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Joe Scarborough nails it! Reaganomics’ failure has led to the rise of Trump’s populist campaign

Donald Trump’s success in the GOP race is causing the Republican party to scratch their heads and fear the worst. And so far, no Republican has been able to understand why Trump is as successful as he is in this race.

Theories have abounded in right wing circles that maybe they just need a more conservative candidate to jump into the race. Or surely if they funnel tens of millions of dollars into Rubio’s campaign, more people will fall in line. Or maybe they need a more logical candidate like John Kasich (R-Ohio). Or maybe people like Trump’s bullying, and if another candidate matches him, they’ll be successful too. But they’ve all been wrong, and no Republican has been able to look introspectively at the party and name what gives Trump huge popularity — until now.

Tuesday morning on Morning Joe , former Republican lawmaker and host Joe Scarborough actually nailed exactly why Trump is so successful in this race — Reaganomics is an abysmal failure. For the last 30 years, Republicans have peddled an economic plan that only favors the rich, but with the promise that the wealth at the top would trickle down to ordinary Americans. Scarborough points out, though, that “it never trickles down.”

Scarborough explains:

“The problem with the Republican Party over the past 30 years is they haven’t — and I’ll say, we haven’t — developed a message that appeals to the working class Americans economically in a way that Donald Trump’s does.”

BOOM. Exactly.

Scarborough continues:

“We talk about cutting capital gains taxes that the 10,000 people that in the crowd cheering for Donald Trump, they are never going to get a capital gains cut because it doesn’t apply.

“We talk about getting rid of the death tax, the death tax is not going to impact the 10,000 people in the crowd for Donald Trump. We talk about how great free trade deals are. Those free trade deals never trickle down to those 10,000 people in Donald Trump’s rallies.”

Chuck Todd chimes in that Scarborough “sounds like Bernie Sanders.” And that really is the crux of Sanders’ message, the wealth goes to the top and stays at the top, and it’s why a virtually unknown Senator from Vermont was able to be competitive with a Democratic elite like Hillary Clinton.

Scarborough points out that the people in Trump’s rallies are the people who became unemployed after these trade deals. They never see a stream of wealth trickle down, and that right there is why Trump’s populist message is resonating so well within the right wing voting base.

Scarborough continues, saying:


“The Republicans said, listen, we’re going to have all of these trade deals and tax cuts that benefit our wealthiest donor class, but we’ll give them the social issues. We’ll give them abortion, we’ll give them gay marriage, we’ll give them guns and they’ll vote for us.”

And that’s exactly it.

Republicans’ social issues are being held hostage so voters will continue to vote against their interests. And the same thing is also happening in the Democratic field, they hold liberals’ social issues hostage, so they can continue to pass off trade deals and deregulation to help those at the top. NAFTA was passed by a Democratic president. Wall Street deregulation was passed by a Democratic president. Our current Democratic president is trying to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Now, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump are shaking it up in their respective parties, saying “ENOUGH!” And that message is resonating well with voters. We want our side’s social issues, but more importantly, now more than ever, we want an economy that works for us. We want good, high-paying jobs; we want our dignity back. We want economic freedom, not economic slavery, and so far only Trump and Sanders are making that the focus of their campaigns.

Scarborough says:


“What we’re finding this year is, they’ll even support a guy who says Planned Parenthood is good if he comes with an economic approach that they feel that could actually help them more in the future.”

So, if populism is incredibly popular within the working class on the left and right — the largest voting group in America — it explains why Senators Marco Rubio’s campaign is circling the drain. Rubio still represents conservatism as it was “defined by the donor class, as defined by the wealthiest Republicans,” Scarborough says.

So perhaps on Friday, as our nation sends off Nancy Reagan, we can hold a joint funeral for Reaganomics too.

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This is what you should be mad at Ted, not me I'm just the messenger.

I'm sorry too, that you feel stupid again NOT MY FAULT.

I will say this today its the republicans that are falling apart tomorrow it will be the democrats they are equally corrupt and must go as well. I don't know how to make it plainer then that.

Your absolutely correct Clinton damaged the country with bad trade policies and worse banking deregulation all things I have said in the past. So did you make a point hardly.

