I agree with your description of the problem. I have often felt that the wheels are coming off this country. As just one example, there was a recent opinion column in the New York Times in which the authors report surveying people in the Bronx and abroad over the past five years about vaccine hesitancy. When they drilled down on the data about Covid-19 vaccine acceptance, they found that the real divide was class, not race or political party affiliation. Impoverished people who are barely able to survive feel that the government and society haven't done anything for them, so why should they do anything for society. A quote from the opinion:
"Over the past four decades, governments have slashed budgets and privatized basic services. This has two important consequences for public health. First, people are unlikely to trust institutions that do little for them. And second, public health is no longer viewed as a collective endeavor, based on the principle of social solidarity and mutual obligation. People are conditioned to believe they’re on their own and responsible only for themselves. That means an important source of vaccine hesitancy is the erosion of the idea of a common good."
Another quote: "But as the public purse shrunk in the 1980s, politicians insisted that it’s no longer the government’s job to ensure people’s well-being; instead, Americans were to be responsible only for themselves and their own bodies." We have been indoctrinated with "rugged individualism" and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" blather.
The person who has the most prominent bully pulpit to remedy this at this time is Biden as president. IMO, he should talk less about "bipartisanship," which itself has become a divisive term, and talk more about community, and how we are all dependent on one another for our wellbeing. He should explain how his policies are directed toward that end. And do it frequently and relentlessly, not just an occasional comment.
Well said, Carolyn. Bipartisanship makes everything about politics, but most Americans don't really care about capital-P Politics or are completely disillusioned by it. The common good, looking out for one another, remembering that each of us has been helped by a stranger at some point. This is an idea we can all connect to.
I agree that Biden need to ditch the talk of bipartisanship and call out the Republicans for what they are-- enemies of democracy. I heard a political pundit saying that Biden needs to identify "an enemy" (voter suppression, climate change, gun control) And very forcefully fight for that, calling out opponents for what they stand for. As Biden's polling numbers are falling the country needs to be reminded of all that he has done to help people since taking office.
He needs to call out the enemies of our country, who refused to accept his presidency as legitimate, and refused to allow even a debate on voting rights bills! those people are an impediment to Democracy and a cancer on this nation!
Imagine if a fast moving, deadly disease like Ebola hit this country. How long would we last? Everyone would have to know how important hand washing is and practice guidelines for saving not just themselves, but everyone around them. It would require co-operation, for sure! Our healthcare infrastructure would have to be available regardless of income or area.
Robert, this country is in real trouble, we need a fed. law passed to override the red states laws, that states, they don't have to summit their votes in a fed. election, if for some reason, they chose not too. This if successful,it will kill our Democracy. If I were the democrats, that along with voter suppression laws, would have been my no. 1 priority. I'm 75 y.o.a., and a lifelong democrat, for 1st time, really concerned about our Country. Thank You for listening !
Thanks to the "Patriot Act" after 9-11, every connected laptop, Smart phone or smart device with a microphone or camera and microphone can be used to keep you in line. They already do this in China openly, so George Orwell's prophecy is already here. They are watching and listening to us right now.
Why is press hyping Omicron when the Delta is afflicting even those vaccinated with not just a "mild case?" This is a fact...I'm an RN who currently have 3 family members( all fully vaccinated) who have been very ill for the last 14 days. All of them plus 2 other family members ( not vaccinated) had Delta. They all work at different jobs and live 15-30 miles apart. The local and national press should put the real Delta figures out over and over to the public instead of spreading fear about the supposedly contractability of the unknown Omicron varient.
Also this fear tactic affects the almighty Wall Street thus putting into place their future bets on gas, food, auto, and the drug industries which then adds to the increased inflation. All this fear of possible economical effects takes away from what we need to slow down in the near present. Only the people/corporations gain from every part of these problems.
While your optimism is heartening, and very meaningful due to your broad knowledge and experience, I just can't seem to muster it myself. Perhaps some of it is burnout. I actually started and ran my own PAC, called dumpchumpPAC, prior to the 2020 election. We were grassroots, selling volunteer-made bracelets with beaded Morse code messages about the former guy. Our most popular beaded pattern contained an F-bomb ("F*** T****"), making marketing really challenging, but we did eventually land a billionaire family as repeat customers, and we sure had a lot of laughs.
I feel greed is hardwired into our species, and power is a truly addictive substance on the scale of Fentanyl. Politics selects for more addictive personalities. Today we have a synergistic combination of a cult and the jet fuel of social media, FOX, OAN etc.-- a propaganda machine on a scale the world has never seen. The billionaires who are running everything cannot resist personal profit at the expense of everyone and everything else. They'll even ruin the planet for their own grandkids; the power is just that addicting. (We all know that addicts will steal from their own children to fund their next "hit", and that's exactly what they are doing.) Legislators cannot resist the urge to stay in power, so they run to the dark side if that's what it takes.
How do we fight this? I think our only hope is to instill fear and anger in our voters, as the GOP has done with phenomenal success. Tell our voters that our democracy has already failed. It's gone. And that the apparent normalcy of daily life we are enjoying now is simply the leftovers from when we had a functioning government. They will have to save it through heroics, or else live under someone like Putin. Swoop in in overwhelming numbers to stop it from crashing at the bottom of the ravine. Panic. Now.
Absolutely spot on. It is very hard to convince people of the urgency of what is happening. To make matters worse, I find, even with my own adult kids, in their 40’s, that they are seeming not to want to think about or engage in doing anything about the reality of what has already truly arrived for them as well as for us. They cannot see or do not believe it will affect them personally and that seems to be how far it goes. They were not raised to think that way, but they do. What would be good is a clear and concise powerful media blitz that repeats what you have just said and that reaches people via billboards, tv, newspapers, the internet etc. and that scares everyone out of their deep sleep. And, finally I wish someone would tell me where the billionaires are who are Democrats and who can and should fund this endeavor???
