I agree on your assessment of Manchin. I won't believe it 'til I see his vote. The rest of your post, just justifies what I have believed for many years. I just don't see how to fix it. unless we can recruit a whole bunch of new legislators who firmly accept the Social Contract, that a society that is fair and just for all is good for the Country. I hope sometime in the future a responsible Congress will do away with lobbyists all together. take money (and TV ) out of politics, have short electioneering periods, and a Congress that is responsible for the welfare of every citizen and the good of America - not just corporate America. I firmly believe Adam Smith had the right idea in the 18th Century, Capitalism is the best economic system ONLY if it is controlled and regulated against excessive greed.
For a few days I had to leave this site because it was depressing....
We know what the diagnosis is, we know what the treatment is...but we can't get the surgical team to respond. In any other venue this would be...malpractice. In government it is just "business as usual."
Would it help if Bernie ran again and won this time. He's for getting big money out of politics,and definitely has strength and drive regardless of his age.
I agree that Bernie would be great. Whether he is now electable would be questionable. The real problem however would still be the legislative branch. If we cannot get enough members supportive of “getting money out of politics” it matters very little who sits in the Oval Office.
No, I think Bernie is just too old to run for Prez. Biden is too old to run again. In the USA all you have to do is breath the word "Socialist" and that is still the kiss of death to establishment Dems and a curse word to republicans.
I agree that 'Socialist' is the kiss of death. But isn't that a shame. Americans have been duped into believing that Communist and Socialist are merely synonyms. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you cash a Social Security check, or take advantage of oil depletion allowances - that is Socialism. As I've said before and repeat now, there is not now, and never has been a Communist regime on Planet Earth. Those countries which call themselves 'Communist' are Dictatorial Authoritarians. (that term goes over like a lead balloon, so they call themselves Communist). The Russian dictators put Russian 'serfs' into 'communes' which were really forced labor camps. The Israelis were smart, they called them kibbutzes and they were voluntary, those citizens who stayed in them for varying lengths of time were helping a 'democratic' style government in which those citizens believed.
I also agree that for some people Bernie and Joe are 'too old', but to those he say this, I say show me a viable Candidate, one with the legislative knowledge, the charisma, the finances, and the following to WIN. What you are really doing in designating Biden a relic, is handing the trumpster a shoo in. There was no one in the 20 something hopefuls leading up to the 2020 election, except Biden, who could have won the electoral college votes (there were a couple of others I liked and admired, but I voted Biden because I knew he could win) Also don't be too quick to dispel the DNC, they want a winner. Another thing the winner needs is for the media not to be able to pick up the Republican slurs against them as the media did with Hillary Clinton.
I am not voting for a guy that is 82 years old. Surely the democratic party can find a decent candidate that is younger than 80 years old to run for office. If Biden runs I think the nation will take a look at him, and reject him especially if inflation is running at 8% or higher in 2024 . The average apolitical American will just look at the grocery bill and vote for anyone who will promise to cool inflation.
That is your prerogative, John. I am 89 so not as ageist as a lot of you
I do agree that a lot of Americans stupidly fall for unfulfillable promises. (you have only to look at the trumpsters to see that) No sane and honest person could promise to "fix" a global economy as complex as the current one. And I repeat find me an electible alrernative and I'll gladly vote for her/him
I like Bernie and think he is a great Senator, but he's also old, had a recent heart attack, so will face the same demerits (no matter how ill deserved) as Joe Biden
Manchin is a democrat. How is that working? The focus on "party" affiliation without regard to candidate tenacity does little. We need issue-focused and issue-committed candidates.
Music to my ears. Less generalizing with the use of Manchin as an example. Also, do you see Susan Collins offering to sign on to any bill like this one that just might happen? (Dammit, we really should have won Maine.)
