Friends, Don’t be fooled by the myth that people are paid what they’re “worth” — that the rich deserve their ever-increasing incomes and wealth because they’re worth far more to the economy now than years ago (when the incomes and wealth of those at the top were more modest relative to everyone else’s).
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” ― John Kenneth Galbraith
I wish Galbraith’s quote was everywhere. Once upon a time, selfishness was frowned upon. But since Ayn Rand called selfishness a virtue, lots of adolescents fixated on this idea and didn’t let go, even though by now they are senior citizens. And then Greed is Good gained acceptance. And God could become your business partner.
Yesterday, Ukraine was loaned $50 billion to protect and rebuild a country. Elon Musk’s pay package was approved at $45 billion. I hope that comparison gets a little press and commentary.
So do I! WhenI was younger papers like the New York Times would have jumped on a story like that! It seems to me that most newspapers have been taken over by the ultra-right Murdochs of the world
Carol, you are right that we have some things off balance. It is disgusting that someone as rich as Elon Musk has the power to threaten and intimidate people into giving him an outrageous amount of money for doing nothing that he has not already been paid for many times over. It seems to me he wanted his shareholders to pay for his purchase of Twitter, and they have done so, almost to the amount he supposedly paid for it. I am sure he never paid it, though because rich white guys always seem to be able to get away with all kinds of shenanigans that other people could never do. I simply have no idea why shareholders would give up so much of their money to a total jerk whose ideas have run out and now all that is left is threats, intimidation, anger, and whining which is just what one expects of a toddler-man.
So Carol - which of the two payments you mention represents a benefit to the American people? Elon has Space X and the Tesla car -- so arguably he has a claim to deserve what he was paid as approved by his Board of Directors. President Biden's loan to Ukraine, on behalf of the American people -- a loan that will never be repaid to fund a war which is certain to be lost to a much more powerful Russia -- how does this make any sense at all, except to benefit the Arms Industry?! What annoys me is how easy it is for President Biden to give away taxpayer money on a losing war, when we have so many needs at home. Then, there's the money given to Israel for its war by President Biden, when the Israeli people have a higher standard of living than we in the U.S. The latest problem is the 10-year security agreement just signed by President Biden with Ukraine, which will edge us ever closer to a war with Russia. We need to get than man out of the White House ASAP. I don't really think President Biden is going to run -- he is declining so rapidly, I expect the Democrats will replace him before the election with a non-senile person, although President Biden was never any good at foreign policy, anyway.
1) The loan is from NATO, not the United States. It is interest on the frozen Russian assets.
2) The Congress is who gives money to Israel, and has done for decades. Not President Biden or any previous president. It was not at all easy for Biden to “give away taxpayers’ money on a losing war.” The Republicans held up the vote in the House on that money for six months.
3) I get the impression you have accepted a lot of pro-Russian propaganda. Or perhaps some of it originates with you.
Thanks Carol. You said it far better than I did. People who juxtapose things that do not match sound clever and fill their soapbox with words, but those words are just nonsense wrapped in more nonsense.
Carol - Where does NATO get most of its money? The U.S.A. -- so that's a distinction without a difference. And, so what if it's the Congress that appropriates the money for Israel -- President Biden led the charge for the appropriation -- another distinction without a difference. And, it's still a losing war and we are doing Ukraine no favors by prolonging this losing conflict. The 10-year security guarantee will just help edge us closer to war with Russia. I sure hope we can get President Biden out of office before a war breaks out. When would you say that the Democratic Party became the "party of wars"? This needs to change before it's too late. Bj
1) Checking the NATO website, I discovered that the U.S contributes 15.88% of NATO’s direct funding. Germany also 15.88%. France 10%, etc., etc.
2) I think all wars are losing wars. Ukraine is holding its own. Putin cannot win unless the West withdraws support from Ukraine. His propagandists are doing their best to make that happen in the U.S. and in Europe. One idea they are pushing is yours, that we should spend taxpayers’ money here, not on Ukraine. As if the amount spent on Ukraine is significant in the context of our GDP or our defense budget. It’s not. While Biden was asking for 60 billion dollars for Ukraine, Americans spent 10 billion dollars on Halloween.
Paul, unfortunately, you have drunk or at least sipped the Kool-Ade. It is possible to put things together that seem like they would make sense but don't. Musk has been paid over and over and over for his "work" at Tesla and Space-X. He had an idea and a bunch of money and got some EVs made and more renewed interest in space. However, he disregarded the needs of the workers who actually made the product, then bought a social media platform so he could raise himself up even beyond where he had put himself previous to that. He started out rich and is now far richer. How does this in any way relate to Israel; it doesn't! It is just another way to make Musk look good and Biden seem incompetent. Well, good job there. Your nonsense will possibly let someone be bamboozled, but it is still just nonsense. I think you know that, but like to throw wrenches into the works to see what will happen. It didn't work this time!
I said Hitler wanted wellbeing and prosperity for Germans, and he was psychotic about Jews. You respectfully disagreed. I respect that but don't see which of those 2 points you disagree with.
On the subject of "isms", it seems to me that they start off with good intentions and degenerate into enslavement. Communism is a great example. Let's take care of the working man. Then Lenin said let's break a few eggs to make our omelet. And so it went until the empire fell apart and the constituent states were happy to see the last of the Russian army. Now Putin is apparently trying to restore the Union as a defense against American Corporatism. My opinion but I am certain that at the base of that Ukrainian nightmare are the very best of good intentions.
Hitler’s intentions were ALWAYS antisemitic and geared up for war. How can anyone say his intentions were good? He was a fucking crockpot who killed millions of people and destroyed not only his but other countries. Read a history book.
There were many prominent folk who attempted to abide by the customs of the day, including the custom of opening diplomatic relations with Germany once Adolf was elected Chancellor.
I wonder if there is a way to make the same points without playing into us vs them division. For example, I don’t really want to tell my wealthy friends they don’t deserve what they have , but to get them to support policies that give others more
My wealthy friend had rationalization against every argument that they didn’t deserve so much and I got nothing but a greater divisive relationship from them.
Very very few people appreciate being told they are undeserving and privileged and will do something to compensate.
I don’t get what you are saying about my being negative. My point is that the post saying the wealthy don’t deserve what they have is divisive (though accurate). How about “let’s give everyone what they need”. “Share the wealth” “more for all.”
Please add your ideas in addition to calling me out for giving a critique.
DK - I think the concept that we should "give people what they need" is communistic and against what we need for a vibrant society. I think that what we need is a system of economic freedom where people can earn their way by trading goods and services in a free market. I realize the U.S. system is a hybrid, but in the small business sphere, we do have the ideal situation -- all the contractors doing roofs, HVAC, paving, auto repair, etc. Giving people anything should be limited to those who cannot fend for themselves b/c they are disabled. Just my view. I think that some of the wealthy do not deserve what they have, but many of them have earned it. It's too much trouble to sort this out, to take from those who do not "deserve" their wealth. I prefer to concentrate on providing opportunity for business formation and success -- maybe a little anti-trust action, but that is complicated. Bj
Perhaps “give” is the wrong word since it sounds like a gift. But I personally do think that a minimum income is a good idea. Money gets spent and goes back into the economy. People who have absolutely nothing end up costing society quite a bit since we don’t allow that they just die in the street.
DK - I agree there needs to be a safety net, but it's difficult to do in a constructive way. In my long life I have given a lot of people a lot of money and rarely has my generosity done any lasting good. So, in effect, I have been giving out fish, even though I like to teach men to fish, but it hasn't worked out very well -- even in my own family. I agree the money given gets back into the economy, but I don't like that path for the money -- I prefer to see some actual work get done for the money. Bj
DK, Hearts bleed because they believe that bleeding hearts make them morally superior. Also when all you have is morals, because you lack means, you are like the person who only has a hammer and everything is a nail.
We live in an era where everything is weaponized. We can't use weapons to silence a threat or a foe, so we use language.
We learn in the school yard and playground to use words as a weapon, and as adults we become more sophisticated. Since words wound us, we think that words wound others, That by calling out names and accusations that others will be silenced and intimidated into conformity. And indeed it works,on most, but not all, and when it doesn't work, the one who uses words as weapons are flummoxed
Well , that's what happens when you hang around the Socialist Demon Rats - they need to create noble sounding causes in order to grab and concentrate power
1- racism
2- poverty
3- the mean rich folks
Listen to Fidel Castro's Seierra Maestra Speeches - they are exactly the same the Biden Junta is using
But, IMHO, lost in all the genius of Galbraith’s and others’ attempts to explain human behavior in groups as large as a “nation” and as small as a bonded pair are the fundamental drives of food, shelter, and safety or security from harm…after which thought may expand and turn to broader questions of group welfare and the common good.
The modern parasite is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for parasitism.” ― Murray Newton Rothbard
I don't think quoting someone who was heavily influenced by Marx, was an admirer of the failed Keynesian economic theory, sucked at the teat of the academic industrial complex and a was a Chinese sympathizer, holds much weight or legitimizes anything other than that intellectuals are easily fooled.
Ad hominem refers to attacking an argument on the grounds that a particular person put it forward. The argument must have its own merit, apart from who agrees or disagrees with it.
By the way, it seems painfully true that you employ loaded language an awful lot. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just know it does not persuade anyone who doesn’t already agree with you.
Another thing. Why would intellectuals be more easily fooled than the rest of the population?
I'll take that challenge, Carol. Flawed though it is. There were no sticks and stones hurled, only biography. If someone is going to use a quote to legitimize a point of view then certainly what that person values and chose to invest time in then, is without question worth being revealed. As for the question why intellectuals are so easily fooled, you're not crediting me with that revelation, I hope. Many others have remarked on this phenomenon. The short answer is they spend so much energy and focused on their chosen field they assume (with much hubris) they are now experts in all fields. Alas, common sense has been abandoned.
So, Jaime - you can say that "MAGA = Nazi", but where is your proof? There is none. The real Nazi's are in the Biden Administration who have made hundreds of Jan 6 protestors into political prisoners and tried to or actually did jail Trump supporters like Roger Stone, General Flynn, etc. Bj
The fault of the Biden administration is the opposite of what you assert: being so lackadaisical & derelict about prosecuting the insurrectionists & especially the planners, organizers & instigators in the Trump administration & Republican Congress, that years after their treacherous acts they're still not even indicted when our Constitution compels their expulsion from office.
As for traitors Flynn, Stone, Bannon & Manafort, they were convicted during the Trump administration before being pardoned by the greatest traitor in US history, Benedict Donald. The dirty fascist Bannon is finally being imprisoned for a pathetic 4 months when it should be for 4 decades. That vile Nazi Flynn is still out roaming around inciting various treasonous acts. wherever he goes
I would considering them more as a cult, taken for a ride and some certainly have tendency of the NAZI mentality but I am not sure if I would categorize them as NAZI.
Paul, Clearly you do not serve any productive purpose as member of the CNI community. You just got yourself banned with your moronic liberal-bashing & trump support. If you are trolling the often too nice Robert Reich's posts, you really need to go somewhere & rethink your life, because your behavior greatly infers that psychologically, you are very subconsciously sad, weak & narcissistic human, but believe the opposite of the truth everywhere. Buh bye block.
I could make a fortune working for the GOP but would never sell my soul, so certainly not going to allow someone to toxify my community for $5 a month. You really need to question your priorities if that is your advice to others.
Yep, agreed that is why they got into the profession in the first place, self absorbed, narcissism , wanting to know why they are the way they are. I met plenty in university.
There must be hundreds of schools of psychology and psychiatry each one hawking that theirs is the truth, like religions.
I hesitate to comment, but having recently tried to impart some understanding of “why do we have to learn this stuff? “. “We’ll never use it!” 🤷😳🤪 I taught undergrads, in the dreaded course - “Introduction to Statistics.”
It is, rightly, required for graduation by a range of majors, but hosted in the Psych Department.