BTW I never voted for Clinton and I didn't like him and I didn't trust myself to vote after having been fooled into voting for Reagan twice. man did I feel stupid so I understand, but again not my fault you feel the way you do.

I didn't vote again until 2004 when Bush was about to run his scam on us for a second go around. I don't even remember who ran against him I was putting my vote in because I knew I had been lied to in the most grotesque way possible (American Lives). I will never forgive him that, never. Trump knocked it out of the park with me when he said it plan and he sure did lie.

I voted for Obama 2 times I knew he was corrupt as well but when we choose someone to run our country now a days we pick between the lesser of 2 evils and as the article says they play to what we want but we never get it, or its so damned washed down its barely recognizable.

But I digress, my agenda and we all have one is to make sure that my children and grandchildren don't have to live with the corruption we have endured as a country for the past 35+ years, it has to change and it has to change in a radical and real way.

There are a couple of things I want to see happen, I never ever want to see a family lose their home because of medical bills or a senior or any person in need have to choose between suffering and eating. That is not the country I want to leave to my children and their children's children.

I want to see us ALL have economic freedom on some level. If you have to live pay check to pay check then I want you to be able to replace your job with an equal or better job. And I want to see people have hope for a better tomorrow.

The reasons we see the unrest we do in this country right now is a by product of the loss of hope. Most people will tell you tomorrow doesn't look better then today and that's just wrong. We can and should do better.

Bernie's agenda for this country closely matches my own so I gravitate to that agenda, still others gravitate to others agenda's and that is their choice I don't agree for several reasons mainly because I see Bernie as an advocate for people and he is honest. Honesty doesn't get much traction here on DT but it does with me.

If he could only do one thing as president and that one thing was achieve campaign finance reform do you realize what a huge difference that would make to Washington? Can you imagine a Washington not indebted to donors how profound the change in climate would be?

We democrat's and republican's have spent so much time pointing fingers at each other blaming each other the real problem of corruption goes on unabated.

Bernie was asked how he thought he could ever get some of his programs through congress his reply was priceless and dead on point. I think if you take the donors away you can get this countries representatives to do what's right for the people.

Listen Bro you can think what you want about me or my approach I have been mad for 30 years now to be honest I can't for the life of me understand why it has taken so long for the American people to get mad, but they sure as hell are pissed this is a very defining moment in our countries history we either make wholesale change now or something much uglier is going to happen in the not so distant future.

Hillary is NOT the answer, Hillary as has been pointed out represents the status quo. That is unacceptable to me we have got to do better. I confess I would go along with her if there weren't a better choice but there is and that to me is Bernie, honesty in a field full of sharks.

I have no problem paying my share, and I never have it never bothered me to pay because I understand that there needs to be roads and bridges and schools and social programs that help and sustain the less fortunate. Yes there are persons that take advantage of some of our social programs but there are many many many more who don't. And before anyone gets all righteous on me here tell me how you don't cheat on your taxes, or take advantage of loop holes! Remember honesty counts, at least with me.

Bottom line I want a better world a more secure world not for me my working days are near an end but for my children and future generations I want a better world then the one we have carved out. I know we can do better, and its incumbent on us to do it.

At the end of the day I don't think there is anyone who is likely to read this that can say that its not damned tough for the kids today and that you don't wonder if they are going to be able to make it, and that you don't wonder what their world will be like for them. And if that doesn't worry you, no disrespect intended but your just not paying attention.

To me maybe Bernie is our last best hope to restore our hope for the future, or perhaps and likely there is a kid somewhere who has been inspired to lead us in the future that came about as a result of Bernie showing the way.

One thing for certain though folks we are seeing history unfold in front of our eyes in ways we don't truly understand yet.

My daughter who is 8 sat with me today and said Daddy what is going on with all these protesters and Donald Trump what is this all about? I had to explain to her how important my wife and myself thought it was for change to take place but when I finished explaining it to her she was in tears.

I want Bernie because I love my children and I want a better world for them to go out in too. I want to restore HOPE to everyone who lives in what used to be the greatest country on earth. JMVHO

Stick to your guns BTTB! we are out numbered here but not in the real world

I would love single payor system if it worked.

