When Barack Obama began to run for his party’s nomination two years ago, he could not have seen himself as the next Franklin Roosevelt, the founder of a new Democratic “regime” (to use Yale political science professor Stephen Skowronek’s term). More likely, Obama anticipated that, should he ultimately win the presidency, he would be what Skowronek labels a “pre-emptive” president, one… return to article
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Reader Comments (2)Page 1 of 1 pagesYes, it’s time for a new social movement.
How to arouse and mobilize millions? Demand income security for everyone!
Sanders mentioned the Townsend Plan, Share Our Wealth, EPIC, and the Populists, and they all emphasized economic security. Plus, guaranteed income was a mainstream idea in the 1960s, endorsed by leading economists from the left and the right. Richard Nixon’s guaranteed income plan passed in the House but was blocked in the Senate. George McGovern campaigned for guaranteed income in 1972. Martin Luther King called for guaranteed income in his last book.
Here are web sites working from some of the people working to revive and update these ideas:
www.IncomeSecurityForAll.org
www.usbig.net
www.BasicIncome.orgIncome security is one issue that can arouse and mobilize ordinary Americans from diverse ages, interests, personal situations, and political perspectives. The deepening recession makes this an idea whose time has come.
Steven Shafarman, Washington DC
Posted by Steven Shafarman on Apr 4, 2009 at 7:22 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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