The big news today is the two-day climate conference of world leaders, which I will write about in the future, but I am still chewing over something from four days ago.
As a salesperson all of my adult life, I am stuck between two economic paradigms - the “trickle-down” economic cycle, in which the government spends little on the average American, and the “liberal agenda” economic cycle, where the government invests in itself and its citizens. And all these companies need the latter, simply because when the people have no money, they can’t afford to buy their products. Wal-Mart once lamented that the squeezing of welfare dollars negatively impacted their business. And, long before Trump’s nativism caught the attention of latent racists, I decided to stick w the “liberal agenda”, cause it is good for business.
What Rick Scott did in that op-ed was a miscalculation in salesperson terms. It tears against the golden rule of business relationships that “the customer is always right.” And it is never the action of a salesperson to threaten retaliation against a customer after they drop your business; as a salesperson, you NEVER burn that bridge.
Donald Trump’s time as the figurehead that came with the votes is waning, and we all know he’s a sore loser. The Republican Party’s time as the figurehead of business MAY ALSO BE WANING, and the day when the GOP could no longer rely on that great influx of cash to finance the machine that never works may finally be here.
I don't believe that "Trickle Down Economics" and "Liberal Agenda Economics" are inherently exclusive. I think that even the Chamber of Commerce is coming round to believing this as well. Okay, I'm a moderate social liberal and I am encouraged to see that there is a sea change at the national level of the Chambers of Commerce who in this last election showed a much more bipartisan stance than they have over the past 30 years. This has been met with a great deal of consternation by the old guard but I believe that it is such actions that can bring together the so called "silent majority" of moderates whose voice has been drowned out by extreme views on either side of the political spectrum. I believe that it will be good for small and big business to have some sort of National Health Care program as in European countries so that the onus of supplying Health Insurance is not entirely on businesses. Without a healthy infrastructure we cannot have a healthy economy. We must nip corruption and waste in the bud at ALL levels of government spending especially if we are going to spend trillions to fix what ails us. We need lots of oversight as well to collect the already existent taxes that companies and individuals are evading. Government is not the problem, greed and white fear of power sharing is.
As a restaurateur I could never understand why business wasn’t behind some form of National Healthcare program. We provided health insurance for our full time employees but the cost rose so substantially each year that we were constantly searching for new coverage. The Restaurant Association used to put out ads “we don’t trust government in our healthcare “ and we would answer but to no avail “do you trust insurance companies with your healthcare?” Their rhetoric seemed to win the day. Sigh
Exactly! Businesses have no problem utilizing or "trusting" government roads and bridges, but then they fail to see how national health coverage would significantly improve their bottom line. Never made sense to me.
I'd agree for the most part but the concerted decision to run Biden for President was a surprising exception to that tendency. Idem the two terms of President Obama. Certainly, the GOP has thrown their moderates to the lions.
I wouldn't expect you to predict the outcome of this fascinating and potentially momentous split. After all, historians don't predict the future. The Harvard Kennedy School poll of young people, released today, is a harbinger. It shows record-high approval ratings of President Biden among young people, higher even than for President Obama. This follows news of 300 business leaders endorsing aggressive action to combat climate change. The ground is shifting, and Republican leaders are unable or unwilling to see how attitudes in America are changing. They're fighting a tidal change that may sweep them away.
I hope you're right. Even if you are, I fear we have another 40 years of unwinding this disaster. After all, it took them roughly 40 to make it happen.
I would say that we have been in this blind loop of disaster since the beginning of the industrial revolution, with a mighty boost from single-use, throwaway, consumer culture. Until we as a people, acknowledge our part in this process, our capitulation to consumption, and floundering, (not to mention "buying" political outcomes) we will remain in decline.
Given that the republicans (note the small "r" , just as Mary Beth did) have put all this effort to mould the courts, especially SCOTUS, I'm afraid it may last much longer.
I think Big Business's support of environmental efforts AND their withdrawal of funds from Rs are both largely performative. They will continue to do whatever is in their best interest and there is every indication that they will play both sides, as they have all along. Already, many corporate donors are quietly back to financially supporting Rs, even those who voted to decertify the presidential election.
No doubt some of what we're seeing is performative, and I don't mean to suggest that businesses have become ethically and morally driven. But companies are waking up to the fact that people today are increasingly likely to punish them financially if they don't respond. The sustainability fervor sweeping the fashion industry is a good case in point. There's tangible evidence showing that a significant number of shoppers, especially younger ones, won't buy products from companies not committed to good environmental practices. And companies of all kinds are being pressured by their employees to be better corporate citizens.
Yes! Do not underestimate our "young people" (which to me is anyone under 45) and the Pete Buttigieg's out there gaining smarts and power. We HCR fans probably skew older - listen to what "the kids" are saying, and who they are voting for, with their wallets as well as at the polls.
I agree. My children are in their young/mid-twenties and in their friend circles, most are or have become either vegitatian or vegan because they care about their future and the planet. They are so much more aware of what is happening and they are fully committed to take a stand. Their voices will make changes. I think it is the 30-40 year olds that are in between on where they stand.
The American economy is based on consumerism. The demographics of American consumers is getting more colorful and more diverse every day. Businesses wishing to thrive therefore must adjust their political outlook and support in order to not alienate the people they more and more depend on.
When people of color were denied economic participation, denying them political participation was an easy business decision. The world is changing and smart businesses will change with it.
Hi Ralph. Let's simplify: businesses that oppose HR.1 will be boycotted, businesses that support HR.1 will be frequented and recommended to friends and family, and businesses that take no position will be duly ignored. Even if this costs us some inconvenience, folks. This is too important to just say our prayers and cross our fingers.
Boycots are good short-term strategy, I agree and will participate. The long-term trend is a more diverse consumer base. You don't need to wish for it, it's happening, and many businesses understand this. If your customer base was on the tv on Jan. 6th, your business is dying.
You wrote:" If your customer base was on the tv on Jan. 6th, your business is dying." That's the core of it. Smart marketing folks will understand that that group is not a sustainable market - and it's shrinking.
Is there some place where we can obtain a listing of businesses that support the Trump agenda and should be boycotted and a listing of businesses that should be supported? I know the big names like Amazon and Home Depot but what about others?
We can't even stop using Amazon, even though they are destroying other businesses, treat their employees abysmally, and are union-busting goons. We can't even get out of our cars and planes, or give up fossil fuel, even though climate change is actively trying to kill all life on earth. We show very little taste for inconvenience.
I only rarely use Amazon if there is no alternative. I didn't like that there was no customer service years ago when I had a problem. Amazon can be boycotted.