Totally agree, 100%. I like the media blitz idea, and being an "outside the box" thinker, I try to think of messaging vehicles like TikTok where videos go viral and it fits the ADHD of our younger population. I'm connected with lots of Dems and progressives who are determined to win with positive messaging, and it depresses me since I feel this is basically pissing into the wind, or showing up with a rubber knife at a gunfight. People need to be as terrified as you and I. The other side is waging war and we're singing kumbaya. Policy discussion pales in comparison to losing our democratic system altogether. Most Americans have no personal experience with regime change and how quickly it happens, so the possibility doesn't fall within their realm of imagination.
I don't think that ADHD fueled messaging vehicles like TIK TOK are the way to go. We have enough insanity as it is out there. People need facts not more hype.
I get that. I just watch my 22 yo son with his face buried in his phone, see the TikToks he sends to me and I think we need to reach people where they already are. He watches a ton of political stuff there, so it's already out there.
“… They'll even ruin the planet for their own grandkids”
Let’s not forget who owns the rocket ships that have already launched them into space. NASA is endeavoring to build a Moon base and a Martian base. These rocket ships are nothing less than escape pods for when the sh!t goes down.
I think free choice is wired into our species. When confronted with a new or confusing situation, people look around for examples of how to respond. Thus influence abounds. Ultimately I think people want enough and the freedom to choose more than greed. Today in America when people look around, many see masses like themselves who don't have enough and a system that is widely corrupt. We've been told "greed is good" and that "more money = more freedom".
People who are afraid are easy to control, but who will control them is not clear. Fear and resentment is part of what elected Trump. Demagoguery that blames the weak and pits one side against the other is easy. Building agreements based on integrity and trust is hard.
What we need are more and more examples of people acting with integrity and kindness. More people creating abundance through compassionate action and using it to solve real problems and uplift others. What if this is already happening but it's hard to see through the fog of our current media? What if a single drop of love can create a chain reaction affecting thousands?
I wish it were so, but I'm afraid it is too late for this to work. Where I live, the majority of voters has succumbed to the propaganda machine controlled by the handful of greedy plutocrats who also skew our government in their own favor through their puppets (our legislators). The propaganda has easily overcome peaceful benevolence with full-volume non-stop outrage. Their entire value system defines kindness and merit in such a way as to make their message sound fair and just to anyone without historical knowledge or sharp critical thinking skills. Our region now has a new school board director with a record of wife and child abuse, and several other new school board directors who ran and won on angry anti-CRT and anti-masking platforms (marketed as "freedom to choose", so there's that "choice" people crave). We have a county commissioner, a former NFL star, who declared the pandemic "over" yesterday. In my part of the country at least, truth loses, as does kindness.
There's certainly plenty of darkness and no easy way to stop to it. I feel anger and frustration too. In space travel there's a concept of the "lowest energy trajectory". When timing and position are just right, a small push can make big difference. To reform the filibuster, key Democrats will need to feel more pressure and angrier about how they are being treated. The timing has to be right.
Democrats complain that "outside Money" is going the defeat their candidates, yet they solicit me, in California, to financially support candidates in other states outside of California. I will never support a candidate i cannot vote for and there should be a rule you cannot send money to candidates you cannot vote for.
It is important to understand the rationale behind this. The super packs that support the GOP, I believe, are primarily funded by the Big Businesses those candidates support, regardless of what state they hail from. Democrats are attempting to do something similar, but with individual donations.
We have been in a System of plunder and pillage by "The Masters of Mankind" living by their "Vile Maxim: All for us and nothing for the rest." (Adam Smith "The Wealth of Nations" 1776), for a long time. A thing of the past, you say? Listen to Ralph Nader Radio Hour about Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. No Sackler is in jail and they are still filthy rich. Plunder and pillage continues by the wealthy few at the expense of the many, even when expense includes deaths. Is humanity going to survive this continued assault?
Educate yourself about the facts. More than half of the population was poor or near poor before the pandemic in "the wealthiest nation on earth." Who enriched themselves during the pandemic? Read the Rand corporation working paper of September 2020: "Trends in Income From 1975 to 2018" It concludes that the top 10% siphoned from the 90% from $25 to $47 TRILLION. Under an equitable system that mountain of money would have gone to the pockets of the 90%. There would be no need for Handouts, And what we have is a need for RESTITUTION of ill-gotten gains.
If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation, today it would be at $18.75 per hour. That means a single person, working 2000 hours a year (50 weeks times 40 hours per week) would earn $37,500.00 or more per year and a couple, both working, would bring in $75,000.00 or more per year and that would mean they would pay both Federal and State income taxes (in states that have an income tax), not be getting food stamps and Medicaid. This would cut the deficit and allow the economy to grow. They would also be contributing more to Medicare and Social Security and have a better financial future. Republicans have pushed back on raising the minimum wage, pushed for "Right to Work" laws that lower wages and kills Unions and have destroyed the Middle Class created by the "Greatest Generation". On the rare occasions that the Democrats are in control in the White house and both houses of congress, they fight among themselves until they no longer have control.
Look at the work they’ve done in Georgia that’s not lazy— that’s what we need to be doing more of—1.3 million new registered voters. Is it enough? Only time will tell.
Thanks Robert...I would add that the morass began to percolate when a POS took a ride on an escalator nearly 5 years ago. I have been a believer in this country my entire life but the last 5 years (see above) have dampened, if not extinguished that feeling. I know be positive but...
A lot of "Things" were festering long before The Golden Escalator delivered our 45th President to us. These "things" are all interconnected and have a destructive synergy that Reich explains today. Here are my top, but not exclusive, picks: Income Inequality. Legalized Corruption in Politics. Social Media (in general). Partisan Broadcast Media. Transfer of high Value-Added Industries Overseas. Over-Reliance on a Low-Value-Added Service Sector.
that orange oaf is not and was never my president. to me he is a lightening rod, a means to an end for all those who desire to undo this democratic experiment and move to an authoritarian quagmire...it sure looks like everything, including the 'media' are accepting if not onboard.
