House of Paine

too much straw for just one jack ass

 his name is rod sperling


  and 
welcome to his twilight zone 


==========================


  gene "rod"  Sperling has a book :
 The Pro-Growth Progressive: 
An Economic Strategy for Shared Prosperity 
(New York: Simon and Schuster 


but better yet
u can 
visit  him at his stall at 

TPMCafe || The Pro-Growth Progressive:


  buffalo chips from a recent  post 

 "I feel frustrated by the view
 - often from both sides - 
that there is  an inherent conflict
 between promoting progressive values 
and being hard-headed 
about the power of markets incentives
 the law of unintended consequences 
and the inevitability of globalization"



"What do I mean by progressive?.... 

 1) A belief in economic dignity 
for those who take responsibility... 

 2)the opportunity for upward mobility... 

 3) life's outcome should not be 
      determined
 by the accident of your birth.... 

"[W]e best promote the three values above
 when we seek policies 
that are focused on both raising the tide 
and lifting all boats.... "


"[An] agenda that focuses 
on personal savings 
and wealth creation
 as well as a laying a foundation
 for private sector growth
 can be completely consistent
 with progressive values 
if we make our test 
not only whether we are raising the tide
 but lifting all boats"

" I push hard for progressives 
to champion an expansive Universal 401 K 
and a Flat Tax Incentive 
where everyone gets a 30% refundable credit
 for savings.... "

"Democrats need to not only have
 these policies on the shelf 
- we need to move them
 to the front of our policy agenda
 if we are to show Americans 
we  are not only a party 
that is there for you when your down
 but a party that wants to see you 
reach your highest economic aspirations"

"[T]he reigning conservative assumption 
that all expansions of government 
are anti-growth and interfere with markets 
is just as unfounded.... 
[T]here are a host of powerful public policies 
that because they flow directly to workers... 
are progressive, pro-growth 
and in no way interfere 
with markets or restrict employers"

" The EITC.... 
A quality 0-5 education program....
 Yes, it is an expansion of government,
 but how exactly is that anti-growth?..."

"[T]here was nothing I struggle with and agonized about
 more than  a new progressive compact on globalization". 

"These are the most difficult issues we face... 
while our nation benefits enormously 
from the innovation, low-prices and competition 
that open markets bring... 
we still have little means
 to prevent or cope 
with the unacceptable degree
 of economic devastation 
this openness brings for some workers 
and families both here and abroad...."

" [T]hose seeking to restrict trade 
too often have no vision of the future
 while those pressing for open markets
 have no vision for the present.... "

"[P]rogressives on both sides 
of the trade debate 
should be more open in recognizing 
the exaggerations and flaws in their arguments...."

" I do support the labor standards 
we put in the Jordan Free Trade agreement
 [but] progressives have to understand 
that poor nations often see our approach as punitive
 and that we should be looking 
 to add to labor standards 
a broader array of tools 
from positive partnerships and incentives...." 

"I realize that by standing by President Clinton's effort...
 I... have perfectly positioned myself
 to draw fire from all sides...."

"