Book Review: The Middle Out: The Rise of Progressive Economics and a Return to Shared Prosperity
by Michael Tomasky
This book is standing the test of time, as it still is fully relevant and practical today as it was when it was written during the Biden Administration. Michael Tomasky’s projections of what would happen in a second Trump Administration have been presciently on target. Without the application of competent Keynesian economic policies, the über-wealthy have become more so with inequality racing higher each year—Republican control of the government and Project 2025 have put that race on steroids, to the extent that heretofore basic safety net backstops (such as Medicare and Social Security) are being systematically dismantled. Tomasky offers a remedy for this societal malady, with the book’s title providing a pointed hint at the solution.
Democratic Party factions such as the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and the Third Way are being increasingly challenged by unapologetic proponents of progressive economics such as Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and AOC. Tomasky points out that, although this divergence may appear unsolvable, some wealthy donors have openly and substantively promoted taxation plans that significantly increase taxes on their wealth. The terminology used sometimes can be unclear to those hearing it—for example, Warren and Pete Buttigieg have said separately that they are capitalists (which serve to neutralize the inaccurate autocratic socialist epithets used against their positions).
Tomasky provides (if not a road map, at least) some highway signs to guide recovery from this unsustainable economic inequality. Those pointers are as follows:
1. Challenge the assumption that Republicans are better for the economy—it has been objectively documented that the economy performs best under Democratic governments.
2. Destroy the myth of Homo economicus (that is the notion that people are naturally rational and self-interested in their economic philosophy). People act out of more than just self interest—cooperation is the key to prosperity.
3. Associate equality with the founders—such as Madison and Jefferson, who were suspicious of unbridled business interests (not just FDR and LBJ).
4. Tie progressive economics to Freedom—it’s not freedom if you work full time and are still in economic precarity. Freedom from economic uncertainty is needed to truly be productive.
5. Name these concepts, and don’t just call it post-neoliberalism—if nothing else, call it Middle-Out Economics.
Connect the above ideas to ideals, and coordinate publicity at all levels to reduce public infighting. Tomasky mentions several organizations, such as the Roosevelt Institute among others, which are working to communicate these ideals.
How to successfully execute progressive economic policy will be a challenge since, as Tomasky points out, the Republicans have long since abandoned anything approaching bipartisanism in all but verbal deflections. Republican actions to tinker with election processes are also well documented and increasingly done in the open. Even so, there is significant overlap between economic progressives and Red state residents who are wary of losing the very social programs they depend on—stranger nexus incidents have occurred in the past, and it could happen again. With proper messaging and genuine communication with voters where they are, it is possible to enact Middle-Out economic policies—for the prosperity of all.