Sirotablog
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.
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June 28, 2007 6:24 AM
A Telling Journey Through the Political Time Machine
A telling exercise that cuts through the absurd Beltway hyperventilating over a presidential election that's still 16 months away. Take a look at this quote and guess who said it?
"Every year Congress and the president sign laws that make us do more things and gives us less money to do it with, I see people...middle class people, their taxes have gone up in Washington and their services have gone down while the wealthy have gotten tax cuts...I've been out here meeting at meetings just like this with people like you, the people that have lost their jobs, lost their livelihood, lost their health insurance - what I want you to understand is...it is because America has not invested in it's people, it is because we have not grown...We've gone from first to twelfth in the world in wages...we produced no private sector jobs - most people are working harder for less money than they were making ten years ago, it is because we are in the grip of a failed economic theory."
Take a guess - was it:
- Bernie Sanders, socialist U.S. Senator
- John L. Lewis, President of the United Mine Workers
- Eugene Debs, Socialist presidential candidate
- Franklin Roosevelt, president
- George McGovern, Democratic nominee for president in 1972
- Dennis Kucinich, candidate for president in 2004 and 2008
- Noam Chomsky, author
- Ross Perot, candidate for president in 1992
- Martin Luther King, civil rights leader
- None of the above
The answer is here - it's the same person who did this, and this and this, and whose ideological disciples continue to preach a status quo designed to run middle-class America into the ground.
Today politics is dominated by candidates asking voters to choose Celine Dion theme songs. A quote like this is barely allowed to be whispered in the haircut-obsessed media discourse and Establishment-dominated political debate for fear of being called a ultra-leftist or a communist, and the answer about who originally delivered this quote should show you just how much American politics has unfortunately changed - and been corrupted into silence.
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About David Sirota
David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Hostile Takeover. He lives in Denver, Colorado. His daily blog can be found at CREDO Action. He contributes regularly to the Denver Post's Web site, is a senior editor at In These Times magazine and is working on his second book. He has been profiled in Newsweek and the Rocky Mountain News and is widely known for his reporting on political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties. Sirota serves as co-chair of the Progressive States Network, a 501(c)3 organization that supports state legislators and that is a partner of CREDO.
You can subscribe to Sirota's e-mail newsletter by going to davidsirota.com and signing up in the lefthand corner. To find out more about Sirota, download his official biography or see his recent media appearances. You can e-mail him at sirota@credoaction.com.
The views expressed on this blog are his own, and do not necessarily represent the views of Working Assets (publisher of CREDO Action) or the institutions Sirota works for.
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Recent Sirotablog entries
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More David Sirota
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This Modern World
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November 17, 2008 -
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October 27, 2008 -
October 20, 2008
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Discussion
Impressive debating, but like all the rest what did he do about the failed economic model? Joined it with NAFTA. To see why our system is failed and what to do about it read Parity Democracy. This book offers a plan for a new economic agenda and a new political party. New revision out by July 9. Amazon.com or BN.com
At first, the folksy tone "people just like you" etc. made me think it might be "W" -- shows you how much I have grown to believe political rhetoric resembles what the speaker actually thinks. Then, when it got to economic theory, I thought maybe McGovern or Bernie Sanders.
What's especially sad is how much momentum Clinton built in his campaign for changes like what he suggests here. I don't think people expect change from candidates anymore as a result. He promised so much and did very little good and much harm. That's the only way I can explain people possibly voting for Bush in a dress -- Mrs. Clinton, ironically.
At first, the folksy tone "people just like you" etc. made me think it might be "W" -- shows you how much I have grown to believe political rhetoric resembles what the speaker actually thinks. Then, when it got to economic theory, I thought maybe McGovern or Bernie Sanders.
What's especially sad is how much momentum Clinton built in his campaign for changes like what he suggests here. I don't think people expect change from candidates anymore as a result. He promised so much and did very little good and much harm. That's the only way I can explain people possibly voting for Bush in a dress -- Mrs. Clinton, ironically.
Clinton was a wolf in sheeps clothing. He campaigned as a populist but ruled as a elitist. His wife doesn't even try to hide the fact she's a blatant corporatist and shill.
That said, there is nothing stopping Edwards or anyone else from making a speech like that. Sure the MSM will scream but the candidate who makes that speech will get the attention of the working and middle-class voter. Two groups that no democratic candidate is even bothering to really engage.
Personally I don't think Edwards even has a clue how to reach out to most Americans. I think the two years he's been working for a hedge fund on WallStreet really ruined him and shot his credibility in the ass.
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