The_AT0 tale_NN1 Republicans_NN2 tell_VVB is_VBZ the_AT0 reason_NN1 they_PNP often_AV0 carry_VVB an_AT0 edge_NN1 on_PRP the_AT0 economy_NN1 ._SENT As_CJS someone_PNI who_PNQ has_VHZ spent_VVN the_AT0 bulk_NN1 of_PRF his_DPS career_NN1 working_VVG in_PRP and_CJC around_PRP progressive_AJ0 politics_NN1 ,_PUN I_PNP find_VVB Democrats_NN2 '_POS failure_NN1 to_TO0 grasp_VVI this_DT0 core_NN1 concept_NN1 increasingly_AV0 befuddling_AJ0 because_CJS it_PNP 's_VBZ so_AV0 self-defeating_AJ0 ._SENT Granted_VVN ,_PUN I_PNP have_VHB a_AT0 dog_NN1 (_PUL or_CJC two_CRD )_PUR in_PRP the_AT0 fight_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC there_EX0 's_VBZ no_AV0 denying_VVG that_CJT Messrs._NP0 Clinton_NP0 and_CJC Obama_NP0 inherited_VVD flagging_AJ0 economies_NN2 from_PRP their_DPS predecessors_NN2 and_CJC handed_VVD their_DPS successors_NN2 engines_NN2 of_PRF prosperity_NN1 ._SENT I_PNP do_VDB n't_XX0 understand_VVI how_AVQ anyone_PNI in_PRP the_AT0 progressive_AJ0 community_NN1 still_AV0 believes_VVZ there_EX0 's_VBZ political_AJ0 upside_NN1 to_PRP dismissing_VVG progressive_AJ0 presidential_AJ0 accomplishments_NN2 ._SENT During_PRP the_AT0 2016_CRD primaries_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 left-wing_AJ0 Nation_NN1 magazine_NN1 ran_VVD an_AT0 article_NN1 titled_VVN "_PUQ Note_VVB to_PRP Hillary_NP0 :_PUN Clintonomics_NP0 Was_VBD a_AT0 Disaster_NN1 for_PRP Most_DT0 Americans_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ On_PRP the_AT0 campaign_NN1 trail_NN1 last_ORD year_NN1 ,_PUN Mr._NP0 Biden_NP0 called_VVD fellow_AJ0 Democrats_NN2 '_POS criticism_NN1 of_PRF Mr._NP0 Obama_NP0 in_PRP the_AT0 Detroit_NP0 debate_NN1 "_PUQ bizarre_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ Take_VVB the_AT0 precedent_NN1 that_DT0 's_VBZ most_AV0 frequently_AV0 at_PRP issue_NN1 today_AV0 —_PUN the_AT0 Recovery_NN1 Act_NN1 of_PRF 2009._CRD Mr._NP0 Obama_NP0 's_POS economic_AJ0 strategy_NN1 not_XX0 only_AV0 prevented_VVN the_AT0 Great_AJ0 Recession_NN1 from_PRP morphing_NN1 into_PRP a_AT0 full-fledged_AJ0 depression_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC sparked_VVD a_AT0 record-setting_AJ0 recovery_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 legislation_NN1 he_PNP signed_VVD was_VBD far_AV0 bigger_AJC than_CJS any_DT0 previous_AJ0 stimulus_NN1 bill_NN1 and_CJC was_VBD as_AV0 robust_AJ0 as_CJS Congress_NN1 would_VM0 allow_VVI ._SENT It_PNP was_VBD also_AV0 only_AV0 one_CRD part_NN1 of_PRF Mr._NP0 Obama_NP0 's_POS broader_AJC economic_AJ0 agenda_NN1 ,_PUN which_DTQ included_VVD restructuring_VVG General_AJ0 Motors_NN2 and_CJC Chrysler_NN1 ,_PUN investing_VVG in_PRP the_AT0 early_AJ0 renewable_AJ0 energy_NN1 industry_NN1 ,_PUN expanding_AJ0 healthcare_NN1 coverage_NN1 and_CJC stabilizing_VVG the_AT0 financial_AJ0 system_NN1 ._SENT Most_AV0 important_AJ0 ,_PUN the_AT0 Obama_NP0 administration_NN1 's_POS comprehensive_AJ0 effort_NN1 was_VBD a_AT0 resounding_AJ0 success_NN1 ._SENT During_PRP Mr._NP0 Obama_NP0 's_POS tenure_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 economy_NN1 flipped_VVN from_PRP losing_VVG an_AT0 average_NN1 of_PRF 362_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD a_AT0 month_NN1 during_PRP his_DPS first_ORD year_NN1 in_PRP office_NN1 to_PRP gaining_VVG an_AT0 average_NN1 of_PRF 200_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD a_AT0 month_NN1 during_PRP his_DPS last_ORD year_NN1 ._SENT Why_AVQ would_VM0 any_DT0 progressive_AJ0 want_VVB to_TO0 label_VVI any_DT0 of_PRF that_DT0 as_CJS "_PUQ minimalist_AJ0 "_PUQ ?_SENT Take_VVB the_AT0 Clinton_NP0 administration_NN1 ._SENT On_PRP the_AT0 issues_NN2 progressives_NN2 talk_VVB most_AV0 about_PRP today_AV0 —_PUN job_NN1 creation_NN1 ,_PUN poverty_NN1 reduction_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 list_NN1 goes_VVZ on_AVP —_PUN Mr._NP0 Clinton_NP0 's_POS eight_CRD years_NN2 often_AV0 set_VVB economic_AJ0 records_NN2 ._SENT During_PRP his_DPS tenure_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 income_NN1 gap_NN1 separating_VVG the_AT0 poorest_AJS and_CJC richest_AJS fifths_CRD of_PRF American_AJ0 families_NN2 dramatically_AV0 narrowed_VVN ._SENT The_AT0 economy_NN1 gained_VVD more_AV0 than_CJS 20_CRD million_CRD jobs_NN2 ._SENT In_PRP 1995_CRD Clinton_NP0 was_VBD so_AV0 intent_AJ0 on_PRP saving_VVG Medicare_NP0 and_CJC Medicaid_NP0 from_PRP cuts_NN2 that_CJT he_PNP stood_VVD firm_NN1 during_PRP a_AT0 Republican-led_AJ0 government_NN1 shutdown_NN1 ._SENT Far_AV0 from_PRP claiming_VVG that_CJT he_PNP was_VBD some_DT0 sort_NN1 of_PRF "_PUQ Republican_NN1 lite_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ progressives_NN2 should_VM0 own_VVI Mr._NP0 Clinton_NP0 's_POS accomplishments_NN2 because_CJS they_PNP provide_VVB a_AT0 foundation_NN1 for_PRP what_DTQ we_PNP want_VVB to_TO0 do_VDI in_PRP the_AT0 future_NN1 ._SENT Decades_NN2 ago_AV0 ,_PUN Reagan_NP0 coined_VVD what_DTQ many_DT0 call_VVB the_AT0 11th_ORD commandment_NN1 :_PUN "_PUQ Thou_PNP shalt_VM0 not_XX0 speak_VVI ill_AJ0 of_PRF another_DT0 Republican_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Democrats_NN2 do_VDB n't_XX0 need_VVI to_TO0 pretend_VVI that_CJT every_AT0 Democrat_NN1 who_PNQ ever_AV0 held_VVD office_NN1 was_VBD infallible_AJ0 ._SENT 
