Korean Job Discussion Forums

[mack4289]

In some ways, Dubya's been much better for the poor than the Democrats. He has been a greater supporter of free trade than the Democrats, which has a proven track record of enabling people to get out of poverty (http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6744590 about free trade and poverty, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3319895.stm for Bush's complicated position on trade, http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2875464 for the Dems' position on free trade). He has also pushed for some changes in the food aid laws which would allow the US to buy food from African farmers and then give that food to those in need, instead of sending American surplus food there, which depresses prices in poor countries and takes business away from local farmers (http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F7091EF93D5A0C718EDDAD0894DF404482- you need NYT select to read this, sorry). This is supported by some Democrats but opposed by some politicians with connection to agribusiness, both Democrat and Republican. He has also supported a moderate immigration bill that hasn't drawn a lot of support from Democrats (for the opposition to the bill by some Democrats go here http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0714FA3D5A0C7B8EDDAF0894DF404482- again it's Times Select. For Bush's moderate immigration stance go here http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F20E15FB3B550C728EDDAB0994DE404482).

[keane]

Nothing Bush does is for the poor. He's doing whatever he is doing to put money in business people's pockets. Want proof? Ask those poor about Bus's stand on minimum wage. Ask them how their health care is. Ask them how much they pay for meds. Ask them how affordable their child care is. Ask them about the value of the few dollars they do earn. Ask them about No Child Allowed Left Alone to Succeed.

Then ask the wealthy and the super-wealthy how they are doing.

[mack4289]

Are you saying the Democrats are better for the poor then? I agree with you about the minimum wage and health care issues. But what have the Democrats done besides passing the minimum wage bill? Remember that minimum wage bills are a dangerous balancing act, trying to keep wages up without triggering inflation. Mandated wage increases can actually harm the poor if they start driving up inflation at an unhealthy rate.

Regarding health care, the US system is cleary f*cked. But I don't see the Democrats doing any more about it than the Republicans.