We Can All Do Better

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We Can All Do Better Page 19

by Bill Bradley


  bust, 18, 19, 21, 22–23, 57, 78, 102

  and foreclosures, 23, 92

  and home-equity loans, 77–78

  and mortgages, 21, 22–23, 57, 58, 59

  and subsidized ownership, 80

  Huang Nubo, 124

  Huerta, Victoriano, 109

  Hughes, Charles Evans, 91, 92

  Hughes, Karen, 100

  Hungary, 106, 111

  Iceland, 124

  Ideology and ideological rigidity, 36, 45, 49, 50, 100, 116, 161

  Immigration and immigrants, xi, 107–108, 117–121, 143

  Immigration and Nationality Act (1965), 119

  Income

  declining median household, 76

  and home-equity loans, 77–78

  inequality, 19, 156, 157

  and retirement, 79, 145

  India, 119, 127

  and currency, 29

  and defense, 122

  rise of, 5

  and U.S. foreign interventions, 115

  and water resources, 123

  and workers, 19, 77

  Indian Citizenship Act (1924), 135–136

  Indonesia, 5

  Industrial Workers of the World, 147

  Inflation, 24, 28, 31, 32, 42, 58, 76

  Infrastructure

  bonds, 128

  and costs on businesses, 87

  erosion of, 6

  and government, 96, 101, 103, 145

  and jobs, 25, 26, 158

  need for massive program, 155

  and taxes, 38

  and transfers of money, 32

  and transportation, 25–26

  and U.S. economic recovery, 28

  Intelligence, 117, 128

  International Monetary Fund (IMF), 27, 29, 111

  Internet, 75, 85, 120, 147, 148, 150, 153, 159

  Interstate Highway System, 97, 102

  Iran, 112

  Iraq, 65, 77, 113, 114, 115, 127

  Ireland, 107, 108

  Islam, 5, 132

  Italy, 110

  Jackson, Andrew, 7, 137

  Jackson, Jesse, 10

  Japan, 6

  and China, 130

  and currency, 27

  and economic growth, 122

  investments in the United States, 29

  and manufacturing, 81, 82

  and population and immigration, 118, 119

  and U.S. debt, 27, 28

  Jefferson, Thomas, 7, 43–44, 51, 105–106, 141

  Jobs, x, 48, 141

  creation of, 20, 21–22, 23–25, 29, 81, 83, 88, 89, 118, 143, 144, 158, 160

  cutting taxes on, 89

  and defense spending, 133

  and education, 84–87

  and elderly, 89

  high-quality professional and service, 87

  and immigrants, 120

  losses of, 10, 21, 79–80, 81, 90 (see also Unemployment)

