Oct 1, 2022·edited Oct 1, 2022Liked by Robert Reich
I feel like we're not learning anything new. The GOP and corporations remain now as they have always been...believers in a government that bails them out, but not others....that taxpayer dollars must be used when they need help, when they need saving, when their poor planning or poor decision making or poor luck knocks them down...but not when children need to eat or see a doctor...not when people want to maybe learn something without going into lifelong debt to do so. Republican officials and voters will happily accept government help, complain that it isn't enough, and it will then be a brief countdown before they blast any attempt to help democratic voters suffering, even if it's for the exact same reason. The usual corporations will see the devastation as a wonderful buying opportunity, use endless government funds to rebuild residential and commercial properties that will all but ensure most residents can't return to their home towns given the new sky-high prices. And of course, the also-corporate-run Dems will not be able to or simply choose not to effectively use this blatant hypocrisy to call out these individual and institutional monsters. And then.... sometime soon, we will spend trillions invading another country in an attempt to spread democracy at gunpoint...because obviously...we're just so scary-talented at it.
Did anyone here get taught in school the definitions of socialism, communism, capitalism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism? No? Why not? Did you get all your notions of socialism from rabid television commentators and rabid politicians?
I voted other. I think the answers are most of the above. #1 and #2 are the GOP's default positions just like abortion is a default position/buzzword. Socialism riles up the poorly educated. The MAGAt crowd thinks the only handouts are to migrants, refugees, black, and brown people.
#3 and #4 need to be explained to the poorly educated crowd. Especially #3. Sadly, there is a good deal of the population who prefer to be willfully ignorant. They have no idea where SS comes from. They have no idea that Medicaid is a social safety net that is taxpayer funded and one they may be using! Medicare is the same. I remember when town hall meetings were a big thing. Barney Frank took a statement from a woman who said, the government better keep their hands off of her SS. WTH? Democrats have got to explain these programs and how they're funded.
Oct 1, 2022Liked by Robert Reich, Heather Lofthouse
While listening to Michael Hoppe's exit theme, I had the image of the end of the film The Third Man, with Robert Reich as Joseph Cotton, leaning up against a parked car -- an electric vehicle-- and Heather (Alida Valli) walking down that Vienna street. But instead of walking past, she turns to Robert, and he's there with two large cups of coffee -- extending one out to her.
Most Americans are ignorant defining the difference between socialism and communism. They sadly and incorrectly equate the two . I personally have never met one person when asked can differentiate the two.
Concerning the disclosure bill does anybody realistically think these wealthy companies or individuals want the public to know they are funding and financially supporting these extreme right wing organizations?? Nope! Like AT&T, giving an extreme right wing organization recently $150 million. Their philosophy is never show the left hand what the right hand is doing. “Hand” metaphorically meaning the public(left) and the money holders (right). That’s why a lot of truth seekers states, “Follow the money”! You’ll find the culprit!
What Americans have been brainwashed to believe: Capitalism equals democracy. Anything (or anyone) that threatens capitalism is therefore a threat to democracy. What a brilliant and diabolical sales job.
I'm leaning toward "all of the above". I don't believe that we Dems don't aren't trying to fight the good fight, but I do think that our presentation needs work. I hope that we can take Ian in Florida as a moment to explain what the federal government can, and does, provide in emergencies because of the federal policies we have which are designed to maintain a social safety net. DeSantis advocates the Grover Norquist theory of government, but now that his state is suffering, he will happily take the federal money to provide the safety net (and then turn around and criticize everything the federal government does). I am not advocating that we try to profit from human suffering (the GOP owns that), but I think we need to use the response to this suffering to illustrate the value of liberal social policies, and the importance of a federal response to ensure that the distribution is equitable.
I sure love your voice, but I wonder if it would be possible to have these chats transcribed. I'm a much quicker reader than a listener, And I can retain better.
1) If we want a better idea why national news is not disclosing who is giving how much to whom it is because the billionaires are buying into national news and reining in who can say what.
2) Ginni Thomas is a grand example of why the spouse of SCOTUS justice should be banned from ANYTHING political. Ginny is not afraid to tell us that she believes the BIG LIE. So, Clarence should not be allowed to vote on anything related to the previous national election.