Agreed. A few days ago, I suggested the Democratic party devise a contract any potential candidate for >any< office must sign, agreeing to abide by the party platform and Democratic initiatives, if they want to declare as Democrats, or face a >minimum< lawsuit of, for example $500,000, including a punitive counter-campaign. Had Manchin and Sinema signed such a device, they could be facing near $billion in lawsuits >now.<
Expressed that way, it probably couldn't work, but I can't help thinking >some similar measure< could be devised.
Val Demings is a great candidate in Florida. Florida is now a blood red state, so if she can win it will be a great breakthrough for Dems in Florida and the country.
Leading in 4 senate races we can flip -- counting Ohio maybe 5.
I am also watching states like Iowa. Grassley is 88. Tied to 1/6. Democrat is a retired admiral. Republican candidates in other states tied to Trump can fall.
Regardless of all the wank-publi-babble, I don't consider the Democrats particularly "leftist." These folks are claiming to be centrist. I'm wondering: centrist with respect to >what?< This is all ill-defined, relativist terminology having increasingly decreasing meaning - if you get the rhetoric I used to characterize it!
Also, it'll split the vote if it makes headway. Will it be the way Perot split the vote, or will it be more like the way Nader split the vote?
That's consistent with my thinking - horse trading - but I'm not convinced that such a low deal was what anyone had in mind. Then again, I'm no mind reader.
I think Adam Smith believed most businessmen were thieves and had to be watched. Capitalism promised humanity Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and then gave them exploitation, slavery and oppression.
Of course, you are correct, Homo sapiens come in two flavors - those who love themselves more than anything in the world, and those who share some concern for other beings. In my lifetime, I've observed that most (but not all) of the wealth are in the first flavor
Hooray! The alternative was nothing. "Even though it’s not up to the scale of the challenge, it will give Democrats something to crow about in the upcoming midterms."
We needed to show that government can work -- in the face of Fascist opposition.
According to WAPO it's the largest such investment in U.S. history. According to Manchin, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will make a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030. The bill will also finally allow Medicare to negotiate for prescription drug prices and extend the expanded Affordable Care Act program for three years, through 2025.
Sweep the midterms and this is a stepping stone to solve "the twin challenges of growing inequality and big money drowning American politics."
It disturbs me the military budget increases without debate and audits. In contrast, the people accept an outrageous capitalist system that soaks for every last penny from the cradle to the grave for health care and elder are.
Our legislators have no concerns about the climate disaster that is easily witnessed every day. The pandemic proved inaction with a twist politicization of basic human needs is the name game in the United States. The action that did happen was slow and weak for the people. But corporate welfare is always job one in this government, which is actually corporate socialism.
Excellent and understandable, as always. I think that as well as raising taxes on those who don't pay their resource-chains a fair share - which I imagine is (almost?) all the top earners - we need to remember those who wriggle out of paying due taxes too (Facebook, Google, trump etc.). How much is being lost to tax-trickers like them?
Regarding the high earner CEOs such as Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, etc., I encourage you, if you have not already, to read the ProPublica article on how these UNPATRIOTIC slugs pay NO Federal Income Taxes. Paying Federal Income Taxes IS patriotic. These people have gotten HUGE grants and other monies from the U.S. government, in other words, the U.S. Taxpayers (the PATRIOTS). These people's wealth is primarily made through stocks granted to them through their own company, and they do NOT sell the stock as they would then have to pay taxes by law on the sales income. So instead, they turn to people such as Jaime Dimon of JPMorgan who "lends" them money using their stock as collateral and these wealthy people negotiate to pay interest to the bank for the loan. So, they "trade" maybe 5% interest to JPMorgan and AVOID PAYING 50% Federal Income tax into this country's treasury. KNOWING that these people "work the system" this way, laws MUST be passed that prohibits these tax avoidance schemes. OUTLAW the coziness between the financial institutions and these UNPATRIOTIC "grifters" who have used the American system, and Americans, to amass their wealth. Disgusting on so many levels.
Absolutely. And while we're at it, we should pass a law that only U. S. citizens can make any political contributions. There is no reason that a corporation should be able to donate. That gives the people who run them thousands of votes in effect, while most people have only one vote.
