Many outstanding points here! What happened (in a nutshell): The Reagan Democrats of the 1980s moved well to the right to merge with the Clinton wing in the 1990s. Their power came via the successful use of the media marketed to middle class liberals (MSNBC, etc.), pulling them well to the right.
The Clinton Dems took the first swings of the ax to the New Deal. Note that came to be called AFDC (former primary welfare program) was actually first included in FDR's Social Security Act -- the New Deal. It was later separated (Great Society) to focus on the realities of impoverished families, providing aid and creating that "ladder out of poverty" (education, job skills training, etc.). It was actually tremendously successful, and played a key role in the comparative prosperity and productivity of that era, from FDR to Reagan/Clinton. Democrats called it a "failure," and reversed course. We've seen a quite dramatic fall of overall quality of life in the US ever since.
Complex issues, but in a nutshell: Clinton ended actual welfare aid, and took the first steps to similarly "reform" Social Security, starting with the disabled. Post-Clinton liberal media serve this agenda by disregarding the consequences (our poverty crisis), and promoting middle class elitism (reframed as "working class"). Liberals embraced the old corporate ideology that our system is so successful, there are jobs for all, and poverty is merely a "lifestyle choice." This rook pressure off of those in power, enabling them to maintain the upward redistribution of our collective wealth, while ensuring that the "masses" remain divided and conquered.
No comments:
Post a Comment