of congress who will support his goals. The next census will not be done unitl 2020. The last census was used to establish a near impossible to defeat Republican control of Congress. So find 1 person in each of 435 legislative districts to elect to the House and 33 Senators this election cycle.
This is such bullshit. The Banksters or Ruling Elites know very well how to fix our economic woes. And that is money creation in the real economy, often called Quantitative Easing or QE for the people, or Helicopter Money or is including in Basic Income plans. Central Banks are lowering interest rates to zero or below zero to no effect, claiming they must have 2% inflation. This ain't gonna work because big business and even small to medium enterprises have all the money they need, the problem is impoverished poor & middle class don't have the money to spend to stimulate the economy and the rich, the 1% who have all the money don't spend much of their wealth in the Real Economy, they just park their wealth in assets that do zip for the 99%, that is the Real Economy. There is only two conclusions:
1) The Bankster Elites have a contempt for the 99% that really must be something close to absolute disdain and could care less how much they suffer.
2) The Bankster Elites don't want anyone to wise up on their incredible scam of allowing criminal Private Banks to create our money supply out of thin air, as a debt, our privately owned, privately controlled debt-money system, whereby private Banksters get to create 10's of $trillions and they are not even taxed on that welfare. If good citizens ever found out how easily the Federal Gov't could self-finance by public money creation, and cause a rapidly growing economy, that very much benefits the 99% rather than the 1%, that promotes domestic jobs & small business rather than big multi-nationals and foreign jobs - well there could be revolution!
If there was a World War tomorrow, a conventional not-nuclear war, like WWII, then our governments would be borrowing $trillions at interest, private banks would create that money by typing numbers into a computer, and suddenly like magic, Detroit is back to full employment. Shuttered factories are opened up, working at full capacity, 24/7, tanks, planes, ships, artillery, submarines, rations, rifles, missiles, bombs are rolling off the assembly line. Not only does the production of military hardware expand by a massive amount but consumer goods as well. Flint Michigan which can't afford a decent water supply, suddenly easily achieves that. Obama's fake 5% unemployment, becomes negative 40% unemployment, because the people working actually damn near double. The magic of money creation. Bombs don't cause deflation, ships are sunk and don't add to the goods being sold.
We can't do that with our crumbling infrastructure? Bull-SHITE! We can and we should. Build bridges not bombs. Create millions of good paying, honest jobs. And the domestic workers, i.e. not Obama's & Hillary's foreign workers, spend their income in the local economy, and create more jobs. So what's the problem. Oh, criminal Banksters have a seething hatred for public money creation. They figure money creation is their divine right.
Interesting ultra-conservative Finland, after trying the Banksters neoliberal economic policies has said Fuck-this, after 8 yrs of failure and they are the first country to start QE for the people. You got to hand it to the pragmatic Fins.
A must-see video that explains all of this:
"...In this special Winter Why Not? episode of the Keiser Report, Max Keiser and Stacy Herbert talk to Professor Steve Keen about solutions to our unpayable debts, including: basic income, a People’s Quantitative Easing and a global debt jubilee. Professor Keen explains why a modern debt jubilee could please both debtors and creditors, savers and spenders..."
https://www.rt.com/shows/keiser-report/326948-episode-max-keiser-853/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8cpNg0s7bg
An excellent documentary on the subject is 97% owned - Economic Truth Documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcGh1Dex4Yo
An Alternative to Capitalism (since we cannot legislate morality) Several decades ago, Margaret Thatcher claimed: "There is no alternative". She was referring to capitalism. Today, this negative attitude still persists. I would like to offer an alternative to capitalism for the American people to consider. Please click on the following link. It will take you to my essay titled: "Home of the Brave?" which was published in the OPEDNEWS: http://www.opednews.com/articles/An-Alternative-to-Capitali-by-John-Steinsvold-130326-864.html John Steinsvold "Give me neither poverty nor riches"Proverbs 30:8
The true definition of economic poverty is the inability of the individual to create economic value for himself or herself and/or for others.
This should be the only accepted definition of economic poverty in the public lexicon. We can only reduce economic poverty by enabling individuals to create legitimate value according to their own enlightened self-interest. We all have the inalienable right to have the opportunity to create legitimate value for ourselves and for others. In the long run, income inequality is the inequality of value creation. Society, through its governments, agencies, institutions, altruistic organizations, and enterprises has the obligation to promote and facilitate individual value creation by constantly improving the five essential resources:
1. A sense of positive persistence.
2. Knowledge of ways to create legitimate value.
3. Enterprises that provide the tools with which to create value.
4. Health and hygiene.
5. Security of rewards and security of person.
Establishing priorities, setting goals, formulating policies, growing public promotional organizations, enacting legislation, creating regulations, and promoting individualism to improve these five resources will provide the only possible holistic approach to reducing economic poverty. History proves that the failure of securing rewards dooms socialism everytime.
