Professor Reich: i agree. social media has no place in dictating american political power (except they do, every day, all the time.)
i'm still waiting for elon musk to be deported (wasn't he an illegal alien in the USA at some point?) and his money -- AMERICAN TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES -- stripped from his greasy greedy hands because he & his minions are working hard to undermine the US government, harris and the human rights of americans everywhere, under the LIE of "freedom of speech". (freedom of HATE SPEECH, actually.)
GrrlScientist, I do believe these richy rich and conglomerates are starting to feel the anger of the American citizens! We are finally starting to understand who they are and what they are doing to all of us. If you look back through history, there were many times when the rich were finally overthrown by the lower classes because the lower classes had just had enough! Well, Americans have just had enough of the ever widening wealth gap and the greediness of the rich. Vote blue, America!
I am not sure the public fully appreciates the negative affect monoploies have on the prices paid for the goods and serives they provide. By the way, supporting monopolies are anti-capitalism. Another fact that proves how anti capitalism and pro fasciam all those crying about breaking up monpolies are.
The Attorney General of The Department of Justice of California investigated a Fortune500 company for Criminal Price Gouging. I was a deputy in the investigation and it was my efforts that launched the investigation. My most amazing finding was the GAS LIGHTING I received from my "Think Tank Brothers." It was as if Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance and Cognitive Consistency was never discovered. A "Brother" that's (joined a cult and has?) railed against corporate abuse of power ( especially Citizens United... for 10,000 hours or so) effectively sabotaged all my efforts. Americans' brainwashing against democracy ( civil courts ) is well documented:
Seems like we need to popularize some >real< history understanding in society, not just myth. Monopolies and trusts were a real thing (and obviously still are). Social moments and progressive leaders fought them, and won rights for workers and society as a whole. Government of, by, and for the people applied laws and policies to quell corruption, and keep the public from being (so) ripped off; and the middle class grew. "I owe my soul to the company store" was a real thing in the US age of "Robber Barons", and what Reagan called "the nanny state" acted to protect the public's, rather than the 1%'s interests. We threw much of it away (such as laws that might have stopped "The Great Recession". Even once bitten, Dick Durbin remarked:
"And the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place,"
What's in it for US, and the mission stated at the head of the Constitution?? Diller charges that Khan is against “almost anything” business wants to do to grow" INTO too big to regulate. Into a monopoly.
And while I am not sure that monopolies are "anti-capitalism" (nor that in and of itself capitalism is inherently good or bad), monopoly is the bane of "free" (in any meaningful sense of the word) enterprise, and a free society.
It seems to me that the public knows, but ignores, the basic injustice in the marketplace.
Business is all about making the owner money. Paying the least amout possible for labor is one of their methods. If the busnessman can't take money by paying someone less than what their labor is worth, they simply will not hire someone, unless that particular skill is so rare that they must pay the requested wage, and make up the loss, by paying less to the more abundant skills.
Most wage earners can be replaced by someone else. But there are usually far more people being employed, than employers. So employers are usually stuck earning less than their labor is worth.
We call this freedom, and accept it because the employees don't have the ability or desire to become a businessmen themselves.
It is common for different business to compete with other businesses in the same market. And the business with the more competitive actions or product to drive the other similar businesses out of business. Thus monopolies naturally develop in an unregulated marketplace. When the monopolies occur, the workers lose the ability to get fair wages, and the customers lose the ability to shop for cheaper products.
The current political / business climate is a lot about regulating to prevent monopolies. The oligarchs of monopolies don't want regulation. Everyone else should want regulation for their own good. The allowance of dark money or business money to bribe politics must not exist to maintain a fair economic system.
“When obscenely wealthy people make monumental financial decisions, PAY ATTENTION to timing.
Jeff Bezos didn’t move $5 billion dollars because he disagrees with fascism. He’s cool with Kevin Roberts, Michael Flynn, and their goon squad subjugating and killing us.”
Quoth Kathy: "Bezos knows the decisions the Supreme Court made to enable a fascist government will tank the Amazon economy. People who are being terrorized by autocrats will have neither time nor money to buy cheap shit they want. He’s hedging his bets and taking care of himself."
I think that he's not "kool" at all. Hopefully, by his ex wife ye shall know him. Plus he promises to give away most of his money. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.
I learned a long time ago to watch the shorts. IMHo the reason for the sell off yesterday is the Central Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the first time in decades. Money is no longer free in Japan and Japanese borrow to invest in other countries -- principally the US. .
Thanks for the comment,Daniel,also allowing me to see I failed to put quotations marks for the quote from Andra Watkins. For those not familiar, she is a best-selling author who “escaped” Christian nationalism decades ago. Andra has read and dissected the 900+ page Project 2025 manifesto.The link is to her Substack/post.
Andra Watkins did an interview with Scott Dworkin the other day that was edifying re how Christian nationalists interpret/value/understand the language in Trump's Project 2025-- what Project 2025 means to them.
Among recipients are infamous James Comer and Nancy Mace
The largest Recipient , $15,000, is Marilyn Strictland, D-WA her district includes the Amazon Fulfillment center in Lacey,WA.
Other than her the Highest amount is a standard $10,000 Which drops off after 31 Congress critters (Reps) only 5 Senators received $10,000 two were Republicans Tim Scott and Todd Young, Chuck Schumer got $2,500, 40 senators in all.
It is patently anti-democratic to allow government outcomes to be directly impacted by huge sums of private money. Is not that which we call a bribe just as rank by any other name? There is far too little concerted public resistance to this.
I live in Seattle and formerly Redmond WA and have been 'following' the shenanigans of both Gates and Bezos. I "have" to deal with Microsoft (techie/computer issues) but do NOT do business with Amazon since he started the 'take over' of the wholesale/retail book industry in which I worked, both wholesale & retail back in the late 70's and early 80's before starting my own business in a totally different field. Bezos both lived in started his businesses in Seattle, but voiced his intent to move headquarters and residence to FL & IMO because WA state was working toward a 'tax the rich' (at any/all levels = make the rich 'pay their fare share!". I've also been 'watching' Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation and heard stories about huge amounts of $$$$$ misspent on mere facility construction (IMO again). Bezos/Amazon built the 'Amazon Spheres' in downtown Seattle which I've never even driven by (traffic being what it is in Seattle + have had no desire to 'view' what huge amounts of $ can and does do that 'only' benefits the ego's of the uber-wealthy... s i g h ~ ~ ~
Dale I lived in Redmond, till I moved to the Salish sea. As you know the Microsoft Empire sits astride SR 250 between Redmond and Bellevue.
