The Morning Plum: Obama’s big gamble

[ProSense]

The Morning Plum: Obama’s big gamble

By Greg Sargent
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In his State of the Union speech, President Obama mostly avoided direct assaults on Republicans and made the somewhat conciliatory suggestion that “most” Congressional Republicans want to rebuild the American people’s “trust” in Washington, inviting them to join him in doing just that.

But he then doubled down on precisely the argument that is the main point of contention with Republicans, arguing that the primary challenge we face is stagnating economic mobility and widening inequality, and crucially, that only an agenda of robust government intervention can reverse the larger trends underlying those problems and restore economic mobility and the American dream.

The current political tug of war breaks down as follows. Republicans want the Obama era to be seen as one of excess liberal governance thwarting our economic potential, leading to widespread misery. The primary vehicle for this argument is Obamacare — government interference is only leading to lost coverage, higher premiums, and crushed jobs. Only electing Republicans to Congress can act as a check on unbridled liberal governance and restore market-powered prosperity.

Democrats want to persuade Americans that only they have an actual policy program to deal with our primary problems — that the gains from the recovery are not broadly shared, that wages have stagnated, and that there aren’t enough jobs. The Dem case is that the Republican arguments against Obama’s signature domestic achievement are really a proxy for the same old GOP trickle down ideology, that only getting government out of the way — and keeping taxes and regulations low on rich people and job creators — can unleash the market potential that will miraculously lift up everyone below them.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/01/29/the-morning-plum-obamas-big-gamble/

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. Hopefully, people want to see action (which I believe most people do)

over Tea Party obstructionism.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. US poll: 7 in 10 say the govt should act to reduce the rich-poor gap

Such fears are fueling support for government activism. Seven in 10 say the government should take steps to reduce the gap between the rich and everyone else. There is considerable faith that it could have a significant effect. Four in 10 say it could have a lot of impact; another three in 10 say it could have some.

Support is even higher for government action against poverty: 82% say the government should take steps to reduce poverty, and 77% say government politics and programs can have an impact.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/23/pew-poll-obama-wealth-gap-sotu/4777385/

And 68% of international investors agree with them:

International investors say the gap between rich and poor hampers economic growth and that governments should act to reduce income inequality, according to a Bloomberg Global Poll.

Fifty-eight percent of global respondents say the disparity hinders the economy and 68 percent say governments should confront the problem, according to the Jan. 16-17 survey of 477 investors, traders and analysts who are Bloomberg subscribers. U.S. respondents are divided over the issue.
...
Across the world, poll respondents said the income gap is greater in the U.S. than in other developed countries, though more investors outside the U.S. were certain of it. Fifty-nine percent of American investors say income inequality is greater in the U.S. compared with 72 percent of investors in other countries who hold that view.

The majority opinion is consistent with statistical data.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/investors-assail-income-gap-as-68-in-poll-say-government-needed.html