It's true, Americans put convenience ahead of all other criteria most of the time. We pay for it by stupidly and conveniently giving away our valuable personal information to the Internet and advertising barons on a daily basis, and we love what Amazon can do for us while we hate how Amazon treats its employees. And worse than each of us being unable to give up our cars, planes and an infinity of other world-killing habits, we cannot even elect politicians who will pass and enforce laws requiring us to give up or limit our habits in any meaningful way. We have even had to suffer several decades of guilt-tripping as the organizations that would save the earth have made it each individual's personal responsibility: drive less, fly less, don't eat meat, recycle and reuse, change lightbulbs, erect solar panels, buy an electric car, ride a bike, live in a high-rise, grow your own vegetables, buy organic, wear bamboo socks and all this becomes a topic for conversation and a few of us compete obsessively to be greener than thou knowing full well two thirds of the world's population still aspires to 3 squares a day, a roof, shoes, enough schooling to get a decent job, maybe even healthcare and a few days off now and then, maybe even a little safety or at least the illusion of safety, and if someone can actually afford to own a car, WOW!, go for it. All this while the fossil fuel industry has known where things were heading for the past 50-60 years, their scientists had it all figured out long ago but kept it secret and the CEOs denied it and paid the politicians to keep quiet, and there were some "almost" moments, even Bush Sr. had a bill to sign on his desk that might have given us a 30-year head start on saving the world, but no, didn't happen. I'm ranting...
Nevertheless, we can conscientiously save Amazon only for dire emergencies (y'know, like "I need it yesterday!") not join "Prime" or shop at Whole Foods and favor the companies whose owners are looking beyond mere immediate-profit-at-whatever-damaging-cost-to-the-greater-good. Several seem not to have lost their humanity and need to be encouraged. Others, perhaps, never had much humanity and need to be discouraged. As long as Citizens United stands, corporations should use their free speech rights and money to curry favor with the majority who ditched Trump, not the minority who tried to keep him. Can't hurt.
I think the gov't needs to take the lead on addressing climate change. For the half of the country that doesn't have an extra $400 for an emergency, it's just not going to register given all their other problems. But I think Biden is moving us in that direction, and as long as we can keep a hold on the House and the Senate, we'll get there.
I'll plead guilty. The majority of my readers buy my books there, and right now in the Great Cat Food Shortage, it's the only place I can find the stuff the fur people like.
Yes you can stop using Amazon, and I don't understand why people say that. I am happy to say that I have not bought anything from Amazon in years. There are always alternatives, both online and brick and mortar. As much as possible, I support local businesses because that is the only way to preserve alternatives to Amazon. They may be on their way to a semi-monopoly position.
Re cars--our country has been built around them for almost a century. I didn't own a car until I was 32. Until then, my bicycle was my basic transportation, summer and winter, in Wash. DC. I put 3650 miles a year on it. The impetus for buying that first car was a project that was too far away from me to commute by bicycle. I bought an eight year old Toyota for a little less than $1000 inflation-adjusted, and I can remember wondering if I was going to sell it when the project ended six months hence. It took my two weeks to realize I never wanted to be without a car again--my life was that much better with the car.
After I got the car, I still maintained the same bicycle mileage, but for the next 4-5 years my car mileage was only about 6000/year.
The Dems need badly to maintain hegemony on Capitol Hill in order to deal with climate change. All new buildings could and should be zero emissions, personal vehicles need be no more than 3,500 lbs, but there are plenty of 5,000 lb cars and light trucks running around. There probably should be limits on the sizes of houses. The vast majority of new electric power in the US is solar and wind. And we need to stabilize or even reduce our population if our country is going to be environmentally sustainable.
Yes, and not just consumers, but also employees. More and more businesses are aware of the more diverse work force and employees, BIPOC and some whites, especially younger whites, are a force inside the various businesses pushing for equality and change.
Yes, I am hearing this more and more, that talented young people are asking tough questions of corporations trying to recruit or retain them and that this is the major driver behind corporations new "wokeness." Doesn't matter to me why, if it gets results. Go, youth! They may save us from ourselves yet.
Thank you, Prof. HCR! Your political/historical musings are invariably a delight: filled with questions, critical thinking, and possible outcomes! They can never be skipped or ignored -- please, feel free to muse away to your heart's content. You never disappoint!
When I was in B-school in the late 80s’, the big debate was over the quality of for-profit hospitals, and it centered around HCA out of Tennessee, started by a doctor named Thomas Frist, whose brother was a US Senator. In the 90s, HCA merged with Columbia Health Care, out of Kentucky and started by Rick Scott.
Scott became chairman and CEO of Columbia/HCA. Then, employees blew the whistle and showed that the company was defrauding Medicare out of mllions of dollars. It paid "over $2 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties for systematically defrauding federal health care programs." [42] Columbia/HCA pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and admitted to systematically overcharging the government. The federal probe has been referred to as the longest and costliest investigation for health-care fraud in U.S. history” (Wikipedia cites)
Rick Scott was fired and Frist came out of retirement to repair the damage. The company was renamed simply HCA, I’m assuming to rid itself of the stain associated with Rick Scott’s company, Columbia Health Care.
Then Scott got into venture capital and became the governor of Florida.
This was interesting in Wikipedia "During Scott's 2000 deposition, he pleaded the Fifth Amendment 75 times.”
This is what the company confessed to:
"Columbia/HCA admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. It also admitted to fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. It filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, it gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.
This is a list of every way of breaking health care financial-related laws that I’ve heard of, and used to read endlessly about how to not run operations in a way that could put you afoul of them. Systemically, a total sewer, and impossible that Scott was blind to it.
Thanks for that excellent summary. And yet, Scott was elected governor twice and even after he thoroughly screwed up the state, Floridians replaced their long term Senator Nelson with this idiot. Never underestimate the gullibility of Floridians.
I agree with all you are saying but being fired with a $300 million parachute does not sound too much like a normal firing. He used those millions to lend to his first campaign for Gov. of Florida. He seems to be a more clever crook than the former guy, but he is of the same ilk.
OK, as an Auslander (even if we have spent time living in the US) we just can't comprehend the power that Trump has over the Republicans (as we say, he seems to have them by the"short and curleys"). We just don't get the dynamics. Can someone please explain to us pig-ignoranti. Thanks.