The first Microsoft facility was erected circa 1982 in Federal Way,WA just off I 5 North of Tacoma, but it quickly outgrew the facility.
They approached a sleepy little down that existed only because it was a whistle stop on a RR,named Redmond, and got a huge tax break. That sleepy little town has since, with the assistance of MS, expanded it's boundaries westward towards Bellevue along 520.
The dominant culture is Indian, with it's annual festival of colors (Holi)
There are a few mom and pops remaining,but the main stores are CostCo, Fred Meyers (Kroger) and Home Depot. and the town clowns finance themselves with traffic traps.
Bill Gates got rich by piracy, stealing DOS from it's creator, but it was his father, Sr, the most prominent attorney in Seattle, that drew up his licensing and told him to license not sell his software. The licensing agreements started there.
Bill Gates bought half of Shaw Island, in San Juan County, he bought it from the nuns who owned the Island
Paul Allen bought the Sperry Peninsula on Lopez Island and build an estate.
Sold it before he died.
Bezo's, back in 1999 when he was just starting up bought a marina resort with cabins (Mariella's) ,near the San Juan Island ferry terminal in about 1998, of course he sold it and has moved on to more plush quarters.
Tom, this is not just a “class” revolution, but also a much larger “gender” revolution, fueled by the fury of the “weak” half of the population that has been suppressed under the foot of the “stronger” half for thousands of years.
If Kamala put the big foot of the FTC down on the heads of the tech billionaires and techies who aspire to becoming billionaires, to paraphrase an old political quote, "how many votes would it get her?"
My gut feeling is that the money spigot would be turned off, Kamala would lose her ready money-fueled access to advertising and promoting herself, and a lot of the donations she would no longer receive might well fly over to Trump and the GOP nationwide.
In doing what's suggested at this point in time, she would have stuck her foot in a big pot of glue. After she's elected is the time to start hitting back against the monopolists, not now. We can't risk Trump being elected!
We, the people need to get smarter about collaboratively resisting government for sale.
“In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions.” -- Lincoln
Rose, certainly, but a lot can be done about this. In the seventies I walked with girls through Amsterdam, demonstrating for free abortions. You must have a gender revolution, yes...
In the "red scare"; as long as decency and social policy is feared as socialism or marxism, I don't believe in a class revolution. Robert thinks my way: legal measures and restraint must do the work that should have been done in the last decennia.
Tom Van, JFK quote, those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable. We must stop gerrymandering and voter suppression.
Yes, Gloria, agreed; but peacefull revolution is possible, as Robert Reich shows us. It won't be enough, but gradual improvement and resilience must be the answer for now. Maga and Heritage are ready for power...
Tom, of course the people opposing are strong and resourcefull. Of course Harris should for the smartest administration ever. But the choice is not revolution or fascism. The thought only brings the U.S. to a confrontation of MAGA idiots and tech billionaires.
So take your time, let decency return. In Europe we had the French
and the Russian revolution, and Hitler, costing millions of lives.
No thanks to the mainstream media - but thanks to the substack writers like Reich, Richardson, Joyce Vance, Hartmann, and more, we know more about what's going on. Also to whoever brought Project 2025 into the light. That was great. It was a secret for too long.
To be fair, "Melanie" Trump IS an "illegal alien" with an "anchor baby." Not sure about ole' Twitterboi, but he OBLITERATED multiple profitable organizations.
Yes, she is a US citizen as well as her parents. The controversy is that she was given an Einstein Visa reserved for those with exceptional abilities. In March 2001, she was granted a green card in the elite EB-1 program, which was designed for renowned academic researchers, multinational business executives or those in other fields, such as Olympic athletes and Oscar-winning actors, who demonstrated “sustained national and international acclaim.” Apparently Rudy Giuliani helped get her this Visa. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43256318
There are those that believe that social media has simply replaced newspapers and news channels, and similar regulation is all that is needed. But I think there is increasing justification for the largest social media sites to become publicly-owned and moderated for the benefit of society at large. This becomes even more important as AI and automated bots with political agendas set by media owners become normalised.
The idea that controlling social media is restricting 'freedom of speech' or 'freedom of the press' is utterly stupid - the social media sites are already controlling content on the whim of their megarich owners, so there is only monopoly power by rich individuals over communications, with no external moderation or control whatsoever. That is NOT freedom of the press.
Az, of course this has nothing to do with freedom of speech, it's freedom to exploit people for profit. Republicans are screaming about the Border, because they want to distract us from the fact that our very homes, and the minds of children are being invaded.
I'm voting for Kamala Harris in any event, but if she were do as you said, to say “I’m not going to allow Big Tech to dictate public policy! No more big money in politics!”, then I will be voting with much glee for her. Like you have said, and Bernie has just said "Democrats should run on a progressive economic agenda". By doing so, Kamala Harris could win over many of the disillusioned voters who were fooled by Trump.
Yes, and also get the message out loud and clear all the good things the Biden/Harris admin has done for the economy and for ordinary, non-millionaire, working class and middle class Americans.
Also post on social media quotes from JD Vance about Trump before he was picked for VP!!
Well said founded by the disenfranchised royalty from Europe. I believe some early colonies had to enforce a no work no food policy to get the entire colony manpower to work and produce food farming a hard business on human bodies.
Hence , the introduction of slavery. The biggest change in the United States since the Civil War is the ending of the chattel version of slavery in the south to the Wage Slavery of the New America …
Ray Crock, the founder of the McDonald’s franchise and kind of the father of fast foods in America and Nixon financial supporter (and the inventor of the office cubicle a.k.a. blinders for office workers) , Ray Crock lobby before and got lower wages for restaurant workers which only benefit it Ray Crock and his franchisees.
The political class of America has no idea what touch labor is what hunger is and or the inability to educate themselves and their children.
Flora, if she did that, just imagine the enormous blue wave that will wash over politics!! Small donors would give even more to show their support for Kamala standing up for us! Vote blue, America!
He has said that he will never concede! The billionaires have a lot of money to keep him going ; but eventually, it may look like a big "business" loss.