The media is irrelevant mostly. they say just so much, but never really ask the hard questions. the important ones. Like why is Justice allowed to have so many criminals in charge? Why have they moved so slowly on the Jan 6th case? Why are complicit terrorists still holding seats in Congress and disrespecting and threatening their co-workers? And Complicit Senators? And Supreme Court Justices who were rammed in by a twice impeached and investigated Criminal 'president'! THIS SHOULD NOT STAND!
I disagree with your first sentence. I believe the media, some media more so than other media, has been highly relevant in distorting facts and misleading the public. This has been the main reason for the National divide.
I definitely concur with the rest of your statement!
Please note that I qualified it with the word mostly. I would never watch if there was no information with even a shred of truth, like on Fox 'news'. I do watch for the latest developments, like who has been subpoenaed, and there are particularly interesting shows, like Rachael Maddow.
I read multiple news sources such as the Washington Post, NY Times and (begrudgingly) Fox News in an attempt to get a picture of what everyone is saying. I find the reporting very interesting. Although the Washington Post and NY Times slant liberal, I find their reporting is mostly accurate. When there has been an error they will print a correction. Fox News on the other hand often omits pertinent information that undoubtedly sways the readers perception/opinion. This is why I believe it is imperative that the US reinstates the Fairness Doctrine.
Please don’t be insulted with this next piece, as I enjoy Rachel Maddow’s dry wit humor as much as the next person, but please understand she is not a news reporter. She is a personality imparting a perspective. On the other end of that spectrum, but similar too Rachel, there are people such as Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity (or the deceased Rush Limbaugh) attempting (and succeeding) to sway their viewers. This, and social media misinformation (going “viral”) are what I believe are the primary reasons why America is so divided.
The media is necessary. BUT, they need to once again report the full, accurate story.
Go for the gusto! The more they have to deal with at one time, the better. They need to know that we mean business; we are through with the threats and poison verbiage. Demand action for the working class.
Robert, perhaps you can enlighten me on this question. What bewilders me is what is all this talk about Donald Trump running again when he is can be indicted for so many crimes we KNOW he's committed? Where's the DOJ on his responsibility for the insurrection? This man is a traitor to his country, sedition, yes, but definitely a traitor. Where is Georgia, NY? There are any number of crimes he can legitimately be charged with. How can he possibly be able/allowed/qualified to run for president? Why won't he be in court fighting charges? It's an outrage that this criminal kingpin can hold court with a major political party, talk of running for high office, picking and choosing who runs for office and the country is made to believe this is NORMAL! He's a criminal, a rapist, a cruel and violent man and the powers that be allow him to walk around like this whole awful scene isn't utterly grotesque! So, Robert, is it because the government is afraid it can't control the violence he can order up against virtually anybody and everybody?
I have this weird optimistic feeling that the next 90 Days will be great for America. The Build Back Better Plan (including expanded Medicare) will become Law, as will the Freedom to Vote and John Lewis Voting Rights Acts and the Protect Women's Health Act.
Corporations and billionaires will be required to pay their fair share in taxes and people will realize that President Biden has transformed America once and for all. Colorado is part of the Interstate Compact to Abolish the Electoral College and if we get three more states, this also will happen.
I'm old. My parents survived the Depression. My mother's family lived on oatmeal; our pastor's family depended on pie crust - not with the filling, just the lard and flour that was baked. My father had to leave home and ride the rails as a bum where he got T.B. but survived the death ward of a sanitarium in Arizona. Then there was WWII with rations of food stuffs and gasoline, and the lives lost fighting against autocracy. These were seen as collective tragedies because no news source was spinning them as political manipulations of one party or another. The greed of Wall Street that plunged the nation into poverty was addressed and measures taken to guarantee it wouldn't happen again, though those measures have been whittled away to almost nothing. The U.S. helped reconstruct its former enemies, hoping that economic equity would prevent future struggles for resources. No one doubted the integrity of the news, the churches, public institutions, or the purpose of education. Perhaps the problem is getting individual Americans to shoulder their responsibilities while pounding the table about their rights. Let's have real consequences for those whose agenda is to destroy American democracy for pieces of silver. The affluent enablers of the ultra wealthy need to be reigned in; otherwise, the rest of us will just continue scrapping for the crumbs, too busy pointing fingers to grasp the situation at hand.
We are actually living in a 'Depression State' like others that have affected this country, but it was not brought on by the usual War Efforts of our government. Our Depression has been brought on by the Pandemic and the way it has been handled by the population of people and how they have responded to it. We have had mixed responses from our government leadership from day one, and going forward a lot of people have extablished mixed ways to deal with the Pandemic. We do not have a universal assurance from any direction and that confusion has not helped our country one bit. We have another variant of the COVID right now, so our Depression State will probably continue for who knows how long. I have followed the recommendations of the people in charge of medical science and I am still in good health. For the people who will and have balked at these recommendations, you have nobody to blame for your suffering if you do get COVID but yourself. The vaccinations are FREE to EVERYONE!
I agree that the pandemic is considerably worse than it should be because there has not been a national strategy.
I also agree that we are living in a depressed time. But I don’t believe the depressed state was caused by the pandemic. As this depressed state began over 50 years ago and we’ve been on a downward spiral since, the pandemic has exasperated the problem. Which, in the long run may be either bad or good, depending on what action is taken. If we continue along the same path the results will probably be bad. If we can conquer the misinformation and the country can come to consensus the result could be good.
The big question is, who benefits from a divided America? I believe the answer is the very wealthy and big businesses which have gained enormous power and additional wealth over the past 50 years. They operate and control virtually every means of power and communication.