Trump is a symptom, the avatar of a strain of white, straight, Christian, male supremacy that traces its roots back to the earliest days of our colonial lives, indeed back to 1492. This faction is in ascendancy because the country's perceived malaise, as embodied (in their view) by 9/11, the election of a Black man to the presidency, and the 2008 financial crash, among other events, has brought about the necessity of radicalization to counteract the forces which are "trying to take over our country," by which they mean those who understand that immigration is a net positive for our country and always has been, that providing help to those less fortunate (i.e., chewed up by the capitalism meat-grinder) is our solemn obligation, that universal gun ownership does not make us safer as individuals or as a nation, and that safe, available abortion is a civil right. It is a true Civil War between ideological extremes and currently they are winning, with Trump as their hallmark.
One bright point of optimism is that a recent poll shows young people’s optimism has jumped 40-50% in the last two years since Biden took office. Biden has totally exceeded my expectations, and is proving himself to be an exceptionally competent manager and statesman!
I am astonished on a daily basis how very, very good Joe Biden is at this. Harris is also superb, but I expected that of her. But Uncle Joe playing nearly all of his cards right all the time? (Yes, he stumbled on immigration quotas, but that's about it). Not even remotely likely in my most optimistic assessment when he was elected. He is hitting all the right notes and selling, selling, selling his vision of and for the United States. Truly masterful. Cynic that I am, I nonetheless cried when he spoke after the Chauvin verdict; he was so compassionate and presidential.
I've made the argument before and will do so again here: there are people who are "for a moment." Before their moment comes, the things that will make them memorable are seen as negatives. The two best presidential examples are Lincoln, who learned through his life before the presidency to deal with loss and the frustration of ambitions and plans, and yet find the ability to pick it up and carry on - exactly the qualities needed to lead a country through a civil war. The other is FDR, seen as an upper-class twit; he was felled by a "bolt from the blue" over which he had no control (polio) and learning to overcome that gave him the empathy and knowledge to lead a country hit by two bolts from the blue (Depression and World War II) successfully. Biden's qualities now seen as strengths are the qualities that led many of us (including me) to conclude he was "not the guy" in his previous runs for the presidency. His experience of profound loss at an early age and finding the internal strengths to carry on is exactly what is needed now. That and his knowledge of how the system should work, and his learned ability to get it to work.
TC, I think you would enjoy Doris Kerns Goodwins leadership in Turbulent times, and/or Forged in Crisis- Nancy Koehn. Both make the case for suffering and overcoming it (resilience) as a key leadership trait.
And the speed, he is accomplishing his work, our work! Today, I read that science is not sure why Covid rates have dropped dramatically. At look at the chart shows that they began to drop after Biden took office! Yes, a coincidence, or is it?
Biden has been in politics for almost 50 years. He's seen a lot of ups and downs, both in his political life and in his personal life. Unlike many, he's gained wisdom and perspective from what he's been through, and he's learned from events that preceded him as well. He realizes he came to power in a very special moment for the country, and he's determined to make the best of it.
It would make for an interesting sociological study, wouldn't it? On the surface, it's coincidence and dumb luck, since both the vaccination effort and results of social distancing were largely from programs begun in the previous administration. But the psychological effects of a newfound hope are both hard to quantify and hard to ignore. It will probably take decades to sort out; I'm already looking forward to buying HCR's book on this topic!
Reid, the vaccines that Trump wants to take credit for were already in development as part of a Bio-security program. We have resources which do this. Mobilizing massive amounts of vaccine is to Biden’s credit. Trump exported 6 times the normal amount of PPE while our health care workers washed masks and wore trash bags in some cases. I totally agree with your assessment that the “psychological effects of a newfound hope are both hard to quantify and hard to ignore.” Well said! In my community, the release and relaxation that have happened are palpable. I think the Asian community is resting easier as well.
Except in Michigan where our $%#@ Republicans took away our governor's emergency powers, so COVID numbers have sky rocketed ever since, especially in the young, unvaccinated population. CDC could not increase vaccines allocations (and how fair would that be anyway - taking from states that follow guidelines to reward Republicans who are trying to kill us?), but the CDC did increase shipments of monoclonal antibody treatments.
MaryPat, I feel very sad about the state of your society and culture in Michigan. Honestly, I want to mark it all up to just plain stupidity and backwoodsman mindset. But DAMN I have very smart friends who live in Michigan, and you sound highly intelligent and more than able to figure out what's going on there. So I hope I can send you more Democratic sentiment - straight to Michiganders needing it!
Biden has decades of experience, and he's managed to gain wisdom from all that experience. He is stumbling on immigration--of all of his policies he polls worst with respect to that one--Americans want less immigration, and border district representatives such as Henry Cuellar (D-Tx) are issuing warnings about that,
I wish he'd come around on this, but he's doing really well on everything else, and I hope he manages to garner huge numbers of independents and even GOPers in the midterms, so that we can change the country for the better.
On the contrary. If immigration were a net positive, why is it that wages for American low/no-skilled workers have gone from middle class worthy to sh!t over the last 30-plus years? In the '80s, meat packers, as an example, used to earn as much as $50/hour (inflation adjusted). Now they get barely above minimum, under atrocious conditions. You can read what the NYT's Nick Kristof had to say about this phenomenon here.
I beat this drum a lot because there's a lot of junk out there. American Progress on immigrant and US workers complementing each other is such BS. Why do you think death by opioid is an epidemic among low wage Americans (and a lot of those deaths are probably suicides--something I've written about).
When she ran a commission on immigration reform under Pres. Clinton, the late Barbara Jordan recommended cutting immigration numbers roughly in half, and strict enforcement of immigration laws--so that working class Americans, including African Americans, would be able to get decent jobs. (If you're too young to be familiar with her, google her. She was an African American Democrat from Texas who made her name on the House Watergate Committee.)
You want him to carry one with the anti-immigrant (largely =race) card? There is not reason to think immigration is bad for American workers. There is, however, every reason to think that the flow of refugees is driven by US disruption of other countries. Whether Biden can "get" this and act on it is the real test.
Indeed you are right. Reagan's Central American Wars are what brought the Central American influx, and then us deporting them after they become committed gang members leads to the current situation, which produces more refugees. And NAFTA destroyed Mexican agriculture to the point the farmers were forced to come here and become out gardeners.
The problem with immigration is not immigrants per se; it's the numbers. It is obvious that ***too much*** immigration has been bad for American workers. Their wages stagnating and shrinking coincides with huge numbers of low/no-skilled immigrants. Nicholas Kristof does a good job of explaining the problem here:
As for refugees, most of that flow are economic refugees; but some of the refugee problem has been driven, as you say, by US disruption.
There is also a sustainability argument against mass immigration. In 1975, I learned about global warming and ecosystem services in a class given by John Holdren, who later became Pres. O's Science Advisor. Ecosystem services provide clean air, clean water, fertile soil, pollination, disease prevention, and a host of other services needed to keep the planet healthy. It doesn't take much human activity on a piece of land to reduce productivity of ecosystem services. Our country's population is nearly four times what would be sustainable at current consumption levels.