We’ve done this dance before, I have no reason to believe Manchin will follow through (in fact, if I had money to bet I’d say he’ll back out at the eleventh hour again) but even if he goes through with it, it’s not nearly enough. Don’t get me wrong it would be good, just not good enough. We need more Democrats in congress whose priorities aren’t solely on lining their pockets. They exist we just need to elect them.
The stuff in that video is no longer insane to me, it’s just the modern Republican Party, what is insane is just how many people are perfectly okay with that and even celebrate it.
This should give you pause, then. The stuff in that video no longer seems insane for the people who are perfectly okay with it, either. It's all become so "normalized." Just sayin'.
Very good information, as usual. Money is the big challenge, in the form of increasing gross inequality. A windfall profit tax is overdue, especially with the climate heating reality. It would be good to make it uncool to be a source of excessive heating ; put the blame where it belongs on those who have dynastic wealth who pay little or nothing in taxes. They should be the 'low hanging fruit' to blame!
Why do I keep thinking of the Peanuts cartoon in which Lucy holds a football in place and Charlie Brown runs toward the well-placed ball, planning to kick it?
I guess my point was : both parties, Democrats and Republicans, have largely been serving corporate and wealthy interests for the last 40 years. In that way it’s seemed like “one party rule.”
WARNING - DIFFERENT TOPIC - I had a thought last night!
What if we all were to register as Republicans in time to have our votes count in the Republican Presidential Primary? That way we could help insure a Rump defeat and a more moderate republican candidate. AND hopefully pull this divided country together again.
Your “more moderate republican candidate” does not exist. Ron DeSantis (Ron DeSatan) is the heir apparent. He is exponentially more frightening than trump.
No, in the more authoritarian way. More sinister, cunning and anti-democratic. Here are the bills passed in the Florida legislature this year, signed by DeSatan, just for starters (please note each is designated as “good” for or “bad” for Floridians, according to Progress Florida/Florida Watch:
Paula Mandell; In my odd penchant for brevity my words are not that clear, sometimes.
You write: "Your “more moderate republican candidate” does not exist. Ron DeSantis (Ron DeSatan) is the heir apparent. He is exponentially more frightening than trump."
My comment: "Yes, but not in that loose cannon kind of way."
I write this time: I agree with you, but not wholly. Moderate republicans are out there, there is no lock on anything to do with politics especially these days.
On the "loose cannon", I'll be more clear, trump seemingly wakes up in a new world every day, not knowing what he thinks or will be saying in the next ten minutes, but DeSantis does know exactly what he is doing and it is not good for anyone, unless you are filling his pockets with (support).
In my opinion when it comes to the working class, civil rights and basic human rights Ron DeSantis is a sinister piece of , , , , work.
Hey, how about Ron DeSinister. Anyway, thanks for the interesting link.
Yes Dan, This would be an at of desperation and a temporary one. But do you think your vote will make much of a difference in the Democratic Presidential Primary? Who are you going to vote for, Biden or Biden? In this race, I think the Vice-Presidential candidate would be more important.
I don't support ANY senate Republicans. I don't want a Republican president.
I'm not a political boss, and only have one vote, but I have a track record. When I made calls for Biden to Republicans, I spoke benefits. I had people call me back to thank me. It only takes a few percentage points to win some races.
these ultra rich elites and big corporations won't be crowing so loudly after the revolution has started where the working class and poor -- which i sometimes refer to as the modern slave class -- pick up arms and level the economic and fiscal playing field a bit.
one thing that must be done immediately (amongst all the other "immediate" legislative priorities) is to outlaw lobbying amongst former (?) politicians at every level.
another pressing thing we must do is to make sure people know who their enemies are. big oil is a big enemy of the people, especially shell oil, which doubled their already insane profits ( https://twitter.com/PaidToPollute/status/1552554216840994816 ) TotalEnergies and Centrica (owner of British Gas) as we read here: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-total-continue-buyback-bonanza-after-record-profits-2022-07-28/ (please make sure you understand that graph embedded in the piece: it's really important. better yet, tweet or retweet it often.) so whilst we will be spending a king's ransom on energy we will still be wearing sweaters and coats whilst freezing our body parts off this winter, or burning the last of the furniture to stay warm. just paying for energy needed to simply keep from freezing to death doesn't include the massive price increases on food, shelter and other necessities, like medications, that we are expected to pay for despite our wage DECREASES. is this any way to live? how long before we've all had enough?