It will take a huge grassroots effort to wrest control back from the wealthy and powerful. But to accomplish this we (a large majority of Americans) need to receive factual truth and come to consensus on the route causes of how and why we got to this stagnated point in time. Daunting, to say the least.
Todd, you have a very good grip on what is wrong with our country; in some cases the entire world. Talk is cheap, Action is necessary. All we get from our Political System and our Social Media is TALK. There needs to be time limits on how long it takes Politicians to make decisions. Biden has been in office for almost a full year. Just think of all of the subject matter that has been discussed, talked about, thrown around as possible ideas! How much have we been promised and how much tangable proof have we received? As the world turns how much longer do we have to wait for, oh let's say, Medicare For All? What do you see wrong with this whole picture?
Having worked for the federal government for over 30 years, one thing I’ve learned is patience, as the government wheels turn very slowly. Yes, Biden has been in office nearly a year, and his priority for build back better is at a stalemate in the Senate. But I’m optimistic some version of this will eventually pass. Aside from that, there are many, numerous issues to be resolved. Voting rights, healthcare, justice reform, public servant accountability, who’s responsible for the January 6th insurrection attempt, (well, we “know” who’s responsible. It’s a matter of gathering enough evidence to file charges),…The list goes on and on. Every once in awhile I receive a survey questionnaire from my representative and Senators asking what my priorities are. I fill them out and submit them. I don’t know if it makes a big difference or not though.
Somewhere, someone in the Administration and Congress has all of these prioritized. But, bear in mind, their priorities may not correspond with our own individual priorities.
There are a lot of individual organizations out there fighting for one cause or another. Ultimately, I’d like to see these separate organizations form a coalition to tackle the largest of the problems.
What do I see wrong with the whole picture? Money and lobbyists (special interests) and false information. It requires a boatload of money to win an election. Where’s that money come from? Special interests and lobbyists, the PAC’s and Super PAC’s and so forth. Which leads to another agenda, publicly funded elections. Initially I wasn’t sure if I liked this idea. But as time moves on it appears to be the best solution. As far as the false information is concerned, we need to re-enact the Fairness Doctrine, or a modern version of it.
Well, Todd, you covered just about everything that is wrong with our government structure. It all moves too slow to make for the immediate needs of the people who have to wait for the most important issues to get into place. This "Wait and See" process has worn out it's time of being acceptable. The People who have been waiting for all of these things to happen have run out of patience. For me personally, I have pretty much come to grips with the fact that I will die before most of these things like 'Medicare For All' will ever come into actuality if it ever does. I am too old now to have much faith in Government anything. But there are a lot of very young kids who need better right this minute if not sooner. The young families who have been waiting forever for all of the promised programs. My heart hurts for them. And right now as we live, the governing systems (all branches) need to get stronger and better with helping the mass' of people who are right on the edge every day they live. I am very worried, with plenty of good reasons, about the health of our Country.
for whatever reason - these comments and people have not been able to alter the course of this polluted river...the country has become a collection of 'haves' and 'have-nots'. the haves are making ready to transfer all they can to Earth2.0. the have-nots are literally fighting for the scraps. i personally do no see the haves giving up anything (like taxes), without much effort on the part of the have-nots. we gotta take it to the streets...massive public demonstrations and don't buy all that crap from big corporations...made it yourself or make do. we need to tell the haves that we "are mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore"
I would think, given human nature, there will be a great deal of unnecessary suffering before the common good raises it's head. It's the "unnecessary" part of it that's salt on the wound.
So, what now? Where do we go from here? How do we proceed?
Personally, I believe the vast majority of the combined issue(s) is due to false and misleading media reporting. Similarly to the current Supreme Court, the media is divided on polar opposite’s. There simply no longer is “truth in journalism”. And, to make matters worse, there are far too many opinion “personalities” on air and on social media that intentionally misrepresent the issues and falsely lead people to incorrect or “alternative facts”.
As I’ve previously written, the United States is in desperate need to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.
I agree with you that the media is a major (if not the primary) cause of the public distrust in this country. People are fed "news" that is distorted to fit a specific narrative that the media outlet wants to promote. Most media outlets are owned by rich and powerful corporations who would fight like hell against reinstituting the Fairness Doctine.
And therein lies the problem. We are no longer a country “of the people, by the people, for the people.” We have become a country of the wealthy, by the wealthy, for the wealthy that have done an incredible job of keeping us distracted while they continue to amass greater wealth and power.
A beautiful, succinct, and comprehensive statement that ties together fundamental forces and reminds us (as the Federalist papers did) what principals we as citizens must recognize and support in order that our creation survives! Hallelujah!
I agree with your description of the problem. I have often felt that the wheels are coming off this country. As just one example, there was a recent opinion column in the New York Times in which the authors report surveying people in the Bronx and abroad over the past five years about vaccine hesitancy. When they drilled down on the data about Covid-19 vaccine acceptance, they found that the real divide was class, not race or political party affiliation. Impoverished people who are barely able to survive feel that the government and society haven't done anything for them, so why should they do anything for society. A quote from the opinion:
"Over the past four decades, governments have slashed budgets and privatized basic services. This has two important consequences for public health. First, people are unlikely to trust institutions that do little for them. And second, public health is no longer viewed as a collective endeavor, based on the principle of social solidarity and mutual obligation. People are conditioned to believe they’re on their own and responsible only for themselves. That means an important source of vaccine hesitancy is the erosion of the idea of a common good."
Another quote: "But as the public purse shrunk in the 1980s, politicians insisted that it’s no longer the government’s job to ensure people’s well-being; instead, Americans were to be responsible only for themselves and their own bodies." We have been indoctrinated with "rugged individualism" and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" blather.
The person who has the most prominent bully pulpit to remedy this at this time is Biden as president. IMO, he should talk less about "bipartisanship," which itself has become a divisive term, and talk more about community, and how we are all dependent on one another for our wellbeing. He should explain how his policies are directed toward that end. And do it frequently and relentlessly, not just an occasional comment.