Regarding the finances as discussed in this video. 1st, those tax increases are a lot. 2nd, he's high if he believes companies are going to increase everyone's salaries by thousands of dollars a year because of this.

My bigger issue is healthcare itself. As a physician, I hate medicare.

A couple examples:


Medications:

There is a medication that I sometimes prescribe that cost $50/pill. It is taken twice a day. So $100/day before the pharmacy jacks up the price for their profits. To make the math easy let's say that it costs $5000/month.

Patient 1 has private insurance. The medication is covered (may require me to do some paperwork or make a phone call). Depending on the insurance, the patient might have a co-pay which can be expensive. BUT, I can give that patient a co-pay card from the company that will cover up to $1000 in co-pay.

Patient 2 has no insurance at all. My nurse call the pharmaceutical company and the patient gets up to a month supply for $10. No that is not a typo. Ten dollars!

Patient 3 has medicare. Medicare pays 80% leaving 20% to the patient. At a cost of $5000 that leaves $1000 for the patient to pay. Perfect, here is a co-pay card that will pay $1000. Oops sorry. Medicare won't let you use the co-pay card. Cost of the medication to the patient? $1000.



Diagnostic tests:

MRI - I have a patient that I want to order an MRI brain because they are having neurologic symptoms and family history of brain cancer. I am concerned about brain cancer but also some other things. MRI is the best diagnostic test. MRI prices vary. I think an MRI Brain is $500-$1000.

Patient 1 - I order the MRI. I may need to do some paperwork or make a phone call to get it approved. MRI gets done that week. Patient pays a co-pay of $50-$100.

Patient 2 - Has no insurance. The MRI gets done. Cost to patient.$1000. We send the patient to the Charity department. He has to fill out some paperwork and the charges get written off. The hospital is a "non-profit" hospital so whatever it write off it gets to deduct from its taxes.

Patient 3 - Has medicare. MRI gets denied. I fill out paperwork. MRI gets denied. I make a phone call. MRI denied. I send an appeal. MRI gets denied. I make another phone call. Finally gets approval - 2 month later! For fairness, this doesn't happen with every medicare patient. But getting stuff done is difficult often enough that every time I order something expensive on a medicare patient, inside my head I go "Ugh".

Medicare pays 80%. Cost to the patient $100 -$200. The patient is on fixed income and that money will be a hardship on them. I send them to the Charity department. We'll write that off. Oh wait. You have medicare. We aren't allowed to write that off. Here's a payment plan.



I left medicaid off because medicaid is state specific. I live in Charlotte NC which is right on the NC/SC border. I love when patients have NC medicaid but hate when they have SC medicaid.


Single payor is great in concept. But what is more likely? The gov't sets it up in a way that is well run and benefits the vast majority of Americans or they create a system that is hard to work with, cost people more money, and delays healthcare? The patient I used in the medicare MRI example ended up having had a small stroke. By the time he came to me, it was too late to do anything except institute measures to prevent strokes in the future. Had this been a brain tumor, that 2 month delay could have been the difference between curing the patient vs the patient dying in 12 months.

If you think they are anywhere close to that cheap I think you need to get one yourself and find out how much damage shows up on yours

well, there are plenty of examples of a single payer system working.

the problem is that other countries view healthcare as a human right. we view it as a business.

single payer system will never work if we keep viewing healthcare as a business/privilege. it would be impossible for the cost to come down when big pharma controls the pricing.

there are things that should be left to the market. healthcare isn't one of those things, IMO. maybe it's just me, solo dolo on this board, but the concept of bidding for the cheapest healthcare that is responsible for my life is beyond scary.

about the primaries:

i find it funny that trump is talking tough with regards to isis and putin, but can't take the heat from megyn kelly and some protesters in chicago.

The removal of donors and lobbyists from politics would be fantastic. It would be great if that could be accomplished - it is the root of all issues within the political arena. It is doubtful it will ever change, but I think most people outside of the .01% would likely agree regardless of political leanings.


I hate the word "loopholes" - it is used to get a rise out of people. Most people don't cheat on the taxes, that is a joke to even say - they take advantage of the rules put into place by our govenrnment. People who pay no taxes that get a "refund" is not cheating, though I don't like it, it is within the rules of the game. I write off my loan interest for my house, which is technically a "loophole". I write off stock losses, which is technically a "loophole". Am I a cheat because of that? Please define and show examples of all these people who cheat and don't get caught.