We need to be reducing, not growing our population. Half of the 83 million additional people (equivalent to four New York States) in the US since 1990 are here due to immigration. Going forward Pew projects that 90% will be from immigration.
Hi All - just wanted to say thanks for this whole thread. I've wondered about many of the issues raised here. Cant say anyone convinced me, but it got me inspired enough to commit to read all the references and try to sort this out - let you know how it goes!
Yes, I’m stunned too at his effectiveness. It’s made me wonder how we can improve the primary process so that the candidates can better showcase their ideas and give us a better picture of how they would govern. There was nothing in that process that gave me even a remote indication of this man’s abilities. He certainly didn’t run his campaign on all these forward thinking policies. But for covid, I fear we could have had four more years of the other guy.
Absolutely. Some of Biden's enthusiasms are encouraging. That he's increasing the Pentagon's budget over Trump's, announcing withdrawal of Afganistan troops while retaining thousands of special operations there, being unnecessarily hawkish toward China and Russia are less so.
"The fact that those in charge of US nuclear weapons now see both Russia and China as a major nuclear threat, and the fact that US cold warriors are escalating against both of them, is horrifying. The fact that they’re again playing with “low-yield” nukes designed to actually be used on the battlefield makes it even more so. This is to say nothing of tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and nuclear-armed India, between nuclear-armed Israel and its neighbors, and between nuclear-armed North Korea and the western empire." (Caitlin Johnstone, Popular Resistance.com)
I think that our China and Russia policies are challenging and must be dealt with a deft hand. However, China's violation of the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea to which they (unlike the U.S.) are signers shows their disdain for treaties and agreements. Their outrageous claims to the S. China Sea (actually a claim that I believe was first put forth by Formosa under Chiang Kaishek) could become a trigger point for a nuclear war, so a clear disagreement from Biden could with a restrengthening of our alliances with Taiwan, S. Korea and Japan possibly restrain them from pushing the boundaries. As to Russia, I believe Biden was effective in getting Putin to withdraw forces from the Ukrainian border.
I am continually surprised by his competence and statesmanship We did have the privilege of living with gross incompetence and a white supremacist authoritarian male chauvinist bully who had no impulse control. Anything would have been an improvement, but Joe Biden is exceeding all my expectations. I am so thankful I don’t have to wake up the next day with angst as to what 45 ‘s next move would be. I hope those last four years are a wake up call to the fragility of our Democracy. We need our citizens to vote and participate to save our country. I would hate to think my family’s sacrifice in WW2 was for naught.
I grew up in Delaware and have watched Biden for a long time. In many ways he is doing better than I would have expected. But his ability to support needed fundamental reforms is yet to be demonstrated.
Give him a minute. He’s on a roll and although it’s hard to imagine how he can get reforms through in the current political environment he doesn’t seem shy of trying. Anita Hill was a disaster but he does seem to have evolved way more than most politicians I’ve observed.
I was casually watching this report, but the optimism rates of young people and people of color have dramatically taken an uptick now, compared to the last 2-4 years.
It mustn't be forgotten that in 1492 Isabella of Castille had just unified the country after finally driving out the islamic Umayyadic invaders after a few centuries of civil war.....victorious European catholicism! The relations between these North African usurpers and the locals were not exactly either peaceful or respectful and hardly disposed the Spanish to consider humans with darker skins with interest and compassion. This doesn't excuse, but goes someway to explain the disdain for the "carrib" on the arrival of the Santa Maria in what became the Dominican republic. Differnt times, different values.....an impoverished Spain faced with dreams of El Dorado within reach in what was then....and often still....a "grab as grab can" and "might is right"world.
High, it’s stunningly simple once you recognize djt as the snake oil salesmen he is. He’s bamboozled his base into believing everything he says, however ridiculous. Republicans need his base to win and know they will vote however djt instructs them to. Republican politicians are terrified djt will “primary” them which means to support their opposition in the next primary election.
And that's what Trump has been his entire life. Whenever his niece was interviewed on CNN or elsewhere, she always accurately predicted what he would do when put in a corner. And that was to lie and bully his way out. I still can't believe people follow him after all the anti-democratic crap he's done, but there are still Trump flags flying not far from my house.
Good question, Hugh. Demagoguery based on lies is alive and well in America. One only need to study the rise of Nazism to see the similarities to what is happening to our country. History has shown us that mass movements need not be based on truth and ideals; they can also be fueled by fear and hate. To sum it up, we are a country of suckers.
Randy, I agree we are in a bad place fighting against strong, wealthy advocates like the Koch brothers, but large percentages of those polled love what Biden is doing. We need to all be engaged in winning over every registered Democrat and Independents to enlarge our control of both the Senate and House. We have to start NOW to spread the message of how critical it is. Everyone must work with your local Democratic party organization in this mission.
I'm an American and I struggle to understand Trump's hold over Republicans. Yes, he's a con man and a mob boss. He's played the victim card so well that all these disenfranchised people who think they are the victims relate to him. I still don't understand how so many Americans can be so gullible and so blind. And how many elected officials feel trapped in enabling him. It does appear that because President Biden is addressing the bread and butter needs of the citizens he is winning over moderate Republicans. One of President Biden's best moves is to claim bipartisanship for his policies from the polls of the electorate rather than from the stubborn Republican elected officials that follow the dwindling Trump base. This I'm going with the People seems to be working and we're seeing Republican members of Congress at lease attempting to work with Democrats.
Trump brings the voters. When Movement Conservatives first brought their ideas to light, they were extremely unpopular outside of the business community. But after Brown v Board of Education, which forced school districts to integrate, and Roe v Wade which made abortion accessible nationwide, the evangelicals and the cultural “traditionalists” needed a voice and found it in the Movement Conservative GOP. And while the GOP really didn’t care about religious views, they made the deal w evangelical leaders that they would pursue a pro-life agenda. But then came Donald Trump, who said out loud all the hateful things the GOP had dogwhistled for years - that America doesn’t look like America anymore; that brown people and folks w blue hair and blasphemous clothes Amy run the country some day.
And the people who came out for DJT are above and beyond any numbers the GOP can scare up; without him, they don’t stand a chance. But I really think they don’t stand a chance with him either. He and his family are money hogs, and they can run dry the biggest of multi-million dollar budgets. It’s currently a can’t-win situation for Republicans, unless they can win without Trump’s blessing.