Well said, Carolyn. Bipartisanship makes everything about politics, but most Americans don't really care about capital-P Politics or are completely disillusioned by it. The common good, looking out for one another, remembering that each of us has been helped by a stranger at some point. This is an idea we can all connect to.
I agree that Biden need to ditch the talk of bipartisanship and call out the Republicans for what they are-- enemies of democracy. I heard a political pundit saying that Biden needs to identify "an enemy" (voter suppression, climate change, gun control) And very forcefully fight for that, calling out opponents for what they stand for. As Biden's polling numbers are falling the country needs to be reminded of all that he has done to help people since taking office.
He needs to call out the enemies of our country, who refused to accept his presidency as legitimate, and refused to allow even a debate on voting rights bills! those people are an impediment to Democracy and a cancer on this nation!
Very well said and I agree..alot of us do!
Imagine if a fast moving, deadly disease like Ebola hit this country. How long would we last? Everyone would have to know how important hand washing is and practice guidelines for saving not just themselves, but everyone around them. It would require co-operation, for sure! Our healthcare infrastructure would have to be available regardless of income or area.
Robert, this country is in real trouble, we need a fed. law passed to override the red states laws, that states, they don't have to summit their votes in a fed. election, if for some reason, they chose not too. This if successful,it will kill our Democracy. If I were the democrats, that along with voter suppression laws, would have been my no. 1 priority. I'm 75 y.o.a., and a lifelong democrat, for 1st time, really concerned about our Country. Thank You for listening !
We've got a few years of perspective, don't we!
what we've got is a failure...to communicate (forgive me Luke)
Said to 'the man with no eyes'
amen thank you ol' timer i'm 74.
Mr. Reich, you and I are dinosaurs from the past.
Wealth has increased tremendously and also the influence of that money.
That corrupt wealth is drowning out the liberal democracy...almost gone now.
The novel "1984" by George Orwell affected my life as a young teenager and it still applies even more so today.
The democrats are too weak to get their points across .....Repubublicans ar enot .
I am a Democrat , but this is the truth.
We need leaders, charisma..the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Billy Graham, Walter Cronkite,, Edward R. Morrow.
The media on TV is a disaster and will follow the rich wealthy Repubilcans.
And on and on we go!
Thanks to the "Patriot Act" after 9-11, every connected laptop, Smart phone or smart device with a microphone or camera and microphone can be used to keep you in line. They already do this in China openly, so George Orwell's prophecy is already here. They are watching and listening to us right now.
If "they" are listening , I hope they are paying attention
Why is press hyping Omicron when the Delta is afflicting even those vaccinated with not just a "mild case?" This is a fact...I'm an RN who currently have 3 family members( all fully vaccinated) who have been very ill for the last 14 days. All of them plus 2 other family members ( not vaccinated) had Delta. They all work at different jobs and live 15-30 miles apart. The local and national press should put the real Delta figures out over and over to the public instead of spreading fear about the supposedly contractability of the unknown Omicron varient.
Also this fear tactic affects the almighty Wall Street thus putting into place their future bets on gas, food, auto, and the drug industries which then adds to the increased inflation. All this fear of possible economical effects takes away from what we need to slow down in the near present. Only the people/corporations gain from every part of these problems.
That’s how the system works, for them. They cash out, the market drops, then they buy in again. Cycle and repeat.
Loretta Butler; They love an excuse to raise prices even more!
While your optimism is heartening, and very meaningful due to your broad knowledge and experience, I just can't seem to muster it myself. Perhaps some of it is burnout. I actually started and ran my own PAC, called dumpchumpPAC, prior to the 2020 election. We were grassroots, selling volunteer-made bracelets with beaded Morse code messages about the former guy. Our most popular beaded pattern contained an F-bomb ("F*** T****"), making marketing really challenging, but we did eventually land a billionaire family as repeat customers, and we sure had a lot of laughs.
I feel greed is hardwired into our species, and power is a truly addictive substance on the scale of Fentanyl. Politics selects for more addictive personalities. Today we have a synergistic combination of a cult and the jet fuel of social media, FOX, OAN etc.-- a propaganda machine on a scale the world has never seen. The billionaires who are running everything cannot resist personal profit at the expense of everyone and everything else. They'll even ruin the planet for their own grandkids; the power is just that addicting. (We all know that addicts will steal from their own children to fund their next "hit", and that's exactly what they are doing.) Legislators cannot resist the urge to stay in power, so they run to the dark side if that's what it takes.
How do we fight this? I think our only hope is to instill fear and anger in our voters, as the GOP has done with phenomenal success. Tell our voters that our democracy has already failed. It's gone. And that the apparent normalcy of daily life we are enjoying now is simply the leftovers from when we had a functioning government. They will have to save it through heroics, or else live under someone like Putin. Swoop in in overwhelming numbers to stop it from crashing at the bottom of the ravine. Panic. Now.
Absolutely spot on. It is very hard to convince people of the urgency of what is happening. To make matters worse, I find, even with my own adult kids, in their 40’s, that they are seeming not to want to think about or engage in doing anything about the reality of what has already truly arrived for them as well as for us. They cannot see or do not believe it will affect them personally and that seems to be how far it goes. They were not raised to think that way, but they do. What would be good is a clear and concise powerful media blitz that repeats what you have just said and that reaches people via billboards, tv, newspapers, the internet etc. and that scares everyone out of their deep sleep. And, finally I wish someone would tell me where the billionaires are who are Democrats and who can and should fund this endeavor???
Totally agree, 100%. I like the media blitz idea, and being an "outside the box" thinker, I try to think of messaging vehicles like TikTok where videos go viral and it fits the ADHD of our younger population. I'm connected with lots of Dems and progressives who are determined to win with positive messaging, and it depresses me since I feel this is basically pissing into the wind, or showing up with a rubber knife at a gunfight. People need to be as terrified as you and I. The other side is waging war and we're singing kumbaya. Policy discussion pales in comparison to losing our democratic system altogether. Most Americans have no personal experience with regime change and how quickly it happens, so the possibility doesn't fall within their realm of imagination.