Nah, his narcissism wins out every time! He believes everyone loves him! Lord, I just threw up a little in my mouth! He would never drop out but he could incite his motley cult to try another insurrection!
if trump drops out I fear whoever they replace him with will get all the republicans votes & we might lose possibly. The republicans want to win at all costs because they don't care about anything else. They just want to win no matter what. They have become so indoctrinated & brainwashed by fox news & the internet that they can not even hear truth anymore. They have become blind & deaf to the truth about the evil of trumpism.
H.B, Not only is your perspective spot on, I also predict you will be opening your wallet later today. I base this on trusting that Harris understands, above all else, do no harm. To clarify, contrary to Shapiro’s condemnation of college protesters plus his support for school vouchers added to Kelly applauding when Netanyahu referred to protesters as Iran’s “useful idiots” combined with organized labor’s concerns about him, a few misgivings over Walz’s handling of 2020 protests, in my view, don’t compromise his mighty impressive progressive policy accomplishments.
Yes, a blue tsunami; but be carefull. It can trigger a growing polarisation in the toxic climate of MAGA. Would you prefer 52% Harris and 46% Trump? Or 65% Harrris and 30% for Trump? I prefer the moderate result...
It may take something like a whopping 35%, rather than a “mere” 6% margin of victory, to finally blow out the completely-to-be-expected and indefatigably consistent claims that Retrumplicans use before any election, that it was “rigged,” and after any lost election, that it was “stolen,” to convince voters to not believe their “lyin’ eyes,” and even rise up to employing violence and insurrection, if necessary, to snatch back any election results from the jaws of victory that could even remotely be a D victory. Sorry for the long, run-on sentence, but not very.
I share your temperament, but look around you: the stolen election, the partisan Supreme Court, the rigged litigation, the 2025 project, there is a system in it. I think there is a revolt going on, some years, and I think only about avoiding bloodshed. Do you?
I would like an overwhelming result too, but I'm afraid. The system did not lock him up. I think he has the possibilities to ignite a civil war. That is my reason to plea moderation
Kamala and the Democrats should not have victorious attitudes, but depolarise, help the Republicans with reconstruction. That needs a friendly tone and face.
But covertly I should be clear tha there is no place in American politics for chilish morons that have no idea what to do with their mandate to help the world ahead. As Burke said: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion".
Avie, I like that: "Wrath of Khan." But do you know what Republicans will say next? That she is working for China! Khan only can succeed if Dems gain control of Congress.
Harris can’t rely on small donors to fund her campaign. PACs, as opposed to campaign organizations, are funded by large donors because there are no limits to contributions as there are to campaigns. They are the result of the Citizens’ United SCOTUS case that allowed corporations to give to PACs in an unlimited amount. If we want elections to be fair the Citizens United case needs to be overturned.
And one of the deciding votes in Citizens United was none other than Clarence "my vote's for sale" Thomas. The wealthy literally bought almost unlimited further riches through Justice Thomas.
She may not need to rely on small donors, and refuse donations of large donors, but she needs to not be beholden to the large donors by soft pedaling prosecutions against monopolies be they managed by Republicans or Democrats. I think that’s an important distinction.
"People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the publick, or in some contrivance to raise prices."
That, in a nutshell, is why we need strong government and why Reagan was wrong.
Absolutely. See also Brad DeLong's newsletter of 7 August entitled "The Limits in Adam Smith's"Wealth of Nations" of his Attachment to Laissez-Faire". Excellent guide to Smith's work highlighting those limits - complete rubbishing of those who quote him in support of their own Laissez-Faire agenda.
I would absolutely love to hear Kamala Harris tell Big Tech and billionaires to go pound sand!! It would be so thrilling to hear just one politician tell these corporations and richy rich that she will NOT be bought. Also, please, please, please keep Lina Khan as FTC chair! For the first time in a long time we have someone willing to take these out-of-control corporations and billionaires to court and she is winning!! We need more Lina Khan's working to stop these greedy, power-hungry oligarchs!!
Regarding your para; "Here’s what I recommend Harris do: Openly tell Hoffman and Diller she thinks Khan is doing a great job and wants her to stay at the FTC — and if they don’t like it, they can keep their money."
May I suggest Kamala says that Khan is doing a great job at the FTC and is in place precisely because some companies are abusing their power - if companies stopped doing that, then good people like Khan wouldn't be needed!
Secondly, when Kamala makes her speech, she should call out such monopoly practices as greed, pure and simple, for stealing from the pockets of ordinary American families, many that are already struggling. She should then demand that the Republicans should also refuse any such donations with strings attached that were against the interests of ordinary Americans. She should ask Trump to personally guarantee that he will refuse any payment that has conditions that are against American voters.
It could then become a strategy for every Dem to confront every Rep - "Are you taking that corrupt money too?"
Obviously Trump and the Republicans cannot and will not refuse all corporate donations, on any terms, so it helps build the gap between Kamala representing ordinary Americans, and Trump representing the mega-wealthy and their corporations.
We can only Pray for this! And if she chooses to do right, possibly the momentum of ‘doing what’s right’ will grow and roll right over what’s been so wrong for too long.
I watched the Harris interview with Lester Holt and was left with a feeling that our Democratic candidate for President was being set up. Holt is a very intelligent man and the questions he was confronting Kamala with were one sided and basically unfair. Ms. Harris was asked if she had visited the border. She hesitated a second and replied, "I haven't even been to Europe." The idea that the current VP hadn't visited our Southern border bothered many people. What bothered me even more than Ms. Harris's absence at the border in question is the fact that Mr. Holt knowns Harris would never go down there unless she was sent by her President. When she held back by saying we have a "secure border" what she said was understandable. Harris knew there were problems in Texas, but what else is new, there has been trouble down there for decades. She was an extension of the President, so she sided with Joe and in an attempt to keep peace in the administration. Vice Presidents never have the power to dictate policy, they go and say as they are told. Trump's political ads against Ms. Harris is out of place and unfair, Kamala as our VP had the power to do nothing unless she was told to do so. Now that Kamala is out from under Biden's wing we can find out where she really stands and that scares Trump.
Yes, Kamala must speak about the border and about prices, and she must speak about climate change. She must remind people that the famous Chinese Wall failed to protect China from invasion, and that the walls the Romans built likewise had little effect. Climate change is causing migrations and price increases, and this is just the beginning.