As Michael Bales commented earlier, the national poll of America’s 18-to-29 year olds by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School provides a tantalizing look into the future. This comment was prepared for another day, but as your interest seems high, here we go. This was put together in an effort to raise the spirits of those among us worried about the future (who isn’t). There been too many disappointments over the years; an acute awareness of the terrible political strength and manipulation of the system and of American people by the Republican Party and age-old weariness can keep us down. There are, nevertheless, avenues of vibrancy, proven success and ingenuity in democratic and progressive circles. Knowing what young people are thinking is a fruitful road to travel. With that, please enjoy the following::
‘April 23, 2021’
‘A national poll of America’s 18-to-29 year olds released today by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School shows that despite the state of our politics, hope for America among young people is rising dramatically, especially among people of color. As more young Americans are likely to be politically engaged than they were a decade ago, they overwhelmingly approve of the job President Biden is doing, favor progressive policies, and have faith in their fellow Americans’.
‘Power Up: Biden scores record high approval rating among young voters, according to new poll’ (The Washington Post) April 23, 2021 at 6:22 a.m. EDT
‘The people’
‘THE BOY NEXT DOOR PHENOMENON’: Young Americans are more optimistic about the future and far more approving of U.S. leadership under President Biden than during ex-president Donald Trump's tenure, according to a new Harvard Youth Poll released on Friday.
Biden has hit the highest favorability rating — 63 percent — among college students who are registered voters of any president in the youth poll's 21-year history, according to the poll.
Sitting at an overall 59 percent approval rating with those surveyed, Biden's popularity among young voters also marks a dramatic U-turn for the 78-year-old president: at this time last year, only 34 percent of all young adults viewed Biden favorably, per the spring 2020 Harvard Youth Poll. Read the full results here.
• Fifty-nine percent of 18-to-29 year old Americans approve of Biden's overall job performance; 65 approve of his handling of the coronavirus; and 57 percent of race relations, according to the poll.
Another striking development: young Americans are more hopeful about the future of America than they were in the fall of 2017 – almost a year after former president Trump took office. Only 31 percent of young Americans were hopeful about the future of America at the time and 67 percent were fearful.
Four years later, 56 percent of young Americans are more optimistic – especially young people of color.
• “While the hopefulness of young whites has increased 11 points, from 35 percent to 46 percent – the changes in attitudes among young people of color are striking,” according to a memo penned by Della Volpe. “Whereas only 18 percent of young Blacks had hope in 2017, today 72 percent are hopeful (+54). In 2017, 29 percent of Hispanics called themselves hopeful, today that number is 69% (+40).”
• Notable: the polling was conducted before the verdict that found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
And for all of the caricatures of young Americans, the poll found that young people are open minded, more likely to be politically engaged than they were a decade ago and favor big government solutions to problems.
• Thirty-six percent of young Americans are politically active, with young Black voters (41 percent) the most active among that group. That's a 12-point difference from a 2009 poll that found in the fall after Obama's election that 24 percent of young Americans considered themselves to be politically active.
• “By a margin of nearly three-to-one, we found that youth agreed with the sentiment, ‘Americans with different political views from me still want what’s best for the country’ — in total, 50% agreed, 18% disagreed, and 31% were recorded as neutral,” according to Della Volpe's memo.
• The poll found a majority of young Americans favor government intervention on the issues of poverty, combating climate change, and health care.'
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
INSTITUE OF POLITICS
Survey of Young Americans’ Attitudes toward Politics and Public Service 41st Edition: March 9 – March 22, 2021 N=2,513 18- to- 29-Year-Olds in English and Spanish Margin of Error: +/-2.60% at the 95% Level 1. With regard to school, are you currently enrolled at any of the following?
High school ................................................................................ 7%
Trade/Vocational school ............................................................ 2%
2-year or junior college or community college .......................... 9%
[If enrolled in 4-year college/university, ask] 2. In which year of college are you? (n=511)
First year student/Freshman ..................................................... 17%
Second year student/Sophomore .............................................. 18%
Third year student/Junior ......................................................... 25%
Fourth year student/Senior....................................................... 31%
Fifth year student or higher........................................................ 7% Refused....................................................................................... 1%
###
I hope that you enjoyed this glimpse into the future. May these young people work together with a strong commitment to Democracy. Sounds like prayer, doesn’t it?
As the parent of two “young Americans” I can tell you without a doubt they are both more “politically engaged than they were a decade ago, they overwhelmingly approve of the job President Biden is doing, favor progressive policies, and have faith in their fellow Americans.” Their commitment to Democracy fills me with hope for the future.
That's one reason why we need to keep talking to the young people (especially those who will be voting for the first time in 2022) and gently nudge them to think about what they want their future to be like and then vote for the people who will help their future be the way they want.
I know that a few young people I talked to before the 2020 election were Bernie boys and I haven't had a chance to ask them how they feel about Biden. Especially a couple who said they were going to sit out the election because Bernie didn't get the nomination.
I am hopeful about our future, because of the young people I talk to. I've put a big burden on their shoulders, telling them that when my grandson gets to be their age, they will be the ones with the power and I want them to think about my grandson everytime they make choices that will impact his future.
President Biden "must" fix the student loan crisis he helped to create with his support of MBNA and banking interests. There was no crisis of students using bankruptcy to escape their loans which was the excuse used to pass laws blocking bankruptcy..
Having written for Student Loan Justice Org on occasion, I find the shackling of Millennials and other younger age groups to be detrimental to future economic growth. Student Loan Justice Org's petition is approaching 1 million signatures. and it will be sent to Congress and President Biden.
“I have no empathy for it. Give me a break,” Joe Biden should fix the disaster he helped to create since the nineties with student loans. Younger citizens have found they no way out of the financial burden shackling them to a pseudo debtors prison. We have a large segment of the population who can not be as productive as they could be if granted relief. Furthermore, I know of no other type of loan to which the borrower can not escape from by following legal means.
We seem to forget all of those who are left behind and stranded with student loans. Roughly 40% of those with student loan debt going into retirement will still have student loan debt and can have a portion of their SS garnished if behind. If you are behind on your student loan, you can also be denied from participating in federal programs such as retraining.
President Biden appears to be slow walking any form of student loan debt relief..
Oh, Bill, we are of the same mind! I also get worked up about the lockup of young, Black men, too. He and Clinton, and others devastated Black families, lowering them to hell, while building up the prison industrial complex. So much damage. Thank you for communicating Bill. Student debt was one of the reasons I support Elizabeth Warren.
