Thursday, March 28, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor

Democrats (including The New York Times) Belatedly Discover The "E" Word


November 19, 2014 --

Once the election returns were in, Democrats and The New York Times realized that perhaps the left should have focused more on the economy -- admitting that it is not doing as well as the stock market would suggest. But then, how could Democrats (and The New York Times) have campaign on a theme of improving the lives of miccle class voters after President Obama praised , at a glitzy fundraiser at Gwyenth Paltwo's backyard in Brentwood, CA the economy's growth during his presidency. Democrats campaigned with appeals to women, African-Americans, labor, HIspanics. And so, Democrats, under the leadership of President Obama, ignored the advice in Federalist No. 57 that officials should appeal to "the common good."

A November 11 article in The New York Times, by David Leonhardt, began by asking: "How does the Democratic Party plan to lift stagnant middle-class incomes?" Leonhardt noted that median income for 2013 was lower by $2,100 than when President Obama took office in 2009, and $3,000 lower than when President Bush was inaugurated in 2001.

As LPR read the article, Leonhardt seemed to be suggesting, as did John F. Kennedy when he campaigned for president in 1960, that the answer for a stagnant economy is a tax cut. But Leonardt did not leave it at thet, concluding with the suggestion that the middle class get "a version of the mininum-wage increase." By executive order?