264 Comments

"Two things only the people anxiously desire; bread and circuses." Dr. Reich, I saw two of your articles in the media yesterday. I have been waiting for the tipping point, where enough people understand why our government will never work for the majority that we can change it with amendments. But it doesn't seem near. It is discouraging to see my children and grandchildren struggle to survive the same way I did. Not much changes. What's the answer? Until the electoral college, gerrymandering, and Citizens United are in the review mirror, I don't see hope going forward.

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Here’s a big idea to make this tax proposal even sweeter: raise the corporate rate to 28% BUT KEEP IT AT 21% FOR ANY CORPORATION or private entity that makes less than $20 million in gross revenue. That means most of the big dollar, medium sized business owners will actually come out BETTER than their bigger rivals in the marketplace. Biden could call it the Anti-Monopoly Tax Tier, and promote it as giving the “little guy” a better shake.

Biden wants to brand himself as a pragmatic capitalist, and this is a fine way to usher in that reputation.

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The only thing that ever trickled down was the dye on Rudy Giuliani’s head.

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Political theater with the Fed too. Jerome Powell is wrecking Biden’s economy with now pointless rate hikes. The same way the Fed juices it for Republicans by keeping it low. It’s all theater - but it’s me paying for their tickets to the show.

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“A giant tax increase on the super-rich would be a miracle, given their political clout.“ This is indeed the root problem of our time! The massive and unjust power of the super-rich and their corporations is exactly why Pramila Jayapal has introduced HJR48, the We the People Amendment! But SCOTUS will not overrule itself. Please help out at movetoamend.org

We can, and must restore the power of the people, and good governance!

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Thank you for everything you do, Robert! 🙏

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"The tax cuts were real, but the idea they were based on was always a fantasy. "

Or better described as a 'ruse'?

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McCarthy long ago committed to oppose raising the debt ceiling as part of his bargain with the MAGA faction that allowed him to become Speaker. But no one else was part of that bargain. The majority of House Members never agreed to hold the national economy hostage in exchange for unattainable concessions from the Executive branch. And whatever drama may precede it, a cross-party alliance will inevitably be the means by which this “crisis” ends.

Or it could be ended before it begins. A cross-party alliance can remove the Speaker with a “motion to vacate the chair” at any time, and elect a moderate Republican Speaker who owes nothing to the MAGA radicals. It’s the only way to end the dominance of the extremist MAGA minority in the House, and the only way to restore a normal functioning legislature.

(I represent a network of ordinary citizens who have been working to help achieve the removal and replacement of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. To learn more, please visit "Feathers of Hope" at jerryweiss.substack.com. )

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Let’s hope the Republicans Debt ceiling absurdity doesn’t tip into a tragedy where the negotiators run out of time. And each repeat performance in this theatre of the absurd costs the US credibility : the fear that the actors, this time, have over played their hand.

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I just read President Biden made a deal with big oil in Alaska. Progressive rhetoric to the public counters what is said by democratic elite profiting in closed session deals. Humanity is incapable of ending the hegemony pursuit that drives our extinction.

We are led with lies

to fight over scraps as our flooded poisoned planet is set ablaze.

Please

Can you watch Jeffery Sachs’ lecture answering an audience member’s question?

He goes in to a scary history on Ukraine finishing with a horrifying present day conclusion. I click this note into my phone

heartbroken. I am frightened.

https://youtu.be/O7KcutogvsA

Click the link or search for his channel, He uploaded this an hour ago, March 8th a little after 8:00pm here in Michigan

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If Biden's tax proposal is theatrics, for the near term, then hopefully it will at least bring the idea into the forefront and get more attention as the 2024 election season gets going. If the idea is wildly popular with the American people, it should be leveraged in '24 to bring in enough Democrats and independents to be able to make real change. If (as I've read several times already) a Trump nomination for the GOP is a benefit to the Dems, then let's use this combination of forces to lay the groundwork for this billionaires tax. I'd prefer a millionaire tax (as Sen. Warren has pushed), but any kind of tax on the super-rich is a move in the right direction.

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“The tax cuts were real, but the idea they were based on was always a fantasy.”

A fantasy? That implies a forgivable delusion. But supply side has never been anything but a cynical lie, of the kind always at the heart of every swindle. And a swindle it always is, because it steals the future from those with the unhappiest of pasts.

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Excellent analysis of the reality of what will in all likelihood probably happen 👍 😀 just don't give away all of Gpa Joe's secrets as our country dearly needs him to steer us all thru these waves of seditious insurrectionists hell bent on imposing their dysfunctional control over all of America 🇺🇸 God bless the President and these United States of America 🇺🇸 👍 😀 💙

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Prof. Reich! Now you've given us a cliff-hanger! How did your debate go? How did your audience respond? Do continue your story .... please!

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Thank you for this reassurance. Now you need to reassure us that in the next election the present GOP will not turn the US into a Nazi crazed white-Christian filled-with-hate nation-state

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Why can't the 'fantasy' tax increase at the top be over the 30% that is paid by the middle class? If we're going to have a fantasy it might as well be a good one!

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