SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
It Started With NAFTA
Oct 01, 2008
Have you been shaking your head over the conservative Republican-left wing Democrat alliance that defeated the Bailout Bill? Look back to 1994, when Bill Clinton rammed the NAFTA enabling legislation through Congress with a narrow majority. I was sitting in the Gallery, and saw a fascinating political phenomenon. NAFTA was passed by a narrow majority made up of members from both parties, the corporatist Democrats (Clinton's Democratic Leadership Council) and the corporatist Republicans. Voting against? The populists on both sides of the aisle. The Representatives from blue collar districts around the country, populated by people who were divided by religion, by guns, by abortion, but united by a distrust, a deep and abiding distrust, of Wall Street and of the corporate elites who were so eager to take their jobs to Mexico, and then to China.
That divide has grown and grown, until today it defeated the bailout of Wall Street, despite the dire warnings of Congressional leaders from both parties. The conservatives who believe deeply in free enterprise, and mean it. Who do not believe that the government should bail out those who make bad choices. And the progressives who understand that Wall Street has no interest in building local economies in the United States, but is only interested in the quickest of quick bucks, driven by the lowest wage available worldwide.
So now, where does it go, this unholy alliance? Consider this: The progressives long ago gave up on socialism...they have embraced a sort of Adam Smith, national capitalism; local economies driven by local entrepreneurs. How different is this from the small town conservatives? Where do abortion, gun ownership, gay marriage fit into this equation? As distractions, which the Republican and Democratic leadership will try to resurrect quickly and decisively for the upcoming election. Will we let them? Can we imagine a new majority? A majority of economic populism?
Nothing is the matter with Kansas except our own gullibility.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Barbara Dudley
Barbara Dudley is an Adjunct Professor in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She is also co-chair of the Oregon Working Families Party, and a partner in Bethel Heights Vineyard in Polk County. She formerly served as President and Executive Director of the National Lawyers Guild, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, and Assistant Director for Strategic Campaigns of the national AFL-CIO.
Have you been shaking your head over the conservative Republican-left wing Democrat alliance that defeated the Bailout Bill? Look back to 1994, when Bill Clinton rammed the NAFTA enabling legislation through Congress with a narrow majority. I was sitting in the Gallery, and saw a fascinating political phenomenon. NAFTA was passed by a narrow majority made up of members from both parties, the corporatist Democrats (Clinton's Democratic Leadership Council) and the corporatist Republicans. Voting against? The populists on both sides of the aisle. The Representatives from blue collar districts around the country, populated by people who were divided by religion, by guns, by abortion, but united by a distrust, a deep and abiding distrust, of Wall Street and of the corporate elites who were so eager to take their jobs to Mexico, and then to China.
That divide has grown and grown, until today it defeated the bailout of Wall Street, despite the dire warnings of Congressional leaders from both parties. The conservatives who believe deeply in free enterprise, and mean it. Who do not believe that the government should bail out those who make bad choices. And the progressives who understand that Wall Street has no interest in building local economies in the United States, but is only interested in the quickest of quick bucks, driven by the lowest wage available worldwide.
So now, where does it go, this unholy alliance? Consider this: The progressives long ago gave up on socialism...they have embraced a sort of Adam Smith, national capitalism; local economies driven by local entrepreneurs. How different is this from the small town conservatives? Where do abortion, gun ownership, gay marriage fit into this equation? As distractions, which the Republican and Democratic leadership will try to resurrect quickly and decisively for the upcoming election. Will we let them? Can we imagine a new majority? A majority of economic populism?
Nothing is the matter with Kansas except our own gullibility.
Barbara Dudley
Barbara Dudley is an Adjunct Professor in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She is also co-chair of the Oregon Working Families Party, and a partner in Bethel Heights Vineyard in Polk County. She formerly served as President and Executive Director of the National Lawyers Guild, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, and Assistant Director for Strategic Campaigns of the national AFL-CIO.
Have you been shaking your head over the conservative Republican-left wing Democrat alliance that defeated the Bailout Bill? Look back to 1994, when Bill Clinton rammed the NAFTA enabling legislation through Congress with a narrow majority. I was sitting in the Gallery, and saw a fascinating political phenomenon. NAFTA was passed by a narrow majority made up of members from both parties, the corporatist Democrats (Clinton's Democratic Leadership Council) and the corporatist Republicans. Voting against? The populists on both sides of the aisle. The Representatives from blue collar districts around the country, populated by people who were divided by religion, by guns, by abortion, but united by a distrust, a deep and abiding distrust, of Wall Street and of the corporate elites who were so eager to take their jobs to Mexico, and then to China.
That divide has grown and grown, until today it defeated the bailout of Wall Street, despite the dire warnings of Congressional leaders from both parties. The conservatives who believe deeply in free enterprise, and mean it. Who do not believe that the government should bail out those who make bad choices. And the progressives who understand that Wall Street has no interest in building local economies in the United States, but is only interested in the quickest of quick bucks, driven by the lowest wage available worldwide.
So now, where does it go, this unholy alliance? Consider this: The progressives long ago gave up on socialism...they have embraced a sort of Adam Smith, national capitalism; local economies driven by local entrepreneurs. How different is this from the small town conservatives? Where do abortion, gun ownership, gay marriage fit into this equation? As distractions, which the Republican and Democratic leadership will try to resurrect quickly and decisively for the upcoming election. Will we let them? Can we imagine a new majority? A majority of economic populism?
Nothing is the matter with Kansas except our own gullibility.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy