I think this was covered, in it's early stages, in The Great Gatsby. The super-rich have been beavering away for 100 years now, creating these islands of poverty and wealth, and I again say the French had the solution: The Guillotine
and it seems to have worked well for a while. 😉
I think ultimately, only voters should be allowed to donate to politicians and PACs, and never more than a total of $5k per year. Citizens United has amplified ALL of America's problems (except for the GOP)
Yes. I think most of us can agree that the DISASTROUS, DEADLY "Citizens United" ruling, stating that giant corporations ARE PEOPLE, is one of THE biggest reasons America is currently dying.
Probably worth noting that he didn't do so without his conveyance striking one of the masses (blame Tesla's Autopilot if you must - the watching eyes of Dr. TJ Eckelberg didn't do it!)...
The wealthier segment of our society is more mobile because of the financial flexibility their income provides them. This group has the inherent ability to relocate at will, giving them the opportunity to leave areas that they believe have become undesirable because of a negative social image. The rich gravitate to areas where the poor can't afford to live crating an economically segregated landscape.
In my five months travelling in the US I saw plenty of places where there are clearly no rich. We also have such suburbs in Australia. People who live in such areas just want to leave and never see the place ever again. Sadly not everyone can !! I set foot one way or another in 44 of the lower 48 states. Florida , Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont were the only ones not visited. I also did over 20,000 miles on Amtrak during that time and that's a good way to visit out "of the way places" believe me. Rich places were not usually on my agenda as I wanted to see the real America and not Disneyworld and Universal studios !!! My wife and I met some wonderful welcoming people who were never going "to make it". So sad !!
Until I retired from the wealthiest county and spent time traveling the back areas of flyover country I had no idea about how much small towns and rural areas had economically suffered the past decades. It opened my eyes.
Yes it does. Everywhere is going backwards fast. Derelict builldings a sign of previous prosperity that is gone and never to return. We drove 7800 miles from Seattle to Washington DC back in 2015 trying to ignore interstates etc and found places like Belim NM and Waynesboto Va. Thats the reality !!!
Once upon a time, there was a way out for those trapped in economic wastelands. Much of the industrial north was populated by people who took the "Hillbilly Highway" out. In the west, Route 66 brought Okies and Arkies to California. During the depression people "rode the rails" looking for work. In the 50s and 60s reverse busing sent Blacks from south to north. Those days are gone.
Wait! . . . why would ANYONE WITH A SINGLE WORKING BRAIN CELL move to be under the yolk of the morbidly stupid, bigoted man-child in white Go-Go boots, Puddingfingers?!? One need to be a SPECIAL kind of ignorant to think one could THRIVE in that economically-backwards dictatorship!!
The reason I became a Democrat after being raised a Republican was because of JFK. He made famous the words:
“A rising tide lifts all boats” not from later supply-side ideologues and oligarchs who used it to defend their tax cuts and business deregulation. President Kennedy wasn’t saying what’s good for the wealthy is good for the working class, he was saying WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. You may not agree with your Government on every issue but you should support your Government. That is being Patriotic. Our Congress decides what path we take on policy. That’s why your vote is so important!
Note: I became unaffiliated soon after JFK was assassinated. I now vote on the character of the nominee regardless of their party affiliation.
I don't. Even in adulthood I supported some deserving Republicans, but no more. Like I said the other day, I'd vote for a yellow dog before any current Republican.
Agreed. Actually, I'd hold my nose and vote for the least worst, and noticed that that always ended up being a Democrat! Now, I just hold my nose and vote for a Democrat! LOL!
The present 'Congress' does not get my support at all. I don't believe they are legitimate. Too many questions about members like George Santos. With all the distractions going on, there is no investigation of the dirty dark money that put him, and three others with similar sketchy resumes, into their seats.
Laurie, not legitimate but also seditionist-supporters. I would never vote for a republican. The silence over the deadly sedition and the intentional destruction of our democracy & constitution should have destroyed the current party for good. They will have to start over and call themselves a different party name before I would consider them worthy of voicing an opinion at all.
SeekingReason ; The owners of media are wealthy and want to preserve the status quo. They try to appear supportive of readers/consumers of their products,but ultimately don't tell the whole story, or, sometimes even part of it . The 'both sides ism' is very telling. All BS!
