May 12, 2023·edited May 12, 2023Liked by Robert Reich
“Wealth isn’t a zero-sum game in which the rich get richer only if others become poorer, but political power is zero-sum.”
It may not be zero-sum, BUT the fact is that the parts of the United States with the weakest economies and poorest people are those with Republican governance, something that’s NOT an unintended consequence of poor economic policy but DELIBERATE, because surrounding themselves with poor and lower-middle class masses, whose limited incomes help keep a lid on the prices of basic goods and services, increases the buying power of the rich, as the cost of those goods and services will rise only as high as the majority of those who need and want them are willing and able to pay.
Individually, it's easy to analyze whether a voter is a maker or a taker. 90% of Republican voters in red states are net takers but think they are makers.
The issue is how to have them reach self-realization.
IMHO you get flies with honey -- not vinegar. Self-realization therapy?
I think that President Biden is missing a golden opportunity: when Kevin McCarthy and his caucus insist on cuts, cuts, cuts in federal spending (and Biden should make it clear to the public that the federal government furnishes them with countless essential services that one cannot buy from the private sector no matter how much money one has), the first cuts that will be be made are in services to and infrastructure projects in the congressional districts of every member of Congress who refuses to vote to raise the debt ceiling.
Beyond this, for decades Republicans have clamored for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, but the balanced-budget amendment the document really needs is one mandating that no state shall receive federal funds and/or services whose costs exceed the federal taxes paid by its residents. That would end the red states’ gravy train once and for all.
I know it doesn't fit but where should I post it? The death of Jorden Neely was tragic, that's a given but what rubs me the wrong way is the crime the prosecutor has determined to charge Daniel Penny with for his actions. Now I don't disagree with his decision, in fact, I agree with it. Mr. Penny didn't intend to kill Mr. Neely through his method of restrainment. The regrettable outcome of the encounter is a sad testament to our society's attitude toward mental illness. Let's go back the another innocent, this one took place in Minnesota in May of 2020. George Floyd died while in police custody at the hands of officer Derek Chauvin. The situation was very similar in nature. Both Mr. Neely and Mr. Floyd were the victims of an act that was unintentional in nature but eventually led to their deaths. One man is being charged with second-degree manslaughter the other was convicted of murder. Where is the difference in the two crimes? The George Floyd trial was labeled as a murder trial before it even began. Whatever happened to the premise you're innocent until proven guilty. Every junior who entered those court proceedings did so with the understanding it was the George Floyd "murder trial," which sent a terrible subconscious message that had a lingering influence on the jury's possible final decision as to Mr. Chauvin's guilt or innocence. That entire mess was handled inappropriately from start to finish. The death of George Floyd was indeed a crime but only on the level that Mr. Penny is being charged with. The two deaths were accidental in nature and the criminal charges should reflect a universal criminal code not one that changes according to the location of the crime committed. Both cases were examples of involuntary manslaughter, nothing more. The Marine should have used better sense and so should the police officer.
Dr Reich, your delivery timing, content of course, clarity... wow you’re such a great communicator/analyst. I kinda already knew the essence of what you’re teaching but you bring it all together and expand on things (e.g., wealth is not zero sum for example)... suffice it to say I’m learning and realizing a lot. I can’t thank you enough for educating us all. Hopefully this community brings you and us some clout to help effect a positive feedback cycle of virtue.
Your comments on cynicism resonated. I do believe a great reset is coming. I'm going to try very hard to be part of the solution back to a virtuous cycle. I remember the 70's when one regular person could work a single job and provide for their whole family. It's been a lifelong journey for me though - I'm in your documentary (EFA) holding a PATCO picket sign at seven years old! My family has watched the change in economic power year by year since the 1980's.
Thank you for never giving up and never losing your hope. You have indeed made a very big difference in my life and many others.
Thank you also for emphasizing the disproportionate amounts of time in which people of color are sitting in jail. As a defense attorney I can confirm that you are spot on as to why they plea. (For anyone interested in more about our CJ system read "Junk Science")
It's a poor people's problem and there are more poor people of color than white. Racism blurs the underlying problems. We need to target the correct problem to find the correct solution for poor blacks and whites. Of course it's obvious that racism is still a problem as we saw how the two Justin's were treated in the Tennessee legislature.
What a great class, so much to think about, so much work that must be done by all of us.I just hope it doesn't take a national disaster, as it did in past history, to right the boat again.
