I got my start in American politics about 50 years ago. America was in many ways a different country then, but my political views weren’t all that different than they are now. I was against the Vietnam War and the military-industrial complex, pro civil and voting rights, and against the growing power of big corporations. That put me just left of the center. Today I’m much further left of center than I used to be — because the “center” has moved to the right and the right has become far far more extreme.
So today’s Office Hours question: What does this trend mean for the future of American politics? What, if anything, can be done to reverse it? (I’ll chime in starting midday.)
PS: Here’s a video I just did on this, with my talented colleagues at Inequality Media (special shoutout to Whittney Suggs for fabulous animation!).
Excellent ideas here. Let me add another. Two years of required public service would give young people an opportunity to learn civic responsibility by serving the common good directly. It would help instill in all young people a sense of their obligations to society, regardless of their family’s wealth or status. It would allow young Americans to connect with other Americans who differ from them by race, social class, and politics. It would provide a common experience in the common good.
Public service could take many forms in addition to military service. The Peace Corps could be revived and expanded. Projects like “Teach for America” could be enlarged and extended to other service professions, like “Social Work for America.” Nonprofits could offer a range of public service work. All such recruits would be paid a modest stipend, at least living expenses plus interest payments on any student loans. (That would be less than the current pay of “all-volunteer” army recruits.)
Professor, I'm trying to show off that I have learned something from you. Couldn't we pay the "American Service Corps" participants at least minimum wage plus health care? I think the country can afford it, the consumer-based economy would be boosted by the additional spending power of those young people, and their lifetime productivity would be boosted by their improved health outlooks!
Don't forget that the ACA extended coverage for all young people until age 25 under their parents' plans (so the cost would likely be minuscule, if anything)...
Yes, if their parents had a plan... But we should ensure that all young people have health care without relying on employer plans or risking that their parents are not covered either (too often true in this country).
Professor Reich could chime in on that point - but the federal government did its part in assuring funding for Medicare/Medicaid extension as part of the ACA (state governors either chose to extend coverage or further politicize it)...
I agree with this, but would add using it in the context of a broader attitude of putting the "we" back into society, focusing on the common good, and why that's important.
(I wonder what it would look like if we chose to create "the Great Society" - this is an assignment I would give to Americans, because you do "great" really well.)
Some do. If we can only get democrats elected and SCOTUS less rigidly wingered.
Rather than just focusing on the young, why not promote the public service option to older people in or nearing retirement? The 'dino-babies' that IBM is busily trying to kick out of the workforce.
Does the Public Service necessarily have to be mandatory? Why not make it available to those newly graduating from high school as well? As Benjamin suggested, why not provide minimum wage and health care? Maybe those high schoolers would have that extra incentive to graduate, knowing that if they can't or don't have the inclination to attend college, there's something else other than military service that they can depend on to get that start they need. And the rest of us benefit from their service as well.
Great point. High school is so easy to ditch if there's no there there after HS.
Playing Devil's Advocate: Won't two years of required public service violate the 13th amendment prohibition against involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime?
We have no problem requiring involuntary military service when it's needed. Remember, the powers behind the throne can get whatever they want approved-- one way or another.
You’re spot on. Several fixes are possible but political will to do them is practically nonexistent currently.
1. Get the money out (citizens United, lobbyists, the revolving door)
2. Faster Accountability for insurrectionists both in and out of the branches of government. By dragging it out (thoroughness is important, I know) people get numb and tired of it and lose their passion about it.
3. Kick out, recall, impeach the wannabe fascists and obstructionists in the house and senate. This requires money, we’ll coordinated grassroots effort in the states/communities where these cretins came from.
4. Consider some level of ethical and professional competency requirements for holding office. We have too many batshit crazy conspiracists in govt already (Rand, Margarie T green, etc) Just like any job there should be some minimum qualification requirements to be met to even get in. They NEVER should have been even able to get on the ticket.
All good and important steps. Over the slightly longer term, how about reviving civic education in our schools? How about two years of mandatory public service for all young people?
Service requirement sounds great.
All important and #2 is my number #1 to snuff out the flame before the house burns to the ground.
One additional point -- 5. Some means of counteracting the Fox News/Newsmax/Talk Radio propaganda machine. This video helps (but I think using the "fascism" word is a mistake).
Fox should be sued for misinformation that killed lots of people who died from Covid.
A hit to the 'almighty' pocketbook usually hurts. Unless it's a tiny slap on the wrist.
Misinformation is the enemy of Democracy.
What they are doing is more important to stop than what it is called. Lies are lies.
Shut Fox down! And most Rupert Murdoch products and copy cats.
In re faster accountability: Speed kills. If you shoot at the king, don't miss. It is crucial to get all the evidence, and all the facts, and all the precedent, and the timing, flyspeck perfect.
Except when they are at our heels with deadly weapons!
Nailed it! Totally agree....geez, so good to hear someone just say this.
All valid points!
How to reverse the rightward trend? Some necessary and insufficient tactics: 1. Make daily videos on Tiktok. See the trendlines on Tiktok. 2. Join and support https://www.workingamerica.org/. 3. Disenfranchise Fox News, which is possibly operating in violation of its rules - at the minimum, require constant banner bottom of screen This program is for entertainment purposes only. It is not news and should not be taken as factual." 4. Administer attitude adjustment to reporters at NYT, WaPo for endless negative and hostile coverage of the Biden administration. What's up with that? 5. Civil and criminal litigation funders of the right wing outfits.
Martha, what about de-platforming Fox News? Google has permanently banned FOX News host Dan Bongino for Covid misinformation. Twitter permanently de-platformed Trump. Facebook permanently banned Alex Jones and his InfoWars disinformation conspiracy content. And DirecTV just announced it will permanently drop the right-wing conspiracy spewing disinformation and lies of the One America Network. Why shouldn't consumers demand that Comcast, Charter, AT&T, and every other cable company drop FOX, too?
I can only say "hear hear" to that one!
I will start demanding now. We have Spectrum, which is part of Charter, I think.
Great ideas!
Martha thank you for #4. Please NYT wake to the idea we are in a dire situation.
You can write to the individual opinion writers, headline writers, and to the editors.
"necessary and insufficient" is a perfect way to phrase it.
Thank you for providing the link!
Martha Ture ; love the 3rd suggestion, a constant banner across the bottom of the screen warning that it is not news and "should not be taken as factual". This might have saved lives from Covid earlier on. They lie about most things.
Until Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News is liable for its constant Russian propaganda, disinformation, anti vaccination hysteria, probably not.
For millions of Americans, this is their news source, functioning in a fact free medium.
How many of them don’t even believe Biden is our elected president?.
I also find this silence from the DOJ, AG Garland ominous, this lack of accountability soul destroying as the 1/6 participants just laugh in our face, selling merchandise to celebrate their crimes.
I’m not sure at this can be reversed, sorry Robert.
There is the law, and some of the fake electors should face consequences.
Lots of good thoughts here. We still have far too many guns (lethal weapons) in the hands of adults with the mentality of a six year old. If we can’t get rid of the guns, which we can’t, then we need working law and order.
To have working law and order we need a swift and equitable justice system. Threats with weapons of any kind must take priority for timely trials and punishment. And weapons must include more than guns. Weapons include vehicles, flag poles, tasers, chemical sprays and more.
The left needs to be able to get our free speech rights back. I recently had a visitor remove her “coexist” sticker from her car due to real fears her car (possibly with her in it) could be damaged by the “empowered by guns” intimidation people unleashed by the likes of Trump and Giuliani.
Swift justice needs to include being tried and convicted or found not guilty within three months of apprehension and arraignment.
The only way to enact sanity is to find a way to get a super majority of Democrats in the Senate while maintaining a majority in the House and also maintaining the Presidency. We need a few extras because all Democrats will never vote in a military fashion like the fascist republicans of today act.
There is a ray of hope with the recent case awarding Sandy Hook families damages for the loss of love ones by a young man using their product to kill. It had been shown in Court that they targeted young males to want their product in their video games. It was a large amount of money. Sadly, multi millions are not much for multibillion dollar corporations.
It's a start, though. Other gunmakers may pay attention. Or their own loved ones could be killed by their product. The courts won't stop. There is precedent now.
