Thank You for this list of talking points. I am running as a Democrat in Michigan. State Representative 50th district. I have been using your talking points for a while. Thank You again for all that you do. Glen
Wow! I would love it if President Biden announced a special speech to the American people and read this memo word for word, with a few comments in appropriate places. It could help the overworked people see just why they are being abused by corporate America. Then, he needs to declare a climate emergency and explain that as clearly.
I am 73 years old and my husband 77. We are both retired. I just completed our income tax and I am always annoyed at a portion of our Social Security Benefits being taxed. Why is this.? I know it began under President Bush (the son) but why can’t Democrats who have had control of both houses of Government since that time get rid of that tax. It is not fair to be taxed throughout your working life and then again on your retirement benefits. How could that be fair when very rich people are not paying their fair share and getting all the breaks. I’m very frustrated. (Lifelong Democrat, NEVER voted for a Republican)
Professor, I fear, as long as your messaging reaches only Substack subscribers, viewers of Inequality Media videos, those who take class with you, plus your occasional news show or hearing appearances, the Democratic Party, not the people most responsible, will bear the brunt in 22 of the demoralizing effects of inflation.
Though I imagine most, if not all, of us spread your messaging as widely as our respective access permits, I expect none of us has resources and connections, in any way, commensurate with yours. Hence, considering that rising inflation could be the decisive factor in determining which party controls Congress and State Legislatures, I have no answers except to prevail upon you to extend your thorough and highly accessible messaging more broadly.
I am respectfully asking anyone worth more than $500-million to immigrate to another country and take everything you can carry with you, including your money. Before you leave, please surrender your U.S. citizenship and passport for you are not welcome here anymore.
If you do not leave willingly, you will be evicted. So take your yachts out of our harbors. Take your jets out of our airports. Take your money out of our financial institutions. Take your cars and security forces out of our towns and cities. We will not babysit your children any longer, so please take your offspring with you. Do not worry, we will sell your real estate holdings and send you the money.
Buy yourselves some land and build a country of your own. We will be watching to see how your country fares without taxes, government, and workers.
I agree, Professor Reich. Can we adopt your letter and write to the powers that be in Washington, D.C. in addition to spreading/sharing this clear, compelling message? Have you considered a TV commercial on these issues? This message already reaches the choir that agrees with you. How can we help apart from sharing it and passing it on?
This all goes back to the "gilded age" which was finally broken by focusing on Monopolies and trust busting. We're in the same rat hole today. Democratic party silence is complicity(!), which totally explains why states like West Virginia, which were totally Democratic, now support Trump and the Republican greed-thieves who totally abuse them.
A succinct summary here.100% agree but add that it is exactly the same economic position in Britain with higher prices as a result of market dominance in key sectors and weak consumer price protection.When do the ordinary people get their sovereignty or self determination (as I say) back?
Excellent analysis - but Biden and the Democrats don't give a damn - they've already left for spring break without taking action on such essentials for everyday Americans as approving funding for Covid tests and vaccines! Maybe we should vote out ALL of the incumbents, Dems and Good for Nothing (GOP) alike, and replace them with people who actually WANT to do the job they are paid six-figures to do. Can you imagine any reputable business allowing employees to shirk their responsibilities the way Congress does???? And terms should be for one year only, not six years -- the asshole who represents me in PA, Pat Toomey, votes no on everything and can't be voted out of office because he announced last year he won't run for re-election - but not soon enough. Just takes the money and runs. I'll vote in November - but only to remove every goddamn incumbent!
How many times have you spoken these truths??? How many times have your readers repeated these truths to conservative friends? Facts and reason don't matter in America today. They fall on deaf ears. Facts and reason are symptoms of a disease, TRUST! Trust is the blood that carries oxygen throughout the system and without oxygen one dies. Jonathan Hait wrote an excellent article in The Atlantic this week that explains the disease we suffer - Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid. Dr Reich tells us how to cure this disease, but we first need to realize what the disease is that we have been exposed. Yes, EXPOSED, someone saw we were vulnerable. Someone saw forty years of stagnant wages. Someone saw Capitalism without reins. Someone saw a bought Congress. Someone saw we were vulnerable and EXPOSED us to mistrust. It worked! It made us SICK very SICK!