For those rejoicing over the pent-up energy that’s been unleashed these past two+ weeks, were Harris to follow Reich’s counsel, I would say, “you haven’t seen nothin’ yet.”
Ain't as a contraction of 'am not' or 'are not' is fine with me, but it's rowdy to use it as a contraction for 'have not', but that's the point and it's meant in good humor.
Yes, but you remove the impact of the intent meaning with your silly "revision" of an old AND ACCEPTED STANDARD! Don't be such a prig! Jude is correct in correcting you. ( You must have been quite a humorless English teacher. I'll bet your students could hardly wait to get out of class every day!)
Klare, I imagine, contrary to my students with whom I shared (and still do) a mighty high mutual regard, no one ever taught you that when you presumptuously attack the character, intellect, or special circumstances of a person, ultimately you disgrace yourself.
Oh, my, my, my, my, my, such a ferocious put-down! ALL of my English teachers were boring and/or super weird (one was so GAY, only back then, we didn't even know what gay was, thankfully!). Which is why I chose not to go into the field.
Let me see . . . I "attacked" your character? No, I just rightfully ridiculed your snootiness. 😀 Case closed.
She should denounce the brutalization of innocent civilians in Gaza too. I thought the democratic party stood for looking out for the downtrodden and those who are being bullied.
Agree! Netanyahu needs to be brought to justice and imprisoned so his country Israel can continue to be a country. If not, there is a chance the Arab countries will take them out.
Chopping down these big monoliths into smaller companies that provide competition and better services at lower cost is what this country is built on!! I am excited to see how this is going to turn out. Biden began this journey. Kamala can continue it!!
Thank you Robert! BTW: I wrote our US Congressman Zinke today that he needed to read your blog to learn some economic policy. Just thought I would warn you in case he actually does the first thing in his administration for the good of the people he is supposed to represent here in Montana.
"Here’s what I recommend Harris do: Openly tell Hoffman and Diller she thinks Khan is doing a great job and wants her to stay at the FTC — and if they don’t like it, they can keep their money."
Agreed. My bet is that this is not going to happen. Corporate power rules. But I can hope to be wrong.
This inspired me to read again "Manufacturing Consent" by Herman and Chomsky. How do corporations control what is in the media? How do media (and politicians) self-censor? Where can they dissent and which lines are they not allowed to cross? How are these lines defined?
I think applauding Lina Khan's work in public is one of those lines and a good example showing that the propaganda model of "Manufacturing Consent" is still relevant today.
Keith--Knowing the power they have, is that really a good idea? Once an "Oligarch, always an Oligarch." Wouldn't they be considered here as a necessary evil?
Professor Reich: i agree. social media has no place in dictating american political power (except they do, every day, all the time.)
i'm still waiting for elon musk to be deported (wasn't he an illegal alien in the USA at some point?) and his money -- AMERICAN TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES -- stripped from his greasy greedy hands because he & his minions are working hard to undermine the US government, harris and the human rights of americans everywhere, under the LIE of "freedom of speech". (freedom of HATE SPEECH, actually.)
GrrlScientist, I do believe these richy rich and conglomerates are starting to feel the anger of the American citizens! We are finally starting to understand who they are and what they are doing to all of us. If you look back through history, there were many times when the rich were finally overthrown by the lower classes because the lower classes had just had enough! Well, Americans have just had enough of the ever widening wealth gap and the greediness of the rich. Vote blue, America!
I am not sure the public fully appreciates the negative affect monoploies have on the prices paid for the goods and serives they provide. By the way, supporting monopolies are anti-capitalism. Another fact that proves how anti capitalism and pro fasciam all those crying about breaking up monpolies are.
The Attorney General of The Department of Justice of California investigated a Fortune500 company for Criminal Price Gouging. I was a deputy in the investigation and it was my efforts that launched the investigation. My most amazing finding was the GAS LIGHTING I received from my "Think Tank Brothers." It was as if Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance and Cognitive Consistency was never discovered. A "Brother" that's (joined a cult and has?) railed against corporate abuse of power ( especially Citizens United... for 10,000 hours or so) effectively sabotaged all my efforts. Americans' brainwashing against democracy ( civil courts ) is well documented:
https://youtu.be/psebm9RJDvU
Seems like we need to popularize some >real< history understanding in society, not just myth. Monopolies and trusts were a real thing (and obviously still are). Social moments and progressive leaders fought them, and won rights for workers and society as a whole. Government of, by, and for the people applied laws and policies to quell corruption, and keep the public from being (so) ripped off; and the middle class grew. "I owe my soul to the company store" was a real thing in the US age of "Robber Barons", and what Reagan called "the nanny state" acted to protect the public's, rather than the 1%'s interests. We threw much of it away (such as laws that might have stopped "The Great Recession". Even once bitten, Dick Durbin remarked:
"And the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place,"
What's in it for US, and the mission stated at the head of the Constitution?? Diller charges that Khan is against “almost anything” business wants to do to grow" INTO too big to regulate. Into a monopoly.
And while I am not sure that monopolies are "anti-capitalism" (nor that in and of itself capitalism is inherently good or bad), monopoly is the bane of "free" (in any meaningful sense of the word) enterprise, and a free society.
Too bad it was Reagan policies that got rid of those protections.
Couldn't agree more. They whine about prices on their way to Walmart.
It seems to me that the public knows, but ignores, the basic injustice in the marketplace.
Business is all about making the owner money. Paying the least amout possible for labor is one of their methods. If the busnessman can't take money by paying someone less than what their labor is worth, they simply will not hire someone, unless that particular skill is so rare that they must pay the requested wage, and make up the loss, by paying less to the more abundant skills.
Most wage earners can be replaced by someone else. But there are usually far more people being employed, than employers. So employers are usually stuck earning less than their labor is worth.
We call this freedom, and accept it because the employees don't have the ability or desire to become a businessmen themselves.
It is common for different business to compete with other businesses in the same market. And the business with the more competitive actions or product to drive the other similar businesses out of business. Thus monopolies naturally develop in an unregulated marketplace. When the monopolies occur, the workers lose the ability to get fair wages, and the customers lose the ability to shop for cheaper products.
The current political / business climate is a lot about regulating to prevent monopolies. The oligarchs of monopolies don't want regulation. Everyone else should want regulation for their own good. The allowance of dark money or business money to bribe politics must not exist to maintain a fair economic system.
