David Gergen on AC360: Ronald Reagan was a Socialist!
(Heather co-wrote this post)
This clip has a lot of goodies in it including Palin bring up her clothes right before the election and David's shock at the circling firing squad by the McCain camp directed at Sarah.
What is rare is to have campaign aides putting a harpoon in the candidate, and then some of the candidate's friends firing back.
But on a serious note, As McCain keeps attacking Obama as a "socialist" and a "Redistributionist in Chief," David Gergen reminds us that Ronald Reagan actually starting "spreading the wealth."
Gergen: Now, one of the most effective popular programs we've had in the last three decades. It's called the earned income tax credit. It's a program whereby, if you're a working person, a working couple and you're below the poverty line, the government will actually give you money. That's a redistributed program. It's a program which takes money from the upper classes and gives it to the lower -- to the working poor.
Now who started that program? The earned income tax credit? Ronald Reagan. It was one of the -- it was an achievement of the Reagan administration that Bill Clinton then built on.
The Republican Party has been dancing on Reagan's bones for some time now as THE conservative to emulate. Well, he did raise taxes when he had too and after this tidbit of information I guess he's just a typical socialist after all.
Full transcript available here.
(From Anderson Cooper 360 Oct. 27, 2008 a mash up of David Gergen's remarks.)
COOPER: And, yet, David, yesterday, they were surprised because Hasselbeck brings is up, and then Sarah Palin talks about it quite extensively, not just about accessories, but about the wardrobe. I mean, how damaging is something like this?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's damaging in a couple of ways, Anderson.
You know, we were -- just late last week, we were talking about the fact that -- that there was a very, very tight window in which McCain had to turn the momentum in this campaign...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: Right. You said three, four days.
CROSSTALK)
GERGEN: ... Monday. Three or four days. And we were talking about that last Thursday, Friday.
Here we are on Monday night now, and we're still talking about Palin's wardrobe. I mean, that's exactly where they -- what they do not want to be talking about, if they're going to have a fighting chance to -- to win this.
And the second thing, you know, we have heard for the last few days, well, it's not unusual to have finger-pointing in a campaign, a lot of aides backbiting each other. What is rare is to have campaign aides putting a harpoon in the candidate, and then some of the candidate's friends firing back. That is -- that is extremely rare. It does seem to me that's -- that's disloyal to the candidate. It's unfair to the candidate.
Whatever else you think about Sarah Palin, she does not deserve to be taking shots from within -- within her own campaign.
[....]
COOPER: David, I see you kind of shaking your head.
GERGEN: Oh, it's just -- it's absurd. It's absurd that we're sitting here...
KING: Yes, it is.
GERGEN: ... talking about her -- her clothing and this and that eight days before a major national election.
COOPER: And, yet, she's talking about it. I mean, she's...
GERGEN: Absolutely. The McCain campaign...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: As far I was concerned, this thing was gone, and, then, this weekend, all of a sudden, they're both -- they're talking about it.
GERGEN: I totally agree. This was not manufactured by the media on Sunday. This was manufactured by the campaign.
But it's just an absurd place to be, if you have got a large national campaign, with -- with an economy in crisis.
[.....]
COOPER: David, I want to talk a little bit with you about some of the accusations being made now by John McCain, kind of hitting Barack Obama on this sort of socialism thing.
There was a very testy interview with an Orlando news anchor between the anchor and Joe Biden.
I just want to play a little bit of this for our viewers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You may recognize this famous quote: "from each according to his abilities to each according to his needs." That's from Karl Marx.
How is Senator Obama not being a Marxist, if he intends to spread the wealth around?
BIDEN: Are you joking? Is this a joke?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
BIDEN: Or is that a real question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is a question.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: It's certainly a question the McCain campaign has kind of been hammering at, portraying Obama as a socialist. You hear that on -- on the Palin campaign as well.
Is it working?
GERGEN: They may be making some modest progress with it, Anderson. We did see some evidence of McCain coming up a point or two here and there. I don't think it's anywhere near close enough to win an election. And more importantly, I don't think the Democrats have really answered it appropriately.
You know, Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, was very much an advocate of what's called progressive taxation. Ad that is the rich pay more than the poor in terms of taxes.
Now, one of the most effective popular programs we've had in the last three decades. It's called the earned income tax credit. It's a program whereby, if you're a working person, a working couple and you're below the poverty line, the government will actually give you money. That's a redistributed program. It's a program which takes money from the upper classes and gives it to the lower -- to the working poor.