You ended with, "This should not be a partisan issue." Unfortunately, as you experienced when you testified at congressional hearings, Republicans are determined to make it just that. They find it in their political interest to blame Biden and the Democrats, rather than take action to relieve ordinary Americans' suffering. And, as you said, they don't want to take action because the corporations that generously fund their campaigns vigorously lobby against it. So much corruption......
Biden and Democratic candidates and officeholders should relentlessly repeat a capsule summary of what you wrote and try to take the necessary corrective action, even if Republicans oppose it. I read a statistic that 25% of Americans believe corporations are responsible for inflation. If that is true, I see that as a hopeful sign, because the number could be increased with the right messaging.
Fully agree on the need for corporate tax increases, along with a wealth tax and goernment support of unions. Without these changes, the top 0.01% will continue to debase democracy. Your "40 years" is the time since Reagan, who took an economy that was truly great - aside from the temporary setback of stagflation - then used this setback to declare war on government, cut taxes on the wealthy and bust unions. In other words, Reagan and Friedman stood Adam Smith on his head.
Time to go back.
One thing about rising prices and lack of competition, however, was noticed by my wife. When she goes shopping and looks, for example, at toothpaste, there used to be many different brands. Now there is only Colgate. Likewise with cola, Coke and Pepsi dominate. Is it possible that smaller manufacturers have been less able to weather the pandemic, and that this accounts for the lack of competition, and if so, can we expect prices to start coming down spontaneously when the economy comes roaring back?
Perhaps all of us should send this excellent 10 point opinion to everyone of our state legislators and democratic candidates. In other words, let's spread the word. Democrats need to act now, the midterms are right around the corner.
I note whaat you did not say. You did not buy into the Freidman Moneterism orthodoxy of the past 40 years which was a weapon of mass distraction. The world if far more complex. I suggests any reader get a copy of Sen. Klobuchar's book Anti-lTrust.
Thank You for this list of talking points. I am running as a Democrat in Michigan. State Representative 50th district. I have been using your talking points for a while. Thank You again for all that you do. Glen
Wow! I would love it if President Biden announced a special speech to the American people and read this memo word for word, with a few comments in appropriate places. It could help the overworked people see just why they are being abused by corporate America. Then, he needs to declare a climate emergency and explain that as clearly.
I am 73 years old and my husband 77. We are both retired. I just completed our income tax and I am always annoyed at a portion of our Social Security Benefits being taxed. Why is this.? I know it began under President Bush (the son) but why can’t Democrats who have had control of both houses of Government since that time get rid of that tax. It is not fair to be taxed throughout your working life and then again on your retirement benefits. How could that be fair when very rich people are not paying their fair share and getting all the breaks. I’m very frustrated. (Lifelong Democrat, NEVER voted for a Republican)
Professor, I fear, as long as your messaging reaches only Substack subscribers, viewers of Inequality Media videos, those who take class with you, plus your occasional news show or hearing appearances, the Democratic Party, not the people most responsible, will bear the brunt in 22 of the demoralizing effects of inflation.
Though I imagine most, if not all, of us spread your messaging as widely as our respective access permits, I expect none of us has resources and connections, in any way, commensurate with yours. Hence, considering that rising inflation could be the decisive factor in determining which party controls Congress and State Legislatures, I have no answers except to prevail upon you to extend your thorough and highly accessible messaging more broadly.
I am respectfully asking anyone worth more than $500-million to immigrate to another country and take everything you can carry with you, including your money. Before you leave, please surrender your U.S. citizenship and passport for you are not welcome here anymore.
If you do not leave willingly, you will be evicted. So take your yachts out of our harbors. Take your jets out of our airports. Take your money out of our financial institutions. Take your cars and security forces out of our towns and cities. We will not babysit your children any longer, so please take your offspring with you. Do not worry, we will sell your real estate holdings and send you the money.
Buy yourselves some land and build a country of your own. We will be watching to see how your country fares without taxes, government, and workers.
I agree, Professor Reich. Can we adopt your letter and write to the powers that be in Washington, D.C. in addition to spreading/sharing this clear, compelling message? Have you considered a TV commercial on these issues? This message already reaches the choir that agrees with you. How can we help apart from sharing it and passing it on?