I have the impression that the biggest enemy of democracy in the US is the huge amount of donor money that is (legally) available to politicians and now apparently even people in the judiciary.It is naive to assume that this money is for free. Not having money or donors even seems to be the biggest hurdle for going into politics I often hear. However once a politician, apparently a lot of people seem to gain wealth quickly.......60 years ago I was told by my father to watch out for countries where politicians and government employees are amongst the richest people. I actually worked and lived in countries where this was the case and no surprise, corruption was all around. Another feature is that these corrupt politicians and government officials is that they seemingly were above the law. If needed laws were created to legalise the corruption. In these countries, more than 90% of the population was poor and the benefits of the corruption were only for the few and most was invested abroad. The gap between rich and poor in these countries has only grown and its people and resources are being exploited by the sponsors of politicians. Wealth and power simply go hand in hand, which makes corruption is inevitable. It is naive to assume that corruption does not occur in Western Democracies. To save democracy in US in particular, donor money has be removed from the political scene..... I guess it will be hard to find a majority of politicians who would vote for that.
It all comes down to taxation. Capitalism is a wonderful system for generating a wealthy society, socialism is not. If you doubt that I ask you to consider the German experiment: in 1945 a North-South line was drawn from the Baltic to the Swiss border. The same people lived on both sides. Same language, same history, same awful food. But in the west there was capitalism, in the east there was socialism. Fast forward 20 years and take the lid off. In the west, people were driving Mercedes and BMWs, in the east they had only the Trabant, a car so awful it let the rain in. Enough said.
With capitalism there is inequality, but there is ideally not too much between those at the top and those at the bottom. The middle class remains prosperous. BUT, if inequality becomes too great, the wealthy can afford to buy political privilege, and this enables them to further widen the gap between the wealthy and the middle class, until the middle class actually becomes impoverished. This is not a good society, and it is not a stable society. In fact, it resembles socialism. Look no further than Russia, where there are small numbers of extremely wealthy oligarchs and everyone else is a peasant.
In the US, we now have such a society. This is no longer capitalism but end-stage socialism, for what else is not paying your taxes but government welfare for the rich? Yes, the plutocrats are the new Welfare Queens.
Adam Smith foresaw this problem with his economic system, and to redress it he insisted on strong government to break up monopolies, and he also invented progressive taxation, so the rich not only pay more taxes than the less rich, but a higher PERCENTAGE of their income. This way nobody gets too wealthy, nobody gets too powerful. Now THAT is an economically good society - and we had it in America between 1948 and 1980.
Then along came that horse's ass Ronald Reagan, who cut taxes on the rich and attacked government, thereby violating Adam Smith. The result is what we have today, with the rich paying less taxes than their secretaries, and a government owned by lobbyists. We have homelessness, we have gun violence, we have drug addiction on a massive scale, we have medications that cost 5 or 10 times what Europeans pay, we have 70 million Americans without health insurance. And all because of the Grand Old Party.
The CNN spectacle in New Hampshire was nauseating in that it just confirmed how stupid the electorate can be. But I refuse to believe this audience is typical of the average voter.
There is only ONE way out of this morass, and that is to reverse Reagan. We need much stronger government made possible by much higher taxes on the wealthy. Biden is taking little steps in this direction, and hopefully he will continue by calling McCarthy's bluff on this ridiculous pseudo-concept known as the debt ceiling.
But it will take much more. The DNC has to grow a pair in 2024 and staunchly advocate for massive tax increases on the wealthy (including a wealth tax), gun control, and universal healthcare. As even Trump would say, Whaddyagottalose??
But I don't think the DNC will win by promising to raise taxes. Sadly most of America isn't taking Dr. Reich's course and doesn't get it. The DNC needs to focus on the reality that if they lose this election fascism is here for the foreseeable future. (77 days for the minorities & rainbows to flee if Trump wins.) This next presidential race isn't Democrat v Republican, it's Democracy v Fascism. That messaging needs to be loud and clear.
Respectfully disagree. Biden is already pitching it quite well. Remember, 70% of Americans want to see higher taxes on the wealthy, 72% of Americans want universal healthcare, 70% of Americans want gun control. Why not give them all this?
The last election was about fascism v democracy. How much longer does this need to continue?
I hope you are right, but it needs to continue as long as the threat is imminent. The entire conversation needs to be about getting people registered, ID'd, and to the polls. The problem being that the current electoral college doesn't allow the 70% to make the decision unless the can vote and do vote. All of them.
