Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers during the China Development Forum 2017 at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on March 20, 2017 in Beijing. (Photo: Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images)
Larry Summers as Joe Biden Advisor Adding to 'Major Trust Gap' Between Dem Nominee and Progressives
"If Summers were to land a top job in the Biden administration it would signal a clear shift to the right."
Progressives on Friday called on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to part ways with Larry Summers after it was reported that the economist is advising the former vice president's campaign on how to jumpstart the economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis passes.
"Talking to Larry Summers about economic policy is a declaration of war on everyone who doesn't own a vacation home," tweeted journalist Kelsey D. Atherton.
In a joint statement, Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement announced they are launching a petition asking Biden to disavow Summers, who the groups noted has a long history of advocating for harmful economic policies and a record of bigoted statements.
"Joe Biden has a major trust gap that he must overcome with progressives and voters under 45 who voted overwhelmingly against him in the primary and who he'll need to defeat Trump," the groups said. "Larry Summers' legacy is advocating for policies that contributed to the skyrocketing inequality and climate crisis we're living with today."
The groups listed a number of problematic statements made and positions taken by Summers over his career, including advocating for the Keystone XL pipeline, his opposition to a wealth tax, and comments dismissing the importance of women and African countries.
As Bloomberg reported, the economist's involvement in the Biden campaign was good news for those who had wondered about Biden's commitment to right-wing economic policies as the former vice president attempts to rhetorically win over supporters of former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):
Summers' involvement in Biden's campaign, however, offered some reassurance to Wall Street that Biden is not moving too far to the left from the centrist positions that earned him his establishment support.
But for progressives, the prospect of Summers being involved with the Biden campaign and his prospects in a hypothetical Biden presidency were the strongest indication yet that the former vice president intends to pursue right-wing economic policies if elected president.
"If Summers were to land a top job in the Biden administration it would signal a clear shift to the right," tweeted HuffPost's Zach Carter.
Political comedian James Adomian opined that the move was a direct attack on the left and sends a message that should not be ignored.
"There is no upside to appointing Larry Summers to anything. His record is 100% evil and failure," Adomian said. "Tapping him is exclusively a fuck you gesture with no other purpose."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just three days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Progressives on Friday called on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to part ways with Larry Summers after it was reported that the economist is advising the former vice president's campaign on how to jumpstart the economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis passes.
"Talking to Larry Summers about economic policy is a declaration of war on everyone who doesn't own a vacation home," tweeted journalist Kelsey D. Atherton.
In a joint statement, Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement announced they are launching a petition asking Biden to disavow Summers, who the groups noted has a long history of advocating for harmful economic policies and a record of bigoted statements.
"Joe Biden has a major trust gap that he must overcome with progressives and voters under 45 who voted overwhelmingly against him in the primary and who he'll need to defeat Trump," the groups said. "Larry Summers' legacy is advocating for policies that contributed to the skyrocketing inequality and climate crisis we're living with today."
The groups listed a number of problematic statements made and positions taken by Summers over his career, including advocating for the Keystone XL pipeline, his opposition to a wealth tax, and comments dismissing the importance of women and African countries.
As Bloomberg reported, the economist's involvement in the Biden campaign was good news for those who had wondered about Biden's commitment to right-wing economic policies as the former vice president attempts to rhetorically win over supporters of former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):
Summers' involvement in Biden's campaign, however, offered some reassurance to Wall Street that Biden is not moving too far to the left from the centrist positions that earned him his establishment support.
But for progressives, the prospect of Summers being involved with the Biden campaign and his prospects in a hypothetical Biden presidency were the strongest indication yet that the former vice president intends to pursue right-wing economic policies if elected president.
"If Summers were to land a top job in the Biden administration it would signal a clear shift to the right," tweeted HuffPost's Zach Carter.
Political comedian James Adomian opined that the move was a direct attack on the left and sends a message that should not be ignored.
"There is no upside to appointing Larry Summers to anything. His record is 100% evil and failure," Adomian said. "Tapping him is exclusively a fuck you gesture with no other purpose."
Progressives on Friday called on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to part ways with Larry Summers after it was reported that the economist is advising the former vice president's campaign on how to jumpstart the economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis passes.
"Talking to Larry Summers about economic policy is a declaration of war on everyone who doesn't own a vacation home," tweeted journalist Kelsey D. Atherton.
In a joint statement, Justice Democrats and the Sunrise Movement announced they are launching a petition asking Biden to disavow Summers, who the groups noted has a long history of advocating for harmful economic policies and a record of bigoted statements.
"Joe Biden has a major trust gap that he must overcome with progressives and voters under 45 who voted overwhelmingly against him in the primary and who he'll need to defeat Trump," the groups said. "Larry Summers' legacy is advocating for policies that contributed to the skyrocketing inequality and climate crisis we're living with today."
The groups listed a number of problematic statements made and positions taken by Summers over his career, including advocating for the Keystone XL pipeline, his opposition to a wealth tax, and comments dismissing the importance of women and African countries.
As Bloomberg reported, the economist's involvement in the Biden campaign was good news for those who had wondered about Biden's commitment to right-wing economic policies as the former vice president attempts to rhetorically win over supporters of former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):
Summers' involvement in Biden's campaign, however, offered some reassurance to Wall Street that Biden is not moving too far to the left from the centrist positions that earned him his establishment support.
But for progressives, the prospect of Summers being involved with the Biden campaign and his prospects in a hypothetical Biden presidency were the strongest indication yet that the former vice president intends to pursue right-wing economic policies if elected president.
"If Summers were to land a top job in the Biden administration it would signal a clear shift to the right," tweeted HuffPost's Zach Carter.
Political comedian James Adomian opined that the move was a direct attack on the left and sends a message that should not be ignored.
"There is no upside to appointing Larry Summers to anything. His record is 100% evil and failure," Adomian said. "Tapping him is exclusively a fuck you gesture with no other purpose."