Robert Reich: Dismantling the Rigged Economic System
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
- Robert Reich, former labor secretary under President Bill Clinton and UC Berkeley professor, joins The Nation to talk about our rigged economic and political system-who rigged it and how we can fix it.
Nothing will change until political contributions (bribes) are eliminated.
Here's the best way to do that: represent.us/
@tim walsh I was thinking more along the lines of an implosion of the current global financial system, social unrest like we have never seen in our lifetime besides in movies, some dark times ahead while we take back our true freedom.
Agree that Oligarchs are running AMERICA. But everything is rigged. How can we really in a peaceful way, create the change toward all kinds of equality? Our hands are tied.
I am looking toward age 79 before next election. Things looking like hopelessness not optimism.
Patricia Masterson it’s not going to be peaceful, far from it, it’s not just America, it’s many many countries around the world. Something between Planet of the Apes and Escape from New York? Hopefully nothing quite that bad but Empires don’t usually fall without a fight.
Thank you for choosing the side of "we the people", Robert Reich.
Nothing will change until corporations are relieved of personhood status and Constitutional rights.
72 names of God
@John Lillbourne my apologies John I have no clue to why you wrote this to me. I don't know much about banking other than those who control the money are directing the mass collection of data of our private information and that our government is taking advantage of the meta data collection of the phone companies like At&t is that a zionist owned corporation. My only knowledge of Zion is that is where the law of God comes from and through my western experience as a United States natural born citizen and as a patriot if the constitution I belief that the Bible is the only book I have ever read that the rinviples are universal non discriminating and it is my belief that the founding fathers based the constitution on the premise that we are free to practice the principles taught in the Bible. I simply do not understand why our laws do not reflect the universal principle that lying cheating and unfaithfulness along with murder and dishonoring your parents are not laws that forbid our elected officials from being accountable to doing these things. When a police officer kills somebody and they act like they are performing a service in a light if heroism even when they are overreaching or perhaps out right wrong to reinforce these principles devalues life and that principle increases violence in society. Every one understands this and as a society we have matured to recognize that we peacefully protest the ammunity that protects officials all officials from being held to answer for gross negligence while they continue to foster thin blue line policies and devalues the value of life for us all. You have some suficicated opinion in my perspective only serves to cast some disparaging view on Jewish religious views that I believe fosters the same sentiments that reflect German political opinions that Hitler fostered in his rise to power. Let me be clear on this point if you are white black Jew German Islam Christian or what ever the defining between good and bad is universal the ten commandments are from above and define right and wrong with out respect to person one law for all with no variation that is my conviction and what I view as wrong with the world today and it's my believe the only way to solve the complexities that we humans face together on a world scale threat of human extinction or only hope is to stand on the principles that has lifted kings up to power and have bought nation's to their knees that there is a soverierng God who gave us the gift of his perfect law that we have thrown that law behind us like a filthy rag and denied his authority as our creator by assuming we can change or disregard his councel. This is the begining of the end of the revolt that mankind has made by ignoring God and the very few elect who will survive understand that the world is dying because of these points. God will not discriminate against the Jew it the gentle he will not be made a mockery from men he will turn the wise back in there wisdom and he will confound the powers that be through a fool like me .
Eric Cyrus Henderson Looking beyond the occasionally perplexing grammatical and spelling issues I say to you: Amen Brother!
Eric Cyrus Henderson bless if only it was that simple
Getting industry out of government is progress. Getting corporate money out of government is progress. Are we a society of progress or conservatism?
Taxpayer funded elections could put a huge dent in Citizens United's Armor!
You might be right, but remember that all the foreign campaign donations, that he had received, allowed Barack Obama to turn down government matching funds.
I wish that people could wake up to this, I worked this out when I was 6 in Scotland
Memphis Memphis sorry not sure what you mean.
Remember that Scotland is a much elderly Nation compared to here in the US.A. Compared to you, we are toddlers, and evidently haven't matured, at all.
Well, just under half of us haven't, anyway. Most of us have been waiting for them to just catch up.
I know one thing: I LOVE my country🇺🇸❤💯. But I have NEVER been as unproud of my Executive Gov'tal Body as I have been in the last 6-7 years.