Thank you. I needed this shot in the arm. I have long held out hope that our youth would "save" us from ourselves, but every time I said anything to that effect, I was reminded, "Yes, but they never show up to vote." Well, THIS time they did. I do wonder if David Hogg and his activists might have lit the match to show the way. Stacey Abrams is certainly reaching a huge segment of voters and not only succeeding in getting them to register to vote, but to show up and remain in long lines for hours to cast their votes. That our POC and youth are doing the hard work now and succeeding is evidenced by legislatures who are so panicked, they are desperately trying to suppress the vote, even to the extent of going after first amendment rights. I read somewhere (I'm nowhere near as organized as you in recording sources that can be cited later) that hundreds of attorneys have joined together to fight these efforts. I do wonder if anything at all can be done to the Georgia decision to remove power of local election officials and place decisions in the hands of elected GOP, or in the case of Arizona, to try to actually overturn an election months after it occurred. Surely, these actions, while desperate, are not LEGAL?
Ellen, Your reply lifted my up and UP! When I saw this report, my elation was as yours. Some subscribers have been tossing hope to the wind for understandable reasons. The need for some good surprises sent me on a treasure hunt. The bench has been stacked against democracy, but we may still have some success in the courts. The facts via the press, letters, organization, phone calls and demonstrations are in our hands. The Republicans are armed for war. Our spirits cannot flag on behalf of the truth, democracy, equality, honor and unity...good stuff!
I'm certainly ready for the baton to pass to the younger generation. It's the first generation who has felt, rightfully so, that they would not do better than their parents economically.
Of course, Scott is also the guy who headed Columbia/HCA when it was hit with the largest fine by the Justice Department to that time - $1.7B for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs. How do these people live with themselves?
And when deposed in the matter, he pled the 5th Amendment to the Constitution which provides protection against self-incrimination 75 times!! Pleading the 5th allowed Scott to avoid testifying under oath with answers that might incriminate himself. In effect, pleading the 5th means, I may be guilty but the prosecution must prove it. I need not provide you the answers that may be used to convict me. Let that sink in!
And for his criminal efforts, Scott gets to be a Senator! I'm dismayed that there isn't more effort to understand the way elected officials buy or can urge others to help buy them their seat in Washington. Until the cash-playing-field is leveled---same public funding, same election time-frame---we face continued assaults on the electoral system, and I would say that we are aiming at symptoms and ignoring the real problem.
The scumbags just move into bigger homes 🏠 and probably buy more homes. He left Columbia/HCA with a fortune, and moved into a more lucrative arena, politics where there’s less risk of loss of fortune and jail time.
I don't know about yours, but my mailbox is full of requests for donations to political candidates, some I even like. But I see it as a problem of money in politics. There is a persistent and escalating "ask" for donations from anyone running for office, right or left. They also use the challenge that "we only have until midnight to show that we can "win" by the racking up the largest amount of quarterly donations. "Send more money. Even a small donations help." It's endless. Everything has a "DONATE" button to click. We are beginning to think this is normal, that money is the route to winning. Almost none of these "asks" focus on policy. The focus is on winning by raising money. In this interpretation of the electoral process, the ceiling is infinite. Millions, billions, and what next, trillions of dollars on campaigns? This is a serious problem.
All the yadda-yadda-yadda about how business is finally "woke" is so much happy horseshit. It was on the news tonight on Rachel's show that business PACs are once again donating to the Sedition Caucus. There's also the Chamber of Commerce (that they're all members of) that is whipping votes AGAINST H.R.1, and none of the "woke" CEOs are calling the Chamber out, or canceling their membership.
As always, watch what they do, not what they say, and FOLLOW THE MONEY.
So far as Senator Skeletor is concerned, global warming can't happen fast enough if it means we get the privilege of No More Florida.
It is interesting to see the stock market at an all time high. And what does it represent? The average American doesn't have any part of it. I just read recently that 50 percent of the stock market value is held by the top 1 percent. And 90 some percent is owned by the top 10 percent. Where does that leave the rest of us?
And a bigger question: "What does that value represent?" In the 50's and 60's it represented factories, machinery and jobs. It meant you could buy a house and a car because you had a job.
What can you manufacture with a BitCoin? What can you cook for dinner with a stock certificate?
When American business got taken over by the bookkeepers, we lost sight of the things we could make and the science and engineering problems we could solve.
The political leaders of today are only concerned with raising money. I am happy to see the young people of this country getting involved in government at every level. Time to start thinking about how we are going to feed ourselves and our children.
Don, I don't expect to hear a better question than 'What can you manufacture with a BitCoin?' It is absolutely to the point, put less well, How is BitCoin an asset? An asset of what?
Some one was trying to convince me of the importance of holding onto gold in these times of economic insecurity and I told them it was more important to have a pair of pliers and a ball peen hammer.
In today's Letter, Heather speculates that given The Republican Party's furor over Corporate America's cold shoulder since January 6th attempted Insurrection, there may be an even bigger split in the Party. Could the Republicans get by without their best friend and depend mostly on small donations? Reading the following may give pause to Heather's speculation of a deep split between The Republican Party and its dance partner.
I've been keeping the following information for a time like this.
from: Public Citizen APRIL 5, 2021
'The Corporate Sponsors of Voter Suppression'
'Since 2015, Corporations Have Contributed $50 Million to the State Lawmakers Supporting Voter Suppression Bills, Trade Groups Have Given Another $36 Million'
'Key Findings'
'Corporations have contributed $50 million since 2015 to state legislators supporting voter suppression bills, including $22 million during the 2020 election cycle. More than 60 corporations have contributed more than $100,000.
Among the Fortune 100, 81 companies have contributed to these lawmakers, giving a combined total of $7.7 million.
Among the Fortune 500, 45 percent of companies have contributed to these lawmakers, giving a combined total of $12.8 million.'
Industry trade groups contributed $36 million to state legislators supporting voter suppression bills, including $16 million during the 2020 election cycle.'
•Three-fourths companies that paused some or all political contributions in response to the January 6 Capitol insurrection have contributed to state legislators who are supporting voter suppression legislation.
• AT&T has given the most to supporters of state-level voter suppression bills, at more than $811,000. AT&T is followed by Altria / Philip Morris ($679,000), Comcast ($440,000), UnitedHealth Group ($411,000), Walmart ($377,000), State Farm ($315,000) and Pfizer ($308,000).'
You cannot miss the names of the companies, which have been major supporters of the Republican state legislatures and bankrolling all that voter suppression stuff. When you think about the problems we've got, think about the Democratic Party, too. Howard Dean, when Chairman of Democratic National Committee, successfully implemented the fifty-state-strategy, which met with great success. Naturally, the Party didn't stick with it.
