dagblog - Comments for "Progressive Programs - as seen by white rurals (envy)"

And what did Hillary say on

PeraclesPlease — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 09:35:00 +0000

In reply to "what does Hillary's success

And what did Hillary say on student loans?

1) refinancing student loans at normal preferred industry rates of 2.15% (variable) - 3.25% (fixed)

2) peak repayment of 10% of monthly income, max 20 years of repayment, forgiveness in 10 years for public svc

3) push employers to include student loan benefits

4) 3 year deferment when starting a business; $17.5K forgiveness for social entrepreneuring

5) Loan forgiven with 3 years in Americorps or 10 years with a qualified socially aware employer

So is that a good progressive start for her?

And apparently student loans aren't just a millennial/Gen X problem:

ETA - maybe current administration hasn't bought into all this.

"what does Hillary's success

EmmaZahn — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 07:43:04 +0000

In reply to You'll have to define terms

"what does Hillary's success in the primaries and the popular vote tell us there's demand for?"

Electoral reform? That's not a bad place to start. Probably best not to start with the eliminating the Electoral College. That would require a constitutional amendment. Better to try for state level reforms of gerrymandering and proportional rather than winner-takes-all electoral votes. Republicans now have total control of the government of half the states so don't expect change to come easy or soon.

"How much taxing Wall Street to pay for social programs qualifies as "progressive" and does pushing jobs programs and relief count?"

Zero, no, and no. At present Wall Street and any other entity holding surplus dollars are quite willing to, in fact, insistent on, 'lending' a substantial portion of them back to US on very favorable terms. In fact, they would even pay US to hold their dollars for them (negative rates on Treasuries) if the "Wall Street' would let them. And, they have a voracious appetite for government guaranteed student and mortgage loans. Why aren't rates on those much, much lower? Oh, and why not give the Social Security Trust Fund first choice on those loans? I haven't check lately but last time I did, the government paid it around 3% on what it borrowed for the general fund while it was charging 6% and up on student loans. That's quite a spread. I wonder to whose benefit.

What fiscally progressive means to me is letting the government benefit more from the programs it already guarantees for private benefit. It means advocating for sovereign wealth funds as an alternative and benchmark for private investment funds; for more independent government corporations like TVA; for a public health insurance option and even better actual health care reform - more doctors, nurses, lab techs, etc. and provide the facilities they need to practice.

Conservatives want to run government like a business. Progressives should give them what they want -- just in a way they don't expect.

You'll have to define terms

PeraclesPlease — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 22:57:00 +0000

In reply to The presumption here is that

You'll have to define terms before I bite. Hillary for example was talking about fixing the student loan mess before the primaries started. I suspect we're in "not fiscally progressive enough" territory, but Bernie like Donald didn't much lay out specifics, and where he did it looked quite dodgy. How much taxing Wall Street to pay for social programs qualifies as "progressive" and does pushing jobs programs and relief count? Aside from 3rd way candidates, what about the large # of 3rd way voters? (I was reading about Bill's testing the waters on Social Security when 3/4 of Dem voters wanrtednted to shore it up and make itt more an asse - trends and fashion do change. And what does Hillary's success in the primaries and the popular vote tell us there's demand for? Funny when Hillary finished a very strong #2 in 2008 they didn't say, "Hey lady, the democrats should align itself with your ideas!" She may have aligned herself with Obama for this campaign as a matter of expediency and strategy, but her original direction and style was quite a bit different.

The presumption here is that

EmmaZahn — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 21:01:59 +0000

In reply to Progressive Programs - as seen by white rurals (envy)

The presumption here is that Third Way Clintonism is economically progressive. It is not. Was never meant to be. Its introduction was when a lot of Dems began describing themselves as socially progressive but fiscally conservative. Currently there is no viable fiscally progressive political party in the USA but Bernie Sanders success indicates that there is demand enough for one. That is where the Democratic Party should be refocusing their energies because the future of everyone not a STEM graduate is darkening.