“How can we afford it?” That’s the perennial question that confronts anyone who dares to propose progressive policy changes. A recent example is CNN’s Jake Tapper grilling congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over whether tax money could fund items on her platform such as Medicare for all, a federal job guarantee, and the cancelation of student loan debt. For those who are religious and politically progressive, this question is particularly challenging. While many are good at articulating the moral imperative of providing health care to all or protecting the environment, they can stumble on the issue of economic feasibility. So, when I was told about an economics conference in New York City that might connect to this topic, I was intrigued.
Some believe that MMT’s brand of economics raises important questions that spill over into religion and metaphysics. That’s what Scott Ferguson, a professor in the Department of Humanities and Cultural Studies at the University of South Florida, argues in his book Declarations of Dependence: Money, Aesthetics, and the Politics of Care.
Sojourners.
8 comments:
“How can we afford it?” That’s the perennial question that confronts anyone who dares to propose progressive policy changes. ~ Daniel Camacho
The U.S. government has limitless money for war, weapons makers, the military, corporate subsidies, tax breaks for the rich, and so on.
But the U.S. government is “broke” when it comes to programs that help average Americans.
“How will you pay for it?”
This trash comes not only from neoliberals, but from average Americans at all levels, who continually cut their own throats, and then blame their misery on one target or another. Even “progressives” do this.
We sit in a prison cell. When warmongers and oligarchs want to leave the cell, they press a button on a machine on the wall. The machine is available to all inmates. It dispenses money, which oligarchs and warmongers use to leave the prison. When I say, “Let’s get out of here,” the other inmates say, “How will you pay for it?” When I point at the machine, the other inmates laugh at my “foolishness.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 9 Aug 2018: “But how are we going to pay for the Space Force? Oh wait sorry - we only ask that when it comes to healthcare, education, and saving the planet.”
“Some believe that MMT’s brand of economics raises important questions that spill over into religion and metaphysics.” ~ Daniel Camacho
Yes, because in this physical world and any other world, we live in a consensus reality -- i.e. in a shared narrative. We are crippled (or liberated) by our shared beliefs. We believe that there is no money for social programs. We ask, “How will you pay for it?”
Beliefs are how we maintain our hell.
“MMT’s perspective may sound outlandish, but it is — on some level — descriptively true.” ~ Daniel Camacho
When your head is full of lies, the truth always seems “outlandish.”
“MMT can help explain the vertigo many of us can feel when we hear politicians claim that the government doesn’t have enough money to spend on public programs, while it simultaneously increases military spending and applies tax cuts that raise the federal deficit.”
We feel “vertigo” when we consciously deny the truth that we are subconsciously aware of.
“I want to be clear that this is a moral claim.” ~ Pavlina Tcherneva
Yes. Among average people, the refusal to grasp the truth of MMT is not a failure of intellect, but of moral character.
“The major policy proposal discussed at the conference was the federal job guarantee.”
This aspect of MMT is prescriptive, not descriptive. Personally I consider it to be unnecessary and deeply flawed. Some people are so invested in the JG cult that they falsely imagine it to be a cornerstone of chartalism.
“If we change the way we think about money, we can change the world.” ~ Pastor Delman Coates
Change your beliefs and you change your world.
"Among average people, the refusal to grasp the truth of MMT is not a failure of intellect, but of moral character."
Its more "Christ-like" to say you guys are stupid than to say you have some sort of "moral" failings... or are "lying"...
And what are you complaining about here: "“But how are we going to pay for the Space Force? Oh wait sorry - we only ask that when it comes to healthcare, education, and saving the planet.”
Hypocrisy is a feature of you guys dialectic method which you are all about... not a bug...
You shouldnt exhibit indignation at the sight of hypocrisy... this is just a predecessor to some sort of synthesis... so they will cut the space force plans and redirect the munnie to some sort of social services in a synthesis as usual...
You guys should not have a problem with that...
An archaic British colloquial word that describes you is "ninnyhammer."
" the refusal to grasp the truth of MMT is not a failure of intellect, but of moral character."
You guys would have to say this because you guys dont fully understand operations either so not saying it would be a tacit admission you have a 'failed intellect' (your words).... so you have to blame it on some sort of "moral" failings in your view... "neo-liberal lies!" etc...
Art degree in Linguistics need not apply....
Is that the best you can do?
Pathetic.
Continuing on our world tour, Scottish colloquialisms that describe you include "bam," “doaty,” “bampot,” “dobber,” “numpty,” “roaster,” and “rocket.”
Your skills are inapplicable...
Since you continue to embarrass yourself, I will comment no more on this thread.
Consider it a mercy withdrawal.
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