@Grrl. Train strikes in London - not the first or the last. Tories looking more and more like the dumb and dumber versions of the muppets. I hate to say it, but it sure looks like we need some worker activism in this country. How about the Occupy! movement coming back? Or let's say, getting more press?
wish i could help you with press coverage, but alas, although i am a firebrand in real life and on social media, this is not my specialty on forbes, where i write about science, surprisingly enough.
"America needs a pro-democracy movement ". Yay, you said it! But a pro-democracy movement focussed (also) on having Americans understand their democratic deficits and hopefully to want to remedy them.
It seems that the Democratic party's whole way of working is to have slightly left economic reforms just out of reach. Joe Manchin is playing his part.
Dear Professor, the specificity with which you critique the Democrats is very helpful and refreshing! Yet the Democratic Party, among the two choices (!) we actually have is the only party fielding candidates at all sympathetic to economic fairness, regulation of internationalist corporations and fair taxation of the richest of the rich. Since all politics are local, only the folks in Manchin's state (for example) can change their senator as the rest of us look on. Not likely. We can only do what Daniel Solomon says in today's post - elect the ones you can, send money to those who might make a difference, actively support the progressives we actually have. With two more senators "not Sinema, not Manchin" more of the "right stuff" can get done! Maybe only slightly more, but hey....
May good change come to pass! I look at the Scandinavian social democracies, and their solutions for social challenges, and I wish we could take a leaf from their books. Thank you for our essay today - we all need to push hard on this one.
Dear Mr. Reich: Bravo! There is no existing law that says capitalism cannot be fair, but relying on good intentions is not enough. The tax and debt burden can no longer be the sole responsibility of the middle class. Ellis Johnson M.D.
I agree on your assessment of Manchin. I won't believe it 'til I see his vote. The rest of your post, just justifies what I have believed for many years. I just don't see how to fix it. unless we can recruit a whole bunch of new legislators who firmly accept the Social Contract, that a society that is fair and just for all is good for the Country. I hope sometime in the future a responsible Congress will do away with lobbyists all together. take money (and TV ) out of politics, have short electioneering periods, and a Congress that is responsible for the welfare of every citizen and the good of America - not just corporate America. I firmly believe Adam Smith had the right idea in the 18th Century, Capitalism is the best economic system ONLY if it is controlled and regulated against excessive greed.
For a few days I had to leave this site because it was depressing....
We know what the diagnosis is, we know what the treatment is...but we can't get the surgical team to respond. In any other venue this would be...malpractice. In government it is just "business as usual."
Agree, but it is worse than 'business as usual' it is "my power is more important than ANYTHING"
Totally agree, Fay. Thank you.
Would it help if Bernie ran again and won this time. He's for getting big money out of politics,and definitely has strength and drive regardless of his age.
I agree that Bernie would be great. Whether he is now electable would be questionable. The real problem however would still be the legislative branch. If we cannot get enough members supportive of “getting money out of politics” it matters very little who sits in the Oval Office.
No, I think Bernie is just too old to run for Prez. Biden is too old to run again. In the USA all you have to do is breath the word "Socialist" and that is still the kiss of death to establishment Dems and a curse word to republicans.