This "fair share" garbage, as you know, drives me nuts. I've outlined what I would do for taxes several times that would make it simple and fair for everyone. Even OCD agreed with my ideas - it is possible for people on both sides to agree on taxation.


I told my son if he ever acted like these "protesters" that I would be very disappointed in him. I also told him how disappointed I would be if he acted as some of the Trump supporters were - racially antagonizing, fighting, etc.

Everyone deserves the right to free speech and to be heard without a bunch of people threatening them regardless of if you agree with them or not. That is one of the founding principals of this country and it saddens me that it has gotten to this point.

Bernie could squash it in a second if he would just say stop and he would gain some respect from me if he did. By condoning this behavior he is just as bad as the rest of the political slimeballs. If this were happening at his gatherings his backers would lose their minds.

And please stop posting that silly artical over and over. We get it, good lord.


Think highly of yourself much? These are the kinds of things that annoy me about many liberals such as yourself. If you don't agree with the conculsions that they came to, also known as OPINIONS, you are weak minded and stupid. I don't understand this fascination you have with calling people stupid if they disagree with you. I enjoy reading other posters opinions whether I agree with them or not - I don't think I've ever called anyone stupid for their beliefs. You post a lot of good opinions and then ruin it by belitteling and name calling.

Well said OCD - that is what is missing in this country is compromise and the willingness to get along with people you may not agree with. It didn't use to be this way.

On another note, if I couldn't get along with liberals I wouldn't have many friends, lol. I'm quite often the black sheep in the crowd I hang out with.

Trump/Cruz
You Choose.

Not saying your wrong and I know this factually my insurance company doesn't deny coverage for an MRI they simply will NOT pay for one period. This is a trend that is taking place throughout the insurance industry in regards to imagery we didn't used to pay anything for Xrays and MRI's now they make you pay and in many instances you pay the whole shot MRI's being one of them.

Told my daughter the same along with many other things. And Bernie did say that he does NOT support crashing DT events, as I and you both know he would.

On the other hand Trump doubled down and said that he wouldn't be surprised if his supporters started showing up and crashing other events.

He is the cause of this problem, I worry seriously worry with the mental instability we see in society today that this is going to go somewhere we never thought possible.

Trump could have and should have dispelled all of this instead he throws more fuel on the fire.

I reluctantly support his right to be different lets say but man he makes it real hard, he really does.

Oh and I post the article in loo of having to repeat myself (type it again) and in answer to my response to the poster in question that being Ted I believe.

It is a bit like rubbing salt in the cut but I will say this again as well, you can substitute, democratic for republican and change a few words and the very same applies to us as well...For the record....

Horse Hockey! There is a Huge difference between the Left and the Right in this Country.

This is why the Right is taking the Country back. We intend to fix the damage.

Trump/Cruz
You Choose.

Thanks dude. It is a bit disheartening when I put a lot of thought into things and it goes unnoticed. A lot of that is just randomly placing them into unrelated posts though

Both parties continually end up bought off by corporate interests. The parites enact financial policy that benefits their donors, but squabble over social issues to keep their base happy.

Spot on. As BTTB said, the money needs to be removed from politics. The likelihood of that ever happening regardless of who is elected is slim.

Ok, and is that all there is to the story of America, corporate dealings? I think that is only one aspect of how we work, it is much wider and deeper than a single example or issue.

What is horse hockey?

That term is commonly used in lieu of, or to replace "bull crap".

I am in no way agreeing with his statement. I am just answering your question.

Just checking 40 but you do realize that the Republican party is within a whisker of imploding and likely will before the end of this election cycle.

Makes me laugh when I hear you say that their taking back the country.... Good one....

Of course we have many many more issues 40 but that is the underlying issue to what is the biggest problem we have.

For instance climate change what do you want to bet the party you love gives that up the moment the money dries up?

You laughed when I said we would take the House back.
You laughed as I predicted we would retake the Senate.
Once again, you are laughing as we come for the Presidency.

Laugh well, for tomorrow you will weep.

