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It is pretty silly - it reminds of things we used to see in school
in Cold War America - "What Do Communists Believe?" (nothing good.)
Only here "Conservatives" are the bete noire - as if the world of
political opinion were divided between two ideal types, which
exhaust the possibilities. What nonsense.<br>
<br>
But I need to invoke News From Neptune's "Incompleteness Principle"
(viz. & to wit, "No One Can Be Wrong All The Time"). There's
actually one good paragraph in this mishigas, viz & to wit:<br>
<br>
"Democrats help radical conservatives by accepting the deficit frame
and arguing about what to cut. Even arguing against specific 'cuts'
is working within the conservative frame. What is the alternative?
Pointing out what conservatives really want. Point out that there is
plenty of money in America, and in Wisconsin. It is at the top. The
disparity in financial assets is un-American -- the top one percent
has more financial assets than the bottom 95 percent. Middle class
wages have been flat for 30 years, while the wealth has floated to
the top."<br>
<br>
Ignore the "frame" nonsense. He means rightly that there is no
deficit problem. "Deficit" stands for the difference between
government revenues and expenditures. The later often exceeds the
former, and the government borrows to make up the difference. <br>
<br>
It needn't. The government should tax away the money it needs from
the very rich rather than borrowing it from the same people and
paying them interest!<br>
<br>
A 15% tax on investible assets (as opposed to income or even net
worth) over $1 million would have eliminated last year's deficit -
and 99% of Americans would have been exempted from that tax. <br>
<br>
Of course the budget should be adjusted - and not because of a
deficit - but in ways just opposite to what the Obama administration
is actually doing. To reverse the American bromide, "Millions for
tribute to human needs, not one penny for defense!” --CGE<br>
<br>
<br>
On 2/20/11 12:49 PM, David Green wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:493580.20038.qm@web65408.mail.ac4.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
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<div>It's "progressive" analyses like these that keep us mired
in the dark ages:</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p>"Conservatives really want to change the basis of American
life, to make America run according to the conservative
moral worldview in all areas of life.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the 2008 campaign, candidate Obama accurately described
the basis of American democracy: Empathy -- citizens caring
for each other, both social and personal responsibility --
acting on that care, and an ethic of excellence. From these,
our freedoms and our way of life follow, as does the role of
government: to protect and empower everyone equally.
Protection includes safety, health, the environment,
pensions and empowerment starts with education and
infrastructure. No one can be free without these, and
without a commitment to care and act on that care by one's
fellow citizens.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The conservative worldview rejects all of that."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lakoff makes no attempt to discern what Obama and Democrats
actually believe, and what explains their behaivor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/20">http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/02/20</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<br>
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