This is an excellent letter.
This all goes back to the "gilded age" which was finally broken by focusing on Monopolies and trust busting. We're in the same rat hole today. Democratic party silence is complicity(!), which totally explains why states like West Virginia, which were totally Democratic, now support Trump and the Republican greed-thieves who totally abuse them.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A succinct summary here.100% agree but add that it is exactly the same economic position in Britain with higher prices as a result of market dominance in key sectors and weak consumer price protection.When do the ordinary people get their sovereignty or self determination (as I say) back?
Succinct message/summary ; If we could condense these 10 important points into captions, it would be good ammo for campaign messages.
Your analysis appears irrefutable but the GOP will find a way to distract us with a bright, shiny object such as critical RAGE theory.
Excellent analysis - but Biden and the Democrats don't give a damn - they've already left for spring break without taking action on such essentials for everyday Americans as approving funding for Covid tests and vaccines! Maybe we should vote out ALL of the incumbents, Dems and Good for Nothing (GOP) alike, and replace them with people who actually WANT to do the job they are paid six-figures to do. Can you imagine any reputable business allowing employees to shirk their responsibilities the way Congress does???? And terms should be for one year only, not six years -- the asshole who represents me in PA, Pat Toomey, votes no on everything and can't be voted out of office because he announced last year he won't run for re-election - but not soon enough. Just takes the money and runs. I'll vote in November - but only to remove every goddamn incumbent!
How many times have you spoken these truths??? How many times have your readers repeated these truths to conservative friends? Facts and reason don't matter in America today. They fall on deaf ears. Facts and reason are symptoms of a disease, TRUST! Trust is the blood that carries oxygen throughout the system and without oxygen one dies. Jonathan Hait wrote an excellent article in The Atlantic this week that explains the disease we suffer - Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid. Dr Reich tells us how to cure this disease, but we first need to realize what the disease is that we have been exposed. Yes, EXPOSED, someone saw we were vulnerable. Someone saw forty years of stagnant wages. Someone saw Capitalism without reins. Someone saw a bought Congress. Someone saw we were vulnerable and EXPOSED us to mistrust. It worked! It made us SICK very SICK!
You ended with, "This should not be a partisan issue." Unfortunately, as you experienced when you testified at congressional hearings, Republicans are determined to make it just that. They find it in their political interest to blame Biden and the Democrats, rather than take action to relieve ordinary Americans' suffering. And, as you said, they don't want to take action because the corporations that generously fund their campaigns vigorously lobby against it. So much corruption......
Biden and Democratic candidates and officeholders should relentlessly repeat a capsule summary of what you wrote and try to take the necessary corrective action, even if Republicans oppose it. I read a statistic that 25% of Americans believe corporations are responsible for inflation. If that is true, I see that as a hopeful sign, because the number could be increased with the right messaging.
Fully agree on the need for corporate tax increases, along with a wealth tax and goernment support of unions. Without these changes, the top 0.01% will continue to debase democracy. Your "40 years" is the time since Reagan, who took an economy that was truly great - aside from the temporary setback of stagflation - then used this setback to declare war on government, cut taxes on the wealthy and bust unions. In other words, Reagan and Friedman stood Adam Smith on his head.
Time to go back.
One thing about rising prices and lack of competition, however, was noticed by my wife. When she goes shopping and looks, for example, at toothpaste, there used to be many different brands. Now there is only Colgate. Likewise with cola, Coke and Pepsi dominate. Is it possible that smaller manufacturers have been less able to weather the pandemic, and that this accounts for the lack of competition, and if so, can we expect prices to start coming down spontaneously when the economy comes roaring back?
Perhaps all of us should send this excellent 10 point opinion to everyone of our state legislators and democratic candidates. In other words, let's spread the word. Democrats need to act now, the midterms are right around the corner.
I note whaat you did not say. You did not buy into the Freidman Moneterism orthodoxy of the past 40 years which was a weapon of mass distraction. The world if far more complex. I suggests any reader get a copy of Sen. Klobuchar's book Anti-lTrust.