Michael Hutchinson. As a physician, isn't the predicate to anything else - healing -- the real problem - correcting self immolation of 90% of Republican voters who undermine their own economic and physical health?
If THEY get the right therapy, won't we all be more healthy, wealthy and wise?
In your medical opinion, to a reasonable degree of certainty, what is the best therapy?
I don't think that 90% of Republicans vote against their own (perceived) economic interests or against their own health. Some do. Perhaps 20-30% of uneducated white people do, and then they're voting race, guns and God above any other interests. And frankly, I think a lot of them are disillusioned. Whether they vote Democrat or Republican they get screwed, so why not raise the middle finger and vote for race, guns and God, and against Anheuser-Bush? If you give them something else to vote for, they just might.
I also think a lot of independents have 401Ks, mistakenly believe they are rich, and equate the economy with the stock market. Therefore, they vote for Trump. I think this is the group which showed up for CNN on Tuesday night, and these are the ones that are largely incorrigible.
The large majority of Americans (70%) want decent healthcare, lower drug costs, gun control, and taxes on the rich and corporations. If you had a charismatic Democratic candidate with such a platform, I predict that, even in Florida, you would have little difficulty getting people to the polls.
Again, respectfully disagree. Turnouts are typically 50-60%, yet Biden is still President. Give people something to cheer about and turnout will be much higher, to the advantage of Democrats.
You may be right, but they will cheer for high taxes they don't understand? I mean, I would ... but will the crucial independents? What will they "cheer" for?
Reich referred to the Gilens and Page study that the majority of the average American has a tiny fraction of influence on government policy, and goes on to explain why. I'm eager to see future classes to see how to break the vicious cycle. If I donate to Democrats until it hurts, it's not going to make a bit of difference.
Put up a real candidate, and you may be surprised. If you follow 538, there was a very interesting time in the first half of 2016, after Donald Trump was made Republican nominee and the Democrats were hugging themselves in glee. Finally, the DNC would win in a landslide if only HRC went up against the orange clown, how could the clown possibly succeed against such an accomplished and brilliant woman?
Well, that's not what the polls said. There were numerous hypothetical polls of Trump v Sanders and Trump v HRC. And guess what? Consistently, Sanders beat Trump 70:30, with practically no undecideds (that's the 70% for you). On the other hand HRC and Trump were consistently level-pegging 35:35, with 30% undecided.
So, you could just look at the numbers and see, early on, that Clinton was a terrible candidate. Then the DNC (Axelrod, Brazil, Clyburn etc., sandbagged Bernie.....and the rest is history. Political malpractice, pure and simple.
It's all so easy for Democrats to wring their hands and ask what can be done. C'mon, just field a candidate who will give the 70% what they want. It's not difficult, just do it.
Thanks for letting me know about FiveThirtyEight. I will follow. I was disappointed that HRC was the party's choice over Bernie. Some political hanky-panky must have been involved. "Just field a candidate who will give the people who they want?" Who has the power to do that? How would that candidate be sabotaged by the media? When will the voters be educated to the point they are no longer gullible to media propaganda? If advertising can still sell drugs that clear up your skin with a possible side effect of depression and suicide, how can citizens learn to select candidates who have their best interests foremost?
Well, Bernie was running 70%, so, while undoubtedly you're right that the media would have turned on him, nevertheless 70:30 is a pretty safe cushion. Interesting isn't it, that Dr. Reich voted for Bernie in 2016 (I assume he's a member of the DNC).
As you said, "most Americans aren't taking this course (Reich's). Another great educator, but with a different style that does reach more people, is Michael Moore. His substack this morning (5/12) is about "economic democracy." He said we can't have true democracy unless we have economic democracy and expounds on the idea. He quoted AOC concerning democratic socialism. I recommended Reich's course on "Wealth and Poverty in the comments. I agree with you about what the message for the next election needs to be.
Consistency is one of life's driving needs, knowing, for example, that when we get out of bed in the morning that gravity will hold us to the floor and we do not float off into the sky.
Consistency taken to an extreme is addiction, to power, money, sex, drugs.
Psychologically unstable people with sociopathic or psychotic abnormalities need more and more self-affirming consistency just to exist from day to day.
Sex and drug addiction have recovery approaches.
What would an addiction recovery programme for power and money look like? Why does a billionaire need another billion? How could a power/money addiction programme be implemented?
As my ol' pappy used to say (sometimes in legal arguments) social science is to science as masturbation is to fornication.