Public Citizen is just one source. The big bankers behind Right Wing (anti-government, anti-regulations, anti-taxi, ANTI-CLIMATE CRISIS are CHARLES and DAVID KOCH. David died in 2019, but what is Charles up to? There are a lot of Big Money Men still alive, and they are not going to make love to the Democratic Party. Oh no, there are a few crumbs left in the Republic Party, who of them would turn a date with these companies?
The point Prof Richardson was making wasn't so much the corporate world's loss of its own power as it was a divide between "corporate Republicans" and "Movement Conservatives." The corporate world - or at least certain C-suites within it - are questioning whether they want to risk alienating customers and employees by being so closely associated with the racist, nationalist and xenophobic parts of Movement Conservatives (who, let's be honest, aren't really conservative in any way except for "culture war" issues).
The corporate world has relied on getting low-information, socially conservative voters to support largely corporate policy interests by aligning itself with - or supporting candidates who curry votes by talking up - issues like abortion restriction, fear of immigrants, loss of a sense of superiority.
In short, White Grievance has been the partner that gets Republicans elected to foster policies that support corporate interests far more than the economic interests of "conservative" voters themselves. Heather's post tonight mostly focused on wehther that marriage will survive - and as she noted - it's speculation on her part. Your source material is interesting and provides a good base to see if corporate spending after January 6, 2021, maintains the patterns from the prior years that Public Citizen was reporting in that article.
Steve, I would say that the gross nature of campaign finance is at the core of mounting insanity of our current elected officials. As the measure of campaign strength continues to rely on, and escalate, the financing of candidates, only those with the best donation "snow jobs" survive. The idea of buying our electoral candidates with our donations, and the continual support of the importance of donated money to our elections is what assured the election of guy like djt. The bewildering blathering is the smoke-screen. The money is the problem.
I agree - how we finance campaigns is grotesque, and I'm not defending it. Fern is correct in noting that state legislators, and corporate donations to them, need to be scrutinized as much as federal-level political donations. Prof. Richardson's article was musing about the possibility that there may be a fissure between corporate political interests and the interests that have so far brought populist/nationalist/racist into the Republican voting base. The discussion's gotten a little off track from the Professor's post, and that was why I responded to Fern's comment.
PS Steve, I think you missed in my comment that companies continued to contribute to state legislatures in support of voter suppression bills after 1/6.
Yes, I donate to Public Citizen and read articles and research from it frequently. I think you're misstating what the article says
It's a good article and it clearly points out that corporate America needs to be accountable for funding the anti-democratic state legislators who are promoting voter suppression laws, but I think the article's weakness is assuming that past behavior will continue.
That's possible and maybe likely, and the article does a great job of tracing contributions from 20115 to 2020, but I couldn't find anything in it about contributions in first 4 months of 2021.
Steve, I included excerpts. It think it is a good idea for you to read the entire report, for you to fairly evaluate it. It sounds as though it would not be difficult for you to read on line or have the organization send you a copy.
Fern the challenge is great, but in 2020 a re-invigorated Democratic organization was able to turn out 92% of registered Dems to vote. We didn't turn Collier County blue but if each county can arise and get their registered Dems to vote Florida can be turned Blue. DeSantis and Scott won by small margins. We can win, right now we need candidates to take on DeSantis and Rubio.
Carol, That would be sensational. I know she will get the support she deserves. I saw her level Jim Jorden during the week. I never saw her so fierce and triumphant. Val Demings would make a significantly important difference.
Yes, I cannot be stopped. I don't know if we can be successful in courts given that deck has been stacked. Bills suppressing the vote and penalizing demonstrations is so old and new, brutal and demonic.
Mary Beth, I am sorry that I didn't understand your reply. Could you spell it out a bit more? Thanks. I was very interested the companies that contribute to voter suppression and wonder what more than a letter would be appropriate. The biggest donors are listed but there are many more companies making contributions to this despicable and undemocratic practice.
I really should be out of bed before I start responding to other people’s posts. (Lol). I was attempting to say, corporations that stop national donations but continue to donate to state and local politicians need to be held accountable. My more naive side prefers to think it has more to do with who you know on the local level than it does the corporate policy. After all, Coca-cola uses distributors to move its product. And the local distributor might get more benefit from supporting the republican (I refuse to capitalize that word) running for office than the their opponent. If I’m going to write a letter to Coca-Cola, then I need to also make those views knows at the local distribution company. It is not enough to address this on the national level. In fact, recent history would indicate that ignoring the local level is part of what has gotten us in the mess. Does that help? I don’t want to go on and on about something I believe you already know. To be clear, I agree wholeheartedly with your concerns and I’m grateful for the information and the links.
Thank you Mary Beth. I think you raise good questions about how to respond the companies. Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, the companies continued to shovel money to state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression. I will follow your lead by writing to national and local offices. My idea is to have them explain themselves. I also think that voting-rights groups, Stacy Abrams, etc., should know about this in case they don't. AT&T, UnitedHealthcare, Pfizer...!! Every time I read their names or type them, by body tightens. Good communicating with you.
I've read the article twice now, and the only data on contributions that I can find is from 2015 to 2020.
Can you point me to the paragraph that says
Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, "the companies continued to shovel money to state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression."?
I don't doubt that they do, I just couldn't find it in the Article - here's the actual link -
'•Three-fourths companies that paused some or all political contributions in response to the January 6 Capitol insurrection have contributed to state legislators who are supporting voter suppression legislation.' Steve, It's in the comment but thought to copy it for you.
The problem is that frequently these companies are the only or better source for their product. I live in an area where the telcomms choice is ATT or Spectrum (formerly Time-Warner Cable, aka The Doesn't Work Phone Company, where your service dies 2-3 days a month, and the costs are higher). Amazon is for me the place where the majority of my readers buy my books. The list, unfortunately, goes on, but it comes down to There's A Reason They're So Big. I literally can't do what I do without dealing with them.
What about letters and phone calls? You know how to corner them. Ask them to explain and to write and you a letter.. Why oh why do they hurt their customers so? "Voter suppression', Is that what they want to be know for?
Hi Mary Beth. I am communicating with you today as a result of zealous fact-checking on the part of subscriber, Steve Lord. He questioned my unsubstantiated claim, when writing the following to you, 'Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, the companies continued to shovel money to the state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression.' He was correct. The report's language was vague on that score. The report did not have any information about contributions in 2021. I apologize for my error. Here is what the report had to say on the matter:
'Conclusion
After the January 6 insurrection many corporations announced they were pausing their campaign donations in some capacity. Public Citizen noted at the time that any measures short of lifetime bans on donations to federal level disenfranchisers likely amounted to nothing more than PR stunts'
I hope that you do not mind me posting a copy of this correction to Steve as an end note.