I am stunned how much I learned here but also learned about myself. I did live in a place that essentially was private/public schooling for my children. We - parents - volunteered like crazy. I worked full time but had a high enough position to occasionally take a paid day off. Or I simply rearranged my schedule if needed.
I researched the schools before choosing this place to live for a move to a different state. It never occurred to me that essentially these affluent neighborhoods had schools that you described as private/public. I always supported public schooling. My husband, both children and I graduated from public universities. We went to public schools k-12. But having lived in the SF Bay for many years, we needed double income. I worked in the places talked about..San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. Two incomes gave us far higher standard of living than our parents had but we are small fry compared to the very wealthy today. We’ve lived in 3 other states besides CA. Our house was nothing to brag about in CA. Outdated, tiny lawn in the back, one level..the kitchen was a big step back in time. But you wouldn’t know by the price.
Anyway, the advertisements about “negroes ruining” a neighborhood of homes that looked perfectly maintained…jaw dropping…and even going so far as to add in other so-called undesirables..Jews, Armenians, Persians!! These same types are part of the republican party today but we all see life through our own norms. And clearly, we must step back and figure out if our ideals match our actions, and get this corrected. Thank you Robert, for letting us sit in on your very good classes.
One needs to look no further than Trump and his maniacal attempt to retain something that he lost.
The wealthy will do ANYTHING to retain their wealth. They’d rather spend a fortune on multiple tax lawyers searching for loopholes than simply paying what they owe. Buy Congressional Representatives and Congress persons to reduce tax liability. Lie. Cheat. Steal. It’s just a game to them. And they’re winning!
I am enjoying the class but I'm also disturbed. Our economic and political system has brought us to a very unfair society. It is wrong. So where do we go from here? I thought about Rawls "fairness doctrine" and his "veil of ignorance thought experiment." Is it possible at this stage in the development of artificial intelligence for it to have enough knowledge about the economy and the current status of the citizens to do a kind of "veil of ignorance" experiment for recommendations concerning how to proceed to approach a more fair society? Or would it end up like the huge earth dome experiment that failed in the 1970's because they thought they had enough information to recreate an ecosystem that would sustain itself, but they didn't? I'm eager to see what policies Reich recommends later in the course, if he does.
Rural republican areas are in an economic situation where they are trapped, have been for decades, because it takes a village to raise a child, you can’t do it alone so they can’t leave their loved ones, their children then get trapped because they can’t get access to food security, when you are hungry or dehydrated you can become disoriented and can’t think clearly, they can’t learn. Then if the children go to college, your credit score effects their financial aid. The boundaries are basically villages vs fortresses, no one wants to tear down the walls or divisions because the wealthy feel safe but the villages don’t have the walls. It’s a cycle of abuse and the Republican parents see their children are next, to reframe though, you can stop the cycle by voting, increasing access to food security will help your child learn which in turn makes society safer for the wealthy, we need to become A village again to help raise all our children, we need to reverse using credit scores and parental finances by making local community colleges free, and then removing that all together when they move onto a four year institution after they have proven successful at the two year college in order to ensure safeguard, we need to remove the boundaries and pull together the finances like any family does, you don’t do it alone and have a family to help, we need to lower the drawbridges and act like a family to ensure the safety of all.
These were policy choices made by the elites. I happen to think many of those forgotten Repubs are right in their instincts though wrong in their prescriptions. They have been screwed. As have so many.
They too are trapped in the vicious cycle but can choose to break it if they want to stand up and speak, for the good of all. They are afraid because they care about themselves and their loved ones, they need protection too. Those elites have convinced people to hurt others through money, we have made money such a huge focus ultimately money only buys what you want it to. But if the people hurting others for money were to realize they too are trapped in the cycle. They are scared too how to provide and survive for their loved ones. They are sacrificing a wonderful future for an abusive now. They can decide it’s time to stop living like that
America’s new gold rush: a scramble for $1 trillion in federal tax incentives and loans for green energy that is fueling a flood of corporate investments and reshaping local economies.