If you would like a real laugh, turn on the News, any station, and you will find TRUMP! Trump is sucking up all that free advertising while everyone else is spending millions to be seen and heard!

Trump/Cruz
You Choose.

Put down the punch. Don't want you involved in the massacre come November.

Only reason you took those two places is due to a historical trend of the democratic base failing to get out to midterms.

That's a failure on the democratic side, and not educating their base on why midterm elections are just as important as presidential elections.

The base will resoundingly turnout, and this is due to Trump's overall behavior.

Horse Hockey!

If excuses were Gooses, beggars would eat well.

Trump/Cruz
You Choose.

Let's make a ban bet. If a GOP candidate loses I stop posting for six months, but if a Dem candidate wins you stop posting for six months.

Guys-we need TERM LIMITS. Can't post the quote from the phone but even the founders were in favor of them.

I agree. I'm telling you bro, what we have in government is a modern day monarchy. We have a royal class.

Not fair.

First, you have not posted anything sensible yet.
Second, Your internet time will be severely limited in the camps.

Trump/Cruz
You choose.

So if trump wins, he's sendin people like rocket to camps?

Relax.

Lol

in the camps?

Back in the day, the American Citizen would leave his farm or business and make a great sacrifice for the Nation by serving in its Government. They worked hard but longed for the day they could return to their homes.

Today, we have career politicians who want to keep their jobs until retirement and beyond. They win election and immediately begin running for the next one.

You will never get them to vote themselves out of office.

The Georgia State Senate is like this. Most of them have careers outside of their senate duties.

DC said something about that before.

i like his idea combined with some others: if government isn't gonna place term limits, then the alternative needs to be that they are paid enough that they can't be bought, but that should be the ONLY source of income they are allowed to have.

I think both parties are on the edge of being eliminated entirely and they have no one to blame but themselves and of course their open greed. They are NOT the solution they are the problem.

In practical terms the Republican party is in its last stages of dissolving. That is clear to me anyway. While the Democratic party is more united the underpinnings of what is about to implode the Republicans exists within the Democratic party as well. Corruption is killing them and they can't seem to get their arms around it.

If I were the head of the Democratic or Republican party I would introduce legislation on Monday to end PAC's and special interests its their ONLY hope of saving themselves but without legal bribe money why serve?????

It's so bad and they are so desperate that the Republicans are willing to openly support the candidate from the other party in order to maintain the status quo and hope they can reform down the road.

But the writing is on the wall and they are totally ignoring it.

I'll say this too I think the press in their own sick way is trying to put their thumb on the scale particularly within the democratic race.

The candidate's themselves on the republican side have a very slim chance of actually winning the nomination in the only meaningful way you can. BY THE VOTE.

You can plainly see their circling the wagons to steal the nomination based on the premise that no candidate has secured enough delegates to win the nomination. I don't see Trump or his supporters going quietly into the night. That will end the party as we now know it. The convention will be high energy entertainment with fists flying and open and hostile division on display for all to see.

The Democrats have their issues as well. While the press keeps inflating Hillary's numbers by factoring in Super delegates if they get to the convention and Hillary hasn't secured the popular vote and then try to steal the nomination for Hillary the lid will come off the Democratic party as well.

Maybe its wishful think on my part but I think Bernie will get the nomination or should I say he will get the popular vote. If he too is denied at the convention by the party elite trouble will surely follow.

It's strange to watch the party elites on both sides struggle to position themselves correctly. Hillary consistently follows Bernie's lead on every issue, SNL made a huge joke out of it last night. It may be funny but its true. In her defense sort of Bill was the same way. I disliked him because he didn't stand for anything, Hillary is the same.

At this point I think the party elites along with their donors are scrabbling to figure out how to salvage themselves my hope is that its to late because they all need to go.

Term limits would have helped but the only thing now that will help is a damned good broom and sweep them all out with the trash.

The problem with this comes from everyone having dirty hands in the system. You go after PACs, lobbyists, and special interest? Expect blackmail city, and potential career suicide.

There's an elite few in this country who will fight tooth and nail for these PACs, lobbyists, and special interest. Why will they fight? Well, if they don't fight then the power and control they've enjoyed for so long gets extinguished. It's a huge reason for our lack of opportunity for all classes, and races on our country.

The system is rigged.