I agree that 'Socialist' is the kiss of death. But isn't that a shame. Americans have been duped into believing that Communist and Socialist are merely synonyms. Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you cash a Social Security check, or take advantage of oil depletion allowances - that is Socialism. As I've said before and repeat now, there is not now, and never has been a Communist regime on Planet Earth. Those countries which call themselves 'Communist' are Dictatorial Authoritarians. (that term goes over like a lead balloon, so they call themselves Communist). The Russian dictators put Russian 'serfs' into 'communes' which were really forced labor camps. The Israelis were smart, they called them kibbutzes and they were voluntary, those citizens who stayed in them for varying lengths of time were helping a 'democratic' style government in which those citizens believed.
I also agree that for some people Bernie and Joe are 'too old', but to those he say this, I say show me a viable Candidate, one with the legislative knowledge, the charisma, the finances, and the following to WIN. What you are really doing in designating Biden a relic, is handing the trumpster a shoo in. There was no one in the 20 something hopefuls leading up to the 2020 election, except Biden, who could have won the electoral college votes (there were a couple of others I liked and admired, but I voted Biden because I knew he could win) Also don't be too quick to dispel the DNC, they want a winner. Another thing the winner needs is for the media not to be able to pick up the Republican slurs against them as the media did with Hillary Clinton.
I am not voting for a guy that is 82 years old. Surely the democratic party can find a decent candidate that is younger than 80 years old to run for office. If Biden runs I think the nation will take a look at him, and reject him especially if inflation is running at 8% or higher in 2024 . The average apolitical American will just look at the grocery bill and vote for anyone who will promise to cool inflation.
That is your prerogative, John. I am 89 so not as ageist as a lot of you
I do agree that a lot of Americans stupidly fall for unfulfillable promises. (you have only to look at the trumpsters to see that) No sane and honest person could promise to "fix" a global economy as complex as the current one. And I repeat find me an electible alrernative and I'll gladly vote for her/him
I like Bernie and think he is a great Senator, but he's also old, had a recent heart attack, so will face the same demerits (no matter how ill deserved) as Joe Biden
I feel your pain.
How to fix it? Elect more Democrats.
In order to win, we can FLIP four Senate races in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Leading in Ohio.
Manchin is a democrat. How is that working? The focus on "party" affiliation without regard to candidate tenacity does little. We need issue-focused and issue-committed candidates.
48 senate Democrats stand willing, ready and able. Life is tough. Got to fight using available resources. This is a win!
Music to my ears. Less generalizing with the use of Manchin as an example. Also, do you see Susan Collins offering to sign on to any bill like this one that just might happen? (Dammit, we really should have won Maine.)
Absolutely. (By the way, your sentiment reminds me of my military service.)
Carry on. As you were.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
If it squeaks put a light coat of oil on it.
@Jaime. Yes! And all the potential issue-focused candidates are Democrats!
Agreed. A few days ago, I suggested the Democratic party devise a contract any potential candidate for >any< office must sign, agreeing to abide by the party platform and Democratic initiatives, if they want to declare as Democrats, or face a >minimum< lawsuit of, for example $500,000, including a punitive counter-campaign. Had Manchin and Sinema signed such a device, they could be facing near $billion in lawsuits >now.<
Expressed that way, it probably couldn't work, but I can't help thinking >some similar measure< could be devised.
You’re such a dreamer, D. 😀
It's a dirty job, but somebody's got'ta do it! LOL! ];-)>
Val Demings is a great candidate in Florida. Florida is now a blood red state, so if she can win it will be a great breakthrough for Dems in Florida and the country.
It’s a blood red state?
Trifecta: state legislature, governor, all but one cabinet position (Sec’y of Ag, Nikki Fried is a Dem) are controlled by Repugs.
I would agree if the potential candidates are willing to agree to put the good of the citizens above their personal good.
48 of 50 senate Democrats wanted to break the filibuster for voting rights, abortion rights, etc.
Which is why we need at least 2 additional real Democratic Senators. Then we need to permanently eliminate the filibuster forever.
Leading in 4 senate races we can flip -- counting Ohio maybe 5.
