[erikpukinskis]

This possibility comes along with the rise of a new political brand for the Republicans: “We do whatever we have to to get ours”. In the early stages under GW Bush/Rumsfeld this was the lighter “We do whatever we have to to advance American interests throughout the world” but under Trump/Murdoch it is now “advance the interests of those who are loyal to me”.

That will play well in an economic crisis. I don’t think the brandmakers for liberalism in America are prepared for that fight. Right now the brand on the left is something like “we can and should demand a better wage and better benefits from Daddy!” but that falls flat in a crisis.

That all said, we’re not in that crisis yet. So perhaps it’s fine to focus on the present, where we certainly have the money to increase workers benefits.