Letting the 1% Off Easy: Populism and Pain in Obama's Budget

http://www.alternet.org/economy/154143/letting_the_1_off_easy%3A_populism_and_pain_in_obama%27s_budget/

Mitt Romney said it this way: 'I'm not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs a repair, I'll fix it. I'm not concerned about the very rich, they are fine....I'm concerned about the very heart of America.'

President Barack Obama said it this way:

'We can restore an economy where everybody gets a fair shot, everybody does their fair share, everybody plays by the same set of rules -- from Washington to Wall Street to Main Street. That’s the America we believe in.'

Both want to appeal to a hurting middle-class electorate. Only one has a populist message with appeal and effect. He most likely will win re-election in 2012.

Obama's $3.8 trillion 2013 budget proposal, with its 10-year outlook, is by design a populist campaign tool. Though not politically viable now, his newly released budget is critically important in this election year both for the values it reflects, the vision it promotes and the potential it promises.