@Stephen. If we could get that super majority that you hope for, could we also enact term limits for Senators? I think we could give them 3 terms, then ROTATE!! Since so many are lawyers we would also get a ballooning number of unemployed lawyers and perhaps reduce their hourly rates!
Leave guns out of this. I was raised in a home where dad’s shot gun and 22 rifle stood at the door. No one ever bothered them unless they were going hunting. We were taught that guns were not toys, they were tools. We would have probably starved were it not for deer, squirrels, and rabbits. Dare one enter mom’s garden. I still live in the country. My rifle stands near the door. Must be defective, it’s never killed or even been pointed at anyone.
Ladybug: No, we won’t leave guns out of it! No one needs an AK-47 to kill *any* animal!
Ladybug ; unless your Dad was using an AK 47 gatling type gun I, like many others, (like my kid sister in MN who has hunted), do not believe that ending the unlicensed, untrained unsettled is a threat to sane gun use. My sister and her husband are former members of the NRA, because they are not good sports!
Assault weapons are not for sport.
AI is working against me. The unvetted use of a weapon of war by people who are not authorized, licensed or trained to do so should be banned.
I understand your point but I believe “the right to bear arms” includes ALL weapons. Not just those used by the average hunter. Those used as self defense are included. Consider a situation where the US were invaded by a foreign power. Would you just lay down and give up? Or would you rather fight to save yourself, family and country? My point was that education, training and reason (proper parenting)are there to prevent stupidity. Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.
Ladybug ; In the scenario where 'the right to bear arms' I don't believe it includes 'All weapons'. When I was growing up there were zero civilians packing assault weapons. Must've been recently (in the last 40 years or so) that the weapons manufacturers were able to market weapons of war to civilians. The power of the NRA is money given through lobbyists to our 'representatives'. Besides, if all weapons were included in the original 'Right to Bear Arms' that could include rocket launchers as well as any 'melon thumper' terror weapons that pierce bullet proof vests worn by police. Plus, the parents responsible for preparing their children for combat against an invading enemy would have to be very well trained themselves in the use and safe handling of such lethal devices. Even the ol' hunting rifle by the back door needs to be emptied of its bullets and placed in a locked cabinet, with the ammo stored in a separate place, at least in my state. Just saying.
The last time we called the sheriffs office to report a lunatic in our front yard it took them 45 minutes to respond. We live in a very rural area. We recently had a white supremacy group purchase property less than 1/2 mile from us which they promptly turned into a target range. My husband and I have heard them shooting semiautomatic and fully automatic weapons for up to 6 hours at a time.
My husband & I are both Democrats in a state where republicans rule everything. One neighbor still flies her Dump flag. Just because my family has owned this property since 1932 doesn’t give anyone the right to harass us or mean that we are not vulnerable.
Do you happen to have a chapter of the KKK living less than 30 miles from you? We do.
My husband spent 4 years in the army during Viet Nam on an EOD team. Yes, we are very well trained.
So 😞 sorry for you and your family. It is almost
everyone's nightmare to have a shooting range near their home. In my state, there has been ongoing litigation in two (that I know of) nearby small towns where people are disturbed night and day by shooting ranges. 6 hours at a time is awful to put up with the noise.
Professor, I write both to question your premise about what’s happening to the “center” and, also, to register my fear that, for some time, the country has become increasingly polarized. I further maintain that this polarization largely is abetted by the Senate filibuster, a minority veto over the will of the majority, which, in my view, is the cause for much that is disfunctional in our politics.
Note that late last fall, U.S. Senate’s rules expert Martin Paone met with the Senate Democratic Caucus and, as I understand, save Manchin and Sinema, all were eager to explore resuscitating some version of the talking filibuster that, once exhausted, would have concluded with an up or down Senate majority vote. The thinking was that voter protection legislation would have been the first to benefit from this modest rule change followed by legislation (e.g., the PRO Act and the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act) that already had passed in the House but, because of a handful of Democrats plus all 50 Republicans, has remained stalled in the Senate.
I, further, would note, but for Manchin and Sinema, that both House and Senate Democrats and the public-at-large support the President’s Build Back Better agenda, including the child tax credit, affordable child care, universal Pre-K, investments in housing, in health care, in home and community-based care, in climate, and more.
As for a possible remedy, just as representative government by popular consent likely will founder without an informed public, I would submit, as I have done elsewhere, that absent a highly effective Explainer-in-Chief to educate the public about what they’re losing, while we tolerate a minority veto over the will of the majority, large swaths of the population will continue living precariously from paycheck to paycheck, oftentimes sustaining the family income by more people working longer hours and still being weighted down by mortgage debt, credit card debt….Seriously, I could go on.
You're absolutely correct about the polarization. And I agree that most senate Democrats are where they should be on most issues. The problem is that the right -- most Republicans but even some conservative Democrats -- have moved much further to the right than at any time in living memory. When one of our two major political parties openly seeks to have fewer people vote, we're facing a terrible problem.
Professor, Though I fully concur with your reply, I would add that I feel less threatened by rule changes that suppress votes than I am by rule changes that alter who can be in charge, how votes are counted, and how they’re certified. While we can push back against the former by supercharging voter turnout, no amount of organizing can get us around the latter. Hence, my call for much tougher, much stronger Democratic leadership that, for example, last month would have called out Manchin’s and Sinema’s mere support for voter protections as hollow and performative absent their resolve to do their part to figure out how the filibuster could be modified to pass the combined voter protection bill under regular order, even if it meant taking a long time ( Dems had proposed up to 200 hours) to get an up or down majority vote.
And now, the increase in interest rates!
If the present legal events move forward and people who are subpoenaed are actually indicted and brought to justice, it may slow or even reverse the rightward trend. It is exciting to see 6 people receiving subpoenas just on the fake electors case. I would like to see these offenders forced to appear as most of us lowly citizens certainly would be.
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The SEC can force corporations to disclose all political, lobbying donations.
Very interesting … have they ever? Is is all or nobody?
There's another Substack called Popular Information that's working on this. The journalists there work with public filings, so there's a lot they can't reveal, but they're contributing. It's heartening to me to see journalism that makes a difference.
I prefer not to discuss this in terms of left-right because that in itself is polarizing and may turn some people off. That said, what is called the right wing has long existed -- right wing extremist Barry Goldwater was the Republican nominee for president in 1964 -- but it has risen from minority status to prominence over the past 50+ years.
But also consider that in 1972, abortion was still illegal in many states, LGBTQ equality was not even on the radar, and there were almost no Black, Hispanic, or Asian members of Congress. Women were a tiny minority who could not even dream of becoming Speaker. Access to healthcare for those who were not very poor or elderly was dependent upon employment or paying out-of-pocket.
I think what has moved dramatically, thanks to Ronald Reagan, Newt Gingrich, and their accomplices, is the Overton Window, what is considered politically acceptable. "Freedom" generally and "freedom of religion" are used as justification for the most egregious behavior. A substantial portion of the population tells pollsters that violence is a justifiable means of achieving political ends. A substantial number of elected officials and candidates claim entitlement to prevent those who might oppose them from voting, and to unilaterally overturn election results that don't go their way. Many parents and elected officials want to turn public schools into propaganda machines for their own personal views. Corporations are people, but actual human beings are not. The wealthy are imbued with great competence and high moral character merely by virtue of their possession of wealth.
The intent of the Newt Gingrich types is to create sufficient chaos that people will grasp at anything to restore order, to allow an autocrat to emerge. I am far more concerned that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or former vice president Mike Pence would become that autocrat than I am about Trump.
I think one action that is absolutely essential is to rein in the federal courts. Right now, they can dictate anything they want, with zero accountability; there are no checks and balances. The 1803 case Marbury v. Madison, which effectively amended the Constitution by judicial fiat to allow unelected judges to overturn Acts of Congress, thereby usurping Congress' primary Article I power to legislate, must be affirmatively rejected. I think a second action must be to rein in slash-and-burn media, which is acting to sabotage our government and society. (I would love to see Rupert Murdoch denaturalized and sent back to Australia.) Thirdly, there is an organization called Run for Something that recruits and supports young progressives to run for elective offices at all levels to counteract the malign forces infecting our society. Efforts like this should be encouraged.
Great information here.
