The tax burden was shifted from the rich to the middle class during the Reagan administration, partly by the open revision of the tax brackets, and partly by the underhanded raising of the payroll tax to compensate for the reductions in the income tax. During the 18 years since Reagan left office, Democrats have controlled Congress for six of those years and the White House for eight. Yet no efforts have been made to reverse this change to the tax code.
The first of the so-called “free trade” agreements that encourage exporting of U.S. capital to foreign tyrannies, where factories can be built and staffed by workers whose basic rights are denied and who are payed a meager pittance, was also entered into during the Reagan administration. But the process accelerated during the Clinton years. It was the Clinton administration that passed NAFTA and sought most-favored nation status and membership in the WTO for China.
The Clinton administration also continued the imperialistic pattern that was set during the Truman years. In the post-Cold War era, he and the first Bush both sought to clothe their military aggressions in international legitimacy, while the second Bush has discarded that fig leaf, but the actions are not remarkably different in themselves.
The Clinton administration was also one of the least environmentally-friendly in U.S. history – until his successor anyway.
The reason for all of this is not hard to find. Follow the money. Look at who receives corporate donations. Both parties do. Both parties depend on that money to fund their campaigns. Now, it’s true that under Howard Dean’s leadership, the DNC has begun to shift away from that and seek more in the way of grass-roots funding. Perhaps it will make a difference. But given the recent history of Democrats in government, I will need to be shown.
I’m glad this election went the way it did, because at least there’s a chance the Democrats will have learned from their time in exile. But it’s not a given. We shall see.
I agree that Democrats are not perfect, but I think it is blatantly unfair to lump them in with Republicans since Bush has been elected. The recent resurgence of contempt for government should be reserved primarily for the Republican party, while the general historical contempt should be applied to both parties.
Omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1993
Things I would like to see.
Gutting of the military to less than 1/8th of it’s current size.
Taxes cut for the poor and middle class, and raised substantially for Big Business and the ultra-wealthy.
Severing ties between politicians and Big Business, destroying the revolving door. Related: Lobbying heavily curtailed.
More transparence in the government.
and more.
If any one of these are to be achieved, it will be acheived by the Democrats and Democrats only.
people tend only to agree or disagree at older ages rather than just having a mind of clay, they do not make major changes in their beleif or mindset so easily as a child.
