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Michael Baker's avatar

I agree with your column. The entire thing. And have campaigned, voted and written about it (in my small way). So, here's the thing: 45 years ago Reagan started supply-side economics, started the breaking of unions, the erosion of the middle class. His election paved the way for the rise in housing costs since corporations started seeing it as a way to make money. Privatization leads to expensive health care, housing, everything. Yes, Democratic politicians, including (Bill) Clinton and even Obama fed into this. But the only - and I mean only - Republican policies are tax cuts (for the wealthy), privatization and military budgets (for more contracts for the wealthy). They have opposed every useful worker-related thing over the years: health Care, minimum wage increase, good working conditions, fair pay, unions and on and on. If Republicans had their way - and they probably will, we'd be living in the 1890s or some techno-feudal society. So my question is: Why is it only the Democrats that pay for it? Why is it that Republicans aren't blamed; that they are the party of the workers; the better economic party (despite crashes and deficits)? Why? Because RW media is so strong and powerful that they've convinced the lemmings of it . Brainwashed them daily for 40 years. JVL mentions it as asymmetry; that the media give Republicans a pass and go after Democrats. And they do, and have done for years and years. What would even new leaders of the Democratic party do to fight that?

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