So true.
The ole, “it can’t happen here”, is already underway. Just wait until Trump’s media launches…
I don't think that ADHD fueled messaging vehicles like TIK TOK are the way to go. We have enough insanity as it is out there. People need facts not more hype.
I get that. I just watch my 22 yo son with his face buried in his phone, see the TikToks he sends to me and I think we need to reach people where they already are. He watches a ton of political stuff there, so it's already out there.
For younger people it will be effective. I have twin 26 year olds who use social media all the time. Tic tok is probably in the mix.
“… They'll even ruin the planet for their own grandkids”
Let’s not forget who owns the rocket ships that have already launched them into space. NASA is endeavoring to build a Moon base and a Martian base. These rocket ships are nothing less than escape pods for when the sh!t goes down.
I think free choice is wired into our species. When confronted with a new or confusing situation, people look around for examples of how to respond. Thus influence abounds. Ultimately I think people want enough and the freedom to choose more than greed. Today in America when people look around, many see masses like themselves who don't have enough and a system that is widely corrupt. We've been told "greed is good" and that "more money = more freedom".
People who are afraid are easy to control, but who will control them is not clear. Fear and resentment is part of what elected Trump. Demagoguery that blames the weak and pits one side against the other is easy. Building agreements based on integrity and trust is hard.
What we need are more and more examples of people acting with integrity and kindness. More people creating abundance through compassionate action and using it to solve real problems and uplift others. What if this is already happening but it's hard to see through the fog of our current media? What if a single drop of love can create a chain reaction affecting thousands?
I wish it were so, but I'm afraid it is too late for this to work. Where I live, the majority of voters has succumbed to the propaganda machine controlled by the handful of greedy plutocrats who also skew our government in their own favor through their puppets (our legislators). The propaganda has easily overcome peaceful benevolence with full-volume non-stop outrage. Their entire value system defines kindness and merit in such a way as to make their message sound fair and just to anyone without historical knowledge or sharp critical thinking skills. Our region now has a new school board director with a record of wife and child abuse, and several other new school board directors who ran and won on angry anti-CRT and anti-masking platforms (marketed as "freedom to choose", so there's that "choice" people crave). We have a county commissioner, a former NFL star, who declared the pandemic "over" yesterday. In my part of the country at least, truth loses, as does kindness.
There's certainly plenty of darkness and no easy way to stop to it. I feel anger and frustration too. In space travel there's a concept of the "lowest energy trajectory". When timing and position are just right, a small push can make big difference. To reform the filibuster, key Democrats will need to feel more pressure and angrier about how they are being treated. The timing has to be right.
I must complain!
I do receive a lot of Republican requests for donations..would never consider!
Just a note about the Democratic request I receive.
You don't need mor money you need leadership ...support for you candidates and PRESIDENT!
Democrats complain that "outside Money" is going the defeat their candidates, yet they solicit me, in California, to financially support candidates in other states outside of California. I will never support a candidate i cannot vote for and there should be a rule you cannot send money to candidates you cannot vote for.
It is important to understand the rationale behind this. The super packs that support the GOP, I believe, are primarily funded by the Big Businesses those candidates support, regardless of what state they hail from. Democrats are attempting to do something similar, but with individual donations.
We have been in a System of plunder and pillage by "The Masters of Mankind" living by their "Vile Maxim: All for us and nothing for the rest." (Adam Smith "The Wealth of Nations" 1776), for a long time. A thing of the past, you say? Listen to Ralph Nader Radio Hour about Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family. No Sackler is in jail and they are still filthy rich. Plunder and pillage continues by the wealthy few at the expense of the many, even when expense includes deaths. Is humanity going to survive this continued assault?
Lagardere ; Not if we have enemies within our very government and courts!
and we have nothing like they do because we are lazy and just want hand-outs
Educate yourself about the facts. More than half of the population was poor or near poor before the pandemic in "the wealthiest nation on earth." Who enriched themselves during the pandemic? Read the Rand corporation working paper of September 2020: "Trends in Income From 1975 to 2018" It concludes that the top 10% siphoned from the 90% from $25 to $47 TRILLION. Under an equitable system that mountain of money would have gone to the pockets of the 90%. There would be no need for Handouts, And what we have is a need for RESTITUTION of ill-gotten gains.
If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation, today it would be at $18.75 per hour. That means a single person, working 2000 hours a year (50 weeks times 40 hours per week) would earn $37,500.00 or more per year and a couple, both working, would bring in $75,000.00 or more per year and that would mean they would pay both Federal and State income taxes (in states that have an income tax), not be getting food stamps and Medicaid. This would cut the deficit and allow the economy to grow. They would also be contributing more to Medicare and Social Security and have a better financial future. Republicans have pushed back on raising the minimum wage, pushed for "Right to Work" laws that lower wages and kills Unions and have destroyed the Middle Class created by the "Greatest Generation". On the rare occasions that the Democrats are in control in the White house and both houses of congress, they fight among themselves until they no longer have control.
being in the pockets of their 'donors' does not help unify them.
Look at the work they’ve done in Georgia that’s not lazy— that’s what we need to be doing more of—1.3 million new registered voters. Is it enough? Only time will tell.
As I’m nearly 60, I’ve been “fighting” my whole life. Not to get ahead, but to receive what should have been automatic.
Today, I feel like a person that was stoned in the witch trials where they kept piling stones on top of you until you were crushed to death.
If you consider this “lazy”, so be it.
Thanks Robert...I would add that the morass began to percolate when a POS took a ride on an escalator nearly 5 years ago. I have been a believer in this country my entire life but the last 5 years (see above) have dampened, if not extinguished that feeling. I know be positive but...
