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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEric Cantor Defeated by a Conservative Who Rips Crony Capitalism
http://m.thenation.com/blog/180189-eric-cantor-defeated-conservative-who-rips-crony-capitalismDave Brat, who defeated the number-two Republican in the House by a 56-44 margin, tore into big business almost as frequently as he did the incumbent. "I am running against Cantor because he does not represent the citizens of the 7th District, but rather large corporations seeking insider deals, crony bailouts and a constant supply of low-wage workers," declared the challenger.
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That does not make Brat any sort of progressive, or even a populist by most contemporary measures; nor does it make his harsh right-wing positions on a number of issues any more noble than those same positions when they are taken by Republicans who regularly pocket checks from Wall Street interests.....
Yet Brat's anti-corporate rhetoric distinguished him from Cantor, and from most prominent Republicans—whether they identify with the Republican "establishment" or the Tea Party wing of a party that in recent years has been defined by its subservience to corporate interests.
From the start of the campaign, Brat was aggressive in his opposition to immigration reform—attacking Cantor for making tepid attempts to move the GOP toward a more moderate position on the issue. But even Brat's crude campaigning on immigration came with an anti-corporate twist. "Eric Cantor doesn't represent you, he represents large corporations seeking a never-ending supply of cheap foreign labor," the challenger argued.
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el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)businesses owned by open liberals. They won't acknowledge other forms of corruption.
Bryant
House of Roberts
(5,160 posts)he's connecting the dots tying Brat to the Koch Brothers via the grant that funds the economics department at Randolph-Macon.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)progressives.
We need to understand this before the cry goes out that Brats win signals Dems need to move even further right. This is not the case. The fact is that the other side is willing to use progressive talking points to win, even if they have no intention of delivering.
The other fact is that Progressive solutions work, and work to elect candidates.
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)Brat was anti NSA
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)That's why right wing radio hosts are celebrating their "victory".
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)A couple of quotes, and a plea to the people, does not equal progressive rhetoric. This is a right wing nut job who campaigned overwhelmingly as a right wing nut job.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)(I mean, why should corporations be restricted from buying legislators? and who'd enforce it?) but have to pretend it's against Real True Capitalism (like how "Biblical literalists" just use their soi-disant status to avoid doing any reading)
they just promise that public-relations campaigns, poverty, corruption, profits, GMOs, suburbs, regulatory capture, upward flows of wealth, market cornering, monopoly, accidents, racism, speculation, pollution, income inequality are all impossible under a true capitalism (especially for whites)
spanone
(135,781 posts)chuck todd tried to ask him policy questions this morning and he had few sketchy answers
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)crony capitalism.
octoberlib
(14,971 posts)octoberlib
(14,971 posts)government bailouts, taxpayer subsidies or lobbyists. Of course , they also don't believe in regulations or a minimum wage or income taxes. If a business fails, it fails. They don't think there should be any government interference at all in business.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)
socialist_n_TN
(11,481 posts)It's not about whether he's "really" any sort of populist, right or left. It's about him using some populist campaigning to win an election. And that IS the point.
If the Dems don't use it, the right will. Of course we all KNOW the RW won't do anything about it. Would the Democrats? Who's to say, but we won't know until they actually campaign on left populist positions.