Now who started that program? The earned income tax credit? Ronald Reagan. It was one of the -- it was an achievement of the Reagan administration that Bill Clinton then built on.
So I think that these arguments are -- you know, some of them get so carried away that they don't recognize the realities of what we've been going through in public policy and the big arguments about why the wealth over the last 30 years has been redistributed. It's been redistributed upwards.
COOPER: John...
GERGEN: As we grow, the top 1 percent is getting a disproportionate share.
I totally agree that the Democrats have done a horrible job of countering the "Socialist" monicker. They should be education the people about the real redistribution of wealth that's been going on for about 30 years now. Just look at the recent OECD report on it. It's staggering.
We need policies to counter the obscene redistribution of wealth we've all been suffering from.
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
The fact that we are debating "whether or not" Obama's policies are "socialist" plays right into ROVE-BOTs hand. We should not be debating whether or not blah blah blah
We should be calling these shananegans exactly what they are:
COMMIE BAITING
Of which Josef McCarthy and Josef Goebbels would be proud!
Kerry's a phony war hero, I don't want to have a beer with Gore, Obama's a terrorist, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Obama's campaign should NOT waste too much time fighting off bullshit intended only to put him on the defense. The lazy, ignorant people who don't have the inclination to at least question the people who claim "Obama is a socialist" aren't worth Obama's valuable time at this late point.
What does it matter, if we argue over whatever trash the neocons come up with?
Obama's campaign ain't slowing down, ain't stumblin over anything these troglodytes spew forth.
I've already voted for Obama, I know others on here have as well...
we're not goin to break Obamas campaign by refuting and debunkin the GOP lies about him at this point.
I say, lets give ridicule, where ridicule is due.
Call these morons out on their lameness and stupidity.
Give them a figurative bloody nose.
And I will be banned from all of their sites! LOL.
You and me both bro-man!
will begin in 5, 4, 3, 2, ...
I seem to remember a certain guy from Nazareth encouraging people to give to other, and to live a simple life, and to spread their blessings around, to people without.
Funny, how the teachings of the good Samaritan are only applicable to gay-marriage and abortion
Yeah, that guy from Nazareth had the gall to collect twelve loaves of bread and two fishes from the crowd and then had his lackeys distribute them equally to all while he spread his socialist propaganda. The Sermon on the Mount also includes the 'Our Father.'
On the other hand, as the long knives come out and the Republicans begin fighting over the Reagan legacy and who will be the conservator of the Republican standard, I'm reminded of two groups that calved off of Islam in 618 after Mohammed's death ... and those two groups are still fighting one another to this very day.
Wow...that's just...wow.
Neo-CON heads are gonna kersplode over this!
Teeeheheheeeee!
The real distribution of wealth isn't that the wealth is being shuffled from one American to another. That wealth, which remains is small potatoes. The real distribution is that we are witnessing the largest wealth transfer, from the west to the east in history and its all due to the Bush Administration's continuous adding to our already massive debt. That is the Bush Administration does. Their economic policies aren't just "Socialist". It is Socialism on a grande scale. The Republicans have put the United States on a global welfare program where the world props the U.S. up. That plan however, is coming to end it seems.
john........thanks for this nugget. i didn't know that.recall one of mccain's heroes is teddy roosevelt.
http://www.bgladd.com/Obama/MartinsvilleMS4Ob...
LOL!
thank you ..
what a photo
prhaps the world is staring to see man ,without the color of his skin involved
I heard that last night. Thanks to David Gergen for keeping them honest. Imagine that, conservatives' god a socialist. Love it.
Is it the 21st century yet?
You overlook the fact that you, C&L, have named the primary perpetrator of the socialist movement in the United States.
His name is clear in your word above. It is...BILL CLINTON!!!
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Looks like her attempt to call her office from the campaign trail and "cook the books" on bilking the citizens of Alaska for her kids' expenses is catching up with her.
In addition, she didn't report any of this as "income" on her Federal tax returns - Tax Evasion anyone?
Here's the skinny:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Palin_subject_o...
any place to hang their hat.
Honestly. Just think about the issues being discussed today.
"Obama is a terrorist... socialist... will spell the end of Israel..." These are ALL such desperate attempts to raise up their base against the Democratic ticket.