  and manufacturing, 80–84, 85

  number of people with, 88

  and Republicans, 143

  shortage of, 18

  and technology, 4, 83, 85–87, 158

  worry about, 143

  Johnson, Lady Bird, 139

  Johnson, Lyndon (LBJ), 7, 98, 112, 138–139, 141, 159

  Justice Department, 67

  Katz, Lawrence F., 76

  Kaufman, Henry, 59, 60

  Kennan, George, 111, 112, 115, 133

  Kennedy, John, 111–112, 144

  Kennedy, Ted, 100

  Kids with Cancer, 69

  King, Dr. Martin Luther, Jr., 138, 140, 159

  Kiva, 74

  Korean War, 111, 112

  Kosovo, 114

  Kuwait, 113

  La Follette, Bob, 147

  Labor, 48, 80, 89

  and bargaining power, 19

  and manufacturing, 80–84

  and world economy, 19

  See also Jobs; Unions

  Lakoff, George, 102, 144

  Laws, 4, 48, 51, 53, 59, 61, 63, 67, 96, 102, 116, 145

  Lawsuits, 33

  Leadership, 49

  and celebrity, 160

  charismatic, 144

  and democracy, 8

  and fight for a more just society, 156, 157, 158, 160

  and foreign policy objectives, 133

  and United States, 6, 115, 116, 128

  League of Nations, 110–111

  Lebanon, 113

  Lee Kuan Yew, 117

  Legal system, 7, 33, 116

  Levant, 108

  Leverage, 58

  Lewis, Randy, 66–67

  Lewis and Clark, 102

  Lexie, Albert, 64

  Li Ka-shing, 123

  Libya, 114, 126

  Lincoln, Abraham, xiii, 7, 95–96, 97, 98, 146, 157

  Lindsey, Lawrence B., 30–31

  Lobbyists and lobbying, 26

  and congressmen and staff, 156

  ethnic, 108

  and financial industry, 54

  and lawyers, 12

  and news stories, 5

  numbers of, 51

  and political campaign money, 48

  spending on, 52

  and taxes, 37, 38

  and Washington club, 14, 48

  Lodge, Henry Cabot, 110–111

  Long, Russell, 37

  Louis XVI, King, 42–43

  Love Letters, 69

  LRN, 73

  MacArthur, Douglas, 94

  Madero, Francisco, 109

  Madison, James, 152

  Manning, Carolyn, 64–65

  Manufacturing, 30, 80–84, 85, 158

  Martin, William McChesney, Jr., 58

  Mass media

  and George H. W. Bush, 13

  and leaks and rumors, 13

  military, corporate, and White House handling of, 4–5

  and Obama, 11–12

  and party duopoly, 147, 149

  and politicians’ vitriol, 14

  and pundits, 12, 14

  and serving the public, 160

  Sunday talk shows, 14–15

  and superficiality, sensationalism, and opinion, 3, 4

  McCain, John, 148

  McKinley, William, 49

  Medicaid, 32, 40

  Medicare, 88

  and deficit reduction, 32

  and doctors, 79

  and drugs, 100

  and ideological Republicans, 98, 100

  and Nixon, 97

  reforms, 40

  and structural deficit, 31

  taxes, 78, 88, 118

  and taxes on “things,” 89

  and Tea Party, 141

  and transfers of money, 32

  Meetup, 74

  Mexico

  and America, 6, 107, 109, 110

  and economic growth and trade, 120

  and immigration, 119, 120

  and manufacturing, 82

  and political parties, 152

  Middle class, 141

  and economic crisis, 34

  and financial crisis, 59

  and George H. W. Bush, 13

  golden age of, 80

  and Hillary Clinton, 148

  and manufacturing, 84

  and politicians’ vitriol, 14

  small-business owners, 143

  as social and political force, 80

  and spending, 24

  and standard of living and income, 17, 76, 78

  Middle East, 126

  Military, U.S., 4, 40, 47, 72, 113, 115, 116, 122, 133

  See also Defense industry; Defense spending

  Miller, George, 100

  Minton, Sherman, 50

  Missile gap and missile crisis, 112

  Mortgages

  and debt, 24

  and derivatives, 56–57

  and financial reform, 60

  and home values, 21

  and middle class, 59

  and refinancing, 22–23, 95

  subprime, 57

  underwater, 78

  Mosaddegh, Mohammad, 112

  Moynihan, Pat, 141


  Muslims, 115, 119, 131–132

  Nader, Ralph, 147, 151

  Napoleon, 42–45

  National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), 84–85

  National Commission on Social Security Reform, 39–40

  National Defense Education Act, 97

  National Industrial Recovery Act, 95

  National Institutes of Health, 102

  Native Americans, 135–136

  NATO, 113, 114–115

  Netherlands, 119

  New America Foundation, 19, 24, 25

  New American Party, 152

  New Deal, 97, 99

  Nicaragua, 112

  Nixon, Richard, 4, 97, 111, 139

  Nonprofits, 7, 69–70

  Norway, 119, 120

  Nuclear war and weapons, 112, 132

  Obama, Barack

  and advisers, 12, 48

  and approval ratings, 12, 48, 151

  and Australia, 127

  and bin Laden, 114

  and campaign financing, 48, 61

  as charismatic leader, 144

  election of, 9–10, 11

  end of honeymoon of, 11–12