3) The GOPers have out-organized and brain-washed their adherents. There Is no middle anymore in the GOP. You either adhere or they throw you out.
No, not "we". The Republican Party, Libertarians and other people who actually believe in the "self-made man [sic]" have made a project out of conflating socialism, communism, social welfare and any other "welfare" initiatives with Soviet style communism. Democrats have made a huge mistake though, and they continue to make the same mistake today - we allow the right to define the terms of the debate, then we fall victim to their definitions. Democrats insist on using the word "social" to describe all manner of policies and programs. This is just dumb. And dumber. It seems we finally start getting smart with programs named "Aid for Dependent Children"; the title is good but the debate is still conducted in Republican terms, e.g. social welfare. The Republicans have weaponized almost all of the language that Democrats use to explain, justify and advertise their efforts to help people. They "own the libs" alright because we have allowed them to own the language. A culture war is partly a language war with the battle being fought over labels that most people don't even know what they mean. Change the language, beat them at their own game!
I think the reason "socialism" resonates as the bogey man is the age-old issue of racism. When government helps people, Black people may be included, and still a substantial proportion of the population, including many members of Congress, just don't want to do anything positive for Black people.
As for hurricane damage in Florida, I suspect Ron DeSantis will try to usurp as much of the credit as he can. Sad to say, I don't think the help from federal agencies will affect people's perception of the federal government. And most of the affected people shown on the TV news seem to be white.
With respect to down ballot voting, it seems that the Democratic Party, over the past twenty years at least, has trained its voters to care only about president. That puts an extra burden on each down ballot Democratic candidate to convince people to vote for the office at all before proceeding to convincing them to vote for the candidate for the office. The Democratic Party has thus put itself at a serious disadvantage, which is manifested in many of the problems discussed in this coffee klatch.
Dems need to start saying "The republicans are really planning at the taking away YOUR social security" much like Republicans do with " they are planning about taking away your guns".
(It is true about misunderstanding of socialism v. social safety net and about communicating how it works - but I see the "guns" fear being seeming effective - I dont know why cause it is killing everyone to have more guns than people in the US.
It is worth a try: its concise and true and we generally are increasing in older americans who need social security to survive. The alternative is to let the republicans will brain wash everyone that it will never be there for the / you once we age into it.
Can we make it a choice: Guns (danger and death) v. Social Security (Security - Safety - Support when we most need it)
Republicans own the media and have an outsized 'voice' ; (remember : money is speech). they have more money than Democrats, and, therefore, more influence. The Disclose Act being shot down by the un Democratic Senate is a good example. If the public at large had a heads up about that bill ; there may have been a strong push for it that might have influenced their 'representatives' to act. But, as has been pointed out on this forum ; even Democrats are 'on the take' with the dark money, The way this is set up now, how else could they compete? Look at once 'pristine' and idealistic Krysten Sinema now. At one time she actually cared about regular folks. Got a taste of the big bucks and power and Shazam! Ms. Super sellout! Only a saint (or a Bernie Sanders), can keep on keeping on ; and even such a stalwart as he is done in by the all destroying lying media. They kill us again and again.
The problem in the United States goes back even further than a century and is not just a Republican problem. The robber barons of the 19th century got it started as an anti-union tactic. There was a socialist vein in American life going back to the earlier 19th century when there were Evangelical socialists! Various unions and worker's movements, often influenced by immigrants from Europe where socialism was a valid political option, embraced various forms of socialism and the plutocrats went after them. Both political parties went right along. Eugene Debs, the leader of the Socialist Party, was jailed for objecting to WW I, and Wilson's AG, Palmer, led the first Red Scare after the war. Republicans became the preeminent Commie hunters in opposition to FDR and the New Deal, and produced Joe McCarthy and the House Unamerican Activities Committee (HUAC). Ever since, any attempt at social progress has been labeled Communism or Socialism. It is allowed to stand because so few Americans actually know what socialism is (Witness people calling Barak Obama and Joe Biden socialists) What I learned growing up in California public schools was all from the perspective of anti-communist propaganda. I had to read the actual sources on my own, and generally keep what I was learning to myself. People in every European country, as well as Canada and Mexico know more about socialism than Americans, sadly. This ignorance is what allows Republicans to get away with calling Democratic centrism "socialism."
