Elections

Time for a bracing dose of economic populism.

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…no one in a capitalist country should begrudge the earned wealth of the rich. But there must be some sense that the prospect of greater prosperity extends beyond the privileged. The policies of Fed chief Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner have done little for the small businesses on Main Street while enriching the owners and managers of financial companies by showering them with cheap money and implicit government guarantees for their survival. Top pay for CEOs of financial companies, including those bailed out by the taxpayers, has soared. The rise in stock prices has benefited the wealthiest 1% of the population, which owns some 40% of equities and 60% of financial securities.
 
[. . .]
 
…To succeed, the GOP needs a viable alternative to middle and working class voters who are losing faith in Obama-style crony capitalism but who do not want to replace it with policies focused on enhancing the bottom-lines of the top 1% of the population.

Joel Kotkin

Kotkin calls for a more populist GOP economic strategy.

Defense of crony capitalism has to be distinguished from defense of free markets.

That should be do-able.

But will they?

Democratic Party of Oak Park Grassroots Planning Session, Oak Park, IL; Tea Party/American Majority Grassroots/Activist Training, Oak Lawn, IL; 50th Wedding Anniversary Party, USA

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On June 11, 2011 I went to the Democratic Party of Oak Park Grassroots Planning Session at the Oak Park Public Library. It was run by OFA, Mr. Obama’s campaign organization. It was open to the public, so I walked in, to check it out. It was an interesting gathering. Many people from local government were there. There were also many people who were experienced activists who travelled recently to Wisconsin, and who were working for Mr. Obama in other states during the 2012 campaign. Oak Park’s activist community is to the Midwestern Democrat Party what India was to the Victorian Empire, a bottomless source of manpower that pays for itself and can be used for campaigns around the region. It was expressly stated at the meeting that Illinois is a source of manpower for other battleground states in the region. This is one more cost to Republicans of having declined so far in Illinois.

The speakers seemed to have trouble describing themselves. They never used the L word, so I guess they are not liberals anymore. Oddly, the word Progressive was not used as a regular thing, either. I thought Progressive was the new orthodox label. There were several awkward locutions, such as “people who want to bring about change” and “people committed to change.” I suppose the idea is to keep the idea of “change” in the forefront.

For these folks, the 2012 campaign is now on, full blast. It was impressive for an outsider to see the size and energy of the group gathered on a Saturday 17 months before the election.

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Live up to the Snake! (Name the Snake.)

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I have been going off about how we have to have a countervailing image to the Obama 2012 image in the zero, on a blue field, which I am already seeing all over the place.

The Gadsden snake in the zero, on a red field, is a good placeholder until the GOP has a candidate — and hopefully after.

We need a GOP candidate whose name can proudly be matched with the snake.

We need a GOP candidate who is serious about cleaning up the mess.

We need a GOP candidate who is not a squish.

We need a GOP candidate who will live up to the snake.

We all need to live up to the snake.

We need a name for the snake.

I don’t think the snake has ever had a name.

There’s a first time for everything.

I propose Ronald Gadsden Rattlesnake, a/k/a Ronnie Rattlesnake a/k/a Ronnie Rattler.

Ronnie for obvious reasons.

Your proposals are solicited. It will have to be really good to be better than Ronnie Rattler.

Snake 2012 stuff here.

American Majority Grassroots/Activist Training Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM (CT) Oak Lawn, IL

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Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people. Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.
 
American Majority along with the Chicago Tea Party will conduct a Grassroots/Activist training that will provide citizens with the tools necessary to win elections and implement limited government and free market principles.

I am going.

You should too.


What am I missing here?

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How about passing a bill that is about one page long.

It just says that any person or entity that requests a waiver of Obamacare can have it upon written request.

Since Obama is giving these out to his pals, just let everyone have it if they want.

Would this be a great issue or what?

Put it up for a vote and make the Democrats defend the bill and the waiver process.