I'd love to show this to my college classes, but the video uses the 'F'-word in connection with Trump and I wouldn't want to trigger an ugly incident. I suspect some of my students are very conservative : / and I wouldn't want them to disconnect before I have a chance to help them develop some critical thinking skills.
Linda, I think you should still. Tell your students that it's an opinion piece if you must. But your students are adults; they should be able to hear opinions they disagree with. If they don't like Trump being called the F-word, ask them to articulate what the word means to them and why Trump doesn't meet their definition.
Teaching... ahhh. Perhaps you let students opt out of that class, they can have an alternative assignment, something dead solid easy like a quiz on that same class session discussion.
@David. I appreciate your list of 4 factors. I'd add that we need to bring back the Fairness Doctrine, and to tackle today's unprecedented income inequality and financial crashes, we must address the Federal Reserve. Please see Leonard, Christopher. "The Lords of Easy Monday." The Supreme Court is another pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Hopefully, if we did all the above, people's lack of trust in the government would be restored.
Yes, we need to restore the Fairness Doctrine'.
All I can do i register Democrats and help make sure they vote. I live in the Fascist state of Florida, where our voter rolls were hacked by the Russians, purged by the Republicans and the governor and state legislature are engaged in voter suppression.
Here is an editorial from the Miami Herald. Democracy is under attack, and voters in Miami are the targets | Editorial BY THE MIAMI HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/article258224973.html
Please help register Democrats. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Florida was the first state under Jeb Bush (who promised his brother "W" that he would "deliver" Florida to him, and did) to forge the way to sabotage Federal elections. Here we are. I believe the first successfully stolen election was Al Gore's. The Florida Supreme Court should have decided that case instead it was taken from them by the SC to hand the election to Bush. We better find a way to throw these Republican Fascists out or this country is well on it's way to being gone from anything some of us grew up in.
Florida perverted national politics. By rights, immigrants should lean Democratic. But not here. One theory is that the Castros were able to pick the kinds of enemies in the US that would justify their domestic control in Cuba by making sure that idiots were running the US. Hatred and fear of Uncle Sam unified Cuba. It can be argued that Cuban Republicans were manipulated, contrary to their own economic and societal interests, to turn Florida, the key to electoral politics. Think 2000, 2006, 2016. Now Putin is saying that he will bring more Russian influence to bear in Cuba!!!
I see ideal solutions -- muzzle Fox, impeach Fascists, etc.-- but with the filibuster, GOP SC, and now GOP focusing on infiltrating at the local levels, I don't see how Dem ideals will happen.
That seems a key problem, as your drawing suggests: Democrat = ideals (equality, help people); GOP = self-serving (stop govt so I can do what I want).
That principle hasn't changed. What's expanded on the right are tactics. Dems: pretty much same tactics (peaceful protest, talking nicely among themselves, voting, etc.); GOP: much more involvement from foreign dictators, domestic terrorists, guns, violence, lies, vote suppression efforts, etc.
Specifics of what the GOP want hardly matter. Whatever they want now, their tactics create a major imbalance in "fire power."
So the question is "how do we stop GOP evil force. " Similar to "how do we stop Russia from invading Ukraine." Biden seems to be standing up to Putin more forcefully than to Trump's GOP. But which is the greater threat? Fall of one country or fall of Democracy and its future abilities to stand up for any and all countries?
So is the answer re GOP to threaten sanction? If no help, then enact sanctionm If war on a world-level ensues, then fight? The Dems have politely threatened. Not much success. How do they enact economic sanction with GOP controlling most business? What, if any, kind of sanction would work?
Or are we already at war? War won't work so well after Putin has settled into Ukraine--or after Trump is back in the White House. The time for war is when the enemy fires the first shot?
I don't know exactly what comprises domestic political war, but usually, war means fighting fire with fire. For a party that represents ethics, shooting is hard, especially when shackled by apathy. Is that how evil triumphs? If we don't stop talking and start use some effective type of force, maybe Fascism will win?
If so, what force? And are those with the red button more concerned about elect-ability and popularity polls than with saving Democracy?
I don't know answers, but I see scary questions apparently not being answered.
I've been reading a lot of pieces written by Historians specializing in civil war the consensus seems to be we are already engaged in a civil war. I have a hard time believing it simple because it's such an uncomfortable thought.
Yes, I agree; we are currently in a civil war. I’ve been thinking, and I’m sure I’m not alone, about splitting the country without a shooting war: Blue states would constitute a nation called “Democracy,” and Red states would form a country named “Autocracy and Dominionism.” Of course, “Autocracy and Dominionism” cannot survive financially without “Democracy.” Maybe this is the only way to end the current strife and madness infecting our United States of America.
I’ve been wondering what Biden would do if Texas seceded. I really hope he wouldn’t start a shooting war to bring them back. My feeling is that if states want to secede they should. It’s not working the way it is.
Mo777Jet ; Scary questions indeed. If you can separate them, extricate the Ukraine standoff from domestic seeming apathy about our voting peril, that might be a start. Democracy is messy, and it seems to be getting messier still. I think Biden is doing well with the very threatening Putin, who evilly threatens the people of Ukraine with bombs and death. As to our crazy opponents seeking to stop our votes from the ground up, we can actively become aware of who is running and vote for local people who can affect our election process. I honestly don't know what people are doing in states where they are already doing primaries and actual voting. 😒 I'm glad I live in an educated, progressive state. But I still am vigilant.
I’m reading an article about Ukraine in Time magazine. If what they say is true, Biden has exacerbated the situation since last year. If we’d given Ukraine COVID vaccine back then I don’t think this would be happening.
Thanks for this question. A way to reverse it is viscerally clear to me although the exact path much less so. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY GETS BETTER, especially better at loving many if not all people by appreciating their worth and seeking their perspectives even while not of course acting on all of them. Better policy and more success at the polls would follow. Personally, I do not feel loved and accepted by this party even though I vote overwhelmingly for Democrats and have been in small-scale leadership in our local party. I UNDERSTAND why many people are mad at the Democratic Party. although I remain in an uncomfortable coalition with it. Let's control what we can most control, ourselves! I'm still an optimist.
Wouldn’t it be something if we all respected and appreciated each other, Ed? Can you imagine what society would look like then? Do people on the right do that at all? I have no idea.
Yes it would be something! I can't imagine it exactly, but I think that it would be great! I see love with its companions of respect and appreciation as the common coin and language of politics along, sadly, with their opposites. People "on the right" certainly do this although far less universally than I like. For example, as much as I disagree with Liz Cheney and Mike Pence, I think that they showed some love by eventually standing up to Donald Trump. I think that "we" need to not just to say but also to take risks and act on the slogan "Love trumps hate".
What about those of us--seniors??--who prefer to read and not watch videos? Are we know passe?
I'm with you, Harvey! I discussed an issue with a friend of a friend on FB the other day and he provided a slew of YouTube videos, and I was like, no, I'm not spending hours watching these. Text is better for discussions and for fact-checking and for following arguments down the rabbit hole if you want.
Transcriptions of videos are available (just copy/paste the text to something comfortable!)...
Lots of the kinds of changes discussed here make a lot of sense—but will be tough slogs politically. I think we need to think as well about what has made people so angry and distrustful of government and corporations and how we can address that in ways that can actually get somewhere.
A lot of why people feel the way they do is that they perceive the economy to be essentially unfair (because it is!). Real median wages gave stagnated over the last decades, but consumption needs (especially health care have soared) have grown steadily. But returns to ownership have grown at a rapid pace. Fifty-percent of the private sector workforce does not participate in a retirement plan, and the numbers are worse for women and people of color. The only way we can fix this massive wealth insecurity Is reforming ownership.
That may sound like some left-wing fantasy but it isn’t. Employee ownership plans have proven very effective—participants have three times the retirement assets as employees in companies without these plans—and have been pushed by Republicans and Democrats in equal numbers (and with no opposition). The Alaska Permanent Fund is beloved by both parties. Ideas like platform cooperatives, data ownership, and limiting tax incentives for executive pay unless companies share the wealth are also supported on all sides. There is much we can do to make this happen, but the first step is just to stop treating these ideas with a pat on the head and start making them a priority.
