Biden: People Have Been Stripped Of Their Dignity

Striking a decidedly populist tone, Vice President Joseph Biden on Thursday reaffirmed the administration's commitment to bolstering the middle class and observed that "an awful lot of people have been stripped of their dignity" by the current recession.

Speaking at an economic panel at the progressive think tank, the Center for American Progress, Biden said the White House is not pleased by the current state of the nation's economy.

"Don't get me wrong," he said. "Don't get me wrong. We are extremely happy that the GDP grew 3.5 percent last quarter as opposed to 6-point-something percent minus GDP the day when we lowered our hands. So we are making progress. But, like I've been saying for a long time, the GDP cannot by itself loosen the middle class squeeze. It is a necessary but not full precondition to recovery."

Biden covered a host of kitchen-table concerns and his talk, to an audience of economists and reporters, seemed designed to reemphasize the administration's commitment to economic issues.

"If the economy is growing but middle-class and low-income families are falling behind, then prosperity must be accruing at the very top of the scale" the vice president said at one point. "Quite simply put, the middle class families weren't sharing and haven't been sharing in the wealth they helped create."

But Biden insisted that the administration is not interested in redistributing wealth.

"We aren't talking about income redistribution," he said. "We are talking about a fighting chance to make a decent income... it's about fairness. It is about simple fairness. It is about an equality of opportunity. At least that's what we are searching for. We are searching for that Holy Grail. How do we establish that level playing field?"

The long-winded V.P. talked for nearly half an hour before a roundtable panel discussion began. And, unlike so many of the president's other advisers, who have a slight taint of Wall Street to them, he seemed utterly at ease addressing the topic of middle-class struggle. If not for his penchant for verbal gaffes (which is, generally, overstated) Biden would seem to be the ideal spokesperson for an administration trying to rediscover its populist appeal. And it wouldn't be a complete shocker if his public appearances became more frequent going forward.

Comments

[bisbeeornotbisbee]

Make that "sound bytes". I'm a Luddite. :)

[bisbeeornotbisbee]

That's right, folks. When Biden was elected in 1972, I thought he was a great Senator-- until about 10-15 years ago. He's a real corporate mofo, in bed with the banking and insurance industries. Too many people are fooled by politicians' affability, without scrutinizing their records.

Just like the Clintons: for some reason, the majority of people consider them liberals, and I suppose if you look solely at their right to choose stance, and the fact that they have black and gay friends it may seem so. But politically, they're totally owned by the Corporatocracy. Both are actually extremely conservative on virtually all issues. (Same with Kerry, et al.)

Forget their personalities and sound bites and Sunday morning appearances. Only their records and campaign contributors really count.

[ILibertine]

Foremost of those from whom diginity has been stripped are politicians, who were sparsely clothed before the current economic "revelations" and must be somewhat chilly by now.

And what is wrong with a little income redistribution? Sure seems okay when it goes toward socializing business debt. Let's start the pendulum the other way now.

But...thos­e millionaire senators and representatives. Ummm.

[pj-smith]

Biden: in bed with the credit card companies, allowing them to dictate bankruptcy laws is seeing the light.
Talk talk talk.....j­ust like his boss.

[masher]

Talk is cheap. I don't see Obama or Biden willing to end the Bush era regulations which are the root causes of much of the suffering.

As long as China has most favored trade status (thanks to Clinton) then don't say you are trying.
As long as we don't ensure that only people eligible to work are working (e-verify) then don't say you are trying.
As long as we have "work visa" federal regulations like H-1B which distort the US labor market don't even say you are trying.

If you don't fix trade and labor then you aren't even trying.

[lizr]

Just curious but:

how do you think we would go about stripping China of most favored nation status when

they hold our biggest debt- they financed the entire Iraq war... if they called in our debt the entire economy would fold.

Got any more great ideas?

[onwisconsin]

exactly

[Oldchef]

We in Delaware are proud of Joe Biden. He has never hesitated to speak truth to power and never enriched himself at the public's expense as so many others have done. He remained middle-class and understood and understands our concerns. For years I answered Democratic Party surveys saying that the stock market may have been doing well, but people weren't doing worth a damn. Joe was one of the very few who understood that, as does his successor and long-time aide, Ted Kaufman, leading a lonely fight for a sense of urgency on financial regulation.

