Parker: Rahm Emanuel sounds like a Republican
In a recent op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel, the former White House adviser and Chicago mayor, has declared his intention to lead the Democratic Party and vie for the presidential nomination in 2028. Emanuel, who boasts an impressive political resume, including roles as chief of staff to President Barack Obama and ambassador to Japan, believes the Democratic Party has lost its way and needs to return to a values-based politics. He contrasts this approach with what he perceives as a current focus on identity politics and victimhood, advocating instead for a political framework that emphasizes personal responsibility and the potential for success through hard work.
Emanuel’s vision echoes sentiments reminiscent of former President Bill Clinton, who famously declared in his 1996 State of the Union address that “the era of big government is over.” This historical context is crucial as Emanuel seeks to reinvigorate the party with an economic agenda rooted in traditional American values. He emphasizes the importance of government as a facilitator, not a barrier, to individual success. Citing the need for reform, Emanuel highlights the urgency of addressing the looming crisis within Social Security, which is projected to become financially unsustainable by 2034. He argues for a system that allows citizens to have “skin in the game” by participating in the economy as owners, thereby fostering a sense of investment and contribution to the nation’s prosperity.
Emanuel’s perspective is a call for a reimagined Democratic Party that prioritizes economic growth and individual agency over divisive narratives. He draws on historical examples, such as Clinton’s welfare reforms, to illustrate the potential for bipartisan cooperation in achieving meaningful change. By advocating for a renewed focus on values that support family and work, Emanuel positions himself as a candidate who could bridge the gap between traditional Democratic principles and the pressing needs of contemporary American society. As he prepares for a potential presidential run, his insights could resonate with voters seeking pragmatic solutions to the challenges facing the nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnApSWGmfeM
Rahm Emanuel wants to take leadership of the Democratic Party and capture its nomination for president in 2028.
He shares his thoughts in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed. It’s the first time a Democrat has made me smile since President Bill Clinton announced in his 1996 State of the Union address that “The era of big government is over.”
Emanuel has a stellar political resume that includes senior adviser in the White House to Clinton, chief of staff to President Barack Obama, member of Congress, mayor of Chicago and ambassador to Japan.
He has a reputation for political astuteness, being a tough fighter and being the father of the oft-quoted, “You never want a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.”
These instincts are raising his finely honed political antennae that his party has badly, and destructively, lost direction.
And here he could not be more right.
Emanuel seeks a “politics based on values.” Not a politics of “identity, grievance, or victimhood,” of “oppressors” and “oppressed.”
He says he is talking about values that say, “government’s proper role is to clear a path so those who put in the elbow grease can earn success.”
Hey, he is sounding like a Republican.
Emanuel should take cues from his former boss Clinton who, in 1992, announced his intention to “change welfare as we know it.”
“For too long our welfare system has undermined the values of family and work, instead of supporting them,” Clinton said in his 1996 State of the Union. And then, working with a Republican Congress, he signed historic welfare reform into law, replacing the disastrous Aid to Families with Dependent Children with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Work requirements were introduced and welfare rolls were dramatically reduced.
However, one reform to which Clinton aspired that sunk in the political swamp of his impeachment in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal was reform of Social Security.
In December 1998, Clinton convened the first-ever White House Conference on Social Security.
Clinton wanted genuine reform that would fix a broken and flawed system. In his 1999 State of the Union, Clinton proposed creation of personal retirement accounts that individuals could seed with funds with a tax credit and then qualify for additional matching funds.
Emanuel says his party “needs an economic agenda rooted in American values.”
“Everyone should feel they have skin in this game and all citizens should feel they can contribute to the nation’s renewal,” he says.
Our existing Social Security is not viable in its current form. Cash flow from the system will be insufficient to meet obligations by 2034, just nine years from now, per the latest Trustees report.
Nothing can give every American more “skin in the game” than participating in ownership and growth of our nation’s economy.
Let every American become an owner and share in the experience of capitalism and growth.
Star Parker is founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education.