The older I get the more I wonder about demagoguery and the effect on the collective racist subconscious. "Psychologically unstable people with sociopathic or psychotic abnormalities need more and more self-affirming consistency just to exist from day to day."
Step 1: scientifically identify the psychologically unstable people among us.
The Pied Piper of America who the billionaires have in their pocket!
Trump’s Town Hall in New Hampshire in front of a crowd of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents quickly turned into a Trump disinformation rally. The audience laughed at his attacks on E. Jean Carroll and cheered his never ending lies. Journalist Kaitlan Collins tried but could not counter his stream of lies. At the end the audience gave him a standing ovation!
Maybe now people will believe just how totally brainwashed the Republicans really are!
The phrase "pied piper" has become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises.
For an in-depth look at how Trump became the Pied Piper and President listen to the following podcast:
Robert, you've latched on to your next career path now that your professorship is behind you. You must become shall we affectionately call you, "TruthBarker!" Expose the lies spread by the Elite class. Their sole purpose of creating divisions within the Masses. To hide themselves and to build their troughs around their fortresses. So, us peons won't recognize they've taken ownership of the Republican Party to control our government from within. To provide further benefits to themselves and to hide their misdeeds from the public. We need you to be our "Purveyor of Justice!"
Thank you for this lecture, most notably the Brandeis admonition and your thought whether America will reset. Senators Warren and Sanders have just endorsed Biden who asserts he "deserves" "fated" a second term. IMHO Reagan Clinton neoliberals unable to connect with America writ large. If Garland allows Trump to run, maybe we deserve "Evil". If not, maybe Liz Cheney would be a more ethical choice even with disgraceful women's health care views. Your thoughts? Heartbroken unable to live in America. Sincerely, Phil willclimatecollapse.org Again, thank you.
We are adding huge numbers of very poor people to our US population. Many will be working here illegally below minimum wage rates, make zero contributions to payroll taxes. How are we ever going to make headway on reducing inequality which is not only a problem at the top but also at the bottom.
I hear the same mantra over and over again that our problems are at the top. Too many wealthy people and their wealth is growing. What about the bottom? What about the massive problem we are experiencing on our border? What about the problems with drugs, mental illness and homelessness which we are experiencing daily in our streets? What about our schools and the huge drop in achievement levels? What about the many young men who no longer go to college?
There are so many questions which never get touched. May be I am missing something.
Go after the corporations that hire people illegally. 60 Minutes just did an expose on PSSI and JBS's disgraceful hiring practices, but the fine for hiring children and undocumented people is just the price and cost of doing business. We need to elect leaders that will protect immigrants and children and punish corporations that abuse people by enacting actual laws and fines that punish corporations, and give jail time for these white-collar executives and business owners who break the law.
And sometimes they do keep their promises. Now is not the time to become cynical and give up. This is why we have elections and can change who is making our policies by voting them out and voting in those that reflect our values and will enact laws and policies that create change for the common good.
I agree with you. I meant that voting isn't working the way it's supposed to, and we need to do something more than get people elected. That's why I'm taking the "Wealth and Poverty" classes, reading, and learning. I'm not giving up and glad you aren't either. Part of the lesson was reasons why good policies fail.
Tia was a small number of immigrants compared to the masses which are now on the move and will be coming if we have open borders. Our support system will disintegrate for sure and Trump will be back in power. It will be like BREXIT.
To help them we need programs, education, less incarceration and more mental health treatment - all like you point out. Those cost money. Congress has to appropriate that money, but congress is giving the money to corporations instead.
“Wealth isn’t a zero-sum game in which the rich get richer only if others become poorer, but political power is zero-sum.”
It may not be zero-sum, BUT the fact is that the parts of the United States with the weakest economies and poorest people are those with Republican governance, something that’s NOT an unintended consequence of poor economic policy but DELIBERATE, because surrounding themselves with poor and lower-middle class masses, whose limited incomes help keep a lid on the prices of basic goods and services, increases the buying power of the rich, as the cost of those goods and services will rise only as high as the majority of those who need and want them are willing and able to pay.
Individually, it's easy to analyze whether a voter is a maker or a taker. 90% of Republican voters in red states are net takers but think they are makers.
The issue is how to have them reach self-realization.
IMHO you get flies with honey -- not vinegar. Self-realization therapy?
According to most sources the aim is to produce sufficiently strong emotional reaction to break the self out of some constricting mold and allow intense experience or change. http://encyclopedia.uia.org/en/development/11807840#:~:text=Description%3A,produced%20are%20of%20varying%20intensity.
