Bill Clinton's Secret Deal with Newt to Change SS

[zentrum]

Thomas Frank on WNYC public radio said just now, that in 1997, Bill Clinton made a deal with Gingrich to privatize Social Security.

Remember Newt's Contract With (On) America? This was part of it and Clinton agreed to support the SS transformation.

The only thing that saved it, according to Frank, was Monica Lewinsky. The scandal subsumed Clinton's administration and he had other things to focus on.

This is terrifying coming from a Democrat, and especially today--- with the possibility of the return of the Clintons to the WH.

You can listen to the whole 49 minute interview here:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/

The SS news is in the last 15 minutes. But the whole interview is highly recommended because Frank knows his onions when it comes to the history of the Democratic Party and the huge change that the Clintons and the New Democrats wrought in the party of FDR.

Earlier in the piece, Frank discusses the devastating effect the Clinton Welfare Reform had on poor families.

It was chilling. Do listen, no matter which Democrat you support.

Please do what you can to get this information out to your friends and relatives before they vote if they're in Primary States today.

[bkkyosemite]

1. And if HE and SHE get into office look out!

[zentrum]

2. Yup. Need people to know this.

It's not Democratic behavior.

[Dem2]

3. Well good thing he's not running this year

[tk2kewl]

5. Anyone who thinks Hillary isn't looking to close the deal...

on a globalized neoliberal corporatized/financialized future is deluded or not paying attention

[nichomachus]

7. They're a "team." Remember? nt

[calguy]

4. You BSers can BS about the Clintons all you want

It doesn't make a dime's worth of difference in the outcome. Hillary will be our nominee and all the right wing crap you can find and post won't change that.

[840high]

6. Please tell us which crap is incorrect?

[tk2kewl]

8. Thomas Frank is right wing?

[ljm2002]

9. Yep, and William Greider is "some blogger"...

...these people really give away their own ignorance on a daily basis.

And it is very telling that their ignorance is about truly liberal voices -- oh what a surprise.

[SheilaT]

10. Everyone should listen to this.

I've just placed his latest book on hold at my library.

Thomas Frank is amazing. I met him when he was on book tour with his first book What's the Matter With Kansas, where I was living at the time. I lot of people just see that title and assume he's simply bashing the state, and he's not. He grew up there. One of my friends who was active in Democratic politics at the time had been one of his seventh grade teachers. His book is incredibly insightful about what was going on at that time, especially in some place like Kansas.

[zentrum]

12. Agreed. His analysis...

....is pretty much always right on the head. He really gets it and is an excellent socio-political historian.

[Nanjeanne]

11. Thomas Frank - one of my heroes. Brilliant political analyst and historian. And he's funny too!

Must read his new book: Listen Liberal - just out. Recent review states:

With his trademark sardonic wit and lacerating logic, Frank lays bare the essence of the Democratic Party's philosophy and how it has changed over the years. A form of corporate and cultural elitism has largely eclipsed the party's old working-class commitment, he finds. For certain favored groups, this has meant prosperity. But for the nation as a whole, it is a one-way ticket into the abyss of inequality. In this critical election year, Frank recalls the Democrats to their historic goals-the only way to reverse the ever-deepening rift between the rich and the poor in America.

Guess it's too much to think Hillary Clinton supporters would read it?

[farleftlib]

13. Thanks for posting that

We need Bernie now! The party has been hijacked and it's past time we take it back.