Right now, I am watching a Netflic series on The Roman Empire, a combination of actual drama enacted by professional actors, documentary and interviews with notable historians of Classical Greek and Roman history, and reports and synopses of contemporary Roman writers on the reigns of three emperors (called Consuls or Dictators at various periods): Commodus (son of Markus Aurelias); Julius Caesar; and, Caligula. Common to all these leaders and members of the 600 member hereditary Senate were two main goals--personal and public: wealth and power. These are, essentially, the goals of all elected officers of our American government, left-center-right and there are few (if any) exceptions. The concerns of the constituents, their issues and challenges to a decent life, are way, way, way down the list and that is just as true in blue states as red ones. The fact that my standard of living (never comfortable) has become dicey during the pandemic and that I can no longer work to improve it is of little concern to any person in the government. But this was not different during the Roman Era of (roughly) 2000 years ago. What watching the Romans (the ordinary ones) tough out wars, plagues, food shortages, inadequate healthcare, education, housing, is no different than what we are experiencing now. The only difference was that the Romans could really do infrastructure and built structures that still stand today. If you want additional insights into what we were (and still are) when it comes to politics, check out The Roman Empire on Netflix! The more you watch it, the more convinced you will be that there was absolutely no difference in politics or political or military or economic theory 2000 years ago.
Here are several ways to start fixing it. Lots others (many mentioned here already) will help, too, of course. Some of my thoughts are probably already captured in others' contribututions.
1. Win a couple more seats in the Senate and keep the House majority. If ths doesn't happen we are likely to move even further rightward. If it does happen... BBB, Voting Rights, lots more already just sitting there waiting for Senate action.
2. Abolish the Electoral College or at least get enough additional states to adopt the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC). Wouldn't it be nice if (1) Iowa was no longer such a big deal, (2) the concept of Swing States became irrelevant, and (3) a vote in California (or Texas or Florida) counted just the same as a vote in Wyoming? For starters.
3. Do something about the Supreme Court so that its actions reflect the Constitution, the law, and the will of the people rather than the biases of those in power. Expanding the Court is certainly an option. What else?
4. Of course, hold those responsible for Jan. 6 (as well as the lead-up and the aftermath) accountable. Inact changes that the Jan 6th Committee comes up with. (May be a pipe dream with the current or future make-up of Congress.)
Starts with fair voting.
Again, right on the money . The system, I am afraid seems stacked against us . The dumbing down of America equation has an incalculable sum total . For the average American to believe they have anything in common with the likes of trump and his ilk, to me makes that glaringly clear .
A free and unbiased fourth estate, which again is absolutely necessary for a working democracy has been corporately bought and sold OUT ! Although traditional media has all but been replaced by social media. Which may be a ray of sunshine, but that works both ways also .
At the crux of it all I'm afraid is the lack of ethics, morals and common decency inherent in our culture today . Earthly goods, the accumulation thereof and The Seven Deadly Sins, warnings to the private citizens stand as a set of closely followed instructions to the corporate citizen . The skewed and warped priorities stem from corporate citizenship, their goals of greed and the rest of their base desires . The action needed to reign these in and restructure, placing humanity and common decency at the forefront is a daunting overwhelming task. I believe we as individuals must strive to attain these goals in our personal lives, and reach out to others with theses ideals . That's how change occurs . The basic evil inherent in this realm never rests. I'm so sick of seeing the ex-pres's face . He is the personification of that evil which never rests. We, as the antithesis thereof must keep pounding OUR drum . Convert and open the eyes of our neighbors and loved ones as to the inherent evils ever present in our daily lives, neighborhood and nation.
Leave us be personally and socially vigilant in our common purpose and cause. Drink that pint of Guinnes(strictly for the minerals),tighten our belts, March up that field united with the knowledge that ours IS the righteous cause for WE THE PEOPLE ! ! 'UP THE FIELD ! !'
Mass movements have six layers that have to be considered, from the philosophical at the top, to cultural, policy, strategy, tactics, and logistics at the base. (Credit goes to the author of "Human Competence," Thomas Gilbert.) To sustain a movement towards a philosophy of "the common good" means all the other layers have to line up.
On one hand, I can assert that it makes no sense why any community claiming to be 'Christian would accept and support leaders at total odds with the professed ideals and values of that faith. People who appear to pray before constructing gallows. What it reveals to me is a massive mental health problem.
In the time from the 1960s, when US militarism was poorly regarded due to Vietnam, a cultural shift had to be engineered in order to support the military-industrial-entertainment complex -- and much of that engineering was targeted at the very young. By the end of Reagan's second term, the public's regard for the military was at record levels. Militarism became equated with patriotism (love of country). (Credit to David Sirota, and his book "Back to Our Future.")
To begin to change things around -- and it will take decades of patient, constant effort (which nobody wants to hear) -- we have to focus on how our young people are brought up, what they are learning, and the games they play. We have to be audacious and courageous enough to articulate a better philosophy than consumerism and materialism.
Implying that supporting Trump is akin to the fascism increases the political polarization that your video deplores. I happen to know many Trump supporters (some are family members) and they are misinformed and misguided, but are not fascists. They believe that our government is run by elites, controlled by powerful corporate interests, that don't give a damn about the common people. The way to reach them is to address their concerns which many progressive Democratic proposals do. Calling them names will only drive them away and cause them to detest progressives. I bet Mr. Reich was called a "Commie" for being against the Vietnam War. I know I was, and I held these who called me that in contempt.
People are angry and they lash out. How do we defuse that enough to act rationally? I honestly don’t know. How do you maintain good relationships with your Trump-supporting family, Tim? Can we learn from you?
One of the other problems is that there are so few jobs based on doing good. Almost everyone is forced to go into some job or profession that's based on cheating others out of their money in some way or another and their even lauded for their work. Then people wonder why the world is such a mess. Like Gandhi said, we need to be the change we want in the world.
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I'll try one more time to chime in. Your point is well taken. In my opinion, the "centerline" in the animation should be far further to the right, illustrating that "the center" is actually much closer to the right, as you say in the script. What it means to me is that the DNC insists on anointing candidates that WILL operate from the center, so as not to alienate corporate money. They did what they had to do to ensure that SANDERS didn't win. And he WOULD have won in both elections, absent the foot on the scales both times. It means to me that in two consecutive elections, the DNC revealed itself to be every bit as tainted as the RNC. We all say that we must vote Democrat, for fear of what the RNC (actually, the TNC) is clearly leading us to. The choices are: Vote Right, and accelerate further the disintegration of the American experiment. Vote "Left", and create the illusion that we are safe, now. But we're not.
I think we truly may be watching the complete collapse of the Trump house of cards, in every single way. I think THAT will leave his acolytes hanging out there on limbs that have suddenly been hacked off. Which gives the DNC the opportunity to INCREASE control, not dear for losing the House. We could gain the SENATE if I'm right. But the DNC is not against Citizens United. It is not against economic concentration, except for (Maybe) the tech sector.
The savior of America is not going to be found in a business as usual "center" party (left wing of the RNC). The RNC is so far worse, no doubt. They are treasonous, and should be tried as such if the Senate does revert to the Democrats. But if the DNC does not wake up and see that the nation is fed up (on both sides of the aisle), we'll still be fighting each other instead of the 1%.
This is almost tautological. We need FAR more aggressive pulling to the MUCH further left.