“When obscenely wealthy people make monumental financial decisions, PAY ATTENTION to timing.
Jeff Bezos didn’t move $5 billion dollars because he disagrees with fascism. He’s cool with Kevin Roberts, Michael Flynn, and their goon squad subjugating and killing us.”
https://open.substack.com/pub/project2025istheocracy/p/how-project-2025-will-decimate-the?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Quoth Kathy: "Bezos knows the decisions the Supreme Court made to enable a fascist government will tank the Amazon economy. People who are being terrorized by autocrats will have neither time nor money to buy cheap shit they want. He’s hedging his bets and taking care of himself."
I think that he's not "kool" at all. Hopefully, by his ex wife ye shall know him. Plus he promises to give away most of his money. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.
I learned a long time ago to watch the shorts. IMHo the reason for the sell off yesterday is the Central Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the first time in decades. Money is no longer free in Japan and Japanese borrow to invest in other countries -- principally the US. .
We have enough enemies: Musk, Thiel, etc. Bezos is not a Republican donor. https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=jeffrey+bezos
.
Thanks for the comment,Daniel,also allowing me to see I failed to put quotations marks for the quote from Andra Watkins. For those not familiar, she is a best-selling author who “escaped” Christian nationalism decades ago. Andra has read and dissected the 900+ page Project 2025 manifesto.The link is to her Substack/post.
Andra Watkins did an interview with Scott Dworkin the other day that was edifying re how Christian nationalists interpret/value/understand the language in Trump's Project 2025-- what Project 2025 means to them.
https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/project-2025-investigator-exposes
Worth a listen to understand what Christian Nationalists rationale is for supporting Trump's Project 2025.
Thanks for this link! Gets right to the heart of Proj 2025.
Project 2025 begins as a Christian Nationalist manifesto, but most of it is a corporate wet dream--and a nightmare for humankind.
At the link, Open Secrets has marked Bezo's with red,
Amazon is in Seattle, (Microsoft is in Redmond, WA near Seattle)
Bezo's largest Donations have been to the Senators from Washington, Cantwell and Murray, then to his space program Blue origin and to the Amazon PAC
The Amazon PAC gave 500,000 to Democrats and 430,000 to Republicans
All contributions go to Congress critters in whose district Bezo's wants or has a distribution center.
It has contributed 590,000 to Dems and 538,000 to Republicans
https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/amazon-com/C00360354/candidate-recipients/2022
Among recipients are infamous James Comer and Nancy Mace
The largest Recipient , $15,000, is Marilyn Strictland, D-WA her district includes the Amazon Fulfillment center in Lacey,WA.
Other than her the Highest amount is a standard $10,000 Which drops off after 31 Congress critters (Reps) only 5 Senators received $10,000 two were Republicans Tim Scott and Todd Young, Chuck Schumer got $2,500, 40 senators in all.
With Bezos must consider his ex is maybe the best Democratic donor. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/other-sources/article/?id=14777942&title=Jeff-Bezos%27-ex-wife-MacKenzie-Scott-channels-most-of-her-$640-million-to-extreme-left-wing-%27gender-identity%27-groups-and-migrant-advocacy-nonprofits,-including-one-that-said-Ron-DeSantis-and-his-anti-immigration-policies-%27must-be-stopped%27
He is currently residing in Florida. We're hoping he is anti Rick Scott.....
The fascists have come out with new definition of "the Left:" It's anyone who supports human rights.
It is patently anti-democratic to allow government outcomes to be directly impacted by huge sums of private money. Is not that which we call a bribe just as rank by any other name? There is far too little concerted public resistance to this.
I live in Seattle and formerly Redmond WA and have been 'following' the shenanigans of both Gates and Bezos. I "have" to deal with Microsoft (techie/computer issues) but do NOT do business with Amazon since he started the 'take over' of the wholesale/retail book industry in which I worked, both wholesale & retail back in the late 70's and early 80's before starting my own business in a totally different field. Bezos both lived in started his businesses in Seattle, but voiced his intent to move headquarters and residence to FL & IMO because WA state was working toward a 'tax the rich' (at any/all levels = make the rich 'pay their fare share!". I've also been 'watching' Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation and heard stories about huge amounts of $$$$$ misspent on mere facility construction (IMO again). Bezos/Amazon built the 'Amazon Spheres' in downtown Seattle which I've never even driven by (traffic being what it is in Seattle + have had no desire to 'view' what huge amounts of $ can and does do that 'only' benefits the ego's of the uber-wealthy... s i g h ~ ~ ~
Dale I lived in Redmond, till I moved to the Salish sea. As you know the Microsoft Empire sits astride SR 250 between Redmond and Bellevue.
The first Microsoft facility was erected circa 1982 in Federal Way,WA just off I 5 North of Tacoma, but it quickly outgrew the facility.
They approached a sleepy little down that existed only because it was a whistle stop on a RR,named Redmond, and got a huge tax break. That sleepy little town has since, with the assistance of MS, expanded it's boundaries westward towards Bellevue along 520.
The dominant culture is Indian, with it's annual festival of colors (Holi)
There are a few mom and pops remaining,but the main stores are CostCo, Fred Meyers (Kroger) and Home Depot. and the town clowns finance themselves with traffic traps.
Bill Gates got rich by piracy, stealing DOS from it's creator, but it was his father, Sr, the most prominent attorney in Seattle, that drew up his licensing and told him to license not sell his software. The licensing agreements started there.
Bill Gates bought half of Shaw Island, in San Juan County, he bought it from the nuns who owned the Island
Paul Allen bought the Sperry Peninsula on Lopez Island and build an estate.
Sold it before he died.
Bezo's, back in 1999 when he was just starting up bought a marina resort with cabins (Mariella's) ,near the San Juan Island ferry terminal in about 1998, of course he sold it and has moved on to more plush quarters.
I've seen job openings for the spheres but have never known what they were.
William, thank you for keeping track.
Good point, Daniel!
Of course Peggy, agree 100%; bu the U.S. is nnot ready for a class revolution...
Tom, this is not just a “class” revolution, but also a much larger “gender” revolution, fueled by the fury of the “weak” half of the population that has been suppressed under the foot of the “stronger” half for thousands of years.
If Kamala put the big foot of the FTC down on the heads of the tech billionaires and techies who aspire to becoming billionaires, to paraphrase an old political quote, "how many votes would it get her?"