Where I first was introduced many semesters ago.
One of the values of the peer review, “publish or perish” approach found in most of academe, is the overall increase in quality and availability of knowledge. Which, when shared, increases common knowledge…even if not common sense.
My point being, anecdotal evidence should be examined and evaluated before forming hypotheses, explanations or theories…where we enter the domain of philosophy of science.
Anecdotes point the way for study and greater understanding.
I’ve never read more concise information about wealth vs. the rest of us in one article! As a Sociologist, I find it frustrating to explain disparities in income! I never studied the economy in college, but know it’s a part of our fabric as a Society! One of my Sociology Professor’s asked us to explain poverty in one word! No one could do it! He blew us away when he said the one word is”opportunity”. I never forgot that and your explanation magnifies it a thousand times! Bravo for educating the masses and attempting to empower change! Information is the start! Thank You Robert!
Opportunity is correct.Not much else is.The hated man of the moment is Musk,he took his opportunity He has flaws and defects ,exactly the same as everybody else.
He gives everybody else the opportunity to share in his flaws,defects and genius to get things done.Every rich person does.
Two seconds to see the opportunity,or a lifetime to deny the opportunity,generation after generation.
.
A look at the chart for the last 12 years tells you that on a split adjusted basis the cost of 1 share in Tesla was $2 in June 2012.I would need to check but I am reasonably confident that was when Musk entered the picture at Tesla. Who stopped you from taking that opportunity.Was it you? Was it Musk? Who stopped you or forced you not to take that opportunity?
The value of that 1 share ( on a split adjusted basis) is now $182. This is 91 X the $2 that opportunity gave you.A phenomenal return,a huge amount of wealth created for people who took that opportunity. Who stopped you from taking that opportunity?
We have no idea what that share price will be in 12 years Nobody can predict the future..Incredibly ,very few people have the ability to predict the past,they can't predict history,they keep getting history wrong,they never learn from history.,they never learn from their own mistakes,over and over forever . Who stops you from that opportunity of predicting history and getting it anywhere near right?
At that price of $182 per share who is stopping you from taking that opportunity,Robert Reich,you,,Musk,Biden, Trump?.Who stops you?.
In 12 years time June 2036 who is going to take the opportunity to predict history and get it completely wrong.You?.Robert Reich.?
You put nothing in,you get nothing back out.Who is going to force to deny that opportunity?
Gambling is by no means the fairest opportunity for people who are addicted to it and can’t help themselves. It’s just another example of the gross domination of wealth over ignorance. Just ask any veteran gambler whether they understand that the house always wins; they will deny it to their last dying breath.
First, who would necessarily know about that stock? Secondly that is not the point. Not all of us are so driven by greed. Should people who play the stock market & hedge funds get rewarded so much more monetarily than those who work hard for a living? Shouldn't the former be taxed higher than the latter?
30 seconds to predict history and get it correct,the same impossible task for most people.They'll predict history and get it wrong.
Tesla has had 2 stock splits since 2010,a 5 for 1 split in mid 2020,and a 3 for 1 split in mid 2022.All with the intent of making it easier for people to buy it. 1 share bought in 2012 was 5 shares after that first split. After that second split of 3 for for I you had 15 shares or 3 X 5.
You now have the opportunity to deny that 5 x1 is five.You now have the opportunity to deny that 3x5 is 15. The vast majority of people will gladly deny that simple maths.They will be proud of the opportunity to deny it.They will be fanatical in how determined they are to take the opportunity to deny it.
Who is it that causes you to deny that opportunity?
“All with the intent of making it easier for people to buy it.” Hahaha. Only because the intent underlying this is to make more money for himself and himself only.
Are we to assume that everyone is capable of being a brain surgeon? I think not. But, I would agree that opportunity is important in any free society. The more regulations and requirements you pile on -- that limits opportunity, for sure.
My Professor was explaining as an example, the family we are born into may provide an opportunity to succeed easily (inherited wealth, privilege) or it won’t! If you’re born into poverty, you lack the same opportunity as a wealthier peer! It doesn’t mean you can’t overcome poverty, but you have more obstacles and likely an inferior public school etc. compared to richer kids. It doesn’t mean it’s not possible to be successful financially, but the odds are certainly against you! The list is long on obstacles, but some will climb out and move up. Just look at our jails if you want an example!
I was born into abject poverty. I was born in the US territory of Puerto Rico. Back then their educational system provided a “beca” for students who scored a 3.5 Average of better - the stipend used to be $50 a year but back then that was enough to get the shoes and clothing I needed for 1 year. My parents made sure I remained motivated and focused. When CORCO opened we lost a lot of science and math teachers . I used to teach those classes. One must remain motivated goal oriented disciplined and willing to work very very hard d to accomplish the goals.
’>>>>>ve never read more concise information about wealth vs. the rest of us in one article! As a Sociologist, I find it frustrating to explain disparities in income!<<<<
Some folks understand that TO PURSUE HAPPINESS means acquiring marketable skills , adhere to the work ethic, be frugal plan and be aware
while others believe that all they have to do is find a socialist commutiy organizer , vote for him , listen to Socialist apologists like Robert Reich then go home be a couch potato and smoke ganja.
Trump's appearance yesterday at the Capitol club in DC reminded me of public appearances of Kim Jung Un before his mechanically adoring politburo, or crowds of students reviewing displays of weaponry with fixed expressions of approval, as Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz smiled meekly bowing forward behind him, applauding performatively, as Trump walked away from them, maneuvering through his other congressional supplicants.
So, Peggy - Do you really think President Biden will run for re-election? He seems like on a serious decline curve. So obviously impaired. I rather doubt he will run. The Democratic Party cannot be that stupid. Or, can it? Bj
The DNC & the rest of the Democratic establishment act as if they're trying to sabotage Democrats' chances with every recent election. Pushing Hillary Clinton as she had favorability numbers south of -20 whilst Bernie consistently had positive favorability ratings just shy of +10, & 3/4 of the electorate expressing their disgust with establishment politicians. Discouraging any of the many younger, sharper, more popular, more electable Democrats from challenging the faltering Biden after an admittedly largely successful first term despite so many challenges (though the majority of Americans perceive it quite differently), & the vast majority of Americans expressing their antipathy towards these declining geriatric presumptive nominees. It's quite late in the game, but it seems to me the Democrats would be well-advised to find an alternative candidate, say Raskin, Whitehouse or Merkley.
Wow, Daniel. I thought the same thing, especially about Ted Cruz who kept applauding even after Trump left the room. Ted looked like his arms were getting tired.
Ted Cruz father Rafeael was a co founder of the right wing Christian transsectarian ideology callled Dominionism, aka Christian Reconstruction aka Christian NAZI's, they are worse than the Taliban and Sharia.
Cruz and others in the shadows mimicked Trump's violent rhetoric leading up to January 6th. I would like to see better journalism on all of the ways Ted Cruz falls into line for election denial, voter suppression, and insurrection, and fails to meet challenges like maintaining the power grid in winter, and offers nothing to prevent mass shootings in his state.
They get paid about$175,000 year (google it if interested), and the only work they do is on the telephone dialing for dollars, speaker of the house gets more.
So, Jaime - why do you call politicians, who are closing ranks in the run up to the election this November, "useful idiots"?! Isn't this closing of the ranks in the run up to the election pretty typical of political parties?! And, talk about closing ranks by "useful idiots" -- what do you think the Democratic Party is doing, in the face of having a mentally failing candidate?! Do you really think President Biden is going to run? I don't think he will, although dropping out won't be his (and Jill's) choice. Bj
The 'filthy rich' as they have been called are not those who contribute to mankind's progress in the fields of medicine and technology that nourish and improve living standards, but those who feed into and profit from the oil, gas, and chemical industries. The environmentalist Wendell Berry once suggested that "the difference between modern war and modern industry . . . seems to be only that in war the victimization of human beings is intentional and in industry 'accepted' as a 'trade off.' " Hence from this perspective such wealth does not contribute to the economy but to environmental catastrophes.
I wish I had said that. We accept many harms because we do not experience them personally, they happen to other people, even to our descendants who have not been born.
Please check companies by their market value and you find out which companies have in the last 20 years created huge wealth for their shareholders. It does not include oil companies. How does Microsoft or Apple or NVIDIA damage the environment?
Well, for one thing, their products and the processes by which they are made are energy- intensive. The same forces that make your laptop or iPad give off heat do the same on a vastly larger scale in the server farms and cloud storage warehouses now dotting the rural landscape ( and not incidentally, sucking up water for cooling).
massive consumption and planned obsolescence. covert data collection and exploitation. exporting manufacturing. distribution. packaging. plastics. rare earth mining run off....etc
ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell recorded a combined $86bn in profits last year. Seems as if their shareholders aren't doing all that badly. And I'd note that the U.S. government is still subsidizing oil companies, so those profits are being made on the backs of taxpayers, at least to some extent.
But extraction is truly horrifying under unregulated mining in 3rd world countries who have not laws about safety, child labor, heck even slavery, or indentured servitude…and lithium refinement is energy and materially intensive.
Please! I hope someone, somewhere, is working to find an earth friendly, renewable, replacement source of stored energy.
And Trump and his MAGAS want the same thing here!!! My grandmother told us stories of how, at 11 years old she had to run dangerous machinery in a factory. Already some states are weakening child labor laws
The rich being self entitled is like the British monarchy.A long-time ago their ancestors fought battles to secure their crowns but these days they only have to turn up at ceremonies to claim their privileges.Trump is a similar case in point being the son of a wealthy property developer but he was spectacularly unsuccessful in his own right.Democracy requires that there should be distance between the rich and our elected lawmakers but modern lobbying techniques have reduced that gap along with untramelled party donations and control of the media by the rich (Murdoch being the prime example).
To a certain extent we still have some "royalty" here. Just ask them. A lot of the "filthy rich" never worked a day in their lives. Trust fund babies "Coupon clippers." Coupons are bonds and notes.
Once upon a time, we had the richest private banker in the US in my home town. Not a CEO, Proprietor. Owned entire segments of the economy outright. Had no children. Left most of it to charity.
Alex Crawford Hoyt. We also had Carnegie a few miles south, long before my time. To the north the Buhl family, Sharon, Pa., donated a free park, golf course. I think to this day, membership is free. The blood "lines" of all these people ran out long ago. Believed in the social gospel.
There were some exceptions. Thomas P. Johnson, heir to several fortunes, mother was Grace Phillips Johnson as in Phillips Petroleum, Phillips 66, was an excellent student, Editor in Chief, Harvard Law, was a partner in the firm now known as K&L Gates, Gates being Bill Gates' father, left much of his wealth to the Heritage Foundation. I would hope that he is rolling in his grave over Project 2025.
Thanks Daniel, always a source of info, As I stated elsewheres Bill Gates Sr, told his on not to sell his software but to license it and drew up the licensing agreement, before he died he bought up a good chunk of Shaw Island on the Salish sea. The island was owned by Franciscan nuns, they have since moved on, after selling to Gates.
Gates hired or partnered with many people from Pittsburgh. I'd run into them at the ABA, when Gates was a benefactor. One of the first cases I had was against Dick Thornburg, eventually governor of Pa, USAG x2, a partner. I first met him when he was a member of the Pa Constitutional Convention in 1968. Firm had several members from my home town. Johnson was part owner of the Pirates and would invite us to games and to his club.....
Arguably the most powerful, largest law firm in the US. Took a lot of pro bono work.
I highly recommend Anderson Cooper’s several books about wealth-his direct ancestor is Cornelius Vanderbilt, once the wealthiest man in the world. At a time when Monarchs reigned, and “capitalists” and “industrialists” were not uncommon. He, “The Commodore” once controlled one fifth of the U.S. economy, through various endeavors…
One of every $5….inconceivable, mythical wealth…American aristocracy. The Astors, Vanderbilts, Roosevelt’s….as “old” as “New World” fortunes could get.
