McClatchy: Democrats push economic policy to better serve poor, middle class

[Pirate Smile]

Democrats push economic policy to better serve poor, middle class

By Kevin G. Hall
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Democrats in Congress are moving quickly to impose their economic agenda now that they've returned to power on Capitol Hill. They're shrugging off strong macro-economic indicators to spotlight sluggish wage growth and a rise in mortgage defaults, and they're even pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

Many Democrats campaigned against the trend of widening income inequality, and they're trying to make good on promises to push economic policy to better serve the poor and middle classes.

Democrats don't dispute that 4.8 percent unemployment is near historic lows. And they acknowledge that the economy continues to grow at nearly its potential, despite a housing recession.

Even so, they're homing in on narrower issues, such as a rise in mortgage defaults by holders of sub-prime loans, who tend to be minorities and working-class Americans. And they're addressing the job insecurity and general unease many Americans feel over how much the global economy now influences the U.S. economy.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16707974.htm

[Union Thug]

1. If I hear someone parading about with that bogus 4.8% unemployment number

again, I'm going to smack them.

[The Anti-Neo Con]

3. I'm with you.

Unemployment has to at least be DOUBLE that figure if not more.

[wellst0nev0ter]

4. So Only 3.7 Million Jobs Were Created Under Bush

in the six years he was president while more than 10 million new workers entered the labor force, and the unemployment rate has fallen?

I call bullshit on this.

[ryanmuegge]

5. Well, I think it goes to show that anyone can wrangle statistics to say anything they want.

Clearly, the raw numbers don't support the official unemployment rate.

I wonder if European countries use dubious unemployment numbers as well. If not, our "flexible" labor force makes us no better off, in terms of unemployment numbers, and we have a lot less of a social safety net.

[ryanmuegge]

2. How about an ideological shift, rather than a press release?

Neoliberalism (as well as the military industrial complex and the allocation of public funds necessary to fund such all of imperialim's shennaigans) needs to die. This is not going to happen unless all of the incumbent Democrats and Republicans are replaced by candidates outside of the Washington corporate money loop, or there's an ideological sea change (highly unlikely). Of course, no one can afford to run a campaign and win without Exxon money and Wal-Mart money, as we all damnwell know.

[Doondoo]

6. Enough with the talk. Let's see some ACTION!

[Vinca]

7. Some guy calling Washington Journal thinks we're a bunch of

whiners and that people shouldn't depend on the government for anything, they should be self-sufficient. Tell that to the vet with no arms or legs.

[Union Thug]

8. Libertarian fantasy alert!!! Sound the alarm...

Libertarians ... the selfish, indignant, eight year olds of the political world.