President Obama recently spoke at a venue in an economically ravaged neighborhood in the Nation's Capitol. The focus of his speech: economic inequality. It was refreshing to actually hear the nation's chief executive address this issue. It's been a dog's age and it's long overdue.
Obama suggested that following through with the health care agenda would be helpful. Consider how easy it is to become medically indigent. One major medical event can do it! The full implementation of Obamacare, including the expansion of Medicaid would certainly make a dent. (Not as effective as the single-payer alternative or Medicare For All, but still a vast improvement).
He also offered a number of legislative remedies:
- better education, including making college more
affordable
- an increase in the minimum wage
- strengthening of unions.
Finally, the president summarized some of the principal causes of economic injustice:
- outsourcing of formerly stable jobs
- legitimization of "trickle-down ideology" including
tax cuts for the wealthy
- neglect of schools and infrastructure and their
ultimate deterioration.
But Congress is doing squat in regard to offering any sort of legislative remedies. Senator Patty Murray (D.-Wash) and Congressman Paul Ryan (R.-Ayn Rand), the chairfolks of their respective budget committees, managed to broker a compromise, enabling passage of a new budget with a minimum of fuss. I guess that in itself is considered a major achievement.
Parts of the sequester-fueled budget cuts are apparently being restored; that's progress. But none of the elements of Obama's speech are really being addressed. Additionally, food stamp allotments and the extension of unemployment compensation are being scaled back. Is it really fair or moral to sacrifice the welfare of folks desperately in need in order to broker a political compromise?
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, among others, seem to believe that some of these provisions can be reintroduced later. I hope they're right.
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