Robert Reich is at it again--producing a quick (2 1/2 minute) video with sketches to illustrate his suggested rules for Democrats in the "fiscal cliff" negotiations with the GOP. The video is available various places, including on Salon at the following link: Robert Reich, Understanding the fiscal cliff in 150 sections, Salon.com (Dec. 3, 2012).
"Reich's Rules" sound an awful lot like the stuff I've been writing on my blog, so readers may see some building of a consensus here. (I hope.)
Rule 1. "Hold your ground." Dems won the election.
Rule 2. "No deal is better than a bad deal." Bush tax cuts end. (I'd add--the military sequester is the first real cut in the military and a start on reducing that huge 60% stake of our budget.)
Rule 3. "Make Republicans vote on extending the tax cuts just for the middle class." How can they really refuse?
Rule 4. "Demand higher tax rates on wealthy, not just limits or deductions."
Rule 5. "Don't cut safety nets" (Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, programs for the poor).
Rule 6. "Don't cut investments in our future productivity" (education, basic research, infrastructure).
Rule 7. "Cut spending on military and corporate welfare (agribusiness, oil and gas, Big Pharma, big insurance, Wall Street)."
Rule 8. "Put jobs before deficit reduction" (and avoid the austerity trap).
Watch the video on youtube here
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