I am also watching states like Iowa. Grassley is 88. Tied to 1/6. Democrat is a retired admiral. Republican candidates in other states tied to Trump can fall.
@DS: What do you make of this? : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/27/forward-republicans-democrats-new-third-political-party
Regardless of all the wank-publi-babble, I don't consider the Democrats particularly "leftist." These folks are claiming to be centrist. I'm wondering: centrist with respect to >what?< This is all ill-defined, relativist terminology having increasingly decreasing meaning - if you get the rhetoric I used to characterize it!
Also, it'll split the vote if it makes headway. Will it be the way Perot split the vote, or will it be more like the way Nader split the vote?
Elect more Reds.
Or pinks! (Compromise!)
= D
What does anyone make of this? : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/27/manchin-deal-democrats-schumer-reconciliation-bill-climate-health
I can't help noticing that the bill has significantly less funding than originally asked.
Isn’t that the result of compromise and why when I list a car for sale I add a few dollars that I will give up when I do compromise.
That's consistent with my thinking - horse trading - but I'm not convinced that such a low deal was what anyone had in mind. Then again, I'm no mind reader.
Better than NOTHING.
Will help elect more Democrats.
True enough.
I think Adam Smith believed most businessmen were thieves and had to be watched. Capitalism promised humanity Liberty, Equality and Fraternity and then gave them exploitation, slavery and oppression.
Of course, you are correct, Homo sapiens come in two flavors - those who love themselves more than anything in the world, and those who share some concern for other beings. In my lifetime, I've observed that most (but not all) of the wealth are in the first flavor
Excellent ty ☮️👍
Hooray! The alternative was nothing. "Even though it’s not up to the scale of the challenge, it will give Democrats something to crow about in the upcoming midterms."
We needed to show that government can work -- in the face of Fascist opposition.
According to WAPO it's the largest such investment in U.S. history. According to Manchin, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will make a historic down payment on deficit reduction to fight inflation, invest in domestic energy production and manufacturing, and reduce carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030. The bill will also finally allow Medicare to negotiate for prescription drug prices and extend the expanded Affordable Care Act program for three years, through 2025.
Sweep the midterms and this is a stepping stone to solve "the twin challenges of growing inequality and big money drowning American politics."
Very well said. Ty ☮️👍
It disturbs me the military budget increases without debate and audits. In contrast, the people accept an outrageous capitalist system that soaks for every last penny from the cradle to the grave for health care and elder are.
Our legislators have no concerns about the climate disaster that is easily witnessed every day. The pandemic proved inaction with a twist politicization of basic human needs is the name game in the United States. The action that did happen was slow and weak for the people. But corporate welfare is always job one in this government, which is actually corporate socialism.
Excellent and understandable, as always. I think that as well as raising taxes on those who don't pay their resource-chains a fair share - which I imagine is (almost?) all the top earners - we need to remember those who wriggle out of paying due taxes too (Facebook, Google, trump etc.). How much is being lost to tax-trickers like them?
Regarding the high earner CEOs such as Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, etc., I encourage you, if you have not already, to read the ProPublica article on how these UNPATRIOTIC slugs pay NO Federal Income Taxes. Paying Federal Income Taxes IS patriotic. These people have gotten HUGE grants and other monies from the U.S. government, in other words, the U.S. Taxpayers (the PATRIOTS). These people's wealth is primarily made through stocks granted to them through their own company, and they do NOT sell the stock as they would then have to pay taxes by law on the sales income. So instead, they turn to people such as Jaime Dimon of JPMorgan who "lends" them money using their stock as collateral and these wealthy people negotiate to pay interest to the bank for the loan. So, they "trade" maybe 5% interest to JPMorgan and AVOID PAYING 50% Federal Income tax into this country's treasury. KNOWING that these people "work the system" this way, laws MUST be passed that prohibits these tax avoidance schemes. OUTLAW the coziness between the financial institutions and these UNPATRIOTIC "grifters" who have used the American system, and Americans, to amass their wealth. Disgusting on so many levels.