I really don't see any way of reversing the political agenda's with the current leadership we have and how abstract their thinking is. EVERYTHING is still about Power and Wealth. The Democrats have not proven themselves powerful enough to keep control for much longer than has been predicted. I live in Alaska which is a very strong Republican state. It is so strong that nobody who does not follow their agenda are more or less invited to stay out of the political business. Right now, Lisa Murkowski is on a huge attempt to get control of getting the Very Important second oil and Gas Pipe Line started and operational. Her argument has a lot of bearing in it because we have a lot of machinery equipment and vehicles of every kind of moving vehicle type that run on gas products that come from oil. I worked for a while at Occidental Petroleum Co., so I am familiar with the needs of the oil industry. I am not suggesting that the fossil fule industry needs to be protected here. I am very worried about Climate Change and what the fossil fuel roll plays in it. But having this and many other changes that need to be made all at once is more than our country, and many other countries, to deal with all at once. On top of which we have a pending war to look forward to. If I sound like a broken record here, it is because my brain just can't adjust to so many MAJOR ISSUES all at the same time. My brain keeps telling me that I should be well adjusted to how our "Screwed Up Government Always Handles EVERYTHING". Lets just start with each state and consider how those states are governed. I don't think there are two states that are in sink with each other on the governing system that is best for everyone. Right there the meaning of "USA" goes flying out the window. Then take a good long look at our Operational Congress. Whoops, there we go again out the window. But we still have The White House with the 'Final Say So', or so the people who REALLY rule Washington D.C. want you to think. OPP's, another mis directed truth. It is the DNC who is really in charge of EVERYTHING. Do you think that America will ever be able to adjust to beliving in that concept of truth??? Mr. Reich, I really don't think so. But that is where everythig that we have to look forward to comes from and I am pretty sure you already know this to be true. This is why the War efforts are more important than Human Rights in America. It all goes back to what we have been fighting for all along, but nothing ever changes. The people are very tired and completely worn out listing to promises from people who have no real power to be heard. I hope I am wrong, for Your Sake and all of the rest of the people who keep on battling our governing system. I am living on the lowest level of existance financially that I have ever had in my life. All thanks to the continuing and uncontrollable cost of living that has spiraled out beyond control. I can't even make a minimal $ donation to any of the people I would love to show support to. I just cancelled my prescription drugs and supplemental Health Ins. because it is no longer in the budget range of acceptable. All because OUR GOVERNMENT can't get us Medicare-For-ALL. Defense Rest's!!!
This is just unconscionable, Linda. There have to be progressive organizations in Alaska. How about Indivisible—do they have a chapter? I have a progressive friend in Alaska. Would it help to put you two in touch?
America's move to the Extreme Right, in my view, is based on "every one on their own" and "economic distress of working people", which finds blame on others "below them" rather than those "above them"!
This can only be reversed if it is "exposed" for what it is! A culture and Ideology of "greed" and "violence". Which serves the interests of the powerful in control over our lives! When oppressed groups fight among themselves, they are much easier to control.
I volunteered for McGovern myself! I followed the same political trajectory. Of course I agree with pretty much everything you say! I wouldn’t debate any of your conclusions! Because we face violent opposition this is not just an esoteric discussion! We have a real threat here! Conflict is inevitable in this milieu! My question is how do we stem this roaring tide? Ideas certainly but I’m looking for a concerted concrete plan so that we are all on the same page. Leading Democrats is like herding cats! The right is very good at marching in lock-step, we are not. I think we need a plan. Staging large scale demonstrations I fear will get many of us killed because we have millions of Kyle rittenhaus’s out there just chomping at the bit! We then become more of a target for those violent individuals to shoot! In many instances the police are complicit as in the Rittenhaus case. The justice system failed us. We have embedded and emboldened murders in our midsts! If we take to the streets there will be blood! If we don’t there will be fascism! Lord help us! I fear our system is too corrupt to survive!
If BBB were passed and people started receiving the benefits I don’t think they’d be as angry. We can thank the intransigents in the Senate for that. How we get past them quickly enough to do any good I don’t know.
Oh Daniel, thank you for this explanation regarding Florida's political make-up. I have long been flummoxed by Florida's politics. I never understood the Cuban influence, how perverse it appeared but not knowing why things were working the way they were. I never understood why immigrants there would vote Republican, totally against their own interests. I was living in London and returned to the US in late 1998 in the throes of the Elian Gonzales case. I couldn't believe what I saw here, utter craziness and stunned at how Americans would treat Janet Reno our AG at the time. On the heels of that event the shooting at Columbine High School happened in Colorado. Mostly, I watched Florida at that time and was frightened at how the country had changed, yeah, even back then, Columbine just further traumatized me. I was sure we would get gun laws after that. Sandy Hook was unimaginable...imagine my naiveté. I appreciate your explanation about Florida.
The Left/Right/Center spectrum is the wrong lens to evaluate today's politics. Left/Right labeling has become another diversion from the real problem: the extreme coordinated influence of power brokers (oligarchs) over candidates and elected officials. Let's just call it CORRUPTION.
The current MO for candidates is to use whatever sound bites necessary to enrage the voter "base" of their choosing to vote for them. Then once elected, do the bidding of those who backed them. "Left" and "Right" have been reduced to negative cudgels in the sound bite world.
To counter corruption, we need avenues to force candidates to declare their motives and their friends. Make disclosure--both policy positions and financial backers--a condition for participating in debates. Work to pass Dark Money initiatives to surface the behind-the scenes players. Encourage media outlets to not cover candidates unless they submit to minimum disclosure standards and address solutions to relevant problems. Encourage watchdog groups--like League of Women Voters--to pressure candidates to participate in written responses to anti-corruption positions.
A lot of this entitled tantrum throwing comes from the perception that they can get away with it. A little swifter, decisive action should send a message to curtail this behavior whether it's fake electors, insurrectionists or anti-mask, anti-vax extremists. News outlets should also be held responsible for their part in all of this. My dream come true would be Trump charged and convicted of treason with a life sentence.
The money is not just about the fraud of the lobbying and campaign financing.
I urge all of you, and especially YOU, Mr. Reich, to go to https://www.npr.org/podcasts/381444600/marketplace, 2/15 edition. Listen starting at a about 15:45. It's a 3;30 minute listen. The conclusion is what is alarming, and unacceptable.
Nowhere on any media at all , not from the lips of a single politician, or of any advocate have I heard mention of The Pandora Papers, which is a follow-on to the nightmare revealed in the Panama Papers.
The money that is diverted, hidden, removed from circulation that can be utilized and taxed is in the trillions, no one can tell the true amount.
As bad as the divide that has bee deliberately created by weft and right, to bicker over matters that are important but need unity to fix-----the REAL problem is Money at the top, far in excess of what we already know to be obscene. Economic Concentration is staggeringly damaging on every front, including media. THAT'S why we don't hear about it there. But the far bigger problem is the opacity and criminal removal from our system.
If ownership cannot be discerned, no matter what, the property must be sized. It should be done as a lightning speed sting, across the nation. Take back what has been stolen. If ownership CAN be discerned, levy severe taxation.
What about you, a man with a remarkable ability to illustrate and explain? How come I never hear about this, Mr. Reich? It should be nearly every day; the crisis is that alarming.
Would there be any way to shift talk that uses labels of Left and Right to discussion of POLICY? Plenty of progressive candidates have been able to describe policy in ways people understand.
Is there any way to require news outlets to limit the use of L and R labels? These labels are just as dangerous as denigrating labels for ethnicity and race.
My thoughts is there has been an increasing ‘sorting’ along the political spectrum. First with cable tv and news channels dedicated to the left or right, and then podcast and social media where people get sucked into political eco chambers sorted along political lines, the reason being that people want to be with others than feel like them, and anxiety is a great tool to drive viewership, ad sales, and political donations. In the old days with only a few radio or tv channels, most of the country was receiving and experiencing the same information not presented along political lines.
Reagan and his team of neo-corporatists were primarily responsible for the wealth gap that exists today. Rove & Co. very cleverly re-labeled government programs or taxes with which they disagreed, and in so doing, they were able to re-define the ontology of democracy in their terms. It was no small feat, and the Republican media machine continues to dominate the semantic space in which political dialogue occurs.
An example of the above is Richard Nixon's platform in 1972 was to the *LEFT* of Barak Obama's 2008 platform: that is how effective the right-wingers have been in modifying the political semantic landscape.
To Dr. Reich's question, the issue is that of finding shared values, facts, and perspectives from which the parties can engage and debate in honest dialogue. Unification must be accomplished at a higher order of understanding [and abstraction] than the positions of either side. In my opinion, if the political leaders cannot do this, then our planet will force the issue.
It appears that people are far more likely to accept the suffering they must incur from a belief system they "understand" [and thereby not change] than risk adopting new paradigms regarding their place in society, politics, indeed the universe, and thereby change fundamental concepts about themselves and their "identity" or ego. For the vast majority, childhood brain-washing, that involves cultures, religions, nationalities, etc, are permanent features of their psychology and point of view. No one is immune - I include myself in this observation.