Is ANYTHING being said to answer the problems facing America TODAY? NOT A CHANCE!! The neocon/fascist/repug party is dying from with in. palin assured their death. Shallow, simple minded, self centered and totally a lunatic when it comes to healing the division in this country. What she has accused Barack Obama of is worry for the future. We will end up with a large number of angry, hostile and crazy right wing idiots wanting to "save the world" when all is said and done..and HATING Obama is the answer.
This is just so sick. Thank you moose killer. What a totally dumb bitch!!
The Republicans and their right wing base are totally out of ideas and have been for some time now. Every policy they have put forward has failed and all they have left are attacks and hatred. The right wing nut jobs will come out and cause all sorts of damage. Its inevitable because that is usually what failures do in the end.
Thought you said Morons.
That's all you have to say to criticism. "Spread the loaves and fishes around." Makes you wonder how selective some people's reading of the bible is. Do you honestly think JC would be a Repub?
I wish some investigative journo could get behind the recruiting of Joe The Plumber, how it was created, and how this guy has been used to shill for the Repubs. It would make an interesting doco on the devious lengths the Repubs go to win.(Inc. the poor telemarkers who would lose their jobs if they didn't make those noxious robocalls.)
I'M SICK OF THIS CAMPAIGN. MAKE IT STOP.
The fact of the matter is government has always been about spreading the wealth. It may be to themselves, where in the earliest articles it was based on a per head count; the government helped set up the stage coaches and Pony Express with their post roads and toll roads, they helped set up the canal system, who pay for dockage and had standardized tonnage on their goods from another state; the government then threatened both the stage coaches and canals with the train system, using Eminent Domain to seize needed parcels of land for the tracks, they changed immigration laws to allow in more Asians and others to work on the tracks, it goes on-and-on-and-on. It wasn't until Republican Grant's day that it was primarily for the wealthy's welfare.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I'm making a trip over there to Put my Good buddies ashes into the Ocean under the Golden Gate Bridge. I would be nice to actually meet a fellow C&Ler.
Love to meet ya, but I'm waaaay down in Fla.
But I live in Colorado. All I can do right now is offer my condolences on the loss of your friend.
Yup. I do .... only if it's next week, it's out, 'cause I'm a media scumbag, and we're kind of busy next Tuesday ...
Actually coming on the 24th but the first four days are taken up by the arrangements ob Boat trip etc.
... though it will probably have to be a lunch kind of thing, since I work the 4AM shift. Click through to my blog and use the contact link to reach me.
Shadowgm! You're one of the dreaded west coast media elite?
Say it ain't so!!! ;)
Worse yet, I work for a CBS affiliate!
*cue ominous music*
CBS?!?!
That ain't so bad...god forbid you worked for CNN...or dare I say...Fox, lol!
I'm a Texan
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I'm a South Carolinian origionally from Kentucky... but please don't hold that against me.
I'm origianlly from North Cackalacka, now in south Florida!
Don't get me wrong I love both S. Carolina and Kentucky. Both are beautiful states. But both are definate red states and will probably remain so for many elections to come. At least North Carolina and Florida have a chance of going blue this year.
The repugs are already doing to baby boosh what they did to papa boosh, claiming he's not really one of them. They're really socialists who increased the size of government. But what did baby boosh do to increase the size, Homeland Security, and the costs of two "wars", one of which was purely discretionary, while given tax cuts primarily to the upper income-brackets.
In other words, Klassic Konservative Kon.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Mitt Romney felt a disturbance in the force.
The "... as if billions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced ..." kind of disturbance, or the, "I sense something ... a presence I've not felt since ...." kind?
That could disturb a force.
First of all, thanks for the new format. I find it so annoying, micromanaged and contrived that I spend less time reading the trype posted here.
As a Canadian watching what passes for "Democracy" in the US lately, I can only shake my head in disgust and bewilderment.
As Obama -- who has raised four times the money from Wall Street that McCain has -- is openly proclaimed messiah by the media, the unfolding SuperCapitalist USA -- which is a combination of monopolies for big corporations combined with tyrannical socialism for the sheeple -- unfolds right before our eyes, and the Obamanauts seem just fine with that. Never mind that Joe Biden has stated that shortly after Obama is inaugurated he will be tested and that many of his policies will be wildly unpopular -- meaning he will stab his supporters in the back, just like he did with the FISA provisions and the bank bailout bill in a repeat of the Carter administration. Never mind that Obama won't produce his birth certificate, his college records, his law clients, etc, the rabid Obamanauts believe he is the one who will "save our broken souls."