I remember in the 50's, hearing about those closer to the river and industrial area of Holyoke, MA were considered coming from "the wrong side of the tracks". Still further up the hill was called "the Highlands", where the homes of Doctors and Lawyers and the affluent lived. We heard phrases like "White Flight", that described how those with more money left the area as they were able.
Unfortunately, I might have had something to do with white flight in several cities. I was on the wrong side of busing cases. I think these were inflicted on us by Nixon's southern strategy.
The two U.S. societies are those in charge and those who aren’t. The South has risen again in the Republican Party starting with Ronald Regan, Gingrich, Falwell, the Bushes and their allies. Citizens United and Rupert Murdoch have corrupted the American Union. How do we get rid of the confederates this time? Time to unite and get our nation back on track!
Slapped in the face! Nothing in here I did not know. Thanks for the needed slap in the face. The job of a great teacher is to tattoo certain feelings on the ass of their students. You are a tattoo artist of the first order!! Thanks again for your commitment.
Concerned about Repubs position on the debt ceiling hostage situation. Seems they are planning to allow default to blame Biden, tank everyone and his re-election chances while lying the entire time. Aside from writing all members and protests, can anything be done?
Reminds me - here in Florida ron desantis just went down a list of his threatening choices for state directed development of Disney in Orlando - included : a prison and low income housing....
DeSantis just change a law in his state that required elected officials to resign their existing position first before they could run for another. That meant DeSantis would have had to resign his governorship before he could have run for president. That's why he has been hesitant about declaring his intention to run for president, but now the door is open and he can retain his position as governor, while going after Trump.
Paul ; DeSantis "can't wait" to put people in a cell in his jail. He actually said that. Anyone not following his draconian new rules is a potential prisoner. He may actually profit from privatizing jails.
Thank you for another stimulating class. I particularly like that you accentuated the "choices" we make even when we are unaware of why we made the choice. I will suggest that you occasionally add a 'none of the above' choice. For instance when you offered a choice of specific cities where we might choose to live - mine would definitely be none of the above. I consider it punishment to even have to visit Los Angeles or Las Vegas, and while I like what San Francisco has to offer, you'd have to pay me to liver there.
As to other choices, I think racism, bigotry in any form, and "otherism" are evil. I am an immigrant. I came here from what was then a 'desirable' country, Canada. I had to have tests to prove I had no sexually transmitted disease or tuberculosis. I was 25 years old in 1958 but I had to produce letters from the police departments of everywhere I lived for 24 years 6 months. Fortunately I have no criminal record. I also had to offer proof that I would not be dependent on any Federal or State agency. That was it. I thought the same applied to any immigrant from any area. Later, much to my chagrin, I found I was mistaken. Had I not been white, of primarily Scottish descendancy it would not have been so easy. Not sure what crimes they thought I could commit between the ages of 6 months and 6 years (:-). I think for immigration today we should set a number - the number of refugees (and asylum seekers we can accommodate), the number of workers we can accommodate and their families and not deal with National origin. When the accommodation number for that year ends, immigration for that year ends. Criminal backgrounds and reasonably decent health should also be considered. Aside from that - first come first served. As to what we owe to others; everything we can give. Money if we have it, advice, assistance, courtesy, and tolerance. In my view, if we have the intelligence to recognize the right action, we have the obligation to perform that action.
Thank you, Robert.
I think this was covered, in it's early stages, in The Great Gatsby. The super-rich have been beavering away for 100 years now, creating these islands of poverty and wealth, and I again say the French had the solution: The Guillotine
and it seems to have worked well for a while. 😉
I think ultimately, only voters should be allowed to donate to politicians and PACs, and never more than a total of $5k per year. Citizens United has amplified ALL of America's problems (except for the GOP)
Yes. I think most of us can agree that the DISASTROUS, DEADLY "Citizens United" ruling, stating that giant corporations ARE PEOPLE, is one of THE biggest reasons America is currently dying.
Gatsby had to transverse the wasteland.
"Ominous tones of impending disaster." https://www.jstor.org/stable/26440083
Probably worth noting that he didn't do so without his conveyance striking one of the masses (blame Tesla's Autopilot if you must - the watching eyes of Dr. TJ Eckelberg didn't do it!)...
= D
So what's your argument?