So, the question posed recapitulates an old scriptural verse: "Who can move a spirit?" Dr. Reich has asked 'How'? to effect change in the existing political spectrum.
Comedy? Tragedy? Therapy? Sex, drugs, rock-and-roll? They have all been tried.
Voting can help. Register Democrats.
I think this video nails it EXCEPT for one thing -- I think you overstate the importance of Trump. As you know, the right moved right under Gingrich, pushed by Falwell; today it's being pushed by the likes of DeSantis and Rufo. Trump isn't even conservative, really, he's just selfish and racist -- that aligns him with the right well enough, but only so far as they bow to them. He doesn't care about any policy position except himself. And after he dies, the right will continue to be white-supremacist and authoritarian.
I'n pessimistic about ways to reverse it. Fox News has its viewers in thrall, and there are enough voters going along with it. Your videos are what we need, we just need a lot more of them from a lot more sources.
Thank you for these newsletters and especially for the Friday economics course. I am enjoying them immensely.
As usual, today's video is right on. I am so frustrated by this. We are so far along with a few right wing billionaires able to call the shots even to the extent of framing the dialogue.
I don’t think that left, center, and right is a good way to think about what has happened. It is not the political and moral philosophies that have changed in the respective parties, but rather the range of strategies and tactics used to advance those philosophies and implement them into laws and practices. The left has not changed any more than the right in their core values (can someone speak to this vis-a-vis the official party platforms over the years?). The left is generally for social advancement and the right for individual advancement. The philosophies are the same as always; what has become increasingly divergent is the approach to resolving the differences and the willingness to ignore traditional standards of civility in discussion and decision-making. The widening gap between between left and right (and the shifting of the center) is more about the left seeking real negotiation and consensus and the right seeking to maximize their influence.
It seem’s to me that Clinton and Obama did not radically alter their basic values but rather their strategies in support of the democratic process of governance, recognizing the need for compromise; Regan, Bush and Trump did not shift their basic goals either, but they employed adversarial strategies to get their own way.
I think the fundamental issue, born out most strikingly in the Republican’s absolute stonewalling on virtually everything and everybody put forward by the Democrats, is that the left supports the common good while the right is most concerned about personal good.
Victor. This was an excellent sentence: "the left supports the common good while the right is most concerned about personal good". I have witnessed over the years democrats are involved with and form non profits that do not pay taxes, while republicans tend to be business owners and pay taxes. The majority of teachers and professors I know are democrats. The majority of business people I know are republicans. Just interesting perspective I have watched over the years. I spent many years living in Wyoming and Arizona so perhaps my life analysis of the subject matter could misconstrued.
When I was at the Goldman School (where Prof. Reich teaches) George Lakoff came to speak to us one night. He pointed out that students who are leftist end up in places like Goldman, the policy school, while rightists end up in Haas, the business school -- where they learn marketing. And that's one reason the right has so many victories.
James. Good point. Marketing and Advertising is KEY. Getting the message out there today is hard especially with social media. It has changed the way we do everything. Even Vote!
That’s very telling. Perhaps progressive organizations need to make a massive investment in teaching marketing. Perhaps someone on this list has expertise to share? How about a course in marketing for progressives, guys?
Two major factors. One, we despearately need more Dem. women serving in elected/appointed offices at all levels of government. The reason(s) should be obvious to any one with half a brain and half a heart. Two, we need to destroy, erase from popular discourse, preferably in a film/movie (as in M. Moore's Where to Invade Next) the irrational ideas, or blatant misinterpretations of conceptually neutral ones, that our society is based on. The most popular terms are capitalism, free-enterprise, competition, free market, and R.R.'s infamous, "Hi, I'm from the government and I'm here to help!"
The biggest myth I know of is some version of "Capitalism/free enterprise/etc. produces good and services." No political theory has ever done such a thing. All our version of capitalism has ever done is to allow people to make lots of money over people being sick in our for-profit health care system. The extreme right is acting terrified because their cherished ways of thinking, their bed of beliefs, what they base their value as a male on, is being seriously challenged. The unspoken, and rationalized, Rep. mantra is make as much money as you can in whatever way(s) you can get away with. My proposed Dem. mantra is that government promotes the overall well-being of all all who live here. Or, call it cooperation over competition, something that most males, especially Reps., need to improve on.
Yes, we have come full circle indeed. I would like to go back to the days after WW2 ended. There were good jobs opening up everywhere. Lots of manufacturing jobs that paid very good wages. There was a lot of very affordable housing. Track Homes were the fad back then. My Dad bought our first home in California for $11,000. The house was my favorite of all of the homes we had over my growing up years. Dad was in the labor field of building homes back then. He had to build a garage in the back part of our lot, but I think he had a lot of fun doing that. The neighbors were so impressed with his work that he ended up building garages for a lot of other people who bought homes in that track. Life was good then and safe. There was no worry about guns or rifles. I could roller skate up and down the sidewalks or our community without my parents having to worry about my safety. Life was affordable for everyone.
Late, just watched first lecture for 'Wealth & Poverty' - thanks.
Regarding 'rightward,' language is crucial.
What does 'left' and 'right' mean, anyway?
Your cartoon is clear and very useful, and we all have a generally shared idea of 'left' and 'right' in the USA. But in one way in particular it misses our situation, in my assessment, and gives the opposition credibility it does not deserve.
For me, that is 'reason' versus 'treason.'
On the far right hand of your line, that is not 'the right,' because there is nothing right about them. Far from previous respectable positions, yes, but not on the spectrum. I confess I don't yet see an artful way to represent that.
Treason is what we Constitutional USA citizens are facing, and have to overcome. Reports of current events give the treasonous participants a pass, and act like they are just regular people taking extreme versions of prior positions. But treason is not an extension of any respectable lawful position, it is the opposite.
Bill Gates has said something like, we are not debating about capitalism, that works well enough, we are just talking about taxation. I think that's fair, regarding our whole system.
It works well enough, if we can keep it ( channeling Franklin ). -- b.rad
Excellent‼️
[This is not possible in the near future, and would probably need to be done underground, but if we can survive a few more years, who knows….?]
There’s been a lot of talk about publication of tax returns, and that’s certainly useful for answering some basic questions. I would argue, though, that – state-wise and in federal government – every candidate for elective office should be required to submit a sample for full genome sequencing (for now, we’ll stick with the standard 23 chromosome pairs and forget about the microbiome, which can be added later…).
For the last several years I have predicted that if one analyzed the current office holders’ genomes, most Republicans (and a few Democrats) would actually have 40% ostrich and 40% lemming sequences. [The remaining 20% would be disabled (or misdirected) regulatory genes.] Of course, in certain individuals, portions of the ostrich and lemming genes would be replaced by genes from pythons, dodo birds, black widow spiders, etc.
What about Donald Trump, you ask? No DNA (he’s not really a Republican, anyway). Probably strings of carbon nanofibers.
Just a bit more seriously, with advances we’re seeing in deep Artificial Intelligence, it would probably be possible to determine which politicians should remain in office, which should be sent out to pasture, and which belong in Gitmo.
If we put sufficient resources into Artificial General Intelligence, we probably won’t need Government eventually. :)
[Hmmmmm..... Perhaps it's time for the Left to start its own conspiracy theory...]
Robert. I love your ability to express complex issues in easily understood, bite size pieces. I am asking you, however, to please define fascism when you use it to describe political actions. It is a buzz word that is associated with Hitler and Mussolini, that many of us respond to viscerally, in an automatic, knee jerk negative way. What does it actually mean? How do we know what metrics to use when assessing whether or not fascism is at our door??
Unfortunately, what I see is that those on the right see themselves as "right". They are the "true patriots", and they certainly don't see themselves as "fascists". They see government as a tool of the left, a non-stop interference in their lives that only knows how to tax and regulate, that takes away their freedoms and jobs, and gives it to those others who don't deserve it. They will always be here, particularly those extremists that will resort to any means necessary to get their way. I don't think the most extreme ideologies themselves can be reserved, but we can reduce the number of people willing to tolerate them. From where I stand, I see people that think that government is worthless, that the only way to get change is to support someone like Trump, and then fight like hell to get their country back, whether that's restricting the vote, or worse, actually storming the Capitol. I understand this, but what I don't understand is the mainstream Democratic Party responds to all of this. It just doesn't change. Until the Democratic Party transforms itself (maybe actually reforms itself might be more accurate) and comes to grips with its obsequiousness to their corporate donors, people will never see a clear difference between them and a more traditional Republican Party. Nothing will happen until there's a truly Progressive Democratic Party. While I had high hopes for President Biden's original agenda, it was a good start, he just hasn't been able to deliver. And that's all the people will see. For myself, it just means that I will no longer contribute to the DNC now that Biden's been elected but will shift all my support to the Progressive Caucus of the party. I am sick to death of the corporate democrats like Manchin, Gottheimer and Sinema. There's just way too many of them to name them all. I want to live in a country I can truly be proud of!