What they need is group therapy. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/group-therapy
I think that President Biden is missing a golden opportunity: when Kevin McCarthy and his caucus insist on cuts, cuts, cuts in federal spending (and Biden should make it clear to the public that the federal government furnishes them with countless essential services that one cannot buy from the private sector no matter how much money one has), the first cuts that will be be made are in services to and infrastructure projects in the congressional districts of every member of Congress who refuses to vote to raise the debt ceiling.
Beyond this, for decades Republicans have clamored for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, but the balanced-budget amendment the document really needs is one mandating that no state shall receive federal funds and/or services whose costs exceed the federal taxes paid by its residents. That would end the red states’ gravy train once and for all.
He's been trying to do just that. But he doesn't play on Fox...or even CNN.
He doesn't have authority to withhold benefits.
IMHO logic doesn't work Have to reach emotional basis for self emulation that the Republican politicians seem to want to inflict on Republican voters.
I know it doesn't fit but where should I post it? The death of Jorden Neely was tragic, that's a given but what rubs me the wrong way is the crime the prosecutor has determined to charge Daniel Penny with for his actions. Now I don't disagree with his decision, in fact, I agree with it. Mr. Penny didn't intend to kill Mr. Neely through his method of restrainment. The regrettable outcome of the encounter is a sad testament to our society's attitude toward mental illness. Let's go back the another innocent, this one took place in Minnesota in May of 2020. George Floyd died while in police custody at the hands of officer Derek Chauvin. The situation was very similar in nature. Both Mr. Neely and Mr. Floyd were the victims of an act that was unintentional in nature but eventually led to their deaths. One man is being charged with second-degree manslaughter the other was convicted of murder. Where is the difference in the two crimes? The George Floyd trial was labeled as a murder trial before it even began. Whatever happened to the premise you're innocent until proven guilty. Every junior who entered those court proceedings did so with the understanding it was the George Floyd "murder trial," which sent a terrible subconscious message that had a lingering influence on the jury's possible final decision as to Mr. Chauvin's guilt or innocence. That entire mess was handled inappropriately from start to finish. The death of George Floyd was indeed a crime but only on the level that Mr. Penny is being charged with. The two deaths were accidental in nature and the criminal charges should reflect a universal criminal code not one that changes according to the location of the crime committed. Both cases were examples of involuntary manslaughter, nothing more. The Marine should have used better sense and so should the police officer.
Thank you for leaving these classes up, Professor.
Dr Reich, your delivery timing, content of course, clarity... wow you’re such a great communicator/analyst. I kinda already knew the essence of what you’re teaching but you bring it all together and expand on things (e.g., wealth is not zero sum for example)... suffice it to say I’m learning and realizing a lot. I can’t thank you enough for educating us all. Hopefully this community brings you and us some clout to help effect a positive feedback cycle of virtue.
Your comments on cynicism resonated. I do believe a great reset is coming. I'm going to try very hard to be part of the solution back to a virtuous cycle. I remember the 70's when one regular person could work a single job and provide for their whole family. It's been a lifelong journey for me though - I'm in your documentary (EFA) holding a PATCO picket sign at seven years old! My family has watched the change in economic power year by year since the 1980's.
Thank you for never giving up and never losing your hope. You have indeed made a very big difference in my life and many others.
Thank you also for emphasizing the disproportionate amounts of time in which people of color are sitting in jail. As a defense attorney I can confirm that you are spot on as to why they plea. (For anyone interested in more about our CJ system read "Junk Science")
It's a poor people's problem and there are more poor people of color than white. Racism blurs the underlying problems. We need to target the correct problem to find the correct solution for poor blacks and whites. Of course it's obvious that racism is still a problem as we saw how the two Justin's were treated in the Tennessee legislature.
What a great class, so much to think about, so much work that must be done by all of us.I just hope it doesn't take a national disaster, as it did in past history, to right the boat again.
I have the impression that the biggest enemy of democracy in the US is the huge amount of donor money that is (legally) available to politicians and now apparently even people in the judiciary.It is naive to assume that this money is for free. Not having money or donors even seems to be the biggest hurdle for going into politics I often hear. However once a politician, apparently a lot of people seem to gain wealth quickly.......60 years ago I was told by my father to watch out for countries where politicians and government employees are amongst the richest people. I actually worked and lived in countries where this was the case and no surprise, corruption was all around. Another feature is that these corrupt politicians and government officials is that they seemingly were above the law. If needed laws were created to legalise the corruption. In these countries, more than 90% of the population was poor and the benefits of the corruption were only for the few and most was invested abroad. The gap between rich and poor in these countries has only grown and its people and resources are being exploited by the sponsors of politicians. Wealth and power simply go hand in hand, which makes corruption is inevitable. It is naive to assume that corruption does not occur in Western Democracies. To save democracy in US in particular, donor money has be removed from the political scene..... I guess it will be hard to find a majority of politicians who would vote for that.