  first speech as president, 9–11

  and health care, 32, 41

  and housing, 22

  and jobs, 21–22, 25

  and opponents, 44

  and re-election, 151

  and stimulus, 18

  and 2008 election, 147–148, 158

  Obesity and overweightness, 145

  Occupy movement, 141, 156, 159

  Oil, 25, 26, 37, 38, 127, 132, 136

  Olson, Mancur, 51

  Open-sourcing, 74

  Ottomans, 1, 115

  Overholt, Bill, 122

  Packwood, Bob, 40, 41

  PACs, 50, 51

  Pakistan, 124

  Palestinians, 131

  Panama, 112

  Panama Canal, 123

  Pareto, Vilfredo, 72

  Patriotism, 7, 90, 139

  Peace Corps, 112

  Peace with Mexico (Gallatin), 106

  Pensions, x, xii, 141

  declines and cuts in, 79, 90

  and ethics of caring and personal responsibility, 145

  and financial crash, 10

  and saving, 79

  and state and local governments, 2, 4, 33–34

  and taxes, 52

  Perot, Ross, 147, 151

  Pershing, John J., 109

  Philippines, 107

  Phillips, David Graham, 137

  Pin Ni, 82

  Plato, 41

  Political consultants, 12, 14

  Political paralysis and gridlock, xii, xiii, 41, 44, 152

  Political parties, xii

  and campaign finance, 49

  duopoly of, 146–153

  and independents, 142–143, 146, 150

  and moral language versus policy language, 144

  and neglect of problems, 1

  and political stalemate, 44

  and selfishness, 63

  and socializing, 141

  third, 146, 147, 148, 149, 151–153

  Political system, xii, xiii, 7

  Pollutants, 89

  Populist Party, 137

  Poverty and the poor, 7, 69, 75, 76, 122, 128, 141

  Press. See Mass media

  Prince, Charles O., 57

  Prisons, 33

  Progressive Party, 137

  Public goods, 25, 101

  Public lands, 102

  Public relations, 2, 4

  Public sphere, 95, 96

  Racial issues, 9, 120, 138, 147, 148

  Reagan, Ronald

  determination of, 7

  and foreign policy, 113

  and government, 98–99, 100, 101

  and taxes, 36, 98, 99

  and transportation bill, 26

  and Washington club’s smugness, 14

  Reed, Kasim, 33–34

  Refugees, 65

  Regulation, 53, 56–57, 63

  Reinhart, Carmen, 20

  Religion, 3

  Republican Party

  and building national organization, 144

  and congressional districts, 142

  and economic crisis, 34, 44

  and ethic of personal responsibility, 145

  and government, 97–101

  and jobs, 143

  and moral language, 144

  and self-identification, 143

  and Tea Party, 101, 159

  and third parties, 146

  voting for, 143–144

  Retirement, 35, 40, 41, 58, 79, 117, 118, 145

  Rhodium Group, 83

  Rice, Condoleezza, 100

  Riggio, Len, 73

  Roberts, John, 50, 51

  Rockefeller, Nelson, 98

  Rogoff, Kenneth, 20

  Romans, 1, 41–42, 115

  Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (FDR), 97

  canniness and courage of, 7, 92

  “Four Freedoms” address of, 111

  and Great Depression, 25, 91–95, 102, 155

  swearing in and inaugural address of, 91–94, 98

  Roosevelt, James, 91, 92

  Roosevelt, Theodore

  and campaign finance, 49, 51

  and foreign policy, 108

  and government, 96, 97, 98

  and 1908 and 1912 elections, 146–147

  tough progressivism of, 7

  Roubini, Nouriel, 19

  Rove, Karl, 100, 149

  Russia, 6, 29, 108, 113, 118, 121, 123

  Rwanda, 113

  Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific Railroad Company, 61

  Sany, 125

  Sarsour, Linda, 119

  Savings-and-loan crisis, 13

  Schlesinger, Arthur M., 105

  Securities & Exchange Commission, 58

  Seidman, Dov, 73

  Selflessness and unselfishness, 15, 63–74, 101

  September 11 attacks, 70–71, 104, 114

  Serbia, 113, 114

  Seventeenth Amendment, 138

  Shays, Daniel, 43

  Showdown at Gucci Gulch, 37

  Siemens, 81, 85

  Simpson, Alan, 143

  Singapore, 27, 117, 122

  Single parents, 85

  Sirius Satellite Radio, 63–64, 69

  Smith, Howard K., 97

  Social Security, xi

  and bankruptcy, 34–35

  compromise, 143

  and deficit reduction, 32

  and foreigners, 118

  and ideological Republicans, 98, 100

  and Nixon, 97

  privatizing, 100, 144

  protecting, 145

  and reform, 40, 41

  taxes, 18, 21, 35, 38, 78, 88, 118

  and taxes on “things,” 89

  and transfers of money, 32

  South Africa, 29

  South Korea, 81, 130

  Southeast Asia, 122, 123

  Soviet Union, 92, 111, 112, 113, 133

  Spain, 107

  Sports, 3, 71–72, 73, 90

  Spousal abuse, 69

  Sri Lanka, 124

  Standards of living, xiii, 5, 17, 30, 59, 75, 80, 88, 122, 152, 155, 160

  Stegner, Wallace, 136–137

  Steinbeck, John, 90

  Stewart, William, 136–137

  Stimulus (economic)