A lot of "Things" were festering long before The Golden Escalator delivered our 45th President to us. These "things" are all interconnected and have a destructive synergy that Reich explains today. Here are my top, but not exclusive, picks: Income Inequality. Legalized Corruption in Politics. Social Media (in general). Partisan Broadcast Media. Transfer of high Value-Added Industries Overseas. Over-Reliance on a Low-Value-Added Service Sector.
that orange oaf is not and was never my president. to me he is a lightening rod, a means to an end for all those who desire to undo this democratic experiment and move to an authoritarian quagmire...it sure looks like everything, including the 'media' are accepting if not onboard.
The media is irrelevant mostly. they say just so much, but never really ask the hard questions. the important ones. Like why is Justice allowed to have so many criminals in charge? Why have they moved so slowly on the Jan 6th case? Why are complicit terrorists still holding seats in Congress and disrespecting and threatening their co-workers? And Complicit Senators? And Supreme Court Justices who were rammed in by a twice impeached and investigated Criminal 'president'! THIS SHOULD NOT STAND!
I disagree with your first sentence. I believe the media, some media more so than other media, has been highly relevant in distorting facts and misleading the public. This has been the main reason for the National divide.
I definitely concur with the rest of your statement!
Please note that I qualified it with the word mostly. I would never watch if there was no information with even a shred of truth, like on Fox 'news'. I do watch for the latest developments, like who has been subpoenaed, and there are particularly interesting shows, like Rachael Maddow.
I understand what you are saying.
I read multiple news sources such as the Washington Post, NY Times and (begrudgingly) Fox News in an attempt to get a picture of what everyone is saying. I find the reporting very interesting. Although the Washington Post and NY Times slant liberal, I find their reporting is mostly accurate. When there has been an error they will print a correction. Fox News on the other hand often omits pertinent information that undoubtedly sways the readers perception/opinion. This is why I believe it is imperative that the US reinstates the Fairness Doctrine.
Please don’t be insulted with this next piece, as I enjoy Rachel Maddow’s dry wit humor as much as the next person, but please understand she is not a news reporter. She is a personality imparting a perspective. On the other end of that spectrum, but similar too Rachel, there are people such as Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity (or the deceased Rush Limbaugh) attempting (and succeeding) to sway their viewers. This, and social media misinformation (going “viral”) are what I believe are the primary reasons why America is so divided.
The media is necessary. BUT, they need to once again report the full, accurate story.
Your assessed compilation is spot on.
Can we tackle all of these simultaneously, or should we tackle them one at a time?
Go for the gusto! The more they have to deal with at one time, the better. They need to know that we mean business; we are through with the threats and poison verbiage. Demand action for the working class.
You nailed it, Bob Palmer! You need to run for office of something.
Bob Palmer ; And a bought and paid for Partisan Supreme Court majority! to say nothing of the Federal Courts!
It's positive to know who the enemies are!
Robert, perhaps you can enlighten me on this question. What bewilders me is what is all this talk about Donald Trump running again when he is can be indicted for so many crimes we KNOW he's committed? Where's the DOJ on his responsibility for the insurrection? This man is a traitor to his country, sedition, yes, but definitely a traitor. Where is Georgia, NY? There are any number of crimes he can legitimately be charged with. How can he possibly be able/allowed/qualified to run for president? Why won't he be in court fighting charges? It's an outrage that this criminal kingpin can hold court with a major political party, talk of running for high office, picking and choosing who runs for office and the country is made to believe this is NORMAL! He's a criminal, a rapist, a cruel and violent man and the powers that be allow him to walk around like this whole awful scene isn't utterly grotesque! So, Robert, is it because the government is afraid it can't control the violence he can order up against virtually anybody and everybody?
I have this weird optimistic feeling that the next 90 Days will be great for America. The Build Back Better Plan (including expanded Medicare) will become Law, as will the Freedom to Vote and John Lewis Voting Rights Acts and the Protect Women's Health Act.
Corporations and billionaires will be required to pay their fair share in taxes and people will realize that President Biden has transformed America once and for all. Colorado is part of the Interstate Compact to Abolish the Electoral College and if we get three more states, this also will happen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact
And then you woke up from the dream...
I'm old. My parents survived the Depression. My mother's family lived on oatmeal; our pastor's family depended on pie crust - not with the filling, just the lard and flour that was baked. My father had to leave home and ride the rails as a bum where he got T.B. but survived the death ward of a sanitarium in Arizona. Then there was WWII with rations of food stuffs and gasoline, and the lives lost fighting against autocracy. These were seen as collective tragedies because no news source was spinning them as political manipulations of one party or another. The greed of Wall Street that plunged the nation into poverty was addressed and measures taken to guarantee it wouldn't happen again, though those measures have been whittled away to almost nothing. The U.S. helped reconstruct its former enemies, hoping that economic equity would prevent future struggles for resources. No one doubted the integrity of the news, the churches, public institutions, or the purpose of education. Perhaps the problem is getting individual Americans to shoulder their responsibilities while pounding the table about their rights. Let's have real consequences for those whose agenda is to destroy American democracy for pieces of silver. The affluent enablers of the ultra wealthy need to be reigned in; otherwise, the rest of us will just continue scrapping for the crumbs, too busy pointing fingers to grasp the situation at hand.
It appears that cycle is about to repeat
We are actually living in a 'Depression State' like others that have affected this country, but it was not brought on by the usual War Efforts of our government. Our Depression has been brought on by the Pandemic and the way it has been handled by the population of people and how they have responded to it. We have had mixed responses from our government leadership from day one, and going forward a lot of people have extablished mixed ways to deal with the Pandemic. We do not have a universal assurance from any direction and that confusion has not helped our country one bit. We have another variant of the COVID right now, so our Depression State will probably continue for who knows how long. I have followed the recommendations of the people in charge of medical science and I am still in good health. For the people who will and have balked at these recommendations, you have nobody to blame for your suffering if you do get COVID but yourself. The vaccinations are FREE to EVERYONE!
