As the economy drags, economic anxiety increasingly propels Democratic primary voters to the polls. Both Sens. Clinton and Obama are winning votes from Americans who say the economy is their number one election issue. While Clinton's message on the economy has helped her attract blue collar and middle class votes, Obama decisively won the economy vote in yesterday's Potomac Primary. As the Wisconsin, Ohio, and Texas primaries near, both candidates are sure to hone their economic message.
Obama is already out of the gate -- today, in his major economic policy address at the Janesville GM Assembly Plant in Wisconsin, he laid out a "comprehensive" economic agenda that focuses on three broad economic challenges -- the current housing crisis; the cost crisis facing the middle-class and those struggling to join it; and the need to create millions of good jobs right here in America.
We like that Obama is thinking comprehensively about the economy and we're interested to see if and how he and Clinton will continue to advance economic agendas that knit together the various piecemeal economic proposals they've already advanced.
In a separate post, NDN Fellow Michael Moynihan takes a look at Obama's plan to increase infrastructure investment and build a more green economy. Let me highlight other areas of particular interest to NDN that Obama touched upon in his speech:
Opportunity cost of war spending-
....a war that is costing us thousands of precious lives and billions of dollars a week that could’ve been used to rebuild crumbling schools and bridges; roads and buildings; that could’ve been invested in job training and child care; in making health care affordable or putting college within reach.
Trade-
I won’t stand here and tell you that we can – or should – stop free trade. We can’t stop every job from going overseas. But I also won’t stand here and accept an America where we do nothing to help American workers who have lost jobs and opportunities because of these trade agreements. ...When I am President, I will not sign another trade agreement unless it has protections for our environment and protections for American workers.
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