Just incredibly corrupt and ugly.💯😡😡😥😥
Reaganomics equals plutocracy
Borrow + Bomb = a False Profit It is the false profit ewes have been following since 2001. The WAR is next -- every desperate nation and people for themselves . . . in the Name of GAUD (Matthew 7: 22) Grand Architect of Ur Destruction. Abraham's Ur. The devil wants all men and women fighting. He thinks that by proving Mankind Unfit for God's Kingdom, he will absolve himself of blame.
The war should renew (it's the same old wars) this Christmas Day. Then, a Jubilee in Jerusalem to forgive ALL OUR DEBTS on 09/23/26 -- maybe sooner, but I think Mankind may need the full 7-years of tribulation -- which began 09/17/19. Tribulation is for teaching -- not punishment.
I'm anti-fascist. My parents are anti-fascist and my grandfathers put on uniforms and fought fascists in Europe.
Thank you John. Anti fascist. I am anti fascist. My grand parents did the same. Are we not ALL anti fascist? Are you folks fascist? Stand up against this idiotic junk talking point from MAGA.
Define fascism
Until we see each other as equals there is no equality. Until we have economic equality, there is no equality. Every life has value! Time to grow up America!!
I agree. People need to grow up and be responsible. Striving for a New Humanity.
While I was in high school my parents couldn't afford a pair of black shoes and an orange pair was donated to me. Jean Huston, a teacher bullied me and shamed me every day for one year because of the colour of my shoes. I dropped out of school at age of 12 because my parents couldn't afford it. I returned to school at 15, worked my way up became a teacher at the same school and now I have another degree. Don't ever let People tell you what you can or cannot do. My students still seek me out today after 20 years. I must have done something good.
Groove energy relies on reaching ten billion of us on Earth.... 10 to the 12th power, cited often as the dozen of choice!!
@@Sherirose1 What kind of petty idiot even cares about the color of a kid's shoes?!
Thank you Professor Reich! Your input shocks me yet everything you said it right! Our country has slipped so much on human rights and our education standards! We have little social safety nets etc.!
Jamie Dimond like all CEO’s does not walk the talk, here in Australia we term it as being full of sh#t
We term it in a very similar way.
That is what we call it in America as well!
Its truly a shame Australian politicians have followed the lead of American political leaders. Ive watched your beautiful country change due to mining companies and other big business buy away pieces of Australia. Permanently removing its valuable materials and assets, like species of rare animals and plants. Not to mention the minerals. Your country maybe rich but its being sold away from its Citizens...without their approval.
@ Exactly. The hypocrisy is amazing. But not unexpected.
Mark anti-semite
Democrats and Republicans used to care about each other. We need to heal and UNITE AGAINST the GREED.
However that will never happen until the GOP is totally dismantled.
Can't 🤷♀️
The GOP and their base worship exploitation. They think it's clever, funny, and cute.
Democrats are the ones that live off our children who will have to pay for the debt Democrat programs have brought us we have a debt so big it defies belief because you won't pay enough taxes to pay for the social programs Democrats want why do you hate our children
The interest alone is over a half a trillion dollars our bond status was downgraded for the first time ever pay enough taxes to cover the cost of the government services Democrats want
"somehow people are under the mistaken impression that calling for the complete overthrow of the entire ruling class is not a simple and practical solution"
While my preference as VP would be Nina Turner and I also like Barbara Lee I doubt he would choose either of them.
We get nothing in exchange for the taxes we pay. The wealthy benefit from our taxes.. I am proud of today's young. We, the grandparents who were the protesters of the 60s get to watch them follow in our footsteps.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Yes!!!! So proud!!! Iets burn everything to the ground. What Reisch doesn't tell you is for 52 years under Bush,Clinton,Bush and Obama...only Crony capitalism was practiced. We need more political outsiders for president and term limits on Congress.
Lee Alexander- What is their to be proud of the problem is worse now, WE do not want anymore symbolic unity we want to get
what is ours and go our own way, we don't want anymore freedom riders, programs or missionaries just pay the debt.
Boo to 60s leftists and all leftists who burn things down, including free speech of conservtives, black, white, and yellow. Boo to 60's radicals who made it impossible for Humphrey to become President. I.m for the crackdown on those spoiled brats and those who follow their example... anarchy doesn't build, produce, or govern. Anarchists hate and riot and loot and antagonize and destroy as do radical lefties and communists... and this guy Reich has put us all to sleep, including Katrina.