  and economy, 17–18, 19–20

  need for, 17, 18, 44

  and public opinion, 18

  and Republicans, 18

  and tax cuts, 88

  Stock market, 10, 39–40, 44, 58

  Sudan, 65

  Supreme Court, U.S., 49–51, 60, 149

  Survey of Consumer Finances, 145

  Taft, William Howard, 50, 146–147

  Taiwan, 27, 122, 129, 130

  Taliban, 127

  Talmadge, Herman, 37

  Tanner, Michael, 31–32

  Tax breaks, 4, 52

  Tax cuts

  and corporations, 37, 39, 87, 88–89


  and deficits, 38–39

  and jobs, 22, 25, 89

  and loopholes, 37, 38

  and Reagan, 36, 98, 99

  reckless, 157

  and Social Security, 88

  and special interests, 52

  and spending, 21

  and stimulus, 88

  Tax increases

  and debt, 36

  and deficits, 32, 34, 44

  and downward mobility, 78

  and gasoline, 38, 39, 40, 41, 89

  and George H. W. Bush, 13

  and politicians and political battles, 36, 37, 40

  and Reagan, 36, 99

  and Social Security, 35

  and top marginal individual rate, 39

  and Washington club’s smugness, 14

  and wealthy, 103

  Tax Reform Act of 1986, 37, 38

  Taxes

  and bailouts, 47

  and bills, 4, 18

  and budget balancing exercise of former U.S. senators, 40–41

  death, 144

  and deficits, 17, 30, 31, 32, 37, 38–39

  employment, 87, 88–89

  and financial transactions, 39–40

  and infrastructure, 26

  and jobs, 21, 22, 143, 144

  and King Louis XVI and Napoleon, 42, 43

  and loopholes, 32, 36, 37–38, 52, 87

  and narrow interest versus general interest, 52

  need for dramatic change in system, 88–89

  and politicians and political battles, 35–36

  poll, 135, 138

  and reform, 14, 38, 143, 145

  as robbery, 98

  and Rome, 42

  on “things,” 89, 155, 158

  and transfers of money, 32–33

  See also Corporations and companies: and taxes

  Tea Party, 99, 101, 141, 142, 150, 151, 159

  Team play, 71–74

  Teenage pregnancy, 69

  Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 95, 98, 102

  Terrorism, 40, 70–71, 115, 131, 132, 156

  Thaçi, Hashim, 114

  Think tanks, 12, 144

  This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Reinhart and Rogoff), 20

  3-D printing, 83

  Thurmond, Strom, 147

  Tillman Act of 1907, 49

  Transportation, x, 25–26, 28, 96, 97, 101

  Truman, Harry, 7

  Turkey, 5, 108, 123

  Unemployment

  benefits, 18, 20, 22, 31, 32, 89

  in China, 27

  and deficits, 31

  and Great Depression, 91–94, 118

  hidden and uncounted, 88, 89

  and ideological Republicans, 98

  and insecurity and anxiety, 77

  intractability of, 21

  and job creation, 22, 23–24

  mass, 44, 54, 102

  and policymakers, 118

  rates, 20–21, 22

  and Republicans, 143

  and soldiers, 77

  and stimulus, 18

  taxes, 88

  and wasted human capital, 84

  UNESCO, 131

  Unions, 161

  and Americans Elect, 150

  government, 52, 101

  and members’ dues, 4

  and wages and benefits, 80

  United Nations (U.N.), 111, 113, 131

  Unity08, 148–149

  Upward mobility, 75–80, 85, 116

  Venezuela, 123

  Versailles, 110, 111

  Vietnam War, 4, 111, 112, 115, 139

 

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