The launching of a fascist/socialist state always starts with the reinvention of society and the sheeples role within it, and the powers that be know that with left cover they will be able to impose more austerity, more restrictions on free speech and consume more wealth for themselves with Obama and the Democrats in power. And they are prepared to break any and all laws to accomplish this. The fact that few recognize what is going on is evidence of how dumbed down most of us in the west have become.
On the one hand I would prefer McCain to win because a divided government can do less damage, even though I recognize the Republicans and Democrats are basically the same party. Still, McCain would have a harder time selling the tyranny that is coming. On the other, an Obama win would go farther than anything to wake people up to the unfolding tyranny, and would likely spark revolution in America.
In either case, if you want socialism, you are going to get it in spades. Reminds me of the saying, be careful for what you wish for.
...but whatever he does, you and your Country(America jr.) will kiss his ass in agreement as usual.
That's right, use what you believe is your dominant position in the world -- an illusion because America is now broke, broke, broke and can only repay its debts if it gets people into workcamps to work for free, and yes up here we are ultimately looking at the same fate -- and dismiss the substance of what is written. You can't argue substance because you have none.
America is being taken down, rapidly, and Obama will be a tool for carrying that destruction much, much farther and much much faster. Anyone leading a major party is already bought and paid for. Anyone who doesn't recognize that out the gate is an idiot.
And I would agree that as goes America, so goes the world. In which case, we are all in for some very hard times. Unless you are part of the global financial elites that are currently trying, deperately, to craft another spiderweb to trap us with. Which you are most definietly not.
You display all the intellectual rigor, broadminded thinking and passionate mindlessness of the typical Obama supporter, a useful, expendable idiot who can be betrayed and done away with once Obama is in power. I'm quite happy to be up here, thank you.
This is just another Canadian America hater. These trolls get tiresome.
Is it the 21st century yet?
Good comeback. Did you think of that yourself or did you get one of your buddies to help you type the sentence?
Anyone who disagrees with you is a troll. Man, you have a powerful intellect!
I don't hate the American people, I actually feel pretty sorry for the American people right now, especially the ones losing everything and winding up in the streets, but I sure am disgusted by the American government. And the idiots who believe that a new puppet in the White House -- and who mistakenly believe Obama is their puppet -- will solve anything.
....he even takes office and naturally, don't mention Bush at all. Your slanted to the right comments are worthless to me(Lou Dobbs would love your bullshit...until he'd find out that you're a foreigner, lol) You display the same right wing dangerous, fake superior delusional arrogance that we plan to tear down Tuesday. Stay north buddie, we've exceeded our quota of right wing dickheads.
Neo-Can???
Must be from Western Canada
Do you think that we would be so unwise as to not hold Obama's feet to the fire if he tries any crap that we disagree with. We do not come here to be ill-informed like so many of those that watch Faux News, nor do we like any of the so-called Blue Dogs that are representing some areas of the country. If you are a regular visitor here, you would know that we are working not only to get the Repugs and their policies out, but Democrats as well that vote right along with those Repugs. I am deeply disappointed with Obama for his cave in on FISA, but I am even more disgusted with the leadership of both houses for even allowing it that far.
How are you going to "hold Obama's" feet to the fire? The same way you held Pelosi's feet, or Reid's when they refused to end the war or impeach Bush? And how did you hold Obama's feet to the fire when he voted for the FISA provisions or helped Congress pass the bailout bill -- which had thousands of calls to Congress against the bill in the most overwhelming wave of indignation ever witnessed in Washington -- while he is running for president? Geese, you have sure been effective.
Ya, I bet once in office Obama will be quaking in his shoes. Especially when he banishes various forms of free speech under provisions such as the Orwellian "Fairness Laws" and the Homegrown Terrorist Act.
Thank you, I am quite happy to stay here -- I no longer will travel to the US for any reason -- but it is a shame to see America become Amerika.
Thank gawd you can't vote in this country.
Secondly...McCain would do LESS damage? Gimme some of what your smokin, because the damage he would do, would be far, FAR greater, than any Obama could possibly do...and please...let's not forget the UNTOLD damage that BushCo has already inflicted on this country and the world. Obama ain't perfect, ain't no messiah, BUT he's a damn sight better than McSpain, and will undoubtedly try to correct the all wrongs done to our friends and allies by this current clusterfuck of an administration .