Names like Carnegie, Astor, Roosevelt’s, historic names and massive fortunes.
Some squandered, some used, some given to the common good of the people.
But interestingly, or perhaps inevitably, all resigned to the pages of the story of our fragile experiment in self governance. The “shining city on the hill” of poets and politicians, that undergoes periodic challenges, upheavals, rifts and attacks. But remains. Better than alternatives, more resilient than is apparent.
“We the People, In order to form A MORE PERFECT UNION,” (emphasis added).
A more elegantly poetic expression of purpose has seldom, if ever been written.
The promise of a better, improved future by coming together for a shared purpose.
"A more perfect union" is a wonderful phrase but a work in progress for the USA.Still that's better than the current atomisation of Europe battered by globalism,bureaucracy and malign popularism with its roots in Nazism. Retreating into the narrow confines of nationalism isn't an expression of patriotism or love of country but a way of placing the failings of weak self aggrandising corruptible government upon the shoulders of the others, be they migrants or the urban poor.
And this has been the case for very long, but Americans aren't fooled, the problem is that they feel powerless and their economic anxiety can be taken advantage of by those with autocratic ambitions. It is up to rest of us to expose this false and dangerous dynamic.
Thank you Professor Reich, important information to reach everyone via video and how Biden will continue to make a difference in our lives as he has shown us time and time again since day 1. He fights for the working class as well as the poor. He wants to know our problems and concerns for a better life and a future for generations.
Boils down to educate the uneducated of what has happened and how it can be fixed or changed, we must vote. Not only are the wealthiest people living high on our backs but they also receive their income tax back and even more bc of the Reagan yrs. Mrs Reagan convinced her husband to do the trickle down and we the people pay dearly with working 1-3 jobs to stay alive. That’s no way for any of us to live. Thank you again Professor. Stay safe everyone.
Well said. My question is how does one approach those who stubbornly cling to false narratives and embrace purposeful ignorance as empowering because, as one wag put it, beauty may be skin deep but stupid goes to the bone. Or a Forrest Gumpism, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
The rich today were born into that wealth. Look at elon musk. His father owned an emerald mine and his mother was a super model. He did go to college but his parents' money helped him get in good ones. The same goes for a lot of those wealthy richy rich. The rich cannot be happy with a small share of the wealth, oh no, they want more and more and more!! They are spoiled and entitled and they most definitely do NOT deserve the ludicrous amounts they feel they deserve. I think back to Sam Walton, George W. Jenkins, and Lucius Smith Lowe. They began Walmart, Publix and Lowe's and were as down to earth and humble as you or I. They were philanthropic, kind and helped their communities. I think what happened was they had to work so very hard that when their kids came along, they wanted them to have it easier so they gave them whatever they wanted! That produced spoiled, entitled brats that wanted more, more, more!
Thanks for this article Robert! We have this idea that the rich worked so hard for their wealth, but fail to realize there’s a lot of movement that happens in the background to get them their wealth (ie: insider trading).
This is the kind of crap that the John Birch Society was pushing in the late 50s. They accused Eisenhower as a commie. Ike had been president of Columbia, head of the Council of Foreign Relations. According to this BS, Ike's brother, Milton, was a commie and was in effect the US dictator. In reality Ford had financed the Nazis and John D. Rockefeller was a Trump like, despicable snake oil salesman.
The Select Committee to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations and Comparable Organizations was a right wing attack group similar to the House Unamerican Activities Committee.
Ike used Milton much in the same way that Bill Clinton used HRC. He was not part of the cabinet but acted as a secretary of state/ambassador without portfolio on several occasions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_S._Eisenhower
IIRC Daniel, from other comments and the same link by said Franklin, it appears that he is an antisemite, right wing, left wing doesn't matter, both extremes see Jews as the source of all evil, including secular some left wing Jews.
Success is typically achieved when someone for whom much was made smooth and easy by virtue of circumstances of their heritage, birthplace, race, relatives, etc. mange’s to get their act together long enough to take advantage and advance, if even incrementally, from their starting point.
While the idea that the have earned their high incomes by virtue of hard work, intelligence, grit or some other laudable trait is rarely true, but rather a handy myth to dispel feelings of envy amongst the less wealthy classes, there is also the folk wisdom that says, No man believes he is paid what he is really worth”. (Use of non-inclusive language not intended denote promotion of sexist stereotypes).
However, some did exceed expectations. And Gates is fire to Musk's ice. They play "Monopoly" against each other as much as they take advantage of us marks.
Daniel, I don’t have all the facts and figures about wealth and poverty ready to hand, so favor that reason I’m hoping that one or two examples of what I believe are “the deserving wealthy” will suffice. I guess I’m really motivated by a desire to make the case for a Marxist struggle between classes, mainly because I don’t like people being pigeonholed into workers versus capitalists, as I am a combination man myself. I catch your drift, but refuse to consider myself as just a pawn in a rich men’s game or a marketer’s victim. Life is too effing short to nurse grievances ( he says, still nursing a bunch of them).
R Hodson. I can't rant and rail, kvetch about a society that has allowed a poor lad, raised in a project, with a single mom, who worked for tips as a waitress and then$1 and hour in a bank, who was kicked out high school at age 17, but made some very good choices that finds him a retired officer, with a Masters degree and living a very comfortable debt free life on 5 acres of land.
I have no bitches, I made good choices, within a society and economy that permitted those choices and here I am.
However I do recognize inequity, inequality, discrimination, oppression and that those affected are not there by choice, but by circumstance of birth.
If I had been born a black woman, I would not be where I am now.
Society it's values, its structure is a product of the forces exerted by the people which comprise that society. Calvinism enabled the industrialization of our society, Marxism dissipated the power and control of Calvinism.(simplistic analysis I know, and Marx was a proto libertarian not a socialist)
All that we have, or had, all that made us great, was a mixed society, mixed cultures and a mixed economy, and all of that is under threat by the homogenization of white Christian patriarchal nationalism., by an "ungodly" alliance of the user with the used.
I've tilted at a few windmills. Myopia is no defense. The little guy has little hope. But I still play the lottery.
This country started out as a refuge for landless dissenters from England. Even in England, at common law, yeomen had rights. Jefferson promoted the idea that we had the same rights as English yeomen, and that we have responsibilities commensurate with rights.
I personally think that Marxism is flawed and is a foreign concept. I like the idea that to win a war, the enemy is weak when divided. Let them play "king of the hill."
Sorry, Daniel, I made a couple of errors and didn’t catch them before posting. I Meant to say I DID NOT want to make a case for Marxist can’t about class struggle because I do NOT believe people’s behavior is based on their social or economic class, but on personality traits, learned and lived experience, and perception of what benefits them. Again, apologies for errors — some of my posts are written on tiny screens.
R Hodson, I agee with your observation about human behavior and personality traits, but there is indeed class warfare. Warren Buffett acknowledged it when he said "there is indeed class warfare and my class is winning".
I don't think that anyone named Jesus, IHSus, Yahooshua, Joshua said those things
That meme was introduced by proselytizers they were playing to a specific audience in the Roman empire and in societies in general, as the poor were(are) legion and the wealthy are few.
When you are building a cult, you need a message that will attract the most supplicants.
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
But I do agree that the Apostles were playing to their audiences. (Then again, I believe that all Religion is a fraud, playing on the people's fears of their identity dispersing into oblivion when they die.)
The real message of Matthew 19:24 is accept your fate, glory in it, because your reward will be in the hereafter, and the rich man will not get into heaven
Whoever came up with this shit was a clever propagandist.
And tied to that false sense of worth is the propaganda idea that they are superior to everyone else, and so deserve gazillions in compensation and every gov't policy to solely benefit them, because they create jobs and are somehow philanthropic. Bull. Double Bull. They have a need for workers and workers have a need for work. The relationship is symbiotic. Crazy minds who lost their way make it hierarchial in human value. Unfortunately, there are politicians, economists, bankers, financial advisors, accountants, etc. who believe it too and pollute the world with this nonsense.
You are a very rich person. You also have paywalls . Your speaking fees are very high also. Yes you are correct you are very overrated and overpaid. You don’t even understand the common person but sure do love to preach and be divisive. If this country is ever going to heal or improve it’s not going to happen with aging boomers scaring people with Trump. People are so broken and inflation is so bad we need to have jobs , food, housing, healthcare. But no we get endless corruption from both sides with some rich guy telling us how to vote . I voted Democrat my whole life and never ever again!
I remember Obama and Biden selling out the average American so Wall Street was bailed out as we lost everything. That’s how we got Trump and probably unfortunately will again. Biden has always been in bed with corporate greed and corruption as long as his family has been in the USA. A really great piece by The New Yorker detailed his whole family’s legacy of corruption. Great article btw . Maybe stop rigging the DNC with likes of Clinton and Biden or we will get Trump
Trump humpers are logging on in droves now, only five months till the election, more will come. Field of Dreams build it and they will come.
Robert is one of he few substacks that allow us free loaders to comment, so what are you complaining about Kristy. If you don't like the company you keep or the host that let you into his house, then by all means "there is the door, and be gone"
Yes, we need jobs…how are they created? There must be some incentive for entrepreneurs to create a business and investors to put their savings at risk in the new business. Most new businesses fail — a few can continue and grow to be profitable enterprises, most of which employ more people.
In this process, a very few will become very wealthy. This is normal. We have the possibility of regulating the means of wealth creation, and we can levy taxes on income and property and redirect or even redistribute some of that wealth to those in need. This is the task of government.
You sound very discouraged at government’s uneven track record, and to be sure there is more progress to be made, but at present their is zero possibility of any such progress as I have described without combining enlightened government with progressive capitalism. To achieve that we need a strong Democratic Party that can work towards these goals. Keep in mind that since we are not an autocracy no one person or political party wields power by decree. Solutions must be arrived at by study, debate, and compromise.
Yet again, Robert, you've hit the nail on the head with your hammer. The same old garbage we've heard in Brazil for these past four decades (I'm a transplanted US citizen living here now) seems to apply all over our planet. But the rich here and elsewhere sure are going to learn a good lesson this Northern Hemisphere summer as the whole world bakes and suffers from global boiling. By fall we'll see Joe and Kamala win by 11 million votes!
Economists, educators and citizens have fallen into a trap. We have all been soaked in the idea that the battlefront in our politics is cultural. Liberal versus conservative. Bunk. The real fact is that the battlefront in our politics is economic. Rich versus everyone else. They (the rich) are in hot pursuit of two very well-defined goals. First, they want to keep all the gains from their activities, no matter how ill-gotten those gains are. This means they are anti-tax and therefore, as a corollary, against funding any government program. Second, they don't want any regulation of their activities, no matter how pathological. Therefore they are against funding any government program. When pundits and well-meaning analysts say that too many people vote against their own interests, what they should be saying is that people who are anti-tax and antigovernment are actually helping the moneyed interests protect themselves from reasonable taxation and reasonable regulation. A shameful aspect of our educational system (and typical curriculum) even at the university level is that they don't teach that the 1000 (taking the Magna Carta as an inflection point) year battle between the robber barons and the regular folks is underway and reported every day in the news. The robber barons have dressed themselves in cultural clothing (wolves in sheepskins) while too many regular folks believe that "the government is the enemy" as Ronald Reagan is famous for putting into words. Democrats need to STOP being so concerned with cultural issues and fight this battle on the grounds of the greater good. Democrats have taken the bait, swallowed the hook, line and sinker. Democrats are losing the support of regular folks because of economic issues. Robert Reich is teaching the truth, perhaps in too abstract terms for regular folks. Bernie Sanders is advocating the truth, perhaps in too political of terms. We need a person on the Democratic side who will articulate the truth - for robber barons government is the enemy. For regular folks, government is your friend and your tool in seeking fairness and equality.
