More Evidence "Centrist" Solutions Can't Save Us

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http://www.opednews.com/articles/More-Evidence-Centrist-S-by-Richard--RJ-Esko-Crisis_Economy_Inequality_Political-150209-27.html



More Evidence "Centrist" Solutions Can't Save Us
By Richard (RJ) Eskow
OpEdNews Op Eds 2/9/2015 at 12:45:09

We have become a profoundly unequal society. That reality is explored in new detail in a recent study from the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET). Even more importantly, the INET study shows that it will take a dramatic shift in policy to restore the equilibrium. Unless we can build momentum for a new political agenda, we'll be divided into a small minority with fabulous wealth and a permanent underclass with few hopes or prospects.

Unfortunately, our mainstream political dialogue shows no sign of adapting to these realities. As the INET study confirms, mainstream Democratic ideas won't protect us from this dismal future.

Republican policies? Don't ask.

That's why it was discouraging to read in the New York Times this weekend that the presumed presidential nominee of the Democratic Party is "expected to embrace ... standard Democratic initiatives like raising the minimum wage, investing infrastructure, closing corporate tax loopholes and cutting taxes for the middle class" -- along with "newer" ideas like "providing incentives to corporations to increase profit sharing with employees and changing labor laws to give workers more collective bargaining power."

These ideas, while worthwhile, will not reverse our multi-decade descent into inequality. Nor does it seem likely that the "philosophy" of Hillary Clinton's advisers, as presented to the Times, will resonate with the voters who have lost so much ground during this process of decline.