Through my job, I have met quite a few Canadians, also English, Irish and Scots. They tend to favor Obama and have a great disdane for Bush and the Republican right in general. There has been a few exceptions but then it does take all kinds to make a nation. We could learn a lot from our neighbors to the North, unfortunately Canada Dave isn't one of them.
I live in a tourist town, and we get visitors from all of the above and then some.
They do tend to favor Obama.
And...no...Dave is not one to learn anything from.
If you discount the way he fucked the Federal housing program from 32 billion an year, all the way down to under 8b in approximately 8 years. A loss to the beneficiaries of any socialised program of over 75%.
Hmm what about the crazies he threw out of mental hospitals? Before Reagan was pres, I remember how the numbers of homeless on the streets. And they were meaner than the previous homeless, who just disappeared...
And 'Trickle down?' Hey quit pissing down my back, then telling me it's rain
me-oww!
absurd??
absolutely
coming from a reichtwing loon... priceless
Not over yet -- keep working!
But if Obama wins, one of the first things he should do is hire Gergen. I know he's a Reep, but he clearly has tremendous respect for Obama, and he is very knowledgeable and insightful about politics and policy. I don't agree with him on everything, but I really believe that in these tough and complicated times, he's a very good person to have around.
"Government is the entertainment division of the military-industrial complex." - Frank Vincent Zappa
You are all going to hell for disparaging Saint Ronnie's good image. Don't you all know that he is the forebearer of today's conservative movement. Where would our military and national debt be today without St. Ron's dutiful leadership.
heard today- the Arizona Republic , mccains favorite newspaper
has an article .. mccains huge lead in Arizona , now a dead heat
whaaaa! whaaa!
David Gergen is the classiest conservative in America, by far. He puts country ahead of party EVERY TIME.
Unfortunately, the other 99.9999%......
ACTUALLY, the EIC was first started by Gerald Ford, just more famously expanded on in the Reagan years.
I am shocked! Honesty from a conservative, very rare indeed!
A friend just called me from Waverly Ohio, said he bought gas for $2.20 a gallon.
I wonder how much this cost mccain to get the price lowered there?
I wonder what the quid pro quo is for this favor?
How much more will it cost the American people in money or lives if mcsame get elected?
I see that Gergen credits Reagan with the EITC policy. This puzzled me since in 1977 I actually qualified for it on my tax forms.
History of the credit
The earned income credit grew out of the welfare reform efforts of the early 1970s (Forman 1988: 45-58). The credit was originally added to the Internal Revenue Code by the Tax Reduction Act of 1975. Over the years, the credit has been expanded, and it is now one of the principal antipoverty programs in the federal budget.
As originally adopted in 1975, the earned income tax credit was intended to offset the Social Security taxes of low-income workers with children and to provide those taxpayers with an increased incentive to work. An eligible taxpayer could claim a refundable credit equal to 10 percent of the taxpayer's earned income for the taxable year, which did not exceed $4,000 (a maximum credit of $400). That $400 maximum credit was reduced one dollar for each 10 dollars of income in excess of $4,000. Thus, the credit was completely phased out at an income level of $8,000. As enacted, the original earned income tax credit was available to taxpayers only for calendar year 1975.
Subsequent revenue acts extended the credit, and it was made a permanent part of the Internal Revenue Code by the Revenue Act of 1978. The Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 increased the maximum amount of the earned income tax credit and renumbered it to its current location in the Internal Revenue Code (U.S. Code, Title 26, Section 32). The credit was expanded significantly by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, and it has been indexed for inflation since 1987. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 also expanded the credit and added a supplemental credit amount for families with two or more children.
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 expanded the credit even further and made a small credit available to certain childless workers (up to $341 in 1998). By the year 2000, more than 19 million families are expected to claim almost $30 billion of earned income credits, with an average credit per family of almost $1,565 (U.S. Congress 1996: 809).
When the government allows working people to be exploited to produce exorbitant bonuses and salaries and stock option for management, that's the fruits of capitalism. When taxes are made progressive, that's socialism.
As Gergen demonstrates, the truth is simple. Why the dems can't articulate it, is a mystery.
gergen and toobin are the only ones with the nads to tell it like it is. i feel sorry for the right wing pundits who just make themselves look like morons trying to justify bullshit. don't they care about their reputations? or are they just as ignorant as the rest of white trash america?
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