Benjamin Stockton, what you write is the truth. The Democrats have had their party taken over by the oligarachy so it no longer represents the people; i.e. during the primary season this year, the DNC was only supporting the anointed Biden. This is pathetic since Biden is still part of the ol' boys club, changes positions, based on votes, and betrays Americans with his incremental approach to our climate emergency--allowing way too much oil drilling. I could go on and on about the imposters among us but will not.
One person who did articulate the truth was Marianne Williamson. She ran for president this year but the MSM blocked-her-out in collaboration with the oligarchy. She offers an Economic Bill of Rights that addresses your concerns. Also, she has the best platform of anyone running that I have witnessed in my lifetime: still available to review at https://marianne2024.com. (She's still hoping some of her ideas take hold.)
So Americans need to toughen up and resist becoming enslaved within our present system. But anyone, like Marianne, who challenges the status quo gets pushed out fast. Most of our governance has been taken over with corporate influence: money, power, and positions too. It's tragic but can be overcome. My major concern is that too many people, during our Gilded Age II, are exhausted and too fearful of fighting for their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So here we are...slipping off the cliff into unknown territory. Stockton, thanks so much for sharing your insights!
@Joan. One of the bastions of the elites versus the regular folks is the two-party system. That, the electoral college, and some other more esoteric features are how the Jeffersonians influenced the design of our national institutions. So, given the two party system, we need to vote as far left "as we can get" which is vote for Joe Biden.
I am amused, surprised by your reply since Joe Biden is not "far left"--it's sort of laughable. Think of his votes when he was a senator for starters--on wars, his former position on abortion, his plagiarism when running for office in his speeches, his actions when Anita Hill was up for a Supreme Court position, his support on incarceration laws--on and on it goes. Today, he tries appearing progressive, and changed his views on abortion to get votes but AOC outdoes him every day of the week, regarding truth and balanced policies that work for the common good. Plus, Biden steals ideas from the likes of Sen. E. Warren too. Also, it's conceivable that neither pathetic candidates for the top office will be on the ballot.
Remember what FDR said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." FDR had a great mind that he used well. So instead of running scared, Americans need to participate in civic actions and not be cry babies. We are responsible, ultimately, for acting or not. And it's still much too early to know which way the wind may blow. It's summertime. Take care.
@Joan. Earlier I had been advocating that Joe decline to run. The number and quality of candidates is amazing. But the way our system works nobody could displace him now.
And that is the unfortunate situation that may regret but the game isn't in the final innings yet! I keep hoping...I am sure Biden has made some good efforts that are incremental, like a few prescriptions needing bids for price but that along with some others is a mere pittance to what America could and can become. So here's wishing all for yet amazing days ahead!
Agree! I just wish it weren't so William. Americans didn't really have a fair primary process this round via the Democratic Party. I remember when Bobby Kennedy ran when LBJ was president--I think Eugene McCarthy ran too. So the lie about incumbency by the DNC is grating and undemocratic too. Americans really need to wake up to save what we have if possible.
The last 3 rounds. In 2016 the DNC weighed against Bernie in so many ways to get Hillary nominated. In 2000 the DNC got several competitive candidates -- Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Steyer -- to withdraw just before Super Tuesday to make it easier for Biden to defeat the more progressive candidates who were pro universal healthcare, Bernie & Elizabeth, & this last one, where the DNC discouraged strong, viable candidates from challenging Biden, & marginalized the few that did.
My recollection of the 1968 election is a little blurry, but I remember Lyndon Johnson declined to run again. I guess Robert Kennedy was already running against him by then. By default, Hubert Humphrey then announced his candidacy. I think Eugene McCarthy was already in the race. After Kennedy was assassinated, George McGovern got into the race, as I recall. I think his entry only hurt McCarthy, since they seemed to be very similar in their positions on the issues
I do agree Joan. The DNC ;put it's thumb on the scale for Hillary in 2016, because she paid her dues, acquired what they though were the necessary credentials (foreign affairs) and stood patiently in line in the paddock waiting to be called up to the starting gate.
The same thing in 2020, they didn't have anyone experience and groomed and that hate progressives, Rahm Emanuel called them fucking retards, and Nancy tried to replace the caucus with conservadems.
When the slot of Governor of Va came up,. they had no one to bring to the starting gate, so they had to search around the paddock and laid eyes on an old tired out of touch race horse, who had been Chair of the DNC, Terry McAuliffe and he made an ass out of himself, as he was out of touch with the people and the times., and Virginia wound up with a fascist, racist, homophobic misogynit, who was smart enough to keep his real nature tamped down... Youngkin.
The reason Biden is running, because they know him, they haven't groomed anyone else, and are afraid that a woman like Gretchen Whitmer won't attact enough votes because she is a woman, and unsure of Gavin Newsom because he is governor of a "left coast" state.,but mainly they owe it to Joe, and Joes ego won't let go, anymore than any other octogenarian in office, be it RBG. Dianne Feinstein,or Mitch McConnell,it has to be the perks, the illusion of power and the ego.
Having said all of that, I will crawl over broken glass o vote for Joe, because the alternative is unthinkable.
@Joan. Don’t be amused as it shows you misunderstood my comment. In the context of a two-party system, Joe Biden is as far left as you can get. Those other people you mention either are not running for Pres. or couldn’t get elected anyway. So when you can’t get “perfect” try for best you can get. Vote Joe Biden in November.
I am still laughing silently not at you but at the awful options! I will vote for ol' Joe if he survives the planned debate for June 27--I am watching how these men can handle questions and which one shines maybe more sane than the other. I know Trump is behaviorally impaired and his niece knows it too. But I am 'not certain' how Joe can handle confrontation for any length of time more than a minute or so! He runs away from reporters often. So I won't be surprised if the debate is cancelled due to panic on maybe both sides: so it's playing chicken- little it seems at this juncture. And to think the world is watching. Ouch!
@Joan. Earlier I had been advocating that Joe decline to run. The number and quality of candidates is amazing. But the way our system works nobody could displace him now.
I watched the videos of her views on the issues, which got practically no exposure in the media, & I agree with her in the vast majority of what she says: declaring a climate emergency & taking extraordinary measures to address it, universal healthcare & her other economic plans, her approach to immigration, her idea of a Department of Peace & making extra efforts for peace in the world, & reducing our military expenditures & support of the military industrial complex. I basically agree with her on Israel-Gaza, but not on giving to Putin the parts of Ukraine he has seized, but that's about all I disagree with her on.
You are correct Benjamin, the battle is between the classes. It is class war, but the weapon is the culture war. The culture war is how one gets the underclass, those who die and suffer, to join with the over class
The wars of the reformation, the Hundred Years war, was fought and financed by the over-class, the Catholic church using parishioners as pawns to keep their power over the minds and money of the parishioners, against nobility who wanted to keep their money and power out of the reaches of Rome.
Different banners definitely in days of old it was King vs King.
My ancestors were archers in the Pilkington levy at Agincourt, free men, not serfs, tenants on their land, yet nonetheless required by royal decree to become proficient with the long bow, they fought under the banner of Henry V..
When Henry VIII landed his forces in France it was to reclaim "his inheritance"
When Ferdinand launched his armada it was,it was for the Pope who wanted to reclaim the wealth of England.
I can think of only one just and justifiable war, and that was the war against fascism, aka WWII., and now the same war against the genocidal imperial designs of Putin., and this time, like the last time (WWII) the prospective victims are timid and cautious., which only leads to a greater conflagration, if they had got it over and one with when it started.
“The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” ― John Kenneth Galbraith
"trumpism is narcissism." - CNI
Thanks for the Galbraith quote — it’s a gem.
I wish Galbraith’s quote was everywhere. Once upon a time, selfishness was frowned upon. But since Ayn Rand called selfishness a virtue, lots of adolescents fixated on this idea and didn’t let go, even though by now they are senior citizens. And then Greed is Good gained acceptance. And God could become your business partner.
Yesterday, Ukraine was loaned $50 billion to protect and rebuild a country. Elon Musk’s pay package was approved at $45 billion. I hope that comparison gets a little press and commentary.
So do I! WhenI was younger papers like the New York Times would have jumped on a story like that! It seems to me that most newspapers have been taken over by the ultra-right Murdochs of the world
Exactly and why I was never a fan of Ayn Rand.
Carol, you are right that we have some things off balance. It is disgusting that someone as rich as Elon Musk has the power to threaten and intimidate people into giving him an outrageous amount of money for doing nothing that he has not already been paid for many times over. It seems to me he wanted his shareholders to pay for his purchase of Twitter, and they have done so, almost to the amount he supposedly paid for it. I am sure he never paid it, though because rich white guys always seem to be able to get away with all kinds of shenanigans that other people could never do. I simply have no idea why shareholders would give up so much of their money to a total jerk whose ideas have run out and now all that is left is threats, intimidation, anger, and whining which is just what one expects of a toddler-man.
I am dedicating this post to the wonderful
Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum
aka
AYN RAND
So Carol - which of the two payments you mention represents a benefit to the American people? Elon has Space X and the Tesla car -- so arguably he has a claim to deserve what he was paid as approved by his Board of Directors. President Biden's loan to Ukraine, on behalf of the American people -- a loan that will never be repaid to fund a war which is certain to be lost to a much more powerful Russia -- how does this make any sense at all, except to benefit the Arms Industry?! What annoys me is how easy it is for President Biden to give away taxpayer money on a losing war, when we have so many needs at home. Then, there's the money given to Israel for its war by President Biden, when the Israeli people have a higher standard of living than we in the U.S. The latest problem is the 10-year security agreement just signed by President Biden with Ukraine, which will edge us ever closer to a war with Russia. We need to get than man out of the White House ASAP. I don't really think President Biden is going to run -- he is declining so rapidly, I expect the Democrats will replace him before the election with a non-senile person, although President Biden was never any good at foreign policy, anyway.
1) The loan is from NATO, not the United States. It is interest on the frozen Russian assets.
2) The Congress is who gives money to Israel, and has done for decades. Not President Biden or any previous president. It was not at all easy for Biden to “give away taxpayers’ money on a losing war.” The Republicans held up the vote in the House on that money for six months.
3) I get the impression you have accepted a lot of pro-Russian propaganda. Or perhaps some of it originates with you.
Thanks Carol. You said it far better than I did. People who juxtapose things that do not match sound clever and fill their soapbox with words, but those words are just nonsense wrapped in more nonsense.
Carol - Where does NATO get most of its money? The U.S.A. -- so that's a distinction without a difference. And, so what if it's the Congress that appropriates the money for Israel -- President Biden led the charge for the appropriation -- another distinction without a difference. And, it's still a losing war and we are doing Ukraine no favors by prolonging this losing conflict. The 10-year security guarantee will just help edge us closer to war with Russia. I sure hope we can get President Biden out of office before a war breaks out. When would you say that the Democratic Party became the "party of wars"? This needs to change before it's too late. Bj
1) Checking the NATO website, I discovered that the U.S contributes 15.88% of NATO’s direct funding. Germany also 15.88%. France 10%, etc., etc.
2) I think all wars are losing wars. Ukraine is holding its own. Putin cannot win unless the West withdraws support from Ukraine. His propagandists are doing their best to make that happen in the U.S. and in Europe. One idea they are pushing is yours, that we should spend taxpayers’ money here, not on Ukraine. As if the amount spent on Ukraine is significant in the context of our GDP or our defense budget. It’s not. While Biden was asking for 60 billion dollars for Ukraine, Americans spent 10 billion dollars on Halloween.
3) Who do you suggest should replace Joe Biden?
Paul, unfortunately, you have drunk or at least sipped the Kool-Ade. It is possible to put things together that seem like they would make sense but don't. Musk has been paid over and over and over for his "work" at Tesla and Space-X. He had an idea and a bunch of money and got some EVs made and more renewed interest in space. However, he disregarded the needs of the workers who actually made the product, then bought a social media platform so he could raise himself up even beyond where he had put himself previous to that. He started out rich and is now far richer. How does this in any way relate to Israel; it doesn't! It is just another way to make Musk look good and Biden seem incompetent. Well, good job there. Your nonsense will possibly let someone be bamboozled, but it is still just nonsense. I think you know that, but like to throw wrenches into the works to see what will happen. It didn't work this time!
