- 1
- 2
The Unspoken Topic
If class has become our fundamental divide, why doesn't one of the candidates take up John Edwards's populist campaign?
For one thing, poor America doesn't vote enough; for another, many people have been convinced that with a little hard work they can escape their poverty. We still sell the American dream pretty effectively, even though there's no longer much truth to it. And that distracts people from the question of inequality. On the other hand, class and poverty issues sell better during a recession. If the economy keeps getting worse and Obama's popularity keeps exemplifying that race is no longer the fundamental issue, then I can imagine him making an Edwards-like issue of the fact that we have two Americas, one of which is getting left behind economically.
If racial preferences are not the answer, what is?
There are lots of little things to be done to close the economic gap in this country, but the big fixes would be extremely controversial. Start at the primary-school level and disconnect public-school funding from local property taxes. By funding all schools equally, two things are accomplished: the best schools are no longer in the richest areas, and the rich kids are spread out. What makes the most difference to school performance is not racial integration, as Richard Kahlenberg and others have argued, it's mixing the poor and the rich kids: the rich kids do no worse and the poor kids do better.
How do you think likely ballot initiatives to ban racial preferences in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma could impact the presidential race?
I think each candidate will say as little about it as possible. Whatever they do say will be need to be nuanced, basically the old Bill Clinton: "Mend it, don't end it." When I go on talk radio and say that race-based affirmative action is not the answer, the call-ins are all positive, but the moment I start talking about class-based programs and redistributing school funding the tenor of the calls shift and it becomes a game of "Who invited the communist professor?"
© 2008
- 1
- 2
Loading Menu
Member Comments
Posted By: Illinois Voter @ 03/28/2008 8:35:49 PM
Comment: Loans and Leadership by Paul Krugman March 28, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/28/opinion/28krugman.html?_r=l&oref=slogin
???policy proposals offer a window into a candidates??? political souls???their proposals arguably say a lot about the kind of president each would be???Hillary Clinton???the substance of her policy proposals on mortgages???like that of her health care plan suggests a strong progressive sensibility???Mrs. Clinton wants a modern version of the Home Owners??? Loan Corporation, the New Deal institution that acquired the mortgages of people whose homes were worth less than their debts, then reduced payments to a level the homeowners could afford.
Barack Obama???s followed the cautious pattern of his statements on economic issues???continues to make permanent tax cuts???his tax cut promises raise questions about how determined he really is to pursue a strongly progressive agenda???candidates??? positions on the mortgage crisis tell a tale at odds with the way they are often portrayed. Mrs. Clinton, we???re assured by sources right and left, tortures puppies and eats babies. But her policy proposals continue to be surprisingly bold and progressive.
???Mr. Obama, is widely portrayed as a transformational figure who will usher in a new era. But his actual policy proposals, though liberal, tend to be cautious and relatively orthodox.
Clinton Solutions for the American Economy-A New $2.5 Billion per Year Workforce Training Program
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=6785
???Make job retraining universally available to all dislocated workers, provide new Pell Grants to workers, and support on-the-job training opportunities. ???And while we have been rightly focused on trying to help people who are out of work, there???s been too little thought and effort to help people gain new skills while they still have their existing jobs-so they can move up or move on to higher-wage positions.??? ???Restore manufacturing in US and create more US jobs???Financed by Corporate Subsidy Commission, will identify unnecessary and outdated corporate subsidies and present to Congress for up or down votes.
Posted By: Illinois Voter @ 03/28/2008 8:35:27 PM
Comment: Obama Knows His Way around a Ballot by David Jackson & Ray Long, Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070403obama-ballot,0,1843097.story?,page=1
Some say his ability to play political hardball goes back to his first campaign???.His overwhelming legal onslaught signaled his impatience to gain office, even if that meant elbowing aside an elder stateswoman like Palmer???Obama???s first campaign clouds the image he has cultivated throughout his political career???first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it???
Posted By: votenic @ 03/27/2008 1:05:53 PM
Comment: <b>2008 Presidential Election Weekly Poll</b>
<a href="http://www.votenic.com">http://www.votenic.com</a>
Last Week's Results Just Posted!
New Video "America The Beautiful" Piano.
Vote Weekly!!!