He wants Mark Zuckerberg to censor millions of the "working poor" who happen to be conservative in outlook.. and who are opoosed to Mr. Reich's bromides. That's what he means by zuckerberg taking "responsibility." The oligarchy is GLOBAL and is as virulent as the means they are using to control and contain the populations. Mr. Reich doesn.t name names because he wants to be relevant in one of these oligarchs' orbit of power. He put in Good word for the addled chamelion Biden, who is a puppet of the powers that be in Dem. Party....
Does "Taxation without representation" sound familiar?
Thank you God bless America we still have people like you.
There are NO "gods", gods were invented by clever, power hungry men who made up both "gods" & "devils", heaven & hell to freighten the ignorant & fearful & they have been DUPING THE STUPID & GULLABLE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS!
There are no "gods" & there are no "devils", "satan" or a monster under your bed, grow up.
On not vilifying individuals: There's a saying that goes something like "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Well, without the players, there wouldn't be a game. I don't know how a system could be taken down without concentrating on the people who keep it alive.
I agree, but I'm sure you'd agree also that there's a danger in focusing so much on individuals and their motivations that you lose track of the systemic roots of most problems.
Yeah, we should take our protests to where such self-serving oligarchs live with constant pressure to elevate their fears! When Nixon feared protestors ready to storm the White House, he relented on several progressive demands that challenged his conservative stance. Identify obstinate oligarchs, find out where they live & hang out, and be vocal *there!* Reject empty promises. Be sure to also harass their defenders, and push forcefully for reforms without relenting. Celebrate and defend all democratic rights! Do *not* allow saboteurs to spoil our efforts; expose them dramatically! Bring down corrupt, complicit fake journalists too.
The revolution will not be televised! Make it viral by all other means. Go global! Always remember that we vastly outnumber them with solidarity, if we fight against their divisive tactics.
He hedges just like everybody else...
[double take]...[long sigh] Oh my, 'common sense'; how refreshing.
If they just surrender to The One, the structure would surely Be changed. We need 10 billion people Grooving, in order to manifest enough Groove energy to ignite music’s rehabilitation powers upon Earth!! Groovism is our belief. Digital Religions ????
Reich did support NAFTA.I am happy if he has realized how mistaken that was.Ross Perot had it right.
I believe I have heard him address this and disavow NAFTA. if I find the talk I'll get back to you.
Do you think Biden will make these changes in taxing wealthy? I read he is looking at Jamie Diamond and Larry Summers as treasury secretary or at least for input on finance, this is discouraging. I also read Biden is having all his donors have input on all his VP picks and other issues, I hear this and think things won't change even with Democrats.
who says?
You have to walk the talk. So far Biden has not even hinted at making substantial changes to the rigged system hs is a part of. Why should he? He and his family have benefited from it. If it turns out that he does make substantial changes it will be one of those rare FDR moments.
I appreciate your sentiments, but "Even with Democrats?" Democrats have been as bad or worse than Republicans in my lifetime. DJT is our only hope. He ain't perfect, but he has proven himself to be a patriot and strong enough to stand up to the hoards of corrupt politicians, bureaucrats & main stream propaganda mill that support totalitarianism.
Of course he won’t. He already promised wallstreet he won’t change the status quo
@@privatenumber6015 Trump is a fraud. Biden is a monster in a bumbling idiot's clothing.
I think the professor has it wrong. The United States is not an obliarchy. If it is, can he name the families who are running this country. Instead, the USA is a plutocracy, which loosely means that is run by and for those with money. Although the two are similar, there are notable differences. Obliarchies are about people. Plutocracies are about money. With an obliarchy, the same families rule year after year, sometimes for generations. Some could argue that the former Soviet Union was in fact an obliarchy. The people who had the most access to power were those who were either members of the leadership of the revolution or near relatives of them.
In a plutocracy, access to power is determined by how much money one has. So the people actually running the plutocracy may change from day to day, or even moment to moment. If I were to win the super lottery, for example, my rank in the present system would go up dramatically. Most likely, I would experience an extreme change in attitude, as I started to work to consolidate my position. First, I would want my new found wealth to last my lifetime. But that would not be enough. I would want to pass it on to my descendants. I would likely start losing most interest in improving society and gain interest in not only improving my position, but in quietly cutting down the competition. No, this wouldn't happen right away, but give me a few years. A plutocracy is best described by its values. If "getting ahead" or "winning" is a prime value in our society, then our society is probably a plutocracy, or at least we'll on its way to becoming one.
Once having the maximum wealth possible becomes a universal value, those who have it steadily become seen as being more and more virtuous simply for having it.