Really?
Let's see - Galbraith designed FDR's "new deal"
https://www.futurehindsight.com/blog/how-keynes-influenced-fdrs-new-deal
Adolf Hitler wrote FDR a letter stating that he admired the "new deal"
https://www.fff.org/2012/08/15/the-other-side-of-hitler/
Wonder why?
Hitler wanted wellbeing and prosperity for Germans. If he hadn't been so psychotic on the subject of Jews and others he might have pulled it off.
Respectfully disagree,
The roots of nazism are socialistic:
Nazism (/ˈnɑːtsɪzəm, ˈnæt-/ NA(H)T-siz-əm), formally National Socialism (German: Nationalsozialismus, German:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism
It dawned on Hitler that socialism sucks so he switched to FASCISM
FASCISM has NOTHING to do with racism it is a socioeconomic system which allows private ownership under government control .
Fascism , an offshoot of socialism is just as bad. .
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The Nazis were as socialist as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, aka North Korea, is democratic, a republic, & run by the people.
Here is a copy of the NAZI Party Plstform - it looks like the Socialist Demon Rats copied and pasted the same::
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/nazi-party-platform
.
From onset both are nationalistic, anti "other" and antisemitic.
Fascism has nothing to do with race or ethnicity
I said Hitler wanted wellbeing and prosperity for Germans, and he was psychotic about Jews. You respectfully disagreed. I respect that but don't see which of those 2 points you disagree with.
On the subject of "isms", it seems to me that they start off with good intentions and degenerate into enslavement. Communism is a great example. Let's take care of the working man. Then Lenin said let's break a few eggs to make our omelet. And so it went until the empire fell apart and the constituent states were happy to see the last of the Russian army. Now Putin is apparently trying to restore the Union as a defense against American Corporatism. My opinion but I am certain that at the base of that Ukrainian nightmare are the very best of good intentions.
Hitler’s intentions were ALWAYS antisemitic and geared up for war. How can anyone say his intentions were good? He was a fucking crockpot who killed millions of people and destroyed not only his but other countries. Read a history book.
Let us please offer some context!
There were many prominent folk who attempted to abide by the customs of the day, including the custom of opening diplomatic relations with Germany once Adolf was elected Chancellor.
As the saying goes…hindsight, is perfect 20/20.
I wonder if there is a way to make the same points without playing into us vs them division. For example, I don’t really want to tell my wealthy friends they don’t deserve what they have , but to get them to support policies that give others more
My wealthy friend had rationalization against every argument that they didn’t deserve so much and I got nothing but a greater divisive relationship from them.
Very very few people appreciate being told they are undeserving and privileged and will do something to compensate.
Also, I'd like it if this wasn't about conservatives vs liberals when it's really all of us against the ruling class (which includes both parties).
You only offer a negative here. How about offering a positive response to “get them to support policies that give others more?“
I don’t get what you are saying about my being negative. My point is that the post saying the wealthy don’t deserve what they have is divisive (though accurate). How about “let’s give everyone what they need”. “Share the wealth” “more for all.”
Please add your ideas in addition to calling me out for giving a critique.
DK - I think the concept that we should "give people what they need" is communistic and against what we need for a vibrant society. I think that what we need is a system of economic freedom where people can earn their way by trading goods and services in a free market. I realize the U.S. system is a hybrid, but in the small business sphere, we do have the ideal situation -- all the contractors doing roofs, HVAC, paving, auto repair, etc. Giving people anything should be limited to those who cannot fend for themselves b/c they are disabled. Just my view. I think that some of the wealthy do not deserve what they have, but many of them have earned it. It's too much trouble to sort this out, to take from those who do not "deserve" their wealth. I prefer to concentrate on providing opportunity for business formation and success -- maybe a little anti-trust action, but that is complicated. Bj
Perhaps “give” is the wrong word since it sounds like a gift. But I personally do think that a minimum income is a good idea. Money gets spent and goes back into the economy. People who have absolutely nothing end up costing society quite a bit since we don’t allow that they just die in the street.
DK - I agree there needs to be a safety net, but it's difficult to do in a constructive way. In my long life I have given a lot of people a lot of money and rarely has my generosity done any lasting good. So, in effect, I have been giving out fish, even though I like to teach men to fish, but it hasn't worked out very well -- even in my own family. I agree the money given gets back into the economy, but I don't like that path for the money -- I prefer to see some actual work get done for the money. Bj
>>>>saying the wealthy don’t deserve what they have is divisive (though accurate)<<<<
WHY is that assertion accurate ?!?!?!?!?!?
Read the Professor”s post to see why some of the very wealthy don’t deserve all that wealth. I’m agreeing with him.
So what are you proposing ? A gang of vigilantes who will seize the property of those who your gang believes dont deserve wealth ?
DK, Hearts bleed because they believe that bleeding hearts make them morally superior. Also when all you have is morals, because you lack means, you are like the person who only has a hammer and everything is a nail.
We live in an era where everything is weaponized. We can't use weapons to silence a threat or a foe, so we use language.
We learn in the school yard and playground to use words as a weapon, and as adults we become more sophisticated. Since words wound us, we think that words wound others, That by calling out names and accusations that others will be silenced and intimidated into conformity. And indeed it works,on most, but not all, and when it doesn't work, the one who uses words as weapons are flummoxed
More opportunities for higher education and training programs with job placements. Hope is what’s needed.
Well , that's what happens when you hang around the Socialist Demon Rats - they need to create noble sounding causes in order to grab and concentrate power
1- racism
2- poverty
3- the mean rich folks
Listen to Fidel Castro's Seierra Maestra Speeches - they are exactly the same the Biden Junta is using
Tribal culture…
But, IMHO, lost in all the genius of Galbraith’s and others’ attempts to explain human behavior in groups as large as a “nation” and as small as a bonded pair are the fundamental drives of food, shelter, and safety or security from harm…after which thought may expand and turn to broader questions of group welfare and the common good.
Sam, I love that quote, I have used it many times. It is so spot on thanks to JKG
Dear Sam : that is one of my favorite Quotes . Thank You
Hahaha LOL.
The modern parasite is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for parasitism.” ― Murray Newton Rothbard
Bidenism is cretinism
You liking posts saying Biden supports nazis in Ukraine says you're a liar or total moron.
Yo Vern , Can't handle the truth ?
Why is the West Silent About Ukrainian Neo-Nazi Movements, Azov Battalion, & Bandera Legacy?
https://sputnikglobe.com/20220304/why-is-the-west-silent-about-ukrainian-neo-nazi-movements-azov-battalion--bandera-legacy-1093561142.html
Hysterical how you think Russian propaganda is truth about Ukraine. Epic stupid!
There are at least three documentaries produced by WESTERNERS showing that Obama started the provocation in December 2013.
I don't think quoting someone who was heavily influenced by Marx, was an admirer of the failed Keynesian economic theory, sucked at the teat of the academic industrial complex and a was a Chinese sympathizer, holds much weight or legitimizes anything other than that intellectuals are easily fooled.
You could have stopped at "I don't think" because your so weakly ad hominem.
These are relevant facts not opinion, that pertain to a persons character. Therefore, not ad hominem. Painful truths.
Ad hominem refers to attacking an argument on the grounds that a particular person put it forward. The argument must have its own merit, apart from who agrees or disagrees with it.
By the way, it seems painfully true that you employ loaded language an awful lot. If it makes you feel better, fine. Just know it does not persuade anyone who doesn’t already agree with you.
Another thing. Why would intellectuals be more easily fooled than the rest of the population?
Thanks for rooting out he doesn't even understand what ad hominem means Carol. I blocked him before I saw the 2nd moronic comment.
I'll take that challenge, Carol. Flawed though it is. There were no sticks and stones hurled, only biography. If someone is going to use a quote to legitimize a point of view then certainly what that person values and chose to invest time in then, is without question worth being revealed. As for the question why intellectuals are so easily fooled, you're not crediting me with that revelation, I hope. Many others have remarked on this phenomenon. The short answer is they spend so much energy and focused on their chosen field they assume (with much hubris) they are now experts in all fields. Alas, common sense has been abandoned.
Good for you, Carol. Right on, right on! Bj
"trumpism is narcissism."
And
Zionisim is fascism
And MAGA = NAZI
So, Jaime - you can say that "MAGA = Nazi", but where is your proof? There is none. The real Nazi's are in the Biden Administration who have made hundreds of Jan 6 protestors into political prisoners and tried to or actually did jail Trump supporters like Roger Stone, General Flynn, etc. Bj
The fault of the Biden administration is the opposite of what you assert: being so lackadaisical & derelict about prosecuting the insurrectionists & especially the planners, organizers & instigators in the Trump administration & Republican Congress, that years after their treacherous acts they're still not even indicted when our Constitution compels their expulsion from office.
As for traitors Flynn, Stone, Bannon & Manafort, they were convicted during the Trump administration before being pardoned by the greatest traitor in US history, Benedict Donald. The dirty fascist Bannon is finally being imprisoned for a pathetic 4 months when it should be for 4 decades. That vile Nazi Flynn is still out roaming around inciting various treasonous acts. wherever he goes
I would considering them more as a cult, taken for a ride and some certainly have tendency of the NAZI mentality but I am not sure if I would categorize them as NAZI.
In memory of Jim Jones.
Power Corrupts Absolute power corrupts 💯 Absolutely! Term limits NOW
>>>>>>>>half of America becoming irrationally loyal to Trump because I've studied how America is irrationally loyal to quack shrinks<<<<<
Let's see
President Trump would NEVER
1- open the borders and allow 15,000,000 unvetted illegals to waltz in
2- would have never shut down the Keystone XL Pipeline
3- ban fossil fuels , coal or LPG
4- provoke/bait Russia into invading Ukraine - nor would he poke the Russian Bear in order to start a nuclear WW3
5- use pretexts to disarm us - transgress upon our absolute 2A Rights
And you define "IRRATIONAL" HOW?
How about "contumacious"? Perverse, pig-headed, irrational, contumacious. That really describes you!
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A13usaonutL._CLa%7C2140%2C2000%7CA1QBBssw2bL.png%7C0%2C0%2C2140%2C2000%2B0.0%2C0.0%2C2140.0%2C2000.0_AC_SX679_.png
Stop being so logical -- you will be resented by the liberals on this thread, which is most of the people.
Paul, Clearly you do not serve any productive purpose as member of the CNI community. You just got yourself banned with your moronic liberal-bashing & trump support. If you are trolling the often too nice Robert Reich's posts, you really need to go somewhere & rethink your life, because your behavior greatly infers that psychologically, you are very subconsciously sad, weak & narcissistic human, but believe the opposite of the truth everywhere. Buh bye block.
As long as they are a paying subscriber let them troll. Keep paying and troll away. The readers here will not be fooled.
I could make a fortune working for the GOP but would never sell my soul, so certainly not going to allow someone to toxify my community for $5 a month. You really need to question your priorities if that is your advice to others.
I grew up watching therapists be wrong about my sister.
Sorry in general and for Psychology as a profession.
Therapists are a joke.
Some must be good but too many only seem there to solve their own issues.
Yes, something required to complete their education and they are expected to continue…”know thyself” the apparent foundation.
The presumption being that helping others requires BOTH knowing yourself AND how you got so messed up…
because we ALL have “idiosyncrasies”, from life! Good, bad, irritating, socially acceptable, destructive, etc.
AND therapists are expected to develop sufficient understanding, empathy, and learning to offer counsel to others…
Learning from one’s mistakes to generalized or apply that learning to others—not easy.
The Human mind, like the old ad campaign once claimed, is a terrible thing to waste. Stay safe!
Yep, agreed that is why they got into the profession in the first place, self absorbed, narcissism , wanting to know why they are the way they are. I met plenty in university.
