(CORRECTION: The quote about focusing on the deficit being wrong was incorrectly attributed to Richard Trumka. It was actually Lawrence Mishel who said that. I have changed the name, and moved the paragraph up to where I cover Mishel's presentation. - TW)

--more from Tony-- cho

(NOTE -- Unlike my post of yesterday, I will use block quotes to indicate where I am quoting or paraphrasing the speakers. All other text are my own summaries, comments, and interpretations. Also, the phrase “neo-liberal” or “neo-lib” – which was used by the speakers – refers to the economic ideology of radical free markets, or market fundamentalism, not political liberalism.)

In introducing the panel, The Economics of Shared Prosperity Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute argued forcefully:

The dominant economic philosophy of neo-liberalism – that markets solve all problems, and everyone can be left to take care of themselves – is now completely discredited. What we need to say loud and clear is that the era of small government is over. Remember that it was a Democratic President, Clinton, who joined the neo-libs, the conservatives, and the republicans in 1997 when he said the era of big government is over.