If you're not a fan of former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich on Facebook, I encourage you to like his fan page, because as a Progressive Democrat, Robert is known for posting status updates that are speak directly to the progressive cause in America.
Whether it be arguing for higher taxes on the wealthy, not going to war with Syria, or reducing income in equality in our country, Robert is well known for fighting for the little guy.
But Robert doesn't just want us to argue our case with Republicans. He also believes that Democrats have largely been ignoring Progressives in pursuit of compromise with Republicans (an effort that largely hasn't worked). Robert's post, which is below, argues that while we don't want to cause a civil war in the Democratic party like the one Republicans are facing with the Tea Party, we should speak up and offer rank-and-file Democrats a choice in the future when they go to the polls.
Check out the post and sound off in the comments below:
If you're a progressive or Democrat, or both, it's tempting to look at the Republican civil war -- the increasingly bitter struggle between the Tea Partiers and the GOP establishment -- with some satisfaction. The war is hurting their chances in 2014 and probably even 2016.
But at least the Tea Party right is giving establishment Republicans in board rooms and on Wall Street a reason to worry, and offering rank-and-file Republicans a real choice. Establishment Democrats, on the other hand, couldn't care less about the progressive left, which has been so submissive and quiet for so long its concerns are summarily dismissed.
What about single-payer or even public option? Resurrect Glass-Steagall and limit size of big banks? Exempt first $15K from Social Security tax and remove cap on income subject to it? A living wage? A carbon tax? Trade agreements with strict labor and environmental standards? Make it easy to form labor unions? Universal child care? Better schools? Free higher education? Paid family and medical leave? A new WPA for the long-term unemployed?
Pay for all this by cutting military spending, eliminating corporate welfare, and raising taxes on rich to rate they were before 1981. Reverse "Citizen's United" and get big money out of politics. Reverse the savage inequality of income and wealth in America.
Hello?
The Democratic establishment, chock full of corporate and Wall Street executives, won't hear of any of this. I'm not advocating a civil war in the Democratic Party, but isn't it time progressives gave establishment Democrats a reason to worry, and offered rank-and-file Democrats a real choice?