The way its going, if you are not far right, you are left. What we need is for people that believe in America to take a stand and start fighting for- Truth, Justice, and the American way.
You are missing the elephant. Years ago we had political racism, government (local, state & federal) racist laws & policy’s. All operating quietly & mostly ignored by the population. Now we have a name for it: White Supreme & it has lost its invisibility. We are finally in a Culture War; those racists are angry at the center & left that are demanding fair treatment for everyone. How exciting that after 400 years we are reaching for economic & social justice for everyone.
Will the Republican senators s
vote THEIR conscience on bills submitted by congress ? As long as senators spend all their time tearing down the administrations, things will never change. As for Republicans, obstruction is their favorite move. If they take back the senate midterm, or take back the Whitehouse in. 2024, iut will be disastrous for any ideas like universal voting rights, social security protections and other social programs. Just take a look at their reactions to Trump's transgressions. With Mansion and Sienna interference, it seems almost be Impossible to defend against the weight of corporate interference powerful big money and successful fillerbustering. The big lie was so effective, if you cannot open eyes on transgressions like an insurrection then honest government is mortally wounded
I really like the idea of mandatory public service and I will tell you why. Right now, I am working on a book on music performance during the pandemic. You may think that my work is way, way out there and disconnected to a discussion of public service but, in a way it is part of the discussion. What my research has forced me to focus on is the conflict between two ideas essential to American democracy but in direct opposition to each other: the value of the individual, the right of the individual to freedom, self-promotion, economic prosperity, and recognition on the one hand (as a soloist, if you will) and the welfare and prosperity of the community (the commonwealth) (the other members of an orchestra and chorus and the audience). For the last 40 years--since Ronald Reagan--our society (and our government) have been focused almost entirely on promoting, supporting, propping up the Individual at the expense of the Commonwealth (society), now to the point where those who choose to compete and ignore the neediest are rewarded and given benefits, breaks (including reduced prison terms and convictions) and chances paid for by the most vulnerable, that is: wealthy ceos and elected "leaders of the people" enjoy a lifestyle and freedoms denied those in the working class or in poverty. Right now, the Individuals have won and there doesn't seem to be a place for anyone else. What we need are community and elected leaders who will ask: "What can I contribute to make this a better city, state, nation, world for all of us?" (In musical terms: "What can our orchestra members do to support and enhance our shared performances?" One way to answer the question in the future is to give young people the opportunity to serve and learn from all in the community, to discover what the community needs and how to serve those needs. Remember: There are always going to be Individuals who put themselves first, who disregard the needs of the community, who garner great wealth and power, who think the rules, protocols, traditions, values of society do not apply to them because they are "special" than hoi polloi. We should be able to provide (and finance) a counterweight of millions who are well aware that the success of the few who only dream about a better day can now grow to include us all. Not a momentt to lose as (what with the current stalemate in Congress) we really need help--and I mean real help not just lip service.
A quick remark: Today's Republican party is not the party of Abe Lincoln.
Paula, there a few people up here that keep trying to make a difference that still vote Democrat. They are so few that they are not even mentioned in any of the political write ups that come out in the news papers. The only mention of them are at time to vote and the turn out is not even worth mentioning. For the actual size of the state, we have a very small population of people and alot of those people do not vote at all. I only vote by mail, and I am not sure if my votes are even counted. But my one vote will never make a difference up here in Alaska. And there are other states where the political scale of success is heavely tested as well. This is just life in America. People up here are warned against putting political stickers on their cars or signs in their front yards expressing political favoritism. Just about everyone owns a gun or rifle up here for protection. So it is safer to just not get involved in political issues of any kind if you are not a Republican.
Well said, Linda! As I've been saying for some time, as the NRA and its right wing thugs interpret it, the Second Amendment trumps the First Amendment. How to get a target painted on your back and those of your family and friends.
There are alot of things that people need to think about regarding safety of self. Our country is not as safe to live in as it used to be. I am a WW2 war baby who had a whole different world to grow up in. I have seen the "Rules of Life" change through the years. This is not a very safe place to live anymore. Very Sad.
I grew up during that time as well, but my parents never felt safe. We built a small house in the country in northern Illinois in the late '40s, but we always had a loaded rifle and loaded revolver (and two unloaded shotguns) in the closet. My wife's parents and their relatives spent the war time in our wonderful Japanese concentration camps. My parents were Republicans who worshiped McCarthy and could never understand why he wasn't drafted into the Presidency. And in the South, those were still Jim Crow days. I guess we've come full circle.
Paula, tell me what's not clear, please. I inquired several days ago if RR had permission from Berkeley to use his own books in a large lecture class that he is incessantly promoting in all corners. Universities almost always require formal persmission to sell your own books from which you earn royalties. I did not receive an answer. When I asked for a real syllabus, I received a response but I did not air on this list my professor's comments about the quantity of popular magazine articles.
The issue today, on which several of us have weighed in on, is the audio as opposed to a more time-consuming and precise, and easily reviewable written presentation (instead of reusing the lectures multiple times). I am far from alone in not wanting to watch a video....
My final point is that I would much prefer RR to do some research in order to be more up to date and indepth on critical issues, have some historical (even 40-70 years) perspective, and a little little bit of comparative perspective.
I hope that clarifies matters. That's why I am asking myself if I continue to participate....
Paula, I do not know what you're asking me....
You said: “That's right. but you can't peddle your online course and sell your books so easily if you respect your readerly audience. Or do your homework either. I'm having second thoughts at the moment....”
My grandfather, Edward McChesney Sait was a professor at Cal . He wrote a book in 1929 . DEMOCRACY. I have a copy once owned by Oliver Garceay, a professor of public policy and politics at Harvard. There are passages by him.
I’d like to send it to you along with a reprint I made of his paper about campaign finance reform. These papers and books from the 1920’s seem similar to todays troubles.
If someone could give me a place to send them , assuming you’d want them, I’ll get them in the mail. I know you will find these interesting. Gini Sait Seely
Omg, I had no idea about Lauren Boebert! There are all kinds of nuts running for lower state offices that could devastate this country remaining democratic. We desperately need laws requiring minimal levels of qualifications to hold office.
Thank you Professor Reich and everyone here. Always thought-provoking, and always nice to be reminded about how many people care.
I have a question - why is this happening? What is the cause of the extremism (or causes)?
Is it income inequality? Religious involvement in politics on the right? A trend towards anger, finger-pointing, blame, and insults in the political discourse? The neo-liberal ideological shift on the right?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but I would want to have them because my suggestions about what to do would follow from what the causes are, and how to undo or reverse them.
I think the answer depends on what you mean by “this,” Kim. If you mean why are Republicans acting like this, the answer is that they feel threatened. If you mean why are regular people going along with it, a lot of the comments address that: inequality, job losses, displacement by technology, the growing power of minorities, women, and gays, fear of having to adapt to new realities such as climate change, etc. People who feel secure don’t need to lash out. Now, what to do is partly simple and partly difficult. Fix the tax laws to bring about greater income and wealth equality. Pump up public education. Train people for jobs on a lifelong basis. Help them adapt to climate change by making it as painless as possible to switch from fossil fuels, harden their dwellings, etc. The hard part is what to do about the massive takeover of digital technologies and the horror of climate change. But if people feel less threatened and happier they might be more willing to engage in solutions to those problems.
RR: take a look at the media regulatory laws, SCOTUS, the Senate....
That's right. but you can't peddle your online course and sell your books so easily if you respect your readerly audience. Or do your homework either. I'm having second thoughts at the moment....
I’m missing something here. What are you referring to, Harvey?