Great class! Thank You Mr. Reich
It all comes down to taxation. Capitalism is a wonderful system for generating a wealthy society, socialism is not. If you doubt that I ask you to consider the German experiment: in 1945 a North-South line was drawn from the Baltic to the Swiss border. The same people lived on both sides. Same language, same history, same awful food. But in the west there was capitalism, in the east there was socialism. Fast forward 20 years and take the lid off. In the west, people were driving Mercedes and BMWs, in the east they had only the Trabant, a car so awful it let the rain in. Enough said.
With capitalism there is inequality, but there is ideally not too much between those at the top and those at the bottom. The middle class remains prosperous. BUT, if inequality becomes too great, the wealthy can afford to buy political privilege, and this enables them to further widen the gap between the wealthy and the middle class, until the middle class actually becomes impoverished. This is not a good society, and it is not a stable society. In fact, it resembles socialism. Look no further than Russia, where there are small numbers of extremely wealthy oligarchs and everyone else is a peasant.
In the US, we now have such a society. This is no longer capitalism but end-stage socialism, for what else is not paying your taxes but government welfare for the rich? Yes, the plutocrats are the new Welfare Queens.
Adam Smith foresaw this problem with his economic system, and to redress it he insisted on strong government to break up monopolies, and he also invented progressive taxation, so the rich not only pay more taxes than the less rich, but a higher PERCENTAGE of their income. This way nobody gets too wealthy, nobody gets too powerful. Now THAT is an economically good society - and we had it in America between 1948 and 1980.
Then along came that horse's ass Ronald Reagan, who cut taxes on the rich and attacked government, thereby violating Adam Smith. The result is what we have today, with the rich paying less taxes than their secretaries, and a government owned by lobbyists. We have homelessness, we have gun violence, we have drug addiction on a massive scale, we have medications that cost 5 or 10 times what Europeans pay, we have 70 million Americans without health insurance. And all because of the Grand Old Party.
The CNN spectacle in New Hampshire was nauseating in that it just confirmed how stupid the electorate can be. But I refuse to believe this audience is typical of the average voter.
There is only ONE way out of this morass, and that is to reverse Reagan. We need much stronger government made possible by much higher taxes on the wealthy. Biden is taking little steps in this direction, and hopefully he will continue by calling McCarthy's bluff on this ridiculous pseudo-concept known as the debt ceiling.
But it will take much more. The DNC has to grow a pair in 2024 and staunchly advocate for massive tax increases on the wealthy (including a wealth tax), gun control, and universal healthcare. As even Trump would say, Whaddyagottalose??
But I don't think the DNC will win by promising to raise taxes. Sadly most of America isn't taking Dr. Reich's course and doesn't get it. The DNC needs to focus on the reality that if they lose this election fascism is here for the foreseeable future. (77 days for the minorities & rainbows to flee if Trump wins.) This next presidential race isn't Democrat v Republican, it's Democracy v Fascism. That messaging needs to be loud and clear.
Respectfully disagree. Biden is already pitching it quite well. Remember, 70% of Americans want to see higher taxes on the wealthy, 72% of Americans want universal healthcare, 70% of Americans want gun control. Why not give them all this?
The last election was about fascism v democracy. How much longer does this need to continue?
I hope you are right, but it needs to continue as long as the threat is imminent. The entire conversation needs to be about getting people registered, ID'd, and to the polls. The problem being that the current electoral college doesn't allow the 70% to make the decision unless the can vote and do vote. All of them.
Michael Hutchinson. As a physician, isn't the predicate to anything else - healing -- the real problem - correcting self immolation of 90% of Republican voters who undermine their own economic and physical health?
If THEY get the right therapy, won't we all be more healthy, wealthy and wise?
In your medical opinion, to a reasonable degree of certainty, what is the best therapy?
I don't think that 90% of Republicans vote against their own (perceived) economic interests or against their own health. Some do. Perhaps 20-30% of uneducated white people do, and then they're voting race, guns and God above any other interests. And frankly, I think a lot of them are disillusioned. Whether they vote Democrat or Republican they get screwed, so why not raise the middle finger and vote for race, guns and God, and against Anheuser-Bush? If you give them something else to vote for, they just might.