If we built 1m guillotines, the super-rich (not Robert certainly?) would solve all the problems. We wouldn't even have to use them
Donald Hodgins
Writes Donald’s Substack
5 hr ago
The wealthier segment of our society is more mobile because of the financial flexibility their income provides them. This group has the inherent ability to relocate at will, giving them the opportunity to leave areas that they believe have become undesirable because of a negative social image. The rich gravitate to areas where the poor can't afford to live crating an economically segregated landscape.
LIKE (1)
And all Republicans give all their ill gotten gains to the poor.🤣😂😝😜🤪
In my five months travelling in the US I saw plenty of places where there are clearly no rich. We also have such suburbs in Australia. People who live in such areas just want to leave and never see the place ever again. Sadly not everyone can !! I set foot one way or another in 44 of the lower 48 states. Florida , Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont were the only ones not visited. I also did over 20,000 miles on Amtrak during that time and that's a good way to visit out "of the way places" believe me. Rich places were not usually on my agenda as I wanted to see the real America and not Disneyworld and Universal studios !!! My wife and I met some wonderful welcoming people who were never going "to make it". So sad !!
Until I retired from the wealthiest county and spent time traveling the back areas of flyover country I had no idea about how much small towns and rural areas had economically suffered the past decades. It opened my eyes.
Yes it does. Everywhere is going backwards fast. Derelict builldings a sign of previous prosperity that is gone and never to return. We drove 7800 miles from Seattle to Washington DC back in 2015 trying to ignore interstates etc and found places like Belim NM and Waynesboto Va. Thats the reality !!!
Once upon a time, there was a way out for those trapped in economic wastelands. Much of the industrial north was populated by people who took the "Hillbilly Highway" out. In the west, Route 66 brought Okies and Arkies to California. During the depression people "rode the rails" looking for work. In the 50s and 60s reverse busing sent Blacks from south to north. Those days are gone.
These days we have mass migration from places like Silicon Valley to Austin and Miami. However, these new migrants arrive with wealth. https://history-computer.com/7-reasons-miami-is-becoming-the-next-silicon-valley/
They can have the Villages! AND DeSantis!
Good Idea
Wait! . . . why would ANYONE WITH A SINGLE WORKING BRAIN CELL move to be under the yolk of the morbidly stupid, bigoted man-child in white Go-Go boots, Puddingfingers?!? One need to be a SPECIAL kind of ignorant to think one could THRIVE in that economically-backwards dictatorship!!
Wow! Wish I were back in college but at 91 plus tht's not gonna happen. Keep it up RR, you're the greatest. ed abel
The reason I became a Democrat after being raised a Republican was because of JFK. He made famous the words:
“A rising tide lifts all boats” not from later supply-side ideologues and oligarchs who used it to defend their tax cuts and business deregulation. President Kennedy wasn’t saying what’s good for the wealthy is good for the working class, he was saying WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. You may not agree with your Government on every issue but you should support your Government. That is being Patriotic. Our Congress decides what path we take on policy. That’s why your vote is so important!
Note: I became unaffiliated soon after JFK was assassinated. I now vote on the character of the nominee regardless of their party affiliation.
I don't. Even in adulthood I supported some deserving Republicans, but no more. Like I said the other day, I'd vote for a yellow dog before any current Republican.
Agreed. Actually, I'd hold my nose and vote for the least worst, and noticed that that always ended up being a Democrat! Now, I just hold my nose and vote for a Democrat! LOL!
At least there are no DEMOCRAT insurrectionists!
The present 'Congress' does not get my support at all. I don't believe they are legitimate. Too many questions about members like George Santos. With all the distractions going on, there is no investigation of the dirty dark money that put him, and three others with similar sketchy resumes, into their seats.
Laurie, not legitimate but also seditionist-supporters. I would never vote for a republican. The silence over the deadly sedition and the intentional destruction of our democracy & constitution should have destroyed the current party for good. They will have to start over and call themselves a different party name before I would consider them worthy of voicing an opinion at all.
SeekingReason ; Name and ideology change, needed for sure. Also, it would help to not have such a sell out media.
The media is mostly the root cause of creating this alternate world. But the buy-in requires some misplaced hatred.
