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madfloridian

(88,117 posts)
54. Cowan's words about public housing.
Wed Feb 12, 2014, 01:08 PM
Feb 2014
Third Way is the wrong way

From 2007

Blowing up public housing is not a progressive value

Recently, Third Way's President, Jon Cowan, made a presentation to the Democracy Alliance, a center-left organization that is attempting to build progressive political infrastructure. Cowan spent his speech shouting at the audience and half his time explaining that when he worked at the Housing and Urban Development Department under Andrew Cuomo, he worked to "blow up public housing" and replace it with two and three-story public housing. He characterized his work as "modernizing" progressive ideas.

What Cowan failed to explain, however, is that much of the public housing blown up was sitting on valuable urban land and was replaced, not by low-income housing, but by developments of mid and high-priced condominiums, while the poor were moved farther from cities, and that some of the blown up housing had been recently built and was in good condition. More significantly, Cowan failed to acknowledge that the number of replacement units did not match the number of housing units blown up and thousands of low-income tenants were left homeless by this "modernization." The next day, Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director of Center for Community Change, an organization that works on behalf of low-income people, called this demolition of public housing, with the insufficient housing replacement, "immoral."

Blowing up public housing and leaving thousands homeless may be Third Way's idea of "modernization," it may even appeal to some Democratic real estate developers, but there is nothing progressive about it.


Fantasy No. 5 is that the Turd Way is tsuki Feb 2014 #1
+1 a shit load! Enthusiast Feb 2014 #41
Ahh...now this shit is starting to make sense! demwing Feb 2014 #43
Like anyone would expect a Third Way mouthpiece to talk ill of the 1%. Rex Feb 2014 #2
Looks like a plan to me........this, IMO, is what Hillary and Obama are all about. djean111 Feb 2014 #3
The fantasy is that "no one" is saying that any of these things solve anything. Lint Head Feb 2014 #4
Hippy punching is in vogue with the Third Way neverforget Feb 2014 #5
Funny how he never mentions defense spending. JaneyVee Feb 2014 #6
Yep. Kind of glosses right over that think Feb 2014 #8
Defense should be a big target. But, assuming his deficit numbers are anywhere close to Hoyt Feb 2014 #10
Ha..he started a group called "The Can Kicks Back" madfloridian Feb 2014 #12
Tell that to SS beneficiaries when their benefits are automatically cut by one-third, or Hoyt Feb 2014 #16
No offense taken, we simply disagree. madfloridian Feb 2014 #18
I agree. But, I don't think the needed big tax increase solves the problem. Good start, Hoyt Feb 2014 #19
Let's do the easy things first... sendero Feb 2014 #28
Does that include reinstating all the tax loopholes of the 70s? Revanchist Feb 2014 #44
I'd be EXTREMELY surprised.. sendero Feb 2014 #58
Speaking of "defense" spending is clearly verboten. Enthusiast Feb 2014 #33
He should take another crack at Elizabeth Warren MannyGoldstein Feb 2014 #7
Oh, I would love to see that. madfloridian Feb 2014 #9
He's a Republican masquerading as a Democrat. Enthusiast Feb 2014 #34
Republican-in-hiding bullshit. diane in sf Feb 2014 #11
What We Have Here, Ma'am, Is A Serious Ultra-Maroon The Magistrate Feb 2014 #13
...... madfloridian Feb 2014 #14
Yup. Segami Feb 2014 #15
eat my poo, goper. PowerToThePeople Feb 2014 #17
I don't know this person, but he sounds like a Koch brother. Is he perhaps jtuck004 Feb 2014 #20
LOL!!! Cut building stuff and then MARVEL that ratios change.... Spitfire of ATJ Feb 2014 #21
Well, I've got a fucking fantasy for you, bigtime... nikto Feb 2014 #22
No mention about increased wages for workers Promethean Feb 2014 #23
Cowan is full of baloney Jack Rabbit Feb 2014 #24
I like the way you think! Enthusiast Feb 2014 #35
Excellent summation of what should be the Democratic platform. thucythucy Feb 2014 #51
Bravo. bemildred Feb 2014 #52
Yes, he is. madfloridian Feb 2014 #53
+1 jsr Feb 2014 #56
BS like this from the Turd Way really makes me support Parity Purity even more wocaonimabi Feb 2014 #25
1.) Taxing the rich seems to work quite well overseas. bemildred Feb 2014 #26
Another excellent post, bemildred! Enthusiast Feb 2014 #39
Thanks, I don't quite know what to make of it. bemildred Feb 2014 #47
So why are these people Democrats??? I'm not buying their act anymore. reformist2 Feb 2014 #27
The Repug agenda is precisely what it is. Enthusiast Feb 2014 #38
The republicans fleeing the crazy party have to go somewhere. Well lookie here, they're trying to myrna minx Feb 2014 #48
might as well learn to love it, third way is the way of the dem party for the forseeable future KG Feb 2014 #29
It is their "policy shop." madfloridian Feb 2014 #31
I've seen a lot of shit. What impresses me most demwing Feb 2014 #32
"Populist Lefties are the voices of tomorrow." Enthusiast Feb 2014 #37
If you're right (and I hope you are not), then I need a new party. n/t Laelth Feb 2014 #46
Speaking of fantasies of the left, here's his: JHB Feb 2014 #30
K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast Feb 2014 #36
It won't. madfloridian Feb 2014 #40
Third Way fantasy #1: JHB Feb 2014 #42
What a load of crap! Laelth Feb 2014 #45
He is touting failed Republican ideology AgingAmerican Feb 2014 #49
K&R Another reminder that labels don't mean what they used to. woo me with science Feb 2014 #50
Cowan's words about public housing. madfloridian Feb 2014 #54
Complete Rubbish davekriss Feb 2014 #55
He's right... Armstead Feb 2014 #57
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