I agree that the pandemic is considerably worse than it should be because there has not been a national strategy.
I also agree that we are living in a depressed time. But I don’t believe the depressed state was caused by the pandemic. As this depressed state began over 50 years ago and we’ve been on a downward spiral since, the pandemic has exasperated the problem. Which, in the long run may be either bad or good, depending on what action is taken. If we continue along the same path the results will probably be bad. If we can conquer the misinformation and the country can come to consensus the result could be good.
The big question is, who benefits from a divided America? I believe the answer is the very wealthy and big businesses which have gained enormous power and additional wealth over the past 50 years. They operate and control virtually every means of power and communication.
It will take a huge grassroots effort to wrest control back from the wealthy and powerful. But to accomplish this we (a large majority of Americans) need to receive factual truth and come to consensus on the route causes of how and why we got to this stagnated point in time. Daunting, to say the least.
Todd, you have a very good grip on what is wrong with our country; in some cases the entire world. Talk is cheap, Action is necessary. All we get from our Political System and our Social Media is TALK. There needs to be time limits on how long it takes Politicians to make decisions. Biden has been in office for almost a full year. Just think of all of the subject matter that has been discussed, talked about, thrown around as possible ideas! How much have we been promised and how much tangable proof have we received? As the world turns how much longer do we have to wait for, oh let's say, Medicare For All? What do you see wrong with this whole picture?
Linda, thank you for your kind words.
Having worked for the federal government for over 30 years, one thing I’ve learned is patience, as the government wheels turn very slowly. Yes, Biden has been in office nearly a year, and his priority for build back better is at a stalemate in the Senate. But I’m optimistic some version of this will eventually pass. Aside from that, there are many, numerous issues to be resolved. Voting rights, healthcare, justice reform, public servant accountability, who’s responsible for the January 6th insurrection attempt, (well, we “know” who’s responsible. It’s a matter of gathering enough evidence to file charges),…The list goes on and on. Every once in awhile I receive a survey questionnaire from my representative and Senators asking what my priorities are. I fill them out and submit them. I don’t know if it makes a big difference or not though.
Somewhere, someone in the Administration and Congress has all of these prioritized. But, bear in mind, their priorities may not correspond with our own individual priorities.
There are a lot of individual organizations out there fighting for one cause or another. Ultimately, I’d like to see these separate organizations form a coalition to tackle the largest of the problems.
What do I see wrong with the whole picture? Money and lobbyists (special interests) and false information. It requires a boatload of money to win an election. Where’s that money come from? Special interests and lobbyists, the PAC’s and Super PAC’s and so forth. Which leads to another agenda, publicly funded elections. Initially I wasn’t sure if I liked this idea. But as time moves on it appears to be the best solution. As far as the false information is concerned, we need to re-enact the Fairness Doctrine, or a modern version of it.
Well, Todd, you covered just about everything that is wrong with our government structure. It all moves too slow to make for the immediate needs of the people who have to wait for the most important issues to get into place. This "Wait and See" process has worn out it's time of being acceptable. The People who have been waiting for all of these things to happen have run out of patience. For me personally, I have pretty much come to grips with the fact that I will die before most of these things like 'Medicare For All' will ever come into actuality if it ever does. I am too old now to have much faith in Government anything. But there are a lot of very young kids who need better right this minute if not sooner. The young families who have been waiting forever for all of the promised programs. My heart hurts for them. And right now as we live, the governing systems (all branches) need to get stronger and better with helping the mass' of people who are right on the edge every day they live. I am very worried, with plenty of good reasons, about the health of our Country.
for whatever reason - these comments and people have not been able to alter the course of this polluted river...the country has become a collection of 'haves' and 'have-nots'. the haves are making ready to transfer all they can to Earth2.0. the have-nots are literally fighting for the scraps. i personally do no see the haves giving up anything (like taxes), without much effort on the part of the have-nots. we gotta take it to the streets...massive public demonstrations and don't buy all that crap from big corporations...made it yourself or make do. we need to tell the haves that we "are mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore"
I would think, given human nature, there will be a great deal of unnecessary suffering before the common good raises it's head. It's the "unnecessary" part of it that's salt on the wound.
I think you’ve hit the nail squarely on the head!
So, what now? Where do we go from here? How do we proceed?
Personally, I believe the vast majority of the combined issue(s) is due to false and misleading media reporting. Similarly to the current Supreme Court, the media is divided on polar opposite’s. There simply no longer is “truth in journalism”. And, to make matters worse, there are far too many opinion “personalities” on air and on social media that intentionally misrepresent the issues and falsely lead people to incorrect or “alternative facts”.
As I’ve previously written, the United States is in desperate need to reinstitute the Fairness Doctrine.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_fairness_doctrine
Until the whole of America receives similar, truthful information there is no way we can come to consensus. Period.
I agree with you that the media is a major (if not the primary) cause of the public distrust in this country. People are fed "news" that is distorted to fit a specific narrative that the media outlet wants to promote. Most media outlets are owned by rich and powerful corporations who would fight like hell against reinstituting the Fairness Doctine.
And therein lies the problem. We are no longer a country “of the people, by the people, for the people.” We have become a country of the wealthy, by the wealthy, for the wealthy that have done an incredible job of keeping us distracted while they continue to amass greater wealth and power.
it seems like our history says that our suffering must somehow get to a point where it brings down the money power...
recovering from the Great Depression, a world war or 2, seem to be the things that have brought us to the point of requiring recovery.
A better way would be nice, but I don't see it in Our history.
Hopefully I'm missing something.
I do not see hope in our history or in current events.
A beautiful, succinct, and comprehensive statement that ties together fundamental forces and reminds us (as the Federalist papers did) what principals we as citizens must recognize and support in order that our creation survives! Hallelujah!