[outside the bell]

So, in you mind, Biden doesn't represent power? Take another look.

[lizr]

Ha ha - Joe Biden - the Senator from the credit card industry.

he's a populist..­.uh huh.

[Owlygirl]

I am not from Delaware, but I'm also proud. He speaks from the heart when discussing how average people are being devastated by this busted economy. If I were one of those families or people I wouldn't want my government to forget about me.

[yourmonscalling]

BIDEN SAYS QUOTE We are talking about a fighting chance to make a decent income... it's about fairness. It is about simple fairness

[yourmonscalling]

This post does not have all the content i put into it whats up with that

[Carl Caroli]

GDP numbers are meaningless to the average American. The rich are indeed, getting richer, we know that for a fact. Look at the big bankers, and Wall st. - they're having a great year. Since they control the majority of the wealth in this country, the GDP only reflects that fact and nothing else. Any expert economist that cranks out their forecasts based solely on "the numbers" is no expert at all, and in fact, should be relegated to the junk pile. We need experts with their thumbs on the pulse of the Average American. Until all boats are floating, no news is good news.

[PRONESE]

No One
*
*
Can strip me of my dignity unless I ALLOW them to do so.
*
Posish!
*
R/ PRONESE

[Rmath]

The middle class could have been helped in the bailout process if anyone had considered an alternative.

Instead of direct bailout payouts to banks, credit card companies and other lending institutions, the money handed out to these lenders could have been used instead to give an additional $5000 per individual taxpayer ($10,000 for a couple filing jointly). The catch would be that the recipient would have to use that entire sum to directly reduce their short-term debt, such as credit card outstanding balances, auto/boat loans, equity loans, second home loans and revolving charge debt.

All of the money would have gone to banks and lenders anyway, in the form of debt reduction payments. But the money would first have been used to give the middle class a break.

Foreclosures and seizures of cars, boats and other merchandise would have been reduced. Non-perfoming loans could, in many cases, be taken off the books of these institutions. And millions of taxpayers would have seen their FiCO scores improved or their credit rescued, leaving more Americans able to make mortgage payments, accumulate savings and even keep their homes.

But instead the middle class got pretty much nothing out of these bailouts. Lenders still aren't lending. Revolving charge/credit card debt is still high and an enormous segment of the middle class has watched their FICO scores shot to hell.

What would have been so evil about channeling this money through the hands of taxpayers and consumers first?

[SUSANINCOLUMBIA]

I wish Joe was at the wheel. Then we'd be seeing some real change.

[SparkyDash]

He is the progressive in the WH.

[pj-smith]

nope, not him either.

[SparkyDash]

Fanned, btw ;-)

[tnkeating]

Yea Joe, thanks for nothing.

[LeeCalif]

"......... stripped of their dignity ..."

Afghanis, Iraqis, Palestinia­ns.....

[kfdan]

" ... Joseph Biden ... observed that "an awful lot of people have been stripped of their dignity" by the current recession.­"
That's only half true Joe ... they have been stripped of their assets as well. All this thanks to a weak and inept government owned by the international financial elite!

[hypnotoad72]

Many used their assets to further their careers too...

[uvymopka]

WASHINGTON – The unemployment rate has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 — and is likely to go higher.

Thanks Joe
Thanks Obama

Try to keep it under 20%

[dawnec1957]

THANKS BUSH......­..THANKS CHENEY !

[angiemomma]

Here, here!!!

[Rmath]

Anyone who seriously believes the blame for the current unemployment rate should be affixed to President Obama is completely ignoring the past eight years.

[hypnotoad72]

Hate to break this to you, but American history started before 2009. I suggest you read up on it - particularly the ancient history (1980-2007­)...

[outside the bell]

LOL. You hit the nail on the head. A nation of short term memories. For many, that would be "ancient history." Immediate gratification, "That's the ticket."