My gut feeling is that the money spigot would be turned off, Kamala would lose her ready money-fueled access to advertising and promoting herself, and a lot of the donations she would no longer receive might well fly over to Trump and the GOP nationwide.
In doing what's suggested at this point in time, she would have stuck her foot in a big pot of glue. After she's elected is the time to start hitting back against the monopolists, not now. We can't risk Trump being elected!
We are in an age of High Tech feudalism, and Kamala should grant the billionaires a Magna Carta in exchange for fealty--and taxes.
We, the people need to get smarter about collaboratively resisting government for sale.
“In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions.” -- Lincoln
Rose, certainly, but a lot can be done about this. In the seventies I walked with girls through Amsterdam, demonstrating for free abortions. You must have a gender revolution, yes...
Tom, where is the evidence that the US is not ready for a class revolution?
In the "red scare"; as long as decency and social policy is feared as socialism or marxism, I don't believe in a class revolution. Robert thinks my way: legal measures and restraint must do the work that should have been done in the last decennia.
Tom Van, JFK quote, those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable. We must stop gerrymandering and voter suppression.
Yes, Gloria, agreed; but peacefull revolution is possible, as Robert Reich shows us. It won't be enough, but gradual improvement and resilience must be the answer for now. Maga and Heritage are ready for power...
Tom, of course the people opposing are strong and resourcefull. Of course Harris should for the smartest administration ever. But the choice is not revolution or fascism. The thought only brings the U.S. to a confrontation of MAGA idiots and tech billionaires.
So take your time, let decency return. In Europe we had the French
and the Russian revolution, and Hitler, costing millions of lives.
Tom, you stink.
Well then, the U.S. better get ready!
Tom v Doormal : Maybe we are ready for a class revolution. , with Kamala Harris leading the way.?
Trumpism is a class revolution with ethnic overtones.
agreed, sistah. i'm with you, 100%.
Every Thing , Everyone is For Sale ; The Price isn’t ONLY Money 💵.
The Rich Use Money 💰 To Buy Everything They Want the Supreme Court :
CROOKS-IN-CLOAKS
Are the Prime Example “absolute power corrupts absolutely”
No thanks to the mainstream media - but thanks to the substack writers like Reich, Richardson, Joyce Vance, Hartmann, and more, we know more about what's going on. Also to whoever brought Project 2025 into the light. That was great. It was a secret for too long.
Project 2025 is the end product of the Conservative Revolution launched by Newt Gingrich with the backing of "dark money."
100% agree!
To be fair, "Melanie" Trump IS an "illegal alien" with an "anchor baby." Not sure about ole' Twitterboi, but he OBLITERATED multiple profitable organizations.
here's elon musk admitting he was an illegal alien
https://qz.com/elon-musk-illegal-immigration-tesla-video-1851379406
WOW! The alt right cult's two dangerously low intelligence godkings are BOTH either an "EELEEGAL" or MARRIED to an "EELEEGAL!"
And I thought the MAGAA cult was only EXTREMELY stupid and gullible.
anyone care to guess how many anchor babies elon musk has? ... a dozen?
Thanks. Did not ever see this or heard this before. Yet not surprising.
Isn't Melanoma a citizen? I would think the MSM would have said something in 2015 or '16 if she weren't. That's too juicy to hide.
Yes, she is a US citizen as well as her parents. The controversy is that she was given an Einstein Visa reserved for those with exceptional abilities. In March 2001, she was granted a green card in the elite EB-1 program, which was designed for renowned academic researchers, multinational business executives or those in other fields, such as Olympic athletes and Oscar-winning actors, who demonstrated “sustained national and international acclaim.” Apparently Rudy Giuliani helped get her this Visa. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43256318
Ha! The one thing Melanoma is not is worthy of an Einstein grant. Rudy's contribution explains a lot.
Well, she does seem to have an "exceptional ability" to continue living with a narcissistic infantile sociopath. (grin)
There are those that believe that social media has simply replaced newspapers and news channels, and similar regulation is all that is needed. But I think there is increasing justification for the largest social media sites to become publicly-owned and moderated for the benefit of society at large. This becomes even more important as AI and automated bots with political agendas set by media owners become normalised.
The idea that controlling social media is restricting 'freedom of speech' or 'freedom of the press' is utterly stupid - the social media sites are already controlling content on the whim of their megarich owners, so there is only monopoly power by rich individuals over communications, with no external moderation or control whatsoever. That is NOT freedom of the press.
Az, of course this has nothing to do with freedom of speech, it's freedom to exploit people for profit. Republicans are screaming about the Border, because they want to distract us from the fact that our very homes, and the minds of children are being invaded.
Deport Murdoch while you’re at it.
Revoke his citizenship, he has proven to be traitorous. He is persona non gratis in Australia.
Not forgetting his son Lachlan who has stepped up to be in charge now. The old death's head can hardly have more than a couple of years left anyway.
Lachlan is as bad if not worse than his father.
What is it Trump's signs say? "Send them back?" How about a sign saying "Send Musk back?"
Musk needs to be held accountable. https://www.msnbc.com/ayman-mohyeldin/watch/elon-musk-ramps-up-efforts-to-tip-the-election-to-trump-including-misleading-pac-website-216357445680
You’re spot on- Housing is a major concern !!
I'm voting for Kamala Harris in any event, but if she were do as you said, to say “I’m not going to allow Big Tech to dictate public policy! No more big money in politics!”, then I will be voting with much glee for her. Like you have said, and Bernie has just said "Democrats should run on a progressive economic agenda". By doing so, Kamala Harris could win over many of the disillusioned voters who were fooled by Trump.
Yes, and also get the message out loud and clear all the good things the Biden/Harris admin has done for the economy and for ordinary, non-millionaire, working class and middle class Americans.
Also post on social media quotes from JD Vance about Trump before he was picked for VP!!
It MUST start somewhere…why not here and now ? What better way to highlight the difference between THE MAGATS and real Americans!🇺🇸
But you will vote for her whether Kamala makes that statement or not.
The Rich Are The American ROYALTY They demand and buy tax breaks and Corporation Welfare paid for by the working poor .
Every job in America should start on day one dollar one with 100%;
1. Full wages
2., full retirement,
3full healthcare benefits.
Currently the asinine idea of just hiring multiple people for part-time jobs less than 3035 hours a week is an insult for working people of America .