SeekingReason; They want to keep their tax breaks! They really don't like the 'commoners' nor do they want to support the common good
SeekingReason ; The owners of media are wealthy and want to preserve the status quo. They try to appear supportive of readers/consumers of their products,but ultimately don't tell the whole story, or, sometimes even part of it . The 'both sides ism' is very telling. All BS!
I am stunned how much I learned here but also learned about myself. I did live in a place that essentially was private/public schooling for my children. We - parents - volunteered like crazy. I worked full time but had a high enough position to occasionally take a paid day off. Or I simply rearranged my schedule if needed.
I researched the schools before choosing this place to live for a move to a different state. It never occurred to me that essentially these affluent neighborhoods had schools that you described as private/public. I always supported public schooling. My husband, both children and I graduated from public universities. We went to public schools k-12. But having lived in the SF Bay for many years, we needed double income. I worked in the places talked about..San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley. Two incomes gave us far higher standard of living than our parents had but we are small fry compared to the very wealthy today. We’ve lived in 3 other states besides CA. Our house was nothing to brag about in CA. Outdated, tiny lawn in the back, one level..the kitchen was a big step back in time. But you wouldn’t know by the price.
Anyway, the advertisements about “negroes ruining” a neighborhood of homes that looked perfectly maintained…jaw dropping…and even going so far as to add in other so-called undesirables..Jews, Armenians, Persians!! These same types are part of the republican party today but we all see life through our own norms. And clearly, we must step back and figure out if our ideals match our actions, and get this corrected. Thank you Robert, for letting us sit in on your very good classes.
Entitlement!
One needs to look no further than Trump and his maniacal attempt to retain something that he lost.
The wealthy will do ANYTHING to retain their wealth. They’d rather spend a fortune on multiple tax lawyers searching for loopholes than simply paying what they owe. Buy Congressional Representatives and Congress persons to reduce tax liability. Lie. Cheat. Steal. It’s just a game to them. And they’re winning!
And previous White House criminals paid nothing for their crimes. We keep giving them permission to continue. Garland is a big disgrace!
I am enjoying the class but I'm also disturbed. Our economic and political system has brought us to a very unfair society. It is wrong. So where do we go from here? I thought about Rawls "fairness doctrine" and his "veil of ignorance thought experiment." Is it possible at this stage in the development of artificial intelligence for it to have enough knowledge about the economy and the current status of the citizens to do a kind of "veil of ignorance" experiment for recommendations concerning how to proceed to approach a more fair society? Or would it end up like the huge earth dome experiment that failed in the 1970's because they thought they had enough information to recreate an ecosystem that would sustain itself, but they didn't? I'm eager to see what policies Reich recommends later in the course, if he does.
Thanks for a very informative and engaging class.
Rural republican areas are in an economic situation where they are trapped, have been for decades, because it takes a village to raise a child, you can’t do it alone so they can’t leave their loved ones, their children then get trapped because they can’t get access to food security, when you are hungry or dehydrated you can become disoriented and can’t think clearly, they can’t learn. Then if the children go to college, your credit score effects their financial aid. The boundaries are basically villages vs fortresses, no one wants to tear down the walls or divisions because the wealthy feel safe but the villages don’t have the walls. It’s a cycle of abuse and the Republican parents see their children are next, to reframe though, you can stop the cycle by voting, increasing access to food security will help your child learn which in turn makes society safer for the wealthy, we need to become A village again to help raise all our children, we need to reverse using credit scores and parental finances by making local community colleges free, and then removing that all together when they move onto a four year institution after they have proven successful at the two year college in order to ensure safeguard, we need to remove the boundaries and pull together the finances like any family does, you don’t do it alone and have a family to help, we need to lower the drawbridges and act like a family to ensure the safety of all.
These were policy choices made by the elites. I happen to think many of those forgotten Repubs are right in their instincts though wrong in their prescriptions. They have been screwed. As have so many.