This is the society I live in.
Fantastic! Well explained. Love this man👍👍
VERY WELL DONE TRUE WORDS OF WISDOM BEST WISHES FROM MANCHESTER ENGLAND !🙈🙉🙊☝️
Historically, how do most oligarchys get ‘fixed’? As an American, I feel pretty grim.
DrMossydog no disrespect-that sounds wonderful and (perhaps) historically unprecedented. At a certain point, I think Tsarist Russia or French Revolution is equally conceivable.I hope I’m wrong.
Pops Fenwick that’s true too, and millions of folks were slaughtered. So, what is the historically-based success story beyond standard oil? I think every a American is highly invested in a non-bloody solution. When (Pres) Biden appoints Dimon and/or Solomon to run US finances, problem solved?
Yotn Pez check out the theory of the leisure class..written about that time. Just as depressing commentary as the modern era. And, the class hatred is thick like humidity :\
historically, oligarchies dont get fixed. Both The French and American Democratic Revolutions and the Communist Revolutions were all quickly reversed by succeeding oligarchies. The US oligarchy was cemented in place and secured by the Constitution. Reform occasionally is possible; the Civil War amendments are an example, driven by the minority Abolition Movement of the 1850s which became the Republican Party ~1857.
@@rd264 Yes they do get fixed. We did it in France, we have a REAL Democratic/Socialist Party. America is so far behind everything of what the French and the Europeans have acquired to live a decent life. The fact that you have been brainwashed by phrases like "you are the best of the whole world" and "there are no better places like America" is really difficult to look somewhere else. But, there is a way to change this country for the best is to abolish the Electoral Election without it, this country will NEVER EVER change. As a matter of fact, the Electoral was created for one thing only, to keep the blacks fox from voting. Did you know the orange clown was elected only by 5.5%. But he got the Electoral. We need to get him out because right now, we have 2 viruses one is called COVID-19 and the other one is Donald G Trump and he's the deadliest one.
Thank you Katrina for a great introduction of Robert Reich. Your praising of this great man is all true. We are with you here struggling through so many crises.
Its always awesome to listen to the Professor...a brilliant man!!! Thanks so much!!!
What you've done, Robert, is agree with me.
You had s great chance with Bernie, but you rejected him and What he stands for. Big mistake...
@DrMossydog Don't forget to thank Obama, too; he talked Buttigieg and Klobuchar into quitting the race on the eve of the South Carolina primary to unite the corporatists against Bernie.
hey now, some of tho blame goes to the corrupt dnc. et. Al.
@@lawsonj39 Yeah, Obama didn't help. Idiot 😡
On education: we do need better teachers, but we can’t get them without “woke” administrators. State education codes allow admin to fire (non renew) a teacher employed less than two years in a district for any reason. The anecdote used in my college program was “your shoelaces” being the wrong color - it was a dog whistle for being anti racist.
As a teacher for the last six years, I stopped teaching due to the realization that there is extreme bias both racially and gender-wise. Repeatedly, I found myself in conflict with white male principals who refused to listen to my concerns. Statistically there are a very high percentage of white males hired into academic administrations who control the policies in education, despite highly qualified women of diverse racial background who would be better suited to addressing problems in the classroom. I could write a whole book on this subject. If we want "woke administrators" hire more women who represent the students they teach. Oh yeah, pay teachers what we deserve.
Hey Bob, glad to see you are getting around. Good speech. Beat that drum about "concentrations of wealth"! You are right on!
Revolution only Solution. Peaceful... if that's even possible in this environment. Young people... keep the movement going.
Non violent revolution comes by way of who we buy from and how
To overthrow this system is gonna require a violent revolution sadly to say. It's got that extreme. However rational struggles to persist when anger and violence are dominant.
"Health insurance premiums, high deductibles, co-pays, medical bankruptcy are a human right"… said no one ever. (:-( #MedicareForAll: free at point of care, will save you money but… "nah, socialism!" (:-( #M4A #UHC #UniversalHealthCoverage
If you would grasp how much a prescription drug costs, month after month, and how many people take one or more prescriptions per month, you would begin to grasp that health insurance is merely the middle-man for big pharma. Antidepressants are the biggest scam that big Pharma ever pulled on the public. Fentanyl is the second. It's a synthetic opiate, inspired by Huxley's SOMA for a Brave New World Order. They can always make more. Expect shortages of Antidepressants -- even though both drugs are made in China. Antidepressants are counter-effective when suddenly stopped, heh-heh. Then people become suicidal and.or homicidal. And that is what the devil wants. He thinks that by proving Mankind Unfit for God's Kingdom, he will absolve himself of blame.