Well said founded by the disenfranchised royalty from Europe. I believe some early colonies had to enforce a no work no food policy to get the entire colony manpower to work and produce food farming a hard business on human bodies.
Hence , the introduction of slavery. The biggest change in the United States since the Civil War is the ending of the chattel version of slavery in the south to the Wage Slavery of the New America …
Ray Crock, the founder of the McDonald’s franchise and kind of the father of fast foods in America and Nixon financial supporter (and the inventor of the office cubicle a.k.a. blinders for office workers) , Ray Crock lobby before and got lower wages for restaurant workers which only benefit it Ray Crock and his franchisees.
The political class of America has no idea what touch labor is what hunger is and or the inability to educate themselves and their children.
What a powerful statement that would be!
Flora, if she did that, just imagine the enormous blue wave that will wash over politics!! Small donors would give even more to show their support for Kamala standing up for us! Vote blue, America!
Maybe instead of an embarrassing whoop ass loss to a woman of color Trump will drop out of the race !🤞😳🤯
Oh my gosh! That would definitely be the icing on the cake!
He has said that he will never concede! The billionaires have a lot of money to keep him going ; but eventually, it may look like a big "business" loss.
Nah, his narcissism wins out every time! He believes everyone loves him! Lord, I just threw up a little in my mouth! He would never drop out but he could incite his motley cult to try another insurrection!
if trump drops out I fear whoever they replace him with will get all the republicans votes & we might lose possibly. The republicans want to win at all costs because they don't care about anything else. They just want to win no matter what. They have become so indoctrinated & brainwashed by fox news & the internet that they can not even hear truth anymore. They have become blind & deaf to the truth about the evil of trumpism.
H.B, Not only is your perspective spot on, I also predict you will be opening your wallet later today. I base this on trusting that Harris understands, above all else, do no harm. To clarify, contrary to Shapiro’s condemnation of college protesters plus his support for school vouchers added to Kelly applauding when Netanyahu referred to protesters as Iran’s “useful idiots” combined with organized labor’s concerns about him, a few misgivings over Walz’s handling of 2020 protests, in my view, don’t compromise his mighty impressive progressive policy accomplishments.
Yes, a blue tsunami; but be carefull. It can trigger a growing polarisation in the toxic climate of MAGA. Would you prefer 52% Harris and 46% Trump? Or 65% Harrris and 30% for Trump? I prefer the moderate result...
But I think a blue tsunami will make it harder for the tangerine grifter to try to contest the results.
It may take something like a whopping 35%, rather than a “mere” 6% margin of victory, to finally blow out the completely-to-be-expected and indefatigably consistent claims that Retrumplicans use before any election, that it was “rigged,” and after any lost election, that it was “stolen,” to convince voters to not believe their “lyin’ eyes,” and even rise up to employing violence and insurrection, if necessary, to snatch back any election results from the jaws of victory that could even remotely be a D victory. Sorry for the long, run-on sentence, but not very.
I share your temperament, but look around you: the stolen election, the partisan Supreme Court, the rigged litigation, the 2025 project, there is a system in it. I think there is a revolt going on, some years, and I think only about avoiding bloodshed. Do you?
It's imperative that Democrats win overwhelmingly to stymie any notion of Trump contesting the election results.
I would like an overwhelming result too, but I'm afraid. The system did not lock him up. I think he has the possibilities to ignite a civil war. That is my reason to plea moderation
so what are you saying about what Kamala should do ?
Kamala and the Democrats should not have victorious attitudes, but depolarise, help the Republicans with reconstruction. That needs a friendly tone and face.
But covertly I should be clear tha there is no place in American politics for chilish morons that have no idea what to do with their mandate to help the world ahead. As Burke said: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgement and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion".
Yes! Hoorah!!
May the billionaires and corporations feel The Wrath of Khan.
That may be tomorrow’s front page Headline …at least in the remaining responsible
Media ! 🇺🇸🥳
Avie, I like that: "Wrath of Khan." But do you know what Republicans will say next? That she is working for China! Khan only can succeed if Dems gain control of Congress.
Harris can’t rely on small donors to fund her campaign. PACs, as opposed to campaign organizations, are funded by large donors because there are no limits to contributions as there are to campaigns. They are the result of the Citizens’ United SCOTUS case that allowed corporations to give to PACs in an unlimited amount. If we want elections to be fair the Citizens United case needs to be overturned.
And one of the deciding votes in Citizens United was none other than Clarence "my vote's for sale" Thomas. The wealthy literally bought almost unlimited further riches through Justice Thomas.
She may not need to rely on small donors, and refuse donations of large donors, but she needs to not be beholden to the large donors by soft pedaling prosecutions against monopolies be they managed by Republicans or Democrats. I think that’s an important distinction.
I agree
"People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the publick, or in some contrivance to raise prices."
That, in a nutshell, is why we need strong government and why Reagan was wrong.
@ Michael. Quoting Adam Smith - good job!
Absolutely. See also Brad DeLong's newsletter of 7 August entitled "The Limits in Adam Smith's"Wealth of Nations" of his Attachment to Laissez-Faire". Excellent guide to Smith's work highlighting those limits - complete rubbishing of those who quote him in support of their own Laissez-Faire agenda.
from your keyboard to god’s monitor
May it be so!
Hahahahahaha! I love this, Jude!
Like that take from your lips to gods ear
Clever !!!
I would absolutely love to hear Kamala Harris tell Big Tech and billionaires to go pound sand!! It would be so thrilling to hear just one politician tell these corporations and richy rich that she will NOT be bought. Also, please, please, please keep Lina Khan as FTC chair! For the first time in a long time we have someone willing to take these out-of-control corporations and billionaires to court and she is winning!! We need more Lina Khan's working to stop these greedy, power-hungry oligarchs!!
Great idea, Robert!
May I add some refinements?
Regarding your para; "Here’s what I recommend Harris do: Openly tell Hoffman and Diller she thinks Khan is doing a great job and wants her to stay at the FTC — and if they don’t like it, they can keep their money."
May I suggest Kamala says that Khan is doing a great job at the FTC and is in place precisely because some companies are abusing their power - if companies stopped doing that, then good people like Khan wouldn't be needed!