There must be hundreds of schools of psychology and psychiatry each one hawking that theirs is the truth, like religions.
I hesitate to comment, but having recently tried to impart some understanding of “why do we have to learn this stuff? “. “We’ll never use it!” 🤷😳🤪 I taught undergrads, in the dreaded course - “Introduction to Statistics.”
It is, rightly, required for graduation by a range of majors, but hosted in the Psych Department.
Where I first was introduced many semesters ago.
One of the values of the peer review, “publish or perish” approach found in most of academe, is the overall increase in quality and availability of knowledge. Which, when shared, increases common knowledge…even if not common sense.
My point being, anecdotal evidence should be examined and evaluated before forming hypotheses, explanations or theories…where we enter the domain of philosophy of science.
Anecdotes point the way for study and greater understanding.
From childhood anecdotes to think tank is solid development.
I’ve never read more concise information about wealth vs. the rest of us in one article! As a Sociologist, I find it frustrating to explain disparities in income! I never studied the economy in college, but know it’s a part of our fabric as a Society! One of my Sociology Professor’s asked us to explain poverty in one word! No one could do it! He blew us away when he said the one word is”opportunity”. I never forgot that and your explanation magnifies it a thousand times! Bravo for educating the masses and attempting to empower change! Information is the start! Thank You Robert!
Ghandi said it in one sentence, "Poverty is the worst form of violence. "
Just a slight divergence.
Did you know some of the tactics of non-violence that Ghandi used to great effect in India,
he first learned while in South Africa?
For whatever such tidbits of knowledge are worth…
Opportunity is correct.Not much else is.The hated man of the moment is Musk,he took his opportunity He has flaws and defects ,exactly the same as everybody else.
He gives everybody else the opportunity to share in his flaws,defects and genius to get things done.Every rich person does.
Two seconds to see the opportunity,or a lifetime to deny the opportunity,generation after generation.
.
A look at the chart for the last 12 years tells you that on a split adjusted basis the cost of 1 share in Tesla was $2 in June 2012.I would need to check but I am reasonably confident that was when Musk entered the picture at Tesla. Who stopped you from taking that opportunity.Was it you? Was it Musk? Who stopped you or forced you not to take that opportunity?
The value of that 1 share ( on a split adjusted basis) is now $182. This is 91 X the $2 that opportunity gave you.A phenomenal return,a huge amount of wealth created for people who took that opportunity. Who stopped you from taking that opportunity?
We have no idea what that share price will be in 12 years Nobody can predict the future..Incredibly ,very few people have the ability to predict the past,they can't predict history,they keep getting history wrong,they never learn from history.,they never learn from their own mistakes,over and over forever . Who stops you from that opportunity of predicting history and getting it anywhere near right?
At that price of $182 per share who is stopping you from taking that opportunity,Robert Reich,you,,Musk,Biden, Trump?.Who stops you?.
In 12 years time June 2036 who is going to take the opportunity to predict history and get it completely wrong.You?.Robert Reich.?
You put nothing in,you get nothing back out.Who is going to force to deny that opportunity?
Right -- gambling is always the best (and fairist) opportunity. Just ask anyone who frequents Las Vegas.
Thanks Jay, maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket.😁
Gambling is by no means the fairest opportunity for people who are addicted to it and can’t help themselves. It’s just another example of the gross domination of wealth over ignorance. Just ask any veteran gambler whether they understand that the house always wins; they will deny it to their last dying breath.
Oh, I get it; indecency = $$$.
First, who would necessarily know about that stock? Secondly that is not the point. Not all of us are so driven by greed. Should people who play the stock market & hedge funds get rewarded so much more monetarily than those who work hard for a living? Shouldn't the former be taxed higher than the latter?
Aussie - There's a lot of wisdom in your post. Thank you. Bj
30 seconds to predict history and get it correct,the same impossible task for most people.They'll predict history and get it wrong.
Tesla has had 2 stock splits since 2010,a 5 for 1 split in mid 2020,and a 3 for 1 split in mid 2022.All with the intent of making it easier for people to buy it. 1 share bought in 2012 was 5 shares after that first split. After that second split of 3 for for I you had 15 shares or 3 X 5.
You now have the opportunity to deny that 5 x1 is five.You now have the opportunity to deny that 3x5 is 15. The vast majority of people will gladly deny that simple maths.They will be proud of the opportunity to deny it.They will be fanatical in how determined they are to take the opportunity to deny it.
Who is it that causes you to deny that opportunity?
“All with the intent of making it easier for people to buy it.” Hahaha. Only because the intent underlying this is to make more money for himself and himself only.
Ghandi said it in one sentence, "Poverty is the worst form of violence."
Ghandi said it in one sentence, "Poverty is the worst form of violence. "
And Michael Mensch said it in 3 sentences.
Are we to assume that everyone is capable of being a brain surgeon? I think not. But, I would agree that opportunity is important in any free society. The more regulations and requirements you pile on -- that limits opportunity, for sure.
My Professor was explaining as an example, the family we are born into may provide an opportunity to succeed easily (inherited wealth, privilege) or it won’t! If you’re born into poverty, you lack the same opportunity as a wealthier peer! It doesn’t mean you can’t overcome poverty, but you have more obstacles and likely an inferior public school etc. compared to richer kids. It doesn’t mean it’s not possible to be successful financially, but the odds are certainly against you! The list is long on obstacles, but some will climb out and move up. Just look at our jails if you want an example!
I was born into abject poverty. I was born in the US territory of Puerto Rico. Back then their educational system provided a “beca” for students who scored a 3.5 Average of better - the stipend used to be $50 a year but back then that was enough to get the shoes and clothing I needed for 1 year. My parents made sure I remained motivated and focused. When CORCO opened we lost a lot of science and math teachers . I used to teach those classes. One must remain motivated goal oriented disciplined and willing to work very very hard d to accomplish the goals.
’>>>>>ve never read more concise information about wealth vs. the rest of us in one article! As a Sociologist, I find it frustrating to explain disparities in income!<<<<
Some folks understand that TO PURSUE HAPPINESS means acquiring marketable skills , adhere to the work ethic, be frugal plan and be aware
while others believe that all they have to do is find a socialist commutiy organizer , vote for him , listen to Socialist apologists like Robert Reich then go home be a couch potato and smoke ganja.
Trump's appearance yesterday at the Capitol club in DC reminded me of public appearances of Kim Jung Un before his mechanically adoring politburo, or crowds of students reviewing displays of weaponry with fixed expressions of approval, as Lindsay Graham and Ted Cruz smiled meekly bowing forward behind him, applauding performatively, as Trump walked away from them, maneuvering through his other congressional supplicants.
Wow! You painted a picture with your words that I can't unsee now!! It's very chilling to think our country is headed that way. Vote Blue, America!!
But it's true, just as described.
So, Peggy - Do you really think President Biden will run for re-election? He seems like on a serious decline curve. So obviously impaired. I rather doubt he will run. The Democratic Party cannot be that stupid. Or, can it? Bj
The DNC & the rest of the Democratic establishment act as if they're trying to sabotage Democrats' chances with every recent election. Pushing Hillary Clinton as she had favorability numbers south of -20 whilst Bernie consistently had positive favorability ratings just shy of +10, & 3/4 of the electorate expressing their disgust with establishment politicians. Discouraging any of the many younger, sharper, more popular, more electable Democrats from challenging the faltering Biden after an admittedly largely successful first term despite so many challenges (though the majority of Americans perceive it quite differently), & the vast majority of Americans expressing their antipathy towards these declining geriatric presumptive nominees. It's quite late in the game, but it seems to me the Democrats would be well-advised to find an alternative candidate, say Raskin, Whitehouse or Merkley.
Wow, Daniel. I thought the same thing, especially about Ted Cruz who kept applauding even after Trump left the room. Ted looked like his arms were getting tired.
And Cruz, like so many of Trump's big-name toe-suckers, is a rich Harvard grad who claims to be an anti-elitist.
Ted Cruz father Rafeael was a co founder of the right wing Christian transsectarian ideology callled Dominionism, aka Christian Reconstruction aka Christian NAZI's, they are worse than the Taliban and Sharia.
Exposed here: https://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/fundienazis/royal_race.htm
Also known as New Apostolic Reformation members include Pence, ACB, MTG, Boebert and probably most of the Republicans in congress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Apostolic_Reformation
Cruz and others in the shadows mimicked Trump's violent rhetoric leading up to January 6th. I would like to see better journalism on all of the ways Ted Cruz falls into line for election denial, voter suppression, and insurrection, and fails to meet challenges like maintaining the power grid in winter, and offers nothing to prevent mass shootings in his state.
“All that is required for evil to prosper, is for good folk to do nothing.”
I believe Madison, but one of the Revolutionary Founders.
You are informed, Dude.
Evil to prevail..? Thank you
😅
Each one of those congress members got paid $477 yesterday (and for all 365 days a year). I bet they complain about government waste.
When Congress shuts down the Government, paychecks to Federal Employees and the military stop, but not to Congress, they have excluded themselves.
If that isn’t blatant corruption not sure what else is? Disgusting and we need to stop it! They have far too many perks!
They get paid about$175,000 year (google it if interested), and the only work they do is on the telephone dialing for dollars, speaker of the house gets more.
Graham & Cruz are Trump's useful idiots.
So, Jaime - why do you call politicians, who are closing ranks in the run up to the election this November, "useful idiots"?! Isn't this closing of the ranks in the run up to the election pretty typical of political parties?! And, talk about closing ranks by "useful idiots" -- what do you think the Democratic Party is doing, in the face of having a mentally failing candidate?! Do you really think President Biden is going to run? I don't think he will, although dropping out won't be his (and Jill's) choice. Bj
The 'filthy rich' as they have been called are not those who contribute to mankind's progress in the fields of medicine and technology that nourish and improve living standards, but those who feed into and profit from the oil, gas, and chemical industries. The environmentalist Wendell Berry once suggested that "the difference between modern war and modern industry . . . seems to be only that in war the victimization of human beings is intentional and in industry 'accepted' as a 'trade off.' " Hence from this perspective such wealth does not contribute to the economy but to environmental catastrophes.
I wish I had said that. We accept many harms because we do not experience them personally, they happen to other people, even to our descendants who have not been born.
Please check companies by their market value and you find out which companies have in the last 20 years created huge wealth for their shareholders. It does not include oil companies. How does Microsoft or Apple or NVIDIA damage the environment?
Well, for one thing, their products and the processes by which they are made are energy- intensive. The same forces that make your laptop or iPad give off heat do the same on a vastly larger scale in the server farms and cloud storage warehouses now dotting the rural landscape ( and not incidentally, sucking up water for cooling).
Very true, so we need a CO2 tax.
You are right now using their products. Stop using it.
Easy to say, hard to get anything done if you do.
massive consumption and planned obsolescence. covert data collection and exploitation. exporting manufacturing. distribution. packaging. plastics. rare earth mining run off....etc
Agree, there is lots to be deplored.
ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell recorded a combined $86bn in profits last year. Seems as if their shareholders aren't doing all that badly. And I'd note that the U.S. government is still subsidizing oil companies, so those profits are being made on the backs of taxpayers, at least to some extent.
One word-Lithium….nasty stuff.
The hope/dream is recycling.
But extraction is truly horrifying under unregulated mining in 3rd world countries who have not laws about safety, child labor, heck even slavery, or indentured servitude…and lithium refinement is energy and materially intensive.
Please! I hope someone, somewhere, is working to find an earth friendly, renewable, replacement source of stored energy.
