20 thoughts on “Tuesday Open Thread”

1. WOTD from Brad DeLong: "To the right of the center, Rubble, more rubble and then neo-fascsim."

   On the center and to the left, those like me in what used to proudly call itself the Rubin Wing of the Democratic Party—so-called after former Treasury Secretary Bob Rubin, and consisting of those of us hoping to use market means to social democratic ends in bipartisan coalition with Republicans seeking technocratic win-wins—have passed the baton to our left. Over the past 25 years, we failed to attract Republican coalition partners, we failed to energize our own base, and we failed to produce enough large-scale obvious policy wins to cement the center into a durable governing coalition. 

   We blame cynical Republican politicians. We blame corrupt and craven media bosses and princelings. We are right to blame them, but shared responsibility is not diminished responsibility. And so the baton rightly passes to our colleagues on our left. We are still here, but it is not our time to lead. 

   On the right, however, things are much worse. Looking to the right of the Rubin Wing of the Democratic Party, we see rubble. Then we see more rubble. And more rubble. Beyond that, rubble. And then, at the far end of the political spectrum, what former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright can only call the American version of a twenty-first century neo-fascism, devoted to entrenching plutocracy and stoking ethnic and religious hatreds, with which a great many people who ought to know better are making accommodation.

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   1. The xenophobic policies of the Trumpturd Administration are causing major damage to employers and H1-B visa workers (unless you are applying for or renewing a minimum wage job at a Trump-owned hotel or golf club, naturally).

      http://ireader.olivesoftware.com/Olive/iReader/DenverPost/SharedArticle.ashx?document=TDP%5C2019%5C02%5C26&article=Ar00103

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   2. I'd contest just where he places the center, but yeah… there's a lot of desolate land between the center and the population hub of the wingnut right.

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      1. Brad DeLong is an Economics Professor with previous Washington experience in the Clinton (I believe) presidency. He would say he is from the social-democratic-left , i.e. the "Rubin-wing" of the Party, i.e. to the left of Obama, who consistently put forth centrist or center-right policy ideas. DeLong is often very interesting for his expertise on the history of economics.

         His thoughts are coming after attending a policy conference at the centrist, Niskanen Center, on which he sits as a board member. 

         The Center Cannot Hold – Its Rubble, also.

         DeLong is pointing out that everything to the right of "center-left" is rubble, i.e. a wasteland in terms of policy proposals. Centrist proposals have been a failure for (1) solving the actual problems facing the country (Wage Collapse, Climate Change, Health Care Costs, Universal Health Insurance), and (2) serving as a compromise between the left or the right (oh the stupidity of Republicans). 

         What is the Centrist solution to compare with the Green New Deal? (Cap&Trade?)

         What is the Centrist solution to compete with Medicare Expansion? (Obamacare?) 

         What is the Centrist solution to skyrocketing College debt and wages that have lost 1/3 to 1/2 of their purchasing power since the 1960s?

         You can see the same rubble on this site: the conservatives expend a lot of energy criticizing the ideas from the left, but they never have positive suggestions of their own.

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         1. As opposed to the intellectual rigor of:  Free stuff. Must have Free Stuff!

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            1. And only rich people will be required to pay for the free stuff. And the reparations, too.

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2. Five Thirty Eight has an interesting look at the Democratic Primary. 

   The polling question is "Who is your second choice?". This is important because certain candidates have regional strengths, and are likely to win one or another of the big early-primary states. As Kos points out the question then becomes who comes in second in the other big, early states.

    – In terms of first choice, Biden & Sanders are way out in front, with Harris & Warren next.
    – Biden, Sanders & Warren are the leading second-choice candidates. 
    – Sanders & Warren share a chunk of the same supporters.

   Biden, Sanders & Warren rank pretty high as you would expect based on name recognition and long-term presence in the national news.

   Kamala Harris does relatively well given that she is a newer entrant to national politics. 

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3. Mark Harris just dropped out of the race for the  N.C. 9th, citing health issues. https://www.facebook.com/msnbc/videos/2264528490271118/

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   1. Who knew not being able to get away with fraud qualified as a health issue?

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      1. In the hearing he said he suffered a pair of strokes in January. He'd have lost the primary anyway.

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         1. And I totally believe him.

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      2. Will the Affordable Care Act provide coverage for that?

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   2. Thankyou Jesus. . . .

      . . . now, about that President thing?

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   3. And look who stepped up to replace him! https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/26/1837949/-GOP-to-run-Boss-Hogg-in-NC-09?utm_campaign=recent

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      1. Good Grief! Talk about walking themselves from the trap to the cookpot. If this guy doesn't get clobbered there's no hope for N.C. Dems.

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      2. What …you trying to hurt me?

         I haven't laughed that hard in a good long while. The comments are hilarious. I laughed til I couldn't breathe…😄

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         1. These comments, or the ones in the link?

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4. socialism and reparations…..

   https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/02/26/democrats_are_wrapping_a_gift_for_trump_139576.html

   Am I correct in presuming that only rich people will pay the reparations?

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5. “I actually worked”…

   Enjoying the Ivanka – Alexandria Twitter feud. Ivanka's condescending rants about "free stuff"  reminds me of the refrain of many on this blog.

   As a person who actually worked for tips & hourly wages in my life, instead of having to learn about it 2nd-hand, I can tell you that most people want to be paid enough to live.

   A living wage isn’t a gift, it’s a right. Workers are often paid far less than the value they create. https://t.co/P5FsQuhCTW

   — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 26, 2019

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   1. No free stuff for her! . . .

      "People want to work for what they get. So, I think that this idea of a guaranteed minimum is not something most people want."

      Yeah, that’s exactly the way it works in her personal family experience?!? And, she’s supposed to be the smart er, not a total fucking idiot, one?!!? Fuxsakes . . . 

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