Absolutely. And while we're at it, we should pass a law that only U. S. citizens can make any political contributions. There is no reason that a corporation should be able to donate. That gives the people who run them thousands of votes in effect, while most people have only one vote.
Very much agree; just wondered if there're any figures to quantify how much is being lost (and in some cases stolen) through such 'sharp practices'.
We’ve done this dance before, I have no reason to believe Manchin will follow through (in fact, if I had money to bet I’d say he’ll back out at the eleventh hour again) but even if he goes through with it, it’s not nearly enough. Don’t get me wrong it would be good, just not good enough. We need more Democrats in congress whose priorities aren’t solely on lining their pockets. They exist we just need to elect them.
The insanity rule. Doing the same thing expecting different results
Speaking of the insanity rule, you may find this a bit amusing: https://youtu.be/XLPLb18pssM
The stuff in that video is no longer insane to me, it’s just the modern Republican Party, what is insane is just how many people are perfectly okay with that and even celebrate it.
This should give you pause, then. The stuff in that video no longer seems insane for the people who are perfectly okay with it, either. It's all become so "normalized." Just sayin'.
I’m not saying it’s okay or normal or that it’s something that we should accept. Just that it doesn’t surprise me anymore.
I hear ya'!
Gosh a public display of insanity worthy of a graduate course in psychopathology!
It’s how we’ve operated most of my life thus far (I’m 35 for reference.)
Heart.
Very good information, as usual. Money is the big challenge, in the form of increasing gross inequality. A windfall profit tax is overdue, especially with the climate heating reality. It would be good to make it uncool to be a source of excessive heating ; put the blame where it belongs on those who have dynastic wealth who pay little or nothing in taxes. They should be the 'low hanging fruit' to blame!
As my ol' pappy used to say..."it's a start."
Thank you Dr. Reich for letting us see the substance beyond the fog.
Why do I keep thinking of the Peanuts cartoon in which Lucy holds a football in place and Charlie Brown runs toward the well-placed ball, planning to kick it?
BECAUSE WE ARE THE FOOTBALL!
This is why people have felt there’s basically been a “one party rule” for a very long time.
I prefer to think of it as Minority Party Rule for a very long time!
I guess my point was : both parties, Democrats and Republicans, have largely been serving corporate and wealthy interests for the last 40 years. In that way it’s seemed like “one party rule.”
WARNING - DIFFERENT TOPIC - I had a thought last night!
What if we all were to register as Republicans in time to have our votes count in the Republican Presidential Primary? That way we could help insure a Rump defeat and a more moderate republican candidate. AND hopefully pull this divided country together again.
@Jerry. Bad idea! We need every vote we can get on the Democratic side!
Your “more moderate republican candidate” does not exist. Ron DeSantis (Ron DeSatan) is the heir apparent. He is exponentially more frightening than trump.
Yes, but not in that loose cannon kind of way.
No, in the more authoritarian way. More sinister, cunning and anti-democratic. Here are the bills passed in the Florida legislature this year, signed by DeSatan, just for starters (please note each is designated as “good” for or “bad” for Floridians, according to Progress Florida/Florida Watch:
https://www.floridareportcard.com/bills/2022
There are links to previous years’ bills, if you are interested.
Paula Mandell; In my odd penchant for brevity my words are not that clear, sometimes.
You write: "Your “more moderate republican candidate” does not exist. Ron DeSantis (Ron DeSatan) is the heir apparent. He is exponentially more frightening than trump."
My comment: "Yes, but not in that loose cannon kind of way."
I write this time: I agree with you, but not wholly. Moderate republicans are out there, there is no lock on anything to do with politics especially these days.
On the "loose cannon", I'll be more clear, trump seemingly wakes up in a new world every day, not knowing what he thinks or will be saying in the next ten minutes, but DeSantis does know exactly what he is doing and it is not good for anyone, unless you are filling his pockets with (support).