@police-and-military-are-welfare-whores more money isn't needed if the money is spent how it should be in the first place.
Thank You!!!
Great interview. Thank you.
To argue that taxation is theft, is to argue that the owners should have all the power, rather than the voters. This is a libertarian smokescreen for feudalism, and they do it in the name of freedom. The alternative to representative democracy, the banks, is what freedom is all about.
@Mark Johhson lol. Jungle City is not gonna be a discount store out in the woods!
When I heard about voter purging or name purging I re register to vote every election
CALL IT WHAT YOU MAY. "I CALL IT, THE TRUTH COMING OUT." ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT AND IT'S PEOPLE.
Awesome podcast, I'm coming a year later and appreciate you
Robert Reich does not need a three and a half min intro, we're here to listen to wisdom.
The computer heard you. Lol
Yes , Reich says some things that I agree with yet he 'pimps' for such divisiveness , not one mention of this stuff of someone saying something ( even if it is flat out true ) that somebody complains about and that man or woman is then fired from their job ... This is not the American way .
Robert Reich is a communist he talks of takeing businesses and turning them over to workers communism does not work
Thank you Mr. Reich for your knowledge and inspiration in these dark times.
I agree and im so glad of yr bringing clarity to these subjects of import.👍
Good man with good ideas. Warren for VP. Sounds good.
Yes, great idea. She lied about her ancestry to take advantage of opportunities set aside for the people from whom our ancestors stole this land. She lied about why she left teaching, so as to portray herself as dowtrodden. She lied about how her parents were treated at their wedding to support her fabricated claims of a disadvantaged background. She hid the millions she made promoting the interests of corporate elite that she now pretends to be against. Great choice! That will make defeating Biden easy.
I'm a big fan of Robert and have been for 15 years. Thanks.
in order to right America, we must be rid of scandalous GOP practices in our governance.
The Nation is the Best. Good Show. Good Information.
Robert, I'm in agreement with you but what I want to hear is how do we make progress towards positive change?
He has no idea. He is a socialist at heart.
@@goldismoney5899 some of our best things are funded through socialism, examples are fire departments, roads, schools.
Socialism funds life, it's a sharing of responsibilities and benifits.
What you got now is crushing poverty for the working people, and children going hungry.
It think its 1 out of every 5 children is going hungry.
Your way is not working, I'm sick of the injustices we are living under now.
@@goldismoney5899 socialism is good for the people.
I studied this in school and capitalism is a failed system.
You have not done your research.
The democratic socialism system is a good system like they have in sweden, and Norway.
Robert Caplin surprised that the violence is so diffuse and misdirected. It evidences how ignorant and manipulated by the mass media that those protesting really are. Seems like aLl it’s going to take at this point is for a charismatic leader to lead the mob to Wall Street and the Hamptons instead of Main Street, USA.
I just have one probing question: if Donald Trump is the oligarchy’s President? Then why is the deep state that the oligarchy has established over the past 30 years so desperate to remove him from office?!?
We need the next Bernie. Now!!! A. O. C.
Themovementlives
Great interview. Thank you Robert Reich and the good people who want to empower the human race.
Thank you
Katrina vanden, Robert Reich .. respect from Saudi Arabia
friends of the fascist orange in our region are oppressing. HELP
Your country has bigger problems than ours. I have no idea how you're going to fix it.
We have a Huge Hollow Orange Jack o Lantern “at the helm”‼️
And Giving Thanks as well!
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of people in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it.”
Frederic Bastiat
Greetings from St. HELENA, CA.😉👍❤
Thank you.
I somewhat remember a story from my youth. A man approached a very complex situation with many twists and turns. No one before him had devised a solution. He thought for a moment and then drew his sword and cut the Gordian Knot. The solution seemed to be weapons and the will to use said weapons was the solution. Violence and force has it’s moments? I also vaguely remember another story. A man approached a sword imbedded in a stone. The person who could draw the sword, a weapon, had the right to lead. Who will lead us now?
Thanks 😊
This was an important and wise talk...love it!
Pfft. He harps on and on about the rich. Blah blah blah
Robert B. Reich. Why did you never think of running for President. You are an inspiration to me and many. You should be proud , not because often great books, but the caring, extremely intelligent, man you have always been. Keep up the great work.