I also think a lot of independents have 401Ks, mistakenly believe they are rich, and equate the economy with the stock market. Therefore, they vote for Trump. I think this is the group which showed up for CNN on Tuesday night, and these are the ones that are largely incorrigible.
The large majority of Americans (70%) want decent healthcare, lower drug costs, gun control, and taxes on the rich and corporations. If you had a charismatic Democratic candidate with such a platform, I predict that, even in Florida, you would have little difficulty getting people to the polls.
Statistics show that 90% of Republicans in flyover country, where they control Congress certainly vote against their own interests.
You are a doctor. Is there a cure for those people? Certainly higher taxes on the rich do not affect them in the least.
AZ LD13 voter registration drive is setting up at local MVD's and I am volunteering on Tuesday! I am so happy for this volunteer opportunity!
Again, respectfully disagree. Turnouts are typically 50-60%, yet Biden is still President. Give people something to cheer about and turnout will be much higher, to the advantage of Democrats.
You may be right, but they will cheer for high taxes they don't understand? I mean, I would ... but will the crucial independents? What will they "cheer" for?
Saving Social Security and other government benefits is something they should understand.
But too many people exhibit self defeating behavior.....
Reich referred to the Gilens and Page study that the majority of the average American has a tiny fraction of influence on government policy, and goes on to explain why. I'm eager to see future classes to see how to break the vicious cycle. If I donate to Democrats until it hurts, it's not going to make a bit of difference.
Put up a real candidate, and you may be surprised. If you follow 538, there was a very interesting time in the first half of 2016, after Donald Trump was made Republican nominee and the Democrats were hugging themselves in glee. Finally, the DNC would win in a landslide if only HRC went up against the orange clown, how could the clown possibly succeed against such an accomplished and brilliant woman?
Well, that's not what the polls said. There were numerous hypothetical polls of Trump v Sanders and Trump v HRC. And guess what? Consistently, Sanders beat Trump 70:30, with practically no undecideds (that's the 70% for you). On the other hand HRC and Trump were consistently level-pegging 35:35, with 30% undecided.
So, you could just look at the numbers and see, early on, that Clinton was a terrible candidate. Then the DNC (Axelrod, Brazil, Clyburn etc., sandbagged Bernie.....and the rest is history. Political malpractice, pure and simple.
It's all so easy for Democrats to wring their hands and ask what can be done. C'mon, just field a candidate who will give the 70% what they want. It's not difficult, just do it.
Thanks for letting me know about FiveThirtyEight. I will follow. I was disappointed that HRC was the party's choice over Bernie. Some political hanky-panky must have been involved. "Just field a candidate who will give the people who they want?" Who has the power to do that? How would that candidate be sabotaged by the media? When will the voters be educated to the point they are no longer gullible to media propaganda? If advertising can still sell drugs that clear up your skin with a possible side effect of depression and suicide, how can citizens learn to select candidates who have their best interests foremost?
Well, Bernie was running 70%, so, while undoubtedly you're right that the media would have turned on him, nevertheless 70:30 is a pretty safe cushion. Interesting isn't it, that Dr. Reich voted for Bernie in 2016 (I assume he's a member of the DNC).
As you said, "most Americans aren't taking this course (Reich's). Another great educator, but with a different style that does reach more people, is Michael Moore. His substack this morning (5/12) is about "economic democracy." He said we can't have true democracy unless we have economic democracy and expounds on the idea. He quoted AOC concerning democratic socialism. I recommended Reich's course on "Wealth and Poverty in the comments. I agree with you about what the message for the next election needs to be.
Dear Robert
You are amazing. Thank you for sharing these lectures. So enlightening.
You are a national treasure.
Rick Gilbert
If this country's social ignorance was converted to coin we would have no national debt.
I shouldn't have chuckled at your comment because it's sad, but I couldn't help it.
Consistency is one of life's driving needs, knowing, for example, that when we get out of bed in the morning that gravity will hold us to the floor and we do not float off into the sky.
Consistency taken to an extreme is addiction, to power, money, sex, drugs.
Psychologically unstable people with sociopathic or psychotic abnormalities need more and more self-affirming consistency just to exist from day to day.
Sex and drug addiction have recovery approaches.
What would an addiction recovery programme for power and money look like? Why does a billionaire need another billion? How could a power/money addiction programme be implemented?