Secondly, when Kamala makes her speech, she should call out such monopoly practices as greed, pure and simple, for stealing from the pockets of ordinary American families, many that are already struggling. She should then demand that the Republicans should also refuse any such donations with strings attached that were against the interests of ordinary Americans. She should ask Trump to personally guarantee that he will refuse any payment that has conditions that are against American voters.
It could then become a strategy for every Dem to confront every Rep - "Are you taking that corrupt money too?"
Obviously Trump and the Republicans cannot and will not refuse all corporate donations, on any terms, so it helps build the gap between Kamala representing ordinary Americans, and Trump representing the mega-wealthy and their corporations.
It's Trump setting the conditions: "If you give me a billion dollars, I will slash your taxes & regulations"
AIC->IAC ("Interactive Corporation")
We can only Pray for this! And if she chooses to do right, possibly the momentum of ‘doing what’s right’ will grow and roll right over what’s been so wrong for too long.
Yes!
I watched the Harris interview with Lester Holt and was left with a feeling that our Democratic candidate for President was being set up. Holt is a very intelligent man and the questions he was confronting Kamala with were one sided and basically unfair. Ms. Harris was asked if she had visited the border. She hesitated a second and replied, "I haven't even been to Europe." The idea that the current VP hadn't visited our Southern border bothered many people. What bothered me even more than Ms. Harris's absence at the border in question is the fact that Mr. Holt knowns Harris would never go down there unless she was sent by her President. When she held back by saying we have a "secure border" what she said was understandable. Harris knew there were problems in Texas, but what else is new, there has been trouble down there for decades. She was an extension of the President, so she sided with Joe and in an attempt to keep peace in the administration. Vice Presidents never have the power to dictate policy, they go and say as they are told. Trump's political ads against Ms. Harris is out of place and unfair, Kamala as our VP had the power to do nothing unless she was told to do so. Now that Kamala is out from under Biden's wing we can find out where she really stands and that scares Trump.
She’ll get there. She’ll get everywhere.
Yes, Kamala must speak about the border and about prices, and she must speak about climate change. She must remind people that the famous Chinese Wall failed to protect China from invasion, and that the walls the Romans built likewise had little effect. Climate change is causing migrations and price increases, and this is just the beginning.
For those rejoicing over the pent-up energy that’s been unleashed these past two+ weeks, were Harris to follow Reich’s counsel, I would say, “you haven’t seen nothin’ yet.”
The usual vernacular is, "you ain't seen nothin' yet." Just sayin'.
Jude, I’m aware. However, as a retired English teacher, I hit my limit with the double negative.
Good to know someone has been trying to teach English to Americans! 😬
Hahaha! that makes sense. I would be surprised if you did say "ain't". it is not your "usual vernacular" at all.
It’s still a double negative. Haven’t = Ain’t
“You haven’t seen anything yet” would be the proper English version.
@NJ, As stated, while I could manage the double negative, the slang would have been a bridge too far.
Ain't as a contraction of 'am not' or 'are not' is fine with me, but it's rowdy to use it as a contraction for 'have not', but that's the point and it's meant in good humor.
Well. Obviously!
Lol, Barbara.
I'm a writer and editor, so I go for broke!
Yes, but you remove the impact of the intent meaning with your silly "revision" of an old AND ACCEPTED STANDARD! Don't be such a prig! Jude is correct in correcting you. ( You must have been quite a humorless English teacher. I'll bet your students could hardly wait to get out of class every day!)
Klare, I imagine, contrary to my students with whom I shared (and still do) a mighty high mutual regard, no one ever taught you that when you presumptuously attack the character, intellect, or special circumstances of a person, ultimately you disgrace yourself.
Oh, my, my, my, my, my, such a ferocious put-down! ALL of my English teachers were boring and/or super weird (one was so GAY, only back then, we didn't even know what gay was, thankfully!). Which is why I chose not to go into the field.
Let me see . . . I "attacked" your character? No, I just rightfully ridiculed your snootiness. 😀 Case closed.
Pity you didn’t take my reply in the spirit in which it was intended. You might have learned something.
Jude, see my response to Barbara Krieger.
She should denounce the brutalization of innocent civilians in Gaza too. I thought the democratic party stood for looking out for the downtrodden and those who are being bullied.
Agree! Netanyahu needs to be brought to justice and imprisoned so his country Israel can continue to be a country. If not, there is a chance the Arab countries will take them out.
Sounds like just desserts.
Second that.
And denounce AIPAC. Never gonna happen.
Ditto for the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Ditto for the Russian invasion of Ukraine
She must stress the need for quick resolution to the conflict. She has to tread carefully. I know. It's not right.
Chopping down these big monoliths into smaller companies that provide competition and better services at lower cost is what this country is built on!! I am excited to see how this is going to turn out. Biden began this journey. Kamala can continue it!!
Thank you Robert! BTW: I wrote our US Congressman Zinke today that he needed to read your blog to learn some economic policy. Just thought I would warn you in case he actually does the first thing in his administration for the good of the people he is supposed to represent here in Montana.
"Here’s what I recommend Harris do: Openly tell Hoffman and Diller she thinks Khan is doing a great job and wants her to stay at the FTC — and if they don’t like it, they can keep their money."
Agreed. My bet is that this is not going to happen. Corporate power rules. But I can hope to be wrong.
This inspired me to read again "Manufacturing Consent" by Herman and Chomsky. How do corporations control what is in the media? How do media (and politicians) self-censor? Where can they dissent and which lines are they not allowed to cross? How are these lines defined?
I think applauding Lina Khan's work in public is one of those lines and a good example showing that the propaganda model of "Manufacturing Consent" is still relevant today.
It’s time to harness the energy and power of the American Oligarchs!
Keith--Knowing the power they have, is that really a good idea? Once an "Oligarch, always an Oligarch." Wouldn't they be considered here as a necessary evil?
If we win the Presidential election, The House and retain the Senate majority maybe then we can hold these people financially accountable.
i, for one, am sure that there are those who would view it that way. But their views would be founded in greed.
Keith Olson ; Harness , or Tax and Limit "the energy and power of the Oligarchs"?
That would definitely be better. It’s not going to be easy to do since the Weirdo Party has the gavel!
Keith ; yes ; We need to end the 60 vote threshold and two ,( maybe three) ,really bad "justices" on the Supreme Court too.
Weirdo party should be on the fast track to impeachment and replacement for real : No replacement theory!. Replace them definitely. And permanently.