As an individual, as an enterprise, or as a national economy, when you consume more value than you create you have to relenquish capital. A trade deficit of $700 billion plus hemorages the demand out of our country for over 70 million jobs. Every dollar of trade deficit reduces combined Federal and State revenue by two dollars. We need trade agreements that enforce reciprocity. This should be our number one priority but it is never discussed in any of the debates. Until we reconstruct our individual and corporate tax base, we will only increase deficit spending with all of these pollyanna give aways until the house of cards falls in.
Without increasing taxable individual and corporate income from jobs in this country, who is going to create the commensurate value to pay for free community college education? Who is going to create commensurate value to pay for infrastructure? If any employee cannot create commensurate value for their pay rate, they will lose their job.
We need a flat 15% individual and corporate tax on all income. This would eliminate at least two thirds of a bloated and often abuse IRS bureaucracy . It would help to bring back enterprises to this country and it would stimulate entrepreneurism which means more value creation.
pabrex: There is an enormous magnification in the potential to communicate economic and social justice truth to the masses when going from Senator of Vermont to the the leader of the free world. Bernie has always spoke truth to power, and as President his message would finally reach everyone. His message is so powerful that if congress fails to act, I have every confidence in the world that we the people will finally take to the streets, and demand that change. If our so called representatives still refuse to get behind and follow us, then they'll be seeking employment elsewhere in the next election.
BTW: I love the label Democratic Socialist, but the media is cashing in on the rich man's demonization of the word Socialist, and taking full advantage of the ignorance surrounding it. Why not counter this with the label Fascist, which actually fits those who have purchased and control virtually the entire Teapublican Party????.
This is one of those "duh!" conclusions that everyone sort of knows but no one pays attention to until an economist spells it out. I caught your interview with Prof. Friedman, and he repeatedly said this was just basic stuff -- not rocket science. It makes perfect sense, too. When you rattle off "infrastructure spending, free public college, higher social security benefits, and a $15 dollar an hour minimum wage," what these four have in common is that (1) they can't be out-sourced to China or some other lower-wage country, (2) the money is being put to use here rather than hidden in the Caymans or "invested" in some foreign enterprise promising cheap labor, and (3) the local benefit to the U.S. economy and to the wellbeing of people here is both immediate and longlasting.
Bernie plan will get the economy going again. If it becomes too good again the Fed will use its monetary policies to create another recession or a complete bust. Relying on the Fed manage the economic cycles is a flaw in our economic policies. This flaw in our economic policies need to be corrected to strengthen the middle class, and lengthen the periods good economy activity.
The Fed has the ability to do a better job of performing it's mandates of employment and price stability. It could use the excess funds it returns to the federal government each year to slowly buy down all underwater mortgages as homeowners continue to make their monthly payments over a ten year period. This action by the Fed would stimulate the economy by increasing consumer confidence and disposable income. Inflating the housing bubble was the wrong way to heal the economy after the financial crisis of 2008. www.http://www.wp.me/p42WQA-7c
Fanni and Fredi could also help stimulate the housing market and the economy by agreeing to purchase the Asending Interest Rate Mortgage. http://www.wp.me/p42WQA-1Y
If wide spread principal reduction of underwater mortgages had been used, coupled with the low interest rates that the Fed created, the Great Recession would not have been so bad on main St. People would have been able to remain in their homes, and the unemployment rate would not have gone as high. If the 2% Apprection/Inflation Taxation Policy had been in the income tax code the bubbles in the period from 2000 to 2008 may not have occurred! http://www.taxpolicyusa.wordpress.com
Incomes could be raised on a sliding scale but if growing the middle class results in more resource use, climate change will be accelerated, Don't cheer when the GNP goes up.
No denying that he is creating a strong following, but that doesn't necessarily translate into a staunch, unwavering support once he's elected and things start getting tough. Not saying he's unelectable. Not saying he's out of touch. I'm saying that Americans typically don't stick around when the energy and inspiration of the revolution starts to wane.
Obviously he doesn't need the national media to talk about this platform - he is still creating a huge following. I'm not reacting to the corporate media. I'm listening to him and watching him and making my own decisions. Labels are meaningless to me. I don't care what he calls himself, I'm interested in what he's about and does.
I have to ask myself why someone who has been in congress for 30 years wasn't able to create enough support to make some of his big changes. He was an author of the ACA, at least I've heard him say that, and yet he didn't hold out for single payer then. Why does he think it will be any easier to do it when he's president and has a bigger target on his back as far as the congress thinks. He will have to rely on his big following to stand behind him then and I don't believe they will still be there.