In this universe gravity is a law of physics,
As my ol' pappy used to say (sometimes in legal arguments) social science is to science as masturbation is to fornication.
The older I get the more I wonder about demagoguery and the effect on the collective racist subconscious. "Psychologically unstable people with sociopathic or psychotic abnormalities need more and more self-affirming consistency just to exist from day to day."
Step 1: scientifically identify the psychologically unstable people among us.
Step 2: Treat it!!!
The Pied Piper of America who the billionaires have in their pocket!
Trump’s Town Hall in New Hampshire in front of a crowd of Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents quickly turned into a Trump disinformation rally. The audience laughed at his attacks on E. Jean Carroll and cheered his never ending lies. Journalist Kaitlan Collins tried but could not counter his stream of lies. At the end the audience gave him a standing ovation!
Maybe now people will believe just how totally brainwashed the Republicans really are!
The phrase "pied piper" has become a metaphor for a person who attracts a following through charisma or false promises.
For an in-depth look at how Trump became the Pied Piper and President listen to the following podcast:
LONG SHADOW
Rise of the American Far Right
replacing the trumpfster's
Nuremberg Rallies with
Nuremberg Trials has
finally begun and
perhaps shall
Soon begin
bearing
more
Fruit!
.
stay Tuned
Robert, you've latched on to your next career path now that your professorship is behind you. You must become shall we affectionately call you, "TruthBarker!" Expose the lies spread by the Elite class. Their sole purpose of creating divisions within the Masses. To hide themselves and to build their troughs around their fortresses. So, us peons won't recognize they've taken ownership of the Republican Party to control our government from within. To provide further benefits to themselves and to hide their misdeeds from the public. We need you to be our "Purveyor of Justice!"
Thank you for this lecture, most notably the Brandeis admonition and your thought whether America will reset. Senators Warren and Sanders have just endorsed Biden who asserts he "deserves" "fated" a second term. IMHO Reagan Clinton neoliberals unable to connect with America writ large. If Garland allows Trump to run, maybe we deserve "Evil". If not, maybe Liz Cheney would be a more ethical choice even with disgraceful women's health care views. Your thoughts? Heartbroken unable to live in America. Sincerely, Phil willclimatecollapse.org Again, thank you.
Thanks for this.
We are adding huge numbers of very poor people to our US population. Many will be working here illegally below minimum wage rates, make zero contributions to payroll taxes. How are we ever going to make headway on reducing inequality which is not only a problem at the top but also at the bottom.
I hear the same mantra over and over again that our problems are at the top. Too many wealthy people and their wealth is growing. What about the bottom? What about the massive problem we are experiencing on our border? What about the problems with drugs, mental illness and homelessness which we are experiencing daily in our streets? What about our schools and the huge drop in achievement levels? What about the many young men who no longer go to college?
There are so many questions which never get touched. May be I am missing something.
Go after the corporations that hire people illegally. 60 Minutes just did an expose on PSSI and JBS's disgraceful hiring practices, but the fine for hiring children and undocumented people is just the price and cost of doing business. We need to elect leaders that will protect immigrants and children and punish corporations that abuse people by enacting actual laws and fines that punish corporations, and give jail time for these white-collar executives and business owners who break the law.
But elected officials seldom keep their promises.
And sometimes they do keep their promises. Now is not the time to become cynical and give up. This is why we have elections and can change who is making our policies by voting them out and voting in those that reflect our values and will enact laws and policies that create change for the common good.
I agree with you. I meant that voting isn't working the way it's supposed to, and we need to do something more than get people elected. That's why I'm taking the "Wealth and Poverty" classes, reading, and learning. I'm not giving up and glad you aren't either. Part of the lesson was reasons why good policies fail.
If businesses don’t hire these non-documented immigrants, what will happen to them?
We change, immigration law and get them documented and part of our economy!
So we just have an open border for the poor of this world? How is that going to solve our poverty problem?
It worked for my Irish and English and Scottish and French and German and Greek Albanian and Italian ancestors.
Tia was a small number of immigrants compared to the masses which are now on the move and will be coming if we have open borders. Our support system will disintegrate for sure and Trump will be back in power. It will be like BREXIT.
To help them we need programs, education, less incarceration and more mental health treatment - all like you point out. Those cost money. Congress has to appropriate that money, but congress is giving the money to corporations instead.
IMHO, the US had something to do with the collapse of the economy of Venezuela and of other South American companies. Keep learning from the classes.
Keep watching the class.
👏