He want to save Capitalism, a horrible system based on violence which can not be reformed. Many people tried, last one was FDR.
Frankie D. didn't go far enough.Either we finish the job or America's finished................
Thankyou, a damn fine man and a great interview.
Become aware
✌️❤️
"The Assault on truth............" Thank you for this potent example of the assault on truth.
Thank you, Katrina. You are appreciated for this mindful expression. QUALITY MEDIA
Not red vs blue, capitalism vs you.
Try the Violet Pill. The Red Pill merely makes you dream that you are fighting a righteous war against the evil Left. But really, you are asleep in your pod, right next to the Blue-Pillers who dream they fight for Social Justice. With the Violet Pill, you get a New Dream -- that WE (you too) have been tasked with the progressive perfection of Mankind -- God's composite of unique individuals with ascension promise -- even if it takes us all 6,493 years remaining in Abraham's 10,000 year Covenant (after Moses renegotiated and some years are not counted). There's an Epochal Eclipse April 8th 2024. Don't stare at the sun; exercise faith -- speak with thy God thyself -- to get in shape for the Awakening.
Katrina I miss seeing you on TV. I Always enjoy hearing your point of view. Your intellectual and beautiful personality (and face) should Grace my phone much more often. Know you're missed.
I disagree with censorship on Facebook or in any media.
Very good !
JOT SINGH IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT ABOUT THE FAILURE OF
WEALTHY OF AMERICA TO SHARE THE WEALTH !
AND THE BEST PLACE TO BEGIN IS WITH AN MUCH IMPROVED
EDUCATION SYSTEM !!!
Rigged because we tax income, instead of wealth. Wealth makes income irrelevant.
Thank you lovely people ✌
A true truth-teller! Go Cal!
It is very important to explain the difference between the stock market and the real economy where the stocks of solid companies can lose value while the stocks of heavily indebted companies riding a bubble can explode.
When will you.be on mainstream news?
Occupy the Offices of the Establishment, BDS the System … Rent Strike, Debt Strike!
Those two single features would drive a stake through the heart of the one percent
No need to strike. Already MANY cannot pay. That's why the Fed is buying all the debt. Nobody can pay their debts or their rents. Those Globalists are generations ahead of ewes with both a Vision and a Plan. If you ever hope to catch up, you must learn to see beyond your lifetime.
@@humboldthammerOccupy the establishment, leave them with only the ability to negotiate.... the recent wins of Progressives, over establishment Dems and down ballot Initiatives is part of the answer. Dismantling and replacing it with new , younger faces and ideas is the reality... The fight is not between the Left and the right, the real fight is with the Corporatist Oligarchs versus the 98%.
Good God. One would think that someone so eminently qualified, as Reich is, would be able to come up w/ an analysis deeper than a Blame Game: "Donald Trump this. Donald Trump that.".
I challenge RR to advocate for all revocation of taxcuts back to 1980 above 250K in income. The amount of funding that would generate would be incredible.
has anything changed from the days of the Rail Barons? They were Oligarchs. If nothing has changed, how can we expect it to. If something has changed since the 1880, in which area was the change most noticeable? (ie. cleaner food processing thanks to Upton Sinclair)
RR : you can´t do all those things which are all good when you allow all the wealth redistribution that you don´t address. When you allow tax cuts for the rich and then allow those tax shortfalls for excusas to defund necessary public expenditures gives no help.
Okay, let's review: 1.) A large number of lower and middle income jobs disappear (depression sets in). 2.) All the unemployed lose their employer-connected healthcare (illness increases dramatically). 3.) Huge numbers of renters are unable to pay their rent (desperation sets in). 4.) they get evicted and end-up on the streets (at least the weather's not bad - good timing). 5.) "Landlords" drop their rental income expectations but find no new tenants (except for some foreigners). 6.) A huge number of home owners are unable to make their mortgage payments (divorce and suicides increase). 7.) The banks evict residents and repossess their properties (adding to the astounding numbers of homeless). 8.) The banks put these properties up for sale at lower prices (to recover the shortfall - remember, banks don't lose). 9.) These distressed properties are quickly purchased by the wealthy at "fire-sale" prices (also Chinese and other foreign investors move in). 10.) The end result is even more wealth inequality (and the Republicans rejoice). Capitalism.
