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These people like the TFA’s author who come up with good-faith solutions to problems caused by those acting in (very) bad faith… I mean, bless their hearts, bu

These people like the TFA’s author who come up with good-faith solutions to problems caused by those acting in (very) bad faith… I mean, bless their hearts, but they just seem so completely naive. No policy will ever be pursued by the US government that gives more political or economic power to the poor and middle classes. Not ever.

GavinMcG 4y ago
That's historically not true, and especially in that light, such extreme pessimism seems irresponsible—by convincing people they're disempowered, you're just encouraging the result you hope to avoid.
- revscat 4y ago
  Name something that has benefited the poor or middle class that has passed within the last 50 years. Because what I see is… dick. Nada. What I see is never ending transfer of wealth upwards, without exception. Maternal leave? Get fucked. Universal health care? Lol no. Hell, legalized marijuana at the federal level? Fiiiiilibuster. Nah. I’m “encouraging” nothing. Just pointing out historical — and contemporary — reality.
  - Karunamon 4y ago
    Doubling the standard deduction.
  - photochemsyn 4y ago
    Well, the FDR presidency is kind of instructive. FDR succeeded in creating things like Social Security and various New Deal programs that definitely benefited poor people and bolstered the middle class (Rural Electrification and Homeowners Loan Corporation respectively, plus others). However, a key point he leaned on was that failure to act would lead to either a communist or a fascist revolution of the kinds seen in Russia and Germany. Such an argument would carry weight today.
  - GavinMcG 4y ago
    Obamacare.
0xbadcafebee 4y ago
Yep. The first US Constitution was actually scrapped because it gave too much power to the people. The founders knew that would only lead to disaster, so they drafted a second one that reigned in democracy and empowered oligarchy.

GavinMcG 4y ago

That's historically not true, and especially in that light, such extreme pessimism seems irresponsible—by convincing people they're disempowered, you're just encouraging the result you hope to avoid.

revscat 4y ago
Name something that has benefited the poor or middle class that has passed within the last 50 years. Because what I see is… dick. Nada. What I see is never ending transfer of wealth upwards, without exception. Maternal leave? Get fucked. Universal health care? Lol no. Hell, legalized marijuana at the federal level? Fiiiiilibuster. Nah. I’m “encouraging” nothing. Just pointing out historical — and contemporary — reality.
- Karunamon 4y ago
  Doubling the standard deduction.
- photochemsyn 4y ago
  Well, the FDR presidency is kind of instructive. FDR succeeded in creating things like Social Security and various New Deal programs that definitely benefited poor people and bolstered the middle class (Rural Electrification and Homeowners Loan Corporation respectively, plus others). However, a key point he leaned on was that failure to act would lead to either a communist or a fascist revolution of the kinds seen in Russia and Germany. Such an argument would carry weight today.
- GavinMcG 4y ago
  Obamacare.

0xbadcafebee 4y ago

Yep. The first US Constitution was actually scrapped because it gave too much power to the people. The founders knew that would only lead to disaster, so they drafted a second one that reigned in democracy and empowered oligarchy.