And Trump and his MAGAS want the same thing here!!! My grandmother told us stories of how, at 11 years old she had to run dangerous machinery in a factory. Already some states are weakening child labor laws
Like the scene in “The Graduate”, ‘I have one word for you, Lithium’
Maybe "hemp!" https://community.ases.org/discussion/solar-powered-factories-making-hemp-batteries-and-the-future-is-hemp-buildings
https://hemptoday.net/moroco-hempcrete-project/
The rich being self entitled is like the British monarchy.A long-time ago their ancestors fought battles to secure their crowns but these days they only have to turn up at ceremonies to claim their privileges.Trump is a similar case in point being the son of a wealthy property developer but he was spectacularly unsuccessful in his own right.Democracy requires that there should be distance between the rich and our elected lawmakers but modern lobbying techniques have reduced that gap along with untramelled party donations and control of the media by the rich (Murdoch being the prime example).
To a certain extent we still have some "royalty" here. Just ask them. A lot of the "filthy rich" never worked a day in their lives. Trust fund babies "Coupon clippers." Coupons are bonds and notes.
Once upon a time, we had the richest private banker in the US in my home town. Not a CEO, Proprietor. Owned entire segments of the economy outright. Had no children. Left most of it to charity.
Who was that Daniel? Carnegie?
Alex Crawford Hoyt. We also had Carnegie a few miles south, long before my time. To the north the Buhl family, Sharon, Pa., donated a free park, golf course. I think to this day, membership is free. The blood "lines" of all these people ran out long ago. Believed in the social gospel.
There were some exceptions. Thomas P. Johnson, heir to several fortunes, mother was Grace Phillips Johnson as in Phillips Petroleum, Phillips 66, was an excellent student, Editor in Chief, Harvard Law, was a partner in the firm now known as K&L Gates, Gates being Bill Gates' father, left much of his wealth to the Heritage Foundation. I would hope that he is rolling in his grave over Project 2025.
Thanks Daniel, always a source of info, As I stated elsewheres Bill Gates Sr, told his on not to sell his software but to license it and drew up the licensing agreement, before he died he bought up a good chunk of Shaw Island on the Salish sea. The island was owned by Franciscan nuns, they have since moved on, after selling to Gates.
Gates hired or partnered with many people from Pittsburgh. I'd run into them at the ABA, when Gates was a benefactor. One of the first cases I had was against Dick Thornburg, eventually governor of Pa, USAG x2, a partner. I first met him when he was a member of the Pa Constitutional Convention in 1968. Firm had several members from my home town. Johnson was part owner of the Pirates and would invite us to games and to his club.....
Arguably the most powerful, largest law firm in the US. Took a lot of pro bono work.
Thanks Daniel, more proof that Gates was not a self made man.
I highly recommend Anderson Cooper’s several books about wealth-his direct ancestor is Cornelius Vanderbilt, once the wealthiest man in the world. At a time when Monarchs reigned, and “capitalists” and “industrialists” were not uncommon. He, “The Commodore” once controlled one fifth of the U.S. economy, through various endeavors…
One of every $5….inconceivable, mythical wealth…American aristocracy. The Astors, Vanderbilts, Roosevelt’s….as “old” as “New World” fortunes could get.
Names like Carnegie, Astor, Roosevelt’s, historic names and massive fortunes.
Some squandered, some used, some given to the common good of the people.
But interestingly, or perhaps inevitably, all resigned to the pages of the story of our fragile experiment in self governance. The “shining city on the hill” of poets and politicians, that undergoes periodic challenges, upheavals, rifts and attacks. But remains. Better than alternatives, more resilient than is apparent.
“We the People, In order to form A MORE PERFECT UNION,” (emphasis added).
A more elegantly poetic expression of purpose has seldom, if ever been written.
The promise of a better, improved future by coming together for a shared purpose.
"A more perfect union" is a wonderful phrase but a work in progress for the USA.Still that's better than the current atomisation of Europe battered by globalism,bureaucracy and malign popularism with its roots in Nazism. Retreating into the narrow confines of nationalism isn't an expression of patriotism or love of country but a way of placing the failings of weak self aggrandising corruptible government upon the shoulders of the others, be they migrants or the urban poor.
And this has been the case for very long, but Americans aren't fooled, the problem is that they feel powerless and their economic anxiety can be taken advantage of by those with autocratic ambitions. It is up to rest of us to expose this false and dangerous dynamic.
Thank you Professor Reich, important information to reach everyone via video and how Biden will continue to make a difference in our lives as he has shown us time and time again since day 1. He fights for the working class as well as the poor. He wants to know our problems and concerns for a better life and a future for generations.
Boils down to educate the uneducated of what has happened and how it can be fixed or changed, we must vote. Not only are the wealthiest people living high on our backs but they also receive their income tax back and even more bc of the Reagan yrs. Mrs Reagan convinced her husband to do the trickle down and we the people pay dearly with working 1-3 jobs to stay alive. That’s no way for any of us to live. Thank you again Professor. Stay safe everyone.
Blame it on Nancy Reagan, who relied on astrology. Register Democrats to let Biden be Biden.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Well said. My question is how does one approach those who stubbornly cling to false narratives and embrace purposeful ignorance as empowering because, as one wag put it, beauty may be skin deep but stupid goes to the bone. Or a Forrest Gumpism, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
BULLCRAP
Americans have allowed their government to become a gargantuan welfare, warfare, police state which loves to inflate the flock out of the currency.
That 's the reason you need to work 2-3 jobs.
The rich today were born into that wealth. Look at elon musk. His father owned an emerald mine and his mother was a super model. He did go to college but his parents' money helped him get in good ones. The same goes for a lot of those wealthy richy rich. The rich cannot be happy with a small share of the wealth, oh no, they want more and more and more!! They are spoiled and entitled and they most definitely do NOT deserve the ludicrous amounts they feel they deserve. I think back to Sam Walton, George W. Jenkins, and Lucius Smith Lowe. They began Walmart, Publix and Lowe's and were as down to earth and humble as you or I. They were philanthropic, kind and helped their communities. I think what happened was they had to work so very hard that when their kids came along, they wanted them to have it easier so they gave them whatever they wanted! That produced spoiled, entitled brats that wanted more, more, more!
Thanks for this article Robert! We have this idea that the rich worked so hard for their wealth, but fail to realize there’s a lot of movement that happens in the background to get them their wealth (ie: insider trading).
Great article and here’s another article on how the very first billionaires (eg Rockefeller and the Robber Barrons) used their wealth to influence society: https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/donating-to-a-good-cause-how-billionaires
Why exactly would billionaires promote communism? Uh uh.
They wouldn't. Consider the source.
This is the kind of crap that the John Birch Society was pushing in the late 50s. They accused Eisenhower as a commie. Ike had been president of Columbia, head of the Council of Foreign Relations. According to this BS, Ike's brother, Milton, was a commie and was in effect the US dictator. In reality Ford had financed the Nazis and John D. Rockefeller was a Trump like, despicable snake oil salesman.
The Select Committee to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations and Comparable Organizations was a right wing attack group similar to the House Unamerican Activities Committee.
Ike used Milton much in the same way that Bill Clinton used HRC. He was not part of the cabinet but acted as a secretary of state/ambassador without portfolio on several occasions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_S._Eisenhower
IIRC Daniel, from other comments and the same link by said Franklin, it appears that he is an antisemite, right wing, left wing doesn't matter, both extremes see Jews as the source of all evil, including secular some left wing Jews.
What's your premise?
Nobody exists alone.
The “self made”, “overnight success”, is a myth.
Success is typically achieved when someone for whom much was made smooth and easy by virtue of circumstances of their heritage, birthplace, race, relatives, etc. mange’s to get their act together long enough to take advantage and advance, if even incrementally, from their starting point.
While the idea that the have earned their high incomes by virtue of hard work, intelligence, grit or some other laudable trait is rarely true, but rather a handy myth to dispel feelings of envy amongst the less wealthy classes, there is also the folk wisdom that says, No man believes he is paid what he is really worth”. (Use of non-inclusive language not intended denote promotion of sexist stereotypes).
One swallow doth not a summer make.
However, some did exceed expectations. And Gates is fire to Musk's ice. They play "Monopoly" against each other as much as they take advantage of us marks.
Daniel, I don’t have all the facts and figures about wealth and poverty ready to hand, so favor that reason I’m hoping that one or two examples of what I believe are “the deserving wealthy” will suffice. I guess I’m really motivated by a desire to make the case for a Marxist struggle between classes, mainly because I don’t like people being pigeonholed into workers versus capitalists, as I am a combination man myself. I catch your drift, but refuse to consider myself as just a pawn in a rich men’s game or a marketer’s victim. Life is too effing short to nurse grievances ( he says, still nursing a bunch of them).
R Hodson. I can't rant and rail, kvetch about a society that has allowed a poor lad, raised in a project, with a single mom, who worked for tips as a waitress and then$1 and hour in a bank, who was kicked out high school at age 17, but made some very good choices that finds him a retired officer, with a Masters degree and living a very comfortable debt free life on 5 acres of land.
I have no bitches, I made good choices, within a society and economy that permitted those choices and here I am.
However I do recognize inequity, inequality, discrimination, oppression and that those affected are not there by choice, but by circumstance of birth.
If I had been born a black woman, I would not be where I am now.
Society it's values, its structure is a product of the forces exerted by the people which comprise that society. Calvinism enabled the industrialization of our society, Marxism dissipated the power and control of Calvinism.(simplistic analysis I know, and Marx was a proto libertarian not a socialist)
All that we have, or had, all that made us great, was a mixed society, mixed cultures and a mixed economy, and all of that is under threat by the homogenization of white Christian patriarchal nationalism., by an "ungodly" alliance of the user with the used.
I've tilted at a few windmills. Myopia is no defense. The little guy has little hope. But I still play the lottery.
This country started out as a refuge for landless dissenters from England. Even in England, at common law, yeomen had rights. Jefferson promoted the idea that we had the same rights as English yeomen, and that we have responsibilities commensurate with rights.
I personally think that Marxism is flawed and is a foreign concept. I like the idea that to win a war, the enemy is weak when divided. Let them play "king of the hill."
Sorry, Daniel, I made a couple of errors and didn’t catch them before posting. I Meant to say I DID NOT want to make a case for Marxist can’t about class struggle because I do NOT believe people’s behavior is based on their social or economic class, but on personality traits, learned and lived experience, and perception of what benefits them. Again, apologies for errors — some of my posts are written on tiny screens.
R Hodson, I agee with your observation about human behavior and personality traits, but there is indeed class warfare. Warren Buffett acknowledged it when he said "there is indeed class warfare and my class is winning".
People should know what yeoman is: my 9th, through 14th paternal ancestors were yeoman,in official records
A yeoman is a man holding and cultivating a small landed estate; a freeholder., but not a freeman, (laborer, tradesman, or even a landless merchant)
I am reminded of an apropos scene from the animated movie, "Aladdin":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLXUAmZ7J5E
Definition of the Golden Rule -- "Whoever has the gold makes the rules."
Saying who has the gold makes the rules, as old as sin.
"It is easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than it is to have a wealthy man enter Heaven." Wealth = sin? Hmm.
I don't think that anyone named Jesus, IHSus, Yahooshua, Joshua said those things
That meme was introduced by proselytizers they were playing to a specific audience in the Roman empire and in societies in general, as the poor were(are) legion and the wealthy are few.
When you are building a cult, you need a message that will attract the most supplicants.
King James Bible, Matthew 19:24
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
But I do agree that the Apostles were playing to their audiences. (Then again, I believe that all Religion is a fraud, playing on the people's fears of their identity dispersing into oblivion when they die.)
The real message of Matthew 19:24 is accept your fate, glory in it, because your reward will be in the hereafter, and the rich man will not get into heaven
Whoever came up with this shit was a clever propagandist.
That it is heavenly to be Poor for this short lifetime, given the ETERNITY of bliss to come.
Agreed.
Another great video, I love that you vindicate my thinking exactly. Thank you.