Your thoughtful way to explain issues for all to understand is appreciated.
Massive solidarity is the only hope we have!
Call me crazy but I am becoming a nazi conspiracy theorist. This political move to the extreme right did not happen overnight or with out big support and money!
Obviously Rupert Murdoch thinks it’s in his interest to destroy the country. This is a place to start.
This trend frightens me as I am thinking particularly about the insurrection on January 6th. I think about the misinformation and disinformation in the United States and how the utilization of social media has had a large impact on this. I ponder about how/if the large social media companies can truly be held accountable for the misinformation and disinformation that they allow to freely circulate on their platforms and what actual regulation would look like for Facebook for an example.
I think more research (I am thinking in-depth interviews and/or focus groups) involving people across the political spectrum would be a good start (and with an emphasis on those that lean to the right of the spectrum) to learn more about the trends in American politics.
Trying to get onto the Office Hours discussion. All I keep getting is the two minute recorded message. How do I get to the discussion. Paid subscriber.
Trying to sign in to listen is there a link?
Great animation!
I am a progressive Liberal, a Bernie supporter in 2016. My husband is a Republican but supports women’s rights, voting rights, gay rights etc. With the extreme move to the right by Conservatives, he now finds himself a man without a party. Like the illustration of you and me on that line going farther and farther right, my more Republican husband is right there with us. The polls tell is that “ 75% of Republicans support Trump” and all his evils, my “Republican” husband is not one of them. I believe there are many many more Republicans without a party out there.
And I add: we need to get all the real Republicans like my husband to join us in voting out all the cowards and crazies in Washington DC and around the country to get the USA back on track. We have a lot of work to do and time is short.
I have Republican friends who voted for Biden and hate everything their party is doing. You can’t become extreme without alienating some people.
Is misinformation the same as propaganda?
1. Remove, as much as we can, politics from the selection of Supreme Court Justices and all Federal Judges. This could be accomplished by setting up an independent selection organization. Merit would be the most important standard.
The Right Wing came back into power with a vengeance in 1980. This was enabled by the 1976 Supreme Court ruling that Money was Speech. This ruling Is far outside of the limits of the Constitution. It gave the wealthy class a monopoly over speech.
Then of course "Citizens United." This ruling is also outside of the Constitution and gets into the realm of God.
Stripping the Voting Rights Act of its power by the Supreme Court has also played into the hands of the Right Wing.
2. Removing the Equal Time Doctrine also gave the Right Wing unequal power over speech and the media. That opened the door to the Right Wing daily delivery of lies, deception and propaganda. With the Equal Time Doctrine, truth could be used to expose the lies and conspiracy theories. Removing the Equal Time Doctrine has allowed the Right Wing to operate with lies, deception, propaganda and conspiracy theories like the Nazis and Communists.
The above changes, largely by the Supreme Court, have played a very, very large role in moving America to the extreme right into the realm of Fascism. They need to be reversed so all Americans can have "equal free speech," "equal free press," and the full right to vote, for all citizens.
Very nicely put, Prof. Reich, and I agree with many of the comments your audience makes.
What a clear illustration of what has transpired in our country. I am not sure how we can bring us back into balance, but fixing our education system to value more than reading and math test scores and value critical thinking, is necessary for the future. The public overall is not understanding the basics of what America was envisioned to be. We are (and should be) much more than we now look like.
Find out what the disenfranchised, those on the far right who fall prey to conspiracists and politicians like Donald Trump truly need. I believe that one way to do that is through compassion.
Fair reporting...for every extremist minute there should be an honest minute of reporting that includes establishing context.
Return the knowledge and resources to the commons. Listen to diversity, including the perspective of social scientist. I'm an anthropologist engaged in research on misinformation as a paramount cultural trend in western educated societies and the manipulation of cultural and biological needs to create a void of helplessness that businesses are all to happy to fill. Our current managerial system is closer to feudalism than any other tradition.
Anthropologically, we are seeing two (maybe more) publics, or cultures, each with their own "reality", symbolic and material cultures. This makes schismogenisis ("a process of differentiation in the norms of individual behaviour resulting from cumulative interaction between individuals") a probable explanation for dividing and division (both complimentary and symmetric). Without social and cultural mechanisms to keep this in check, any form of schismogenisis would cause latmul society to break apart.
This is why I believe that the antidote to misinformation is not fighting facts with facts. This is a hard pill to swallow, because what we present and how we present are important distinctions. I suggest that the “facts remain robust only when they are supported by a common culture, by institutions that can be trusted, by a more or less decent public life, by more or less reliable media.” general public discourse that we are having is actually eroding the trust at an exponential rate.
So if we look at the political landscape, we see that most of the public is ill equipped to handle the political discourse. I'll spare you the book I'm working on.
So, what can we do to fix the situation? Keep introducing diversity, organize our society to increase the propensity for creative and imaginative thought and action, which is essential obviously for "imagining" another way to organize society. We need to end the top down structures. I can only imagine where we would be if 50% of U.S. Americans were not working in meaningless and useless jobs that only exist to siphon the profits off labor, if we had the time and resources to create instead of duct tape. If we focused on bodily autonomy instead of equality before a ruling class, if we focused on peer reviewed behavioral sciences instead of whatever personality test or one way sadomasichistic relationship my boss wants to give me (which is usually written by a member of a cult...look it up). If wee have more accurate diagnostic tools, we can better address the problem. As for politics, it's not a separate sphere of human behavior, in fact evidence suggest that political mindedness is one of our oldest common traits, so why did we collectively decide to let this skill atrophy? With trust, no consensus, without consensus we have no push back. Work on cross cultural communication and spread the necessary tools to those who have no access to them.
Back in the day, a television or radio source used by enemies to lie and cause trouble, even death and the end of Democracy would have been shut down. As long as there is no will to stop it, (as long as some are making money and gaining power from it, ) it will continue to do harm.
The other side of that coin is that revolutionary materials that would give us more diversity and perspective, as well as autonomy were vilified and shut down. so really what was allowed to be seen by the public was a continuation of Jacksonian history traditions, the creation of a mythology to sell nationalism.
Robert thank you for your excellent thoughts and video. I have witnessed over the years the left and right both become radical. Many Americans are more center than one would believe. That is why we now see so many "Independents". Politicians in Washington DC need to step out of their bubble. Below is the link to an interesting article on Fascism. This was a quote from the article: "In recent years, the rise of populism — political movements that elevate ordinary people over elites — across Europe and the United States has led many to wonder if fascism is resurgent again. Paxton said he does not think fascism is on the rise in the U.S, describing American populist movements as much more traditional conservatism". https://www.livescience.com/57622-fascism.html
the right has moved so far right because of 1. the erosion of the middle class and the increase income inequality, which has created a ripe environment for 2. a fascist leader (Trump) who is good at communicating victimization and grievance, even though he has nothing to offer the victims. (I'm leaving out racism and white supremacy only because it is hardly new). Better government policies and "rules" for the economy could, conceptually, solve Issue 1 if the Dems can ever get them passed. The continued presence of Trump is more problematic. And the mainstream press fuels his presence (in the interest of ratings). The Jan 6 commission is a start, but only a start. In my view, the biggest systematic obstacle to reversing this is the that we are locked into a two-party system and one of the two parties (the Rs) are only interested in power, not in effective government. We need to "innovate" in government, and I am concerned it cannot happen without more room for a third-party or without a full-on implosion of the Republicans. it needs to be easier for new ideas and experimentation to work their way into government policy at all levels
robert, ty so much for putting your thoughts in a short 3 minute cute with cartoons youtube video, so that hopefully many of us followers can and will share on youtube. I can not easily share your insights on youtube, if they are only in the text form. I like being able to share your wisdom and good ideas on facebook so that they can viewed by others in a short 3 minutes.
I think there is a way to reverse it. Getting back to the basics of true religion and political co-operation , by this I mean to remove hate and replace it with love and concern for religious part, and removing Republican anti American platform, by involving a third political party that is willing to advance the well-being of the nation, not the greed and power huggers. If possible these two changes could determine a new future for the advancement of a nation designed to lead the world to the future
We need the basics of humanity, not religion of any kind.
Great artwork on the video/cartoon. So many arms, Robert, so many signs!