Article • Dean Baker’s Beat the Press
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This phrase could have appeared in a Washington Post article that noted many conservative Democrats are now supporting the extension of the tax cuts even to high income taxpayers. Instead the article attributed the switch in sentiments to concerns about a “weakening economy.” It is worth noting that the congresspeople in question have not been known for their concerns about unemployment at other times.
At one point the article asserts that: “Democrats will also take on the forces of globalization.” It is not clear what taking on the forces of globalization means. Is someone who proposes a trade agreement “taking on the forces of globalization?” There seems to be some implication that the Democrats are pushing back against some predetermined “forces of globalization,” but of course no such thing exists.
Everyone wants to shape globalization in certain ways. For example, the software, entertainment, and pharmaceutical industries all want to impose increased copyright and patent protection throughout the world. This could be described as attempting to “take on the forces of globalization” with much greater accuracy than the measures described in this article.
The article also refers to efforts to recover $15-18 billion in revenue over the next decade to cover the cost of various proposals. This is equal to approximately 0.05 percent of projected revenue over this period.