In my opinion when it comes to the working class, civil rights and basic human rights Ron DeSantis is a sinister piece of , , , , work.
Hey, how about Ron DeSinister. Anyway, thanks for the interesting link.
- Returning to brevity.
I like it: “Ron DeSinister”!
Go back to sleep.
Yes Dan, This would be an at of desperation and a temporary one. But do you think your vote will make much of a difference in the Democratic Presidential Primary? Who are you going to vote for, Biden or Biden? In this race, I think the Vice-Presidential candidate would be more important.
I don't support ANY senate Republicans. I don't want a Republican president.
I'm not a political boss, and only have one vote, but I have a track record. When I made calls for Biden to Republicans, I spoke benefits. I had people call me back to thank me. It only takes a few percentage points to win some races.
GOOD ENOUGH! Thank you for your efforts.
You think Republican voters wouldn't return the favor, Jerry King, generating a contest between the worst candidates in each party?
these ultra rich elites and big corporations won't be crowing so loudly after the revolution has started where the working class and poor -- which i sometimes refer to as the modern slave class -- pick up arms and level the economic and fiscal playing field a bit.
one thing that must be done immediately (amongst all the other "immediate" legislative priorities) is to outlaw lobbying amongst former (?) politicians at every level.
another pressing thing we must do is to make sure people know who their enemies are. big oil is a big enemy of the people, especially shell oil, which doubled their already insane profits ( https://twitter.com/PaidToPollute/status/1552554216840994816 ) TotalEnergies and Centrica (owner of British Gas) as we read here: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-total-continue-buyback-bonanza-after-record-profits-2022-07-28/ (please make sure you understand that graph embedded in the piece: it's really important. better yet, tweet or retweet it often.) so whilst we will be spending a king's ransom on energy we will still be wearing sweaters and coats whilst freezing our body parts off this winter, or burning the last of the furniture to stay warm. just paying for energy needed to simply keep from freezing to death doesn't include the massive price increases on food, shelter and other necessities, like medications, that we are expected to pay for despite our wage DECREASES. is this any way to live? how long before we've all had enough?
@Grrl. Train strikes in London - not the first or the last. Tories looking more and more like the dumb and dumber versions of the muppets. I hate to say it, but it sure looks like we need some worker activism in this country. How about the Occupy! movement coming back? Or let's say, getting more press?
wish i could help you with press coverage, but alas, although i am a firebrand in real life and on social media, this is not my specialty on forbes, where i write about science, surprisingly enough.
"America needs a pro-democracy movement ". Yay, you said it! But a pro-democracy movement focussed (also) on having Americans understand their democratic deficits and hopefully to want to remedy them.
It seems that the Democratic party's whole way of working is to have slightly left economic reforms just out of reach. Joe Manchin is playing his part.
Democracy is messy. We are too close to Fascism to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I agree about not trusting Manchin. I don't know, however, how causing retired people to have to sell their homes is "progressive."
Dear Professor, the specificity with which you critique the Democrats is very helpful and refreshing! Yet the Democratic Party, among the two choices (!) we actually have is the only party fielding candidates at all sympathetic to economic fairness, regulation of internationalist corporations and fair taxation of the richest of the rich. Since all politics are local, only the folks in Manchin's state (for example) can change their senator as the rest of us look on. Not likely. We can only do what Daniel Solomon says in today's post - elect the ones you can, send money to those who might make a difference, actively support the progressives we actually have. With two more senators "not Sinema, not Manchin" more of the "right stuff" can get done! Maybe only slightly more, but hey....
May good change come to pass! I look at the Scandinavian social democracies, and their solutions for social challenges, and I wish we could take a leaf from their books. Thank you for our essay today - we all need to push hard on this one.
Dear Mr. Reich: Bravo! There is no existing law that says capitalism cannot be fair, but relying on good intentions is not enough. The tax and debt burden can no longer be the sole responsibility of the middle class. Ellis Johnson M.D.