And tied to that false sense of worth is the propaganda idea that they are superior to everyone else, and so deserve gazillions in compensation and every gov't policy to solely benefit them, because they create jobs and are somehow philanthropic. Bull. Double Bull. They have a need for workers and workers have a need for work. The relationship is symbiotic. Crazy minds who lost their way make it hierarchial in human value. Unfortunately, there are politicians, economists, bankers, financial advisors, accountants, etc. who believe it too and pollute the world with this nonsense.
You are a very rich person. You also have paywalls . Your speaking fees are very high also. Yes you are correct you are very overrated and overpaid. You don’t even understand the common person but sure do love to preach and be divisive. If this country is ever going to heal or improve it’s not going to happen with aging boomers scaring people with Trump. People are so broken and inflation is so bad we need to have jobs , food, housing, healthcare. But no we get endless corruption from both sides with some rich guy telling us how to vote . I voted Democrat my whole life and never ever again!
I remember Obama and Biden selling out the average American so Wall Street was bailed out as we lost everything. That’s how we got Trump and probably unfortunately will again. Biden has always been in bed with corporate greed and corruption as long as his family has been in the USA. A really great piece by The New Yorker detailed his whole family’s legacy of corruption. Great article btw . Maybe stop rigging the DNC with likes of Clinton and Biden or we will get Trump
Trump humpers are logging on in droves now, only five months till the election, more will come. Field of Dreams build it and they will come.
Robert is one of he few substacks that allow us free loaders to comment, so what are you complaining about Kristy. If you don't like the company you keep or the host that let you into his house, then by all means "there is the door, and be gone"
Yes, we need jobs…how are they created? There must be some incentive for entrepreneurs to create a business and investors to put their savings at risk in the new business. Most new businesses fail — a few can continue and grow to be profitable enterprises, most of which employ more people.
In this process, a very few will become very wealthy. This is normal. We have the possibility of regulating the means of wealth creation, and we can levy taxes on income and property and redirect or even redistribute some of that wealth to those in need. This is the task of government.
You sound very discouraged at government’s uneven track record, and to be sure there is more progress to be made, but at present their is zero possibility of any such progress as I have described without combining enlightened government with progressive capitalism. To achieve that we need a strong Democratic Party that can work towards these goals. Keep in mind that since we are not an autocracy no one person or political party wields power by decree. Solutions must be arrived at by study, debate, and compromise.
Yet again, Robert, you've hit the nail on the head with your hammer. The same old garbage we've heard in Brazil for these past four decades (I'm a transplanted US citizen living here now) seems to apply all over our planet. But the rich here and elsewhere sure are going to learn a good lesson this Northern Hemisphere summer as the whole world bakes and suffers from global boiling. By fall we'll see Joe and Kamala win by 11 million votes!
Economists, educators and citizens have fallen into a trap. We have all been soaked in the idea that the battlefront in our politics is cultural. Liberal versus conservative. Bunk. The real fact is that the battlefront in our politics is economic. Rich versus everyone else. They (the rich) are in hot pursuit of two very well-defined goals. First, they want to keep all the gains from their activities, no matter how ill-gotten those gains are. This means they are anti-tax and therefore, as a corollary, against funding any government program. Second, they don't want any regulation of their activities, no matter how pathological. Therefore they are against funding any government program. When pundits and well-meaning analysts say that too many people vote against their own interests, what they should be saying is that people who are anti-tax and antigovernment are actually helping the moneyed interests protect themselves from reasonable taxation and reasonable regulation. A shameful aspect of our educational system (and typical curriculum) even at the university level is that they don't teach that the 1000 (taking the Magna Carta as an inflection point) year battle between the robber barons and the regular folks is underway and reported every day in the news. The robber barons have dressed themselves in cultural clothing (wolves in sheepskins) while too many regular folks believe that "the government is the enemy" as Ronald Reagan is famous for putting into words. Democrats need to STOP being so concerned with cultural issues and fight this battle on the grounds of the greater good. Democrats have taken the bait, swallowed the hook, line and sinker. Democrats are losing the support of regular folks because of economic issues. Robert Reich is teaching the truth, perhaps in too abstract terms for regular folks. Bernie Sanders is advocating the truth, perhaps in too political of terms. We need a person on the Democratic side who will articulate the truth - for robber barons government is the enemy. For regular folks, government is your friend and your tool in seeking fairness and equality.
Benjamin Stockton, what you write is the truth. The Democrats have had their party taken over by the oligarachy so it no longer represents the people; i.e. during the primary season this year, the DNC was only supporting the anointed Biden. This is pathetic since Biden is still part of the ol' boys club, changes positions, based on votes, and betrays Americans with his incremental approach to our climate emergency--allowing way too much oil drilling. I could go on and on about the imposters among us but will not.
One person who did articulate the truth was Marianne Williamson. She ran for president this year but the MSM blocked-her-out in collaboration with the oligarchy. She offers an Economic Bill of Rights that addresses your concerns. Also, she has the best platform of anyone running that I have witnessed in my lifetime: still available to review at https://marianne2024.com. (She's still hoping some of her ideas take hold.)
So Americans need to toughen up and resist becoming enslaved within our present system. But anyone, like Marianne, who challenges the status quo gets pushed out fast. Most of our governance has been taken over with corporate influence: money, power, and positions too. It's tragic but can be overcome. My major concern is that too many people, during our Gilded Age II, are exhausted and too fearful of fighting for their inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So here we are...slipping off the cliff into unknown territory. Stockton, thanks so much for sharing your insights!
@Joan. One of the bastions of the elites versus the regular folks is the two-party system. That, the electoral college, and some other more esoteric features are how the Jeffersonians influenced the design of our national institutions. So, given the two party system, we need to vote as far left "as we can get" which is vote for Joe Biden.
I am amused, surprised by your reply since Joe Biden is not "far left"--it's sort of laughable. Think of his votes when he was a senator for starters--on wars, his former position on abortion, his plagiarism when running for office in his speeches, his actions when Anita Hill was up for a Supreme Court position, his support on incarceration laws--on and on it goes. Today, he tries appearing progressive, and changed his views on abortion to get votes but AOC outdoes him every day of the week, regarding truth and balanced policies that work for the common good. Plus, Biden steals ideas from the likes of Sen. E. Warren too. Also, it's conceivable that neither pathetic candidates for the top office will be on the ballot.
Remember what FDR said: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." FDR had a great mind that he used well. So instead of running scared, Americans need to participate in civic actions and not be cry babies. We are responsible, ultimately, for acting or not. And it's still much too early to know which way the wind may blow. It's summertime. Take care.
@Joan. Earlier I had been advocating that Joe decline to run. The number and quality of candidates is amazing. But the way our system works nobody could displace him now.
And that is the unfortunate situation that may regret but the game isn't in the final innings yet! I keep hoping...I am sure Biden has made some good efforts that are incremental, like a few prescriptions needing bids for price but that along with some others is a mere pittance to what America could and can become. So here's wishing all for yet amazing days ahead!
You are correct Joan.
The alternative to Biden is Trump.
Do you want Trump and the Republican MAGAts creating laws and executing hem (and people).
Those unfortunately are realistically the only two choices we have.
Trump or Biden, if you don't vote for Biden, you get Trump and then kiss what ever is left of your liberty good bye.
Agree! I just wish it weren't so William. Americans didn't really have a fair primary process this round via the Democratic Party. I remember when Bobby Kennedy ran when LBJ was president--I think Eugene McCarthy ran too. So the lie about incumbency by the DNC is grating and undemocratic too. Americans really need to wake up to save what we have if possible.
The last 3 rounds. In 2016 the DNC weighed against Bernie in so many ways to get Hillary nominated. In 2000 the DNC got several competitive candidates -- Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Steyer -- to withdraw just before Super Tuesday to make it easier for Biden to defeat the more progressive candidates who were pro universal healthcare, Bernie & Elizabeth, & this last one, where the DNC discouraged strong, viable candidates from challenging Biden, & marginalized the few that did.
My recollection of the 1968 election is a little blurry, but I remember Lyndon Johnson declined to run again. I guess Robert Kennedy was already running against him by then. By default, Hubert Humphrey then announced his candidacy. I think Eugene McCarthy was already in the race. After Kennedy was assassinated, George McGovern got into the race, as I recall. I think his entry only hurt McCarthy, since they seemed to be very similar in their positions on the issues
I do agree Joan. The DNC ;put it's thumb on the scale for Hillary in 2016, because she paid her dues, acquired what they though were the necessary credentials (foreign affairs) and stood patiently in line in the paddock waiting to be called up to the starting gate.
The same thing in 2020, they didn't have anyone experience and groomed and that hate progressives, Rahm Emanuel called them fucking retards, and Nancy tried to replace the caucus with conservadems.
When the slot of Governor of Va came up,. they had no one to bring to the starting gate, so they had to search around the paddock and laid eyes on an old tired out of touch race horse, who had been Chair of the DNC, Terry McAuliffe and he made an ass out of himself, as he was out of touch with the people and the times., and Virginia wound up with a fascist, racist, homophobic misogynit, who was smart enough to keep his real nature tamped down... Youngkin.
The reason Biden is running, because they know him, they haven't groomed anyone else, and are afraid that a woman like Gretchen Whitmer won't attact enough votes because she is a woman, and unsure of Gavin Newsom because he is governor of a "left coast" state.,but mainly they owe it to Joe, and Joes ego won't let go, anymore than any other octogenarian in office, be it RBG. Dianne Feinstein,or Mitch McConnell,it has to be the perks, the illusion of power and the ego.
Having said all of that, I will crawl over broken glass o vote for Joe, because the alternative is unthinkable.
@Joan. Don’t be amused as it shows you misunderstood my comment. In the context of a two-party system, Joe Biden is as far left as you can get. Those other people you mention either are not running for Pres. or couldn’t get elected anyway. So when you can’t get “perfect” try for best you can get. Vote Joe Biden in November.
I am still laughing silently not at you but at the awful options! I will vote for ol' Joe if he survives the planned debate for June 27--I am watching how these men can handle questions and which one shines maybe more sane than the other. I know Trump is behaviorally impaired and his niece knows it too. But I am 'not certain' how Joe can handle confrontation for any length of time more than a minute or so! He runs away from reporters often. So I won't be surprised if the debate is cancelled due to panic on maybe both sides: so it's playing chicken- little it seems at this juncture. And to think the world is watching. Ouch!
@Joan. Earlier I had been advocating that Joe decline to run. The number and quality of candidates is amazing. But the way our system works nobody could displace him now.
I watched the videos of her views on the issues, which got practically no exposure in the media, & I agree with her in the vast majority of what she says: declaring a climate emergency & taking extraordinary measures to address it, universal healthcare & her other economic plans, her approach to immigration, her idea of a Department of Peace & making extra efforts for peace in the world, & reducing our military expenditures & support of the military industrial complex. I basically agree with her on Israel-Gaza, but not on giving to Putin the parts of Ukraine he has seized, but that's about all I disagree with her on.
You are correct Benjamin, the battle is between the classes. It is class war, but the weapon is the culture war. The culture war is how one gets the underclass, those who die and suffer, to join with the over class
The wars of the reformation, the Hundred Years war, was fought and financed by the over-class, the Catholic church using parishioners as pawns to keep their power over the minds and money of the parishioners, against nobility who wanted to keep their money and power out of the reaches of Rome.
@William. Yep, it’s a long running battle, under different banners at different times.
Different banners definitely in days of old it was King vs King.
My ancestors were archers in the Pilkington levy at Agincourt, free men, not serfs, tenants on their land, yet nonetheless required by royal decree to become proficient with the long bow, they fought under the banner of Henry V..
When Henry VIII landed his forces in France it was to reclaim "his inheritance"
When Ferdinand launched his armada it was,it was for the Pope who wanted to reclaim the wealth of England.
I can think of only one just and justifiable war, and that was the war against fascism, aka WWII., and now the same war against the genocidal imperial designs of Putin., and this time, like the last time (WWII) the prospective victims are timid and cautious., which only leads to a greater conflagration, if they had got it over and one with when it started.