Democrats and Republicans differ in degree and on social issues. But if you analyze power and wealth they differ not at all.
I have written before that capitalism consolidates wealth in too few hands and power is meted out by the wealthy in campaign funding in return for political advantage.
Oligarchy is the end result of capitalism. Your analysis is exactly on point. But your solution is rooted in the same old talking points that are untrue. This is not a country where hard work and innovation brings success. Every year we waste human capital because college is out of reach for a great many young people. This is a country, now that capitalism is mature and entrenched, that is developing only two classes. Haves and the rest of us. Each generation since FDR has done a bit worse than the one before. The trend accelerated with Reagan and is accelerating even faster now under Trump. Our youth begin their adult lives burdened by debt, by lack of health care, by low wage jobs and with job insecurity. We have, in large part, a gig economy supplanting the old industrial jobs that supported families for a whole lifetime.
We must have worker input into such issues as where goods are produced, who produces goods and services, definitions of poverty and wages. We need a graduated income tax once again that makes certain that one class does not own everything. But most of all, we need socialism and we must have a whole new paradigm.
You are correct that our elections are no longer free and fair. You are right that Trump intends to try to become our President for Life or as long as the oligarchy allows him to be president. It is clear Trump is the tool of the oligarchy. But getting rid of the tool does not get rid of the structure and privilege of the oligarchy.
A wealth tax is a good idea but an income tax is important too. People can hide wealth but with proper laws it is much harder to hide income. Maybe I am wrong about that but I think that wealth is hard to assess but income is more easily assessed. Maybe we can do both. But first we must have the framework that demands that the rich cough up their power and riches sufficiently that the people as a whole can thrive.
I agree with a lot of what you have written. As I see it so far, the powers that be have been dismantling what was put in place in reaction to the great depression and WWII. The two party system is surely a facade that unfortunately fools and/or distracts almost everyone. It's a class divide that will only reveal it's unsustainability in ugly and eventually violent ways. At minimum, Until the trend of shifting the tax burden onto labor ends and reverts to unearned income and capital gains(essentially reestablishing the wealth taxes that were put in place), the boom/ bust crises can only continue and increase in severity with each crisis.
@Mark Johhson just get on with the uniting of people in understanding and get out of the Vampire Castle.
The only hope is the African American and Latino communities. They need to be supported, politically and financially.
Too many latinos are not playing fair in Africa- American communities!
I'm not a trump supporter!
(Pancha Chandra) When a judge shows displeasure of a person's conduct, citizens sit up & listen! But when a senior judge makes pointed comments of her own brother, the 45th President, citizens really begin to take note!
I think the 'electoral college' is rigged, gerrymandering,...Russia, etc. How do we get rid of it???
Why hasnt the government got people like this as advisors
We must amend the law so that this situation with Trump / Biden never happens again. There must not be a choice for 'the lesser of two evils'
Who is Calling for dismantling systems ?
Agree 100%
Remember MOLLY FORBES!! She had a small scrap of land in Scotland, where she and her son had a small farm. Trump said that she was living like a pig. He had his workmen cut off her water while building his golf course, which is, incidentally on environmentally protected land. This 86 year old woman had to get her water from a nearby stream FOR FIVE YEARS! Friends and neighbors brought water to her often. AT 92 YEARS OLD, SHE NOW LIVES IN A CARE HOME. Look her up online. She was not living like a pig.
Absolutely correct about it being the system not even the people at the top, at least not always. The guys at the top would get removed or their company go bust if company performance reduced by not using all the exploitation opportunities available currently.
The least of these - that is the starting point.
And Politics .
Mitch and Graham will Go down with The ship
I love this guy...
We love how he calls out oligarchs by NAME.
This guy reminds me of the coroner in the Wizard of Oz. Even lives in a tiny house.
Mr. Reich, one of the way that can change people's behavior in the US is that Greedy CEO should be jail, then dishonest people will change.
Although my means are somewhat meager I appreciate that I still have given my daughter the advantage of getting a head start in education and a comfortable lifestyle. That said though I don’t feel it is my duty to empower her with a privilege that is not a result of merit but rather as a result of the hierarchical wealth of old money. She can rest assured that even if I did so desire ..it ain’t gonna happen.
Key word Push and pressure the Elected official to do the work.
I believe that law & order needs to be maintained. It may be necessary to use aggressive means.
«Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than evil». (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
As time goes on... I get less mad and more happy. People get worse
Break the monopolies .