They too are trapped in the vicious cycle but can choose to break it if they want to stand up and speak, for the good of all. They are afraid because they care about themselves and their loved ones, they need protection too. Those elites have convinced people to hurt others through money, we have made money such a huge focus ultimately money only buys what you want it to. But if the people hurting others for money were to realize they too are trapped in the cycle. They are scared too how to provide and survive for their loved ones. They are sacrificing a wonderful future for an abusive now. They can decide it’s time to stop living like that
America’s new gold rush: a scramble for $1 trillion in federal tax incentives and loans for green energy that is fueling a flood of corporate investments and reshaping local economies.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-legislation-inflation-reduction-act-small-towns-eb0ce798?st=sfe5zo5kbc0z4yv&fbclid=IwAR0Z7EEErisrOMb_TpQTl1dqU1NLnvtqZS-PpURGXhs4uaEJAU-jwZgMGjc
I remember in the 50's, hearing about those closer to the river and industrial area of Holyoke, MA were considered coming from "the wrong side of the tracks". Still further up the hill was called "the Highlands", where the homes of Doctors and Lawyers and the affluent lived. We heard phrases like "White Flight", that described how those with more money left the area as they were able.
Unfortunately, I might have had something to do with white flight in several cities. I was on the wrong side of busing cases. I think these were inflicted on us by Nixon's southern strategy.
Daniel Solomon ; They did it because they could. Also, the train tracks were in a flooding zone in many places. Not desirable!
The two U.S. societies are those in charge and those who aren’t. The South has risen again in the Republican Party starting with Ronald Regan, Gingrich, Falwell, the Bushes and their allies. Citizens United and Rupert Murdoch have corrupted the American Union. How do we get rid of the confederates this time? Time to unite and get our nation back on track!
Slapped in the face! Nothing in here I did not know. Thanks for the needed slap in the face. The job of a great teacher is to tattoo certain feelings on the ass of their students. You are a tattoo artist of the first order!! Thanks again for your commitment.
Concerned about Repubs position on the debt ceiling hostage situation. Seems they are planning to allow default to blame Biden, tank everyone and his re-election chances while lying the entire time. Aside from writing all members and protests, can anything be done?
Reminds me - here in Florida ron desantis just went down a list of his threatening choices for state directed development of Disney in Orlando - included : a prison and low income housing....
DeSantis just change a law in his state that required elected officials to resign their existing position first before they could run for another. That meant DeSantis would have had to resign his governorship before he could have run for president. That's why he has been hesitant about declaring his intention to run for president, but now the door is open and he can retain his position as governor, while going after Trump.
Paul ; DeSantis "can't wait" to put people in a cell in his jail. He actually said that. Anyone not following his draconian new rules is a potential prisoner. He may actually profit from privatizing jails.
The most popular guy in Baghdad By the Sea relocated because of De Santis' policies.
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274782016.html
Not surprising!
I think you need to learn about causality and correlation.
Thank you for another stimulating class. I particularly like that you accentuated the "choices" we make even when we are unaware of why we made the choice. I will suggest that you occasionally add a 'none of the above' choice. For instance when you offered a choice of specific cities where we might choose to live - mine would definitely be none of the above. I consider it punishment to even have to visit Los Angeles or Las Vegas, and while I like what San Francisco has to offer, you'd have to pay me to liver there.
As to other choices, I think racism, bigotry in any form, and "otherism" are evil. I am an immigrant. I came here from what was then a 'desirable' country, Canada. I had to have tests to prove I had no sexually transmitted disease or tuberculosis. I was 25 years old in 1958 but I had to produce letters from the police departments of everywhere I lived for 24 years 6 months. Fortunately I have no criminal record. I also had to offer proof that I would not be dependent on any Federal or State agency. That was it. I thought the same applied to any immigrant from any area. Later, much to my chagrin, I found I was mistaken. Had I not been white, of primarily Scottish descendancy it would not have been so easy. Not sure what crimes they thought I could commit between the ages of 6 months and 6 years (:-). I think for immigration today we should set a number - the number of refugees (and asylum seekers we can accommodate), the number of workers we can accommodate and their families and not deal with National origin. When the accommodation number for that year ends, immigration for that year ends. Criminal backgrounds and reasonably decent health should also be considered. Aside from that - first come first served. As to what we owe to others; everything we can give. Money if we have it, advice, assistance, courtesy, and tolerance. In my view, if we have the intelligence to recognize the right action, we have the obligation to perform that action.