It would be great if people believed we could do better instead of.....

[Armstead]

continually settling for the Boot of Unbridled Neoliberal Corporate Capitalism.

Just imagine if there was an election that allowed an alternative to the bullshit that there is no other form of capitalism than the Crony Corporate Capitalism that has bought our government and its elected officials -- and thrown the rest of us to the wolves so the CEO's and Wall St. sharks can buy their 10th Vacation McMansion.

Economics and business and politics are really, really complicated, But ultimately, it really is that straightforward a choice.

[DanTex]

1. Hyperbole, from a Bernie fan? No way!

[Armstead]

2. No hyperbolie in the least. I wish it were.

[JoePhilly]

4. "Unbridled Neoliberal Corporate Capitalism"

Nope ... no hyperbole there.

[Armstead]

7. You don't think that's what we have?

How do you explain 2008, and the fact that the wealthy and corporations are better off than before, and yet still don't want to invest in America or support American workers or provide living wages?

How do you explain that in almost every industry you can think of, we went from hundreds or thousands of small, mid-sized and large businesses to dominance by a handful of corporate Empires?

How is it that when we moved to broadening access to health care Big Insurers had more input and influence that advicates of public coverage.......And we were left with a system in which insurance companies have MORE power (a captive market by law) and are jacking up prices, and forming even bigger monopolies?

How is it that our Progressive Democratic President (who I like in many ways) is pushing for a trade agreement negotiated in secret and being rammed through Congress, with virtually no opportunity for public condsideration, or change?

Hyperbolie? Okay sure. IF you think that's all hunky dory, that's what makes horse racing.

[JoePhilly]

10. You make my point over and over.

On 2008, the country was in free fall. Now it's not.

Obama saved the auto industry. You must have missed it. Extended UE benefits, missed tgat too apparently.

The ACA will save my niece's life, and the lives of millions of others. You don't seem to care.

Trade agreements are all negotiated in secret. It's now online for you to read and complain about.

Hey ... When will Obama gut social security and Medicare ... weren't you sure that was going to happen?

[Armstead]

11. And you make my point about settling for less

I'm not saying Obama didn't do some good things, but mostly holding actions. But we could have done much more to actually change the systemic problems that led to 2008, and will lead to another, or else a long continued slide in that direction.

The country may not be in free-fall, but we're not doing all that well. And it's still a top up "recovery."

"The ACA will save my niece's life, and the lives of millions of others. You don't seem to care." It was good to have the no pre-existing conditions. But How many others are still left in the cold because they can't afford coverage because they slip through the cracks? How many people and families are getting overburdened by continual rises in insurance costs? Why could nt we even take a little step towards truly universal coverage with a mild public option/Medicare expansion?

And within the compressed timetable, and the overwhelming complexity and the silent media we going to have an actual consideration of the TPP? Yeah sure. And why do we keep doing these trade agreements? You think the fact that most of our manufacturing is in China and other overseas countries is a coincidence? And do you think its a good idea to allow companies to overturn local and national laws if they "interfere with trade"?

SS didnlt get weakened because people stood up and yelled about it.

And you totally ignored my pretty little charts.

[JoePhilly]

12. I'm on a phone, and ignored nothing.

What I did is show your claims are hyperbole more than anything else.

The ACA saves my niece, but since us dies not save everyone, it's bad. If that's the litmus test, you will hate the next president too even if it is Bernie.

On TPP, you can read it and call your representatives, the people you voted for. Btw, China is not part of the TPP. It's in part a response to their influence in that region. What's your plan there?

[Armstead]

14. I was referring to the similar debates over trade agreements with China in the 90's

It isn't an accident that since those agreements, China has become Valhalla for American Corporations seeking a cheap source of plantation labor.

Please don't use individual successes the ACSA in that way. How about people who continue to get sicker or died because they can't coverage and fall through the cracks? Or the increasing burdens that are being placed on families and businesses to pay rising costs of coverage?

ON TPP, my Senator is Elizabeth Warren, so I can save myself a stamp on that one.

[Mnpaul]

17. Word

HR 3228 IH

108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3228

To withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of the People’s Republic of China.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 2, 2003


Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. WAMP, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. GOODE, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. CLAY, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. FILNER, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. EVANS, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. COBLE, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. TOWNS, and Mr. BACA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To withdraw normal trade relations treatment from the products of the People’s Republic of China.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. WITHDRAWAL OF NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS TREATMENT FROM THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

Notwithstanding the provisions of title I of Public Law 106-286, title IV of the Trade Act of 1974, or any other provision of law, effective on the date of the enactment of this Act, normal trade relations treatment shall not apply to the products of the People’s Republic of China, and normal trade relations treatment may not thereafter be extended to the products of that country.

Colin Peterson? Didn't expect to see that name in there.

[Armstead]

8. THis

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[sabrina 1]

3. We don't have to imagiine it. We have that choice in this election.

Is there some reason why you don't feel you have a choice this time? I am thrilled and excited to see that our democracy is still working and that absent the Super Pac smear campaigns etc, not as effective these days since we are so aware of them and who funds them, we DO have a choice to put someone in the WH and to elect only real Dems who are not beholden to Wall St, to Congress.

This is one of the most exciting elections we've had for a long time.

[Armstead]

5. I'm perhaps letting ironic understatement go too far

I appreciate your positivity. Really.

Yes we have a choice. It's a choice I've been hoping for since the 80's. I'm thrilled to see it actually finally entering the political mainstream. Shoulda happened 20 years ago.

But I am also frustrated by the level of opposition from this side of the spectrum to that. It's to be expected from the Rebubs, but too many here are willing to settle for, and aggressively defend, the status quo yet again.

[Fumesucker]

6. It's to be expected, the hyperpartisanship of the Republican party has driven many from their ranks

Now those erstwhile Republicans are trying to influence the Democratic party in their preferred economic direction.

[MisterP]

9. that's the whole party war: it's not even "do we want war and bankruptcy so the rich get richer?"

it's "can we do better" vs. "take what you're given and like it"
it's "talk to the saner Pubs" vs. "have them expelled from our sacred Safe Space. Preferably while chanting"
it's "we're adults; we can demand things from Washington" vs. "Americans near power are a baby near a stove: sometimes you have to scoop them up or even swat their hands away, for their own good"

[Armstead]

15. Well I'm glad you LOVE Hillary Clinton

I hope my biased little theory turns out to be overly pessimistic.....But somehow I doubt it. Check with me in five years and see if your love turns out to be requited or not.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. But..but...it'll be different this time. K&R

All that's needed is a newer version of a Neolib president.

[Godhumor]

18. If I knew with 100% certainty that whomever we nominated would become president

Clinton would still be my first choice.

[giftedgirl77]

19. I vote for Democrats not so called "independents"

that bash our party & ppl constantly. Then decide that once they want to run for president it would be better to run as a Dem so maybe he can siphon some of the minority votes bc he did march with MLK after all. Oh & since he's running let him introduce some legislation that he couldn't do the last 30 yrs in congress but can do now that he's campaigning. Last but not least let's vote for the guy that can't get any recommendations from the ppl that work with him day in day out because you know in the real world nobody deals with letters or recommendations or references when trying to get an appointment or employment.

These silly ass games are getting really dumb.

[LWolf]

20. I know we can do better.

Why do people allow themselves to settle?

[JaneyVee]

21. Capitalism will always exist.

As long as people are able to invent and create things, people are willing to buy it. We need tighter market regulations like the Wall Street plan Krugman endorses.