I feel like we're not learning anything new. The GOP and corporations remain now as they have always been...believers in a government that bails them out, but not others....that taxpayer dollars must be used when they need help, when they need saving, when their poor planning or poor decision making or poor luck knocks them down...but not when children need to eat or see a doctor...not when people want to maybe learn something without going into lifelong debt to do so. Republican officials and voters will happily accept government help, complain that it isn't enough, and it will then be a brief countdown before they blast any attempt to help democratic voters suffering, even if it's for the exact same reason. The usual corporations will see the devastation as a wonderful buying opportunity, use endless government funds to rebuild residential and commercial properties that will all but ensure most residents can't return to their home towns given the new sky-high prices. And of course, the also-corporate-run Dems will not be able to or simply choose not to effectively use this blatant hypocrisy to call out these individual and institutional monsters. And then.... sometime soon, we will spend trillions invading another country in an attempt to spread democracy at gunpoint...because obviously...we're just so scary-talented at it.
Did anyone here get taught in school the definitions of socialism, communism, capitalism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism? No? Why not? Did you get all your notions of socialism from rabid television commentators and rabid politicians?
I voted other. I think the answers are most of the above. #1 and #2 are the GOP's default positions just like abortion is a default position/buzzword. Socialism riles up the poorly educated. The MAGAt crowd thinks the only handouts are to migrants, refugees, black, and brown people.
#3 and #4 need to be explained to the poorly educated crowd. Especially #3. Sadly, there is a good deal of the population who prefer to be willfully ignorant. They have no idea where SS comes from. They have no idea that Medicaid is a social safety net that is taxpayer funded and one they may be using! Medicare is the same. I remember when town hall meetings were a big thing. Barney Frank took a statement from a woman who said, the government better keep their hands off of her SS. WTH? Democrats have got to explain these programs and how they're funded.
While listening to Michael Hoppe's exit theme, I had the image of the end of the film The Third Man, with Robert Reich as Joseph Cotton, leaning up against a parked car -- an electric vehicle-- and Heather (Alida Valli) walking down that Vienna street. But instead of walking past, she turns to Robert, and he's there with two large cups of coffee -- extending one out to her.
Loved Sylvia Brestel's opening theme too.
Most Americans are ignorant defining the difference between socialism and communism. They sadly and incorrectly equate the two . I personally have never met one person when asked can differentiate the two.
Concerning the disclosure bill does anybody realistically think these wealthy companies or individuals want the public to know they are funding and financially supporting these extreme right wing organizations?? Nope! Like AT&T, giving an extreme right wing organization recently $150 million. Their philosophy is never show the left hand what the right hand is doing. “Hand” metaphorically meaning the public(left) and the money holders (right). That’s why a lot of truth seekers states, “Follow the money”! You’ll find the culprit!
What Americans have been brainwashed to believe: Capitalism equals democracy. Anything (or anyone) that threatens capitalism is therefore a threat to democracy. What a brilliant and diabolical sales job.
I'm leaning toward "all of the above". I don't believe that we Dems don't aren't trying to fight the good fight, but I do think that our presentation needs work. I hope that we can take Ian in Florida as a moment to explain what the federal government can, and does, provide in emergencies because of the federal policies we have which are designed to maintain a social safety net. DeSantis advocates the Grover Norquist theory of government, but now that his state is suffering, he will happily take the federal money to provide the safety net (and then turn around and criticize everything the federal government does). I am not advocating that we try to profit from human suffering (the GOP owns that), but I think we need to use the response to this suffering to illustrate the value of liberal social policies, and the importance of a federal response to ensure that the distribution is equitable.
I sure love your voice, but I wonder if it would be possible to have these chats transcribed. I'm a much quicker reader than a listener, And I can retain better.
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." —Dom Hélder Câmara
1) If we want a better idea why national news is not disclosing who is giving how much to whom it is because the billionaires are buying into national news and reining in who can say what.
2) Ginni Thomas is a grand example of why the spouse of SCOTUS justice should be banned from ANYTHING political. Ginny is not afraid to tell us that she believes the BIG LIE. So, Clarence should not be allowed to vote on anything related to the previous national election.
3) The GOPers have out-organized and brain-washed their adherents. There Is no middle anymore in the GOP. You either adhere or they throw you out.
"We equate socialism with communism"...
