EJ Dionne: Redistributionist, and That’s Just Fine

[marmar]

from Truthdig:



Redistributionist, and That’s Just Fine

Posted on Mar 2, 2009
By E.J. Dionne


Our political system adjusts badly when the familiar landmarks erected during controversies of the past are swept away and prepackaged arguments become obsolete.

Starting with this week’s congressional budget hearings, it will be imperative to recognize the extent to which President Obama’s fiscal plan and the direction he set in his foreign policy speech on Friday have transformed the terms of the nation’s debate.

The central issue in American politics now is whether the country should reverse a three-decade-long trend of rising inequality in incomes and wealth.

Politicians will say lots of things in the coming weeks, but they should be pushed relentlessly to address the bottom-line question: Do they believe that a fairer distribution of capitalism’s bounty is essential to repairing a sick economy? Everything else is a subsidiary issue.

Some critics on the right have tried to change the subject by criticizing Obama for refusing to play the role of “a war president.” In fact, Obama has made clear that he wants to be a president who winds wars down, much as Dwight Eisenhower did with Korea after taking office in 1953. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20090301_dionne_redistribution/

[Wapsie B]

1. What seems to be lost on some is the fact that repugs redistribute wealth

as well as any Democrat ever did. The difference between the two is that repugs wish to send the money upwards to the upper class. The fact that this ends up punishing the lower classes is lost on some. Funny thing is when you reward the working class it enables them to buy more of the things like cars, houses, basic necessities, even luxury items produces by companies owned by the wealthy. So the money still filters upward, but it benefits more people in the process.