No, not "we". The Republican Party, Libertarians and other people who actually believe in the "self-made man [sic]" have made a project out of conflating socialism, communism, social welfare and any other "welfare" initiatives with Soviet style communism. Democrats have made a huge mistake though, and they continue to make the same mistake today - we allow the right to define the terms of the debate, then we fall victim to their definitions. Democrats insist on using the word "social" to describe all manner of policies and programs. This is just dumb. And dumber. It seems we finally start getting smart with programs named "Aid for Dependent Children"; the title is good but the debate is still conducted in Republican terms, e.g. social welfare. The Republicans have weaponized almost all of the language that Democrats use to explain, justify and advertise their efforts to help people. They "own the libs" alright because we have allowed them to own the language. A culture war is partly a language war with the battle being fought over labels that most people don't even know what they mean. Change the language, beat them at their own game!
I think the reason "socialism" resonates as the bogey man is the age-old issue of racism. When government helps people, Black people may be included, and still a substantial proportion of the population, including many members of Congress, just don't want to do anything positive for Black people.
As for hurricane damage in Florida, I suspect Ron DeSantis will try to usurp as much of the credit as he can. Sad to say, I don't think the help from federal agencies will affect people's perception of the federal government. And most of the affected people shown on the TV news seem to be white.
With respect to down ballot voting, it seems that the Democratic Party, over the past twenty years at least, has trained its voters to care only about president. That puts an extra burden on each down ballot Democratic candidate to convince people to vote for the office at all before proceeding to convincing them to vote for the candidate for the office. The Democratic Party has thus put itself at a serious disadvantage, which is manifested in many of the problems discussed in this coffee klatch.
Dems need to start saying "The republicans are really planning at the taking away YOUR social security" much like Republicans do with " they are planning about taking away your guns".
(It is true about misunderstanding of socialism v. social safety net and about communicating how it works - but I see the "guns" fear being seeming effective - I dont know why cause it is killing everyone to have more guns than people in the US.
It is worth a try: its concise and true and we generally are increasing in older americans who need social security to survive. The alternative is to let the republicans will brain wash everyone that it will never be there for the / you once we age into it.
Can we make it a choice: Guns (danger and death) v. Social Security (Security - Safety - Support when we most need it)
Remember FDR!
Labels and name calling works. That's why calling Fascists, Fascist is effective.
People don't know what Socialism means and they don't know what Fascism means, but they know they don't like them.
Republicans own the media and have an outsized 'voice' ; (remember : money is speech). they have more money than Democrats, and, therefore, more influence. The Disclose Act being shot down by the un Democratic Senate is a good example. If the public at large had a heads up about that bill ; there may have been a strong push for it that might have influenced their 'representatives' to act. But, as has been pointed out on this forum ; even Democrats are 'on the take' with the dark money, The way this is set up now, how else could they compete? Look at once 'pristine' and idealistic Krysten Sinema now. At one time she actually cared about regular folks. Got a taste of the big bucks and power and Shazam! Ms. Super sellout! Only a saint (or a Bernie Sanders), can keep on keeping on ; and even such a stalwart as he is done in by the all destroying lying media. They kill us again and again.
The problem in the United States goes back even further than a century and is not just a Republican problem. The robber barons of the 19th century got it started as an anti-union tactic. There was a socialist vein in American life going back to the earlier 19th century when there were Evangelical socialists! Various unions and worker's movements, often influenced by immigrants from Europe where socialism was a valid political option, embraced various forms of socialism and the plutocrats went after them. Both political parties went right along. Eugene Debs, the leader of the Socialist Party, was jailed for objecting to WW I, and Wilson's AG, Palmer, led the first Red Scare after the war. Republicans became the preeminent Commie hunters in opposition to FDR and the New Deal, and produced Joe McCarthy and the House Unamerican Activities Committee (HUAC). Ever since, any attempt at social progress has been labeled Communism or Socialism. It is allowed to stand because so few Americans actually know what socialism is (Witness people calling Barak Obama and Joe Biden socialists) What I learned growing up in California public schools was all from the perspective of anti-communist propaganda. I had to read the actual sources on my own, and generally keep what I was learning to myself. People in every European country, as well as Canada and Mexico know more about socialism than Americans, sadly. This ignorance is what allows Republicans to get away with calling Democratic centrism "socialism."