I recall question that article when I first saw it a few months back. While it’s important to get the facts right, and I do appreciate someone willing to go back and correct the record, I believe we need to be diligent nonetheless when it comes to state level politics. Your original comment prompted my thoughts about local beverage distributors in relation to the big soda manufacturers. I may not have made that connection with out our conversation. Thank you. Lovely Sunday wishes to you as well. ~mb
Thanks for this, Fern. One of the reasons I love this forum is because we are so sincere in our desire for accuracy and not afraid to admit when we are wrong. Nicely done.
I just wonder, if corporations have been defined as persons by the SC, shouldn't each corporation be limited to the amount a single human person is allowed to contribute? Chuck Theisen, Naples, Florida
I think the real money powering the gop core is 100-1,000 of the wealthiest Americans because they don’t have to disclose anything. Corporations do, and it does play a part, a percentage that can be directed by those few, but harder to keep a public Corp budget in the dark.
Fern, thanks for your informative contributions. Corporations will never move against their bottom line..unfettered access to profit. The second that this admin or any other moves towards regulations of any kind, especially with regard to taxes and labor, they will be motivated by a higher interest than courting the new consumer base. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but not all large corporations are consumer demand dependent, as in "defense contractors", for instance.
One source, Fern? Seriously? You're not a journalist, I see. To ensure this information is true, we need at least two disparate sources for corroboration. (Please excuse my annoyance. It's what QAnoner family members don't understand when they preach, "Do the research." Corroboration is what sets off truth from not truth. It's what makes Dr. Richardson's work so compelling -- cited sources.)
SLWeston if it is my business comment all info is from Public Citizen, all of it and I referred that source three times, REALLY! Look again. And guess what, I was a reporter for public television and WCBS-TV. I always provide my sources and there is a link at the end of my comment to Public Citizen's website. Any more that I can help you with? You do seem out of sorts.
But, Fern, it's still only ONE source. You even say that: "Public Citizen is just one source." Public Citizen is a lobbying and advocacy group -- yes, liberal, on the side of the good guys. But it thrives on donations. It can't be expected -- nor can it afford -- to keep its opinions and information neutral and unbiased.
No other reputable organization has compiled this information, so there in only one source. Pubic Citizen in noted for the high accuracy of its reports. It is considered to be moderate to left leaning. FYI:
Only in America are political contributions considered free speech. Which means a few have an enormous and disproportionate obscene amount more speech than the many.
Dear Fern McBride, NYC - follow the money... conscience for the wealthy leads to guilt, a luxury they cannot afford... our most wealthy have the Devil in mind, and God takes the hind most... agnostics get it, atheists get it, true believers can get it... but IT is nowhere. Nihilism is where we are, existentialism is where we are, and this Universe, ever expanding, has Plant Earth floating billions of light years from other life, if that matters, for we are destroying Earth, destroying Planet Earth daily, driven by Greed, we are destroying our only home, and the children that kill daily, suicide by cop, are telling us that the food and water they consume is corrupt, as corrupt as the farmer that grows it... and the land he has destroyed... for we humans have met the enemy - and The Enemy Is Us... as for Trump, Hawley, Bezos, Kudlow, FOX and Sean, Tucker the latent homosexual from St. George's School, the PEA crowd of Phillips Exeter, the Andover crowd from Phillips Andover, the Deerfield boy - and girls now - from Frank Boyden's days, read McPhee... all these folks get it... sort of - and they are all of it... what is it? Isn't that the question? Dear Heather Cox Richardson vents her nightly nightmare of semi truths and platitudes to her audience of aging white women, a few of them feel what they were when they were insidious and nasty at 15, but most have made it to the point where they can spend $50 a year and suck up to the nightly therapy - historical nothingness that ignores what we whites have done to all those with color, the poor Negro lady obliged to make that mulatto to satisfy her master's son's need to become a man... feed the master's child while his white bitch ignores that child... yes, those Negro women with all their majesty served Tom Jefferson and the others, and said, Yes, Please... and No, Please.. and anything else, Please... as slavery mashed the humanity from our most elegant servants dealing with white and whiter supremacy ... then, back then and NOW - while much has changed, the feelings have not changed... we do not care about their feelings... we only care about ours.. Dear Heather, the $5 per month educator peddling her half truths... putting herself to sleep at 60, wondering how long she will live this charade... .before she will gather up all of it - and do her last book... and try to tell it like it is... just once.
Dear Aging Male, fear not. It will all be over soon. Do not hold your breath. Semi conscious thoughts? You should be so lucky. Only for the comatose. Feel better? At 82, if I hurt, I know that I am alive. I am alive... I think, therefore I am... GS.. check him out.
National Book Award finalist... sent to me by a deaf student at Middlebury College, a nice young man with a sense of humor to die for, and he is living... and wants to help... and we may include him in a project now taking form... go figure...
DEAF REPUBLIC poems by Ilya Kaminsky - start there... he's deaf... and hears everything, feels it all... and his students are listening with cochlear implants.
Thank you, Sandy. I have so many books to read, five sets of eyes wouldn't take care of it. I will read Ilya Kaminsky's Deaf Republic, because you recommended it to me.
Which ever way you look at it, at least now we can say that the respective "battle stations and strategies" are now clear, no more sly innuendo, no more "wink, wink...you know what I mean"! We are getting to the point where a racist has to proclaim himself as a racist for all to see and judge. We are getting to the point where the Conservative Movement supporters have to acknowledge to the majority of the people that they couldn't give a damn whether they live or die, whether they ate or not....as long as they spent their money in the economy This makes a significant difference. Nobody can hide behind a mask anymore.
The logical corrollary of Heather's second scenario where the corporations no longer see their interests represented by the Republicans is that effectively corporations move to defeat those vying for the Trumpite option. Business would change camps and fund the Democrats. However, should their money be "outlawed" as it must then it will be a clear battle between the people who actually vote and their representatives. The battle will be "fairer" if the Voting Rights measures are voted and implemented but if not, then it's a question of who can get the most people registered to vote and effectively to exercise their rights, however allowed, on the day in terms of how they see the issues and their personal interests. The result should clarify the real position of the people and will radically alter the structure and composition of the political parties.
I am not optimistic about the scenario you outline in your second paragraph, but wholeheartedly agree with the first. That is the big advantage of January 6: the bandage has been torn off and the lines have been drawn. You are either of the racist, nationalist coalition or opposed to it.
I find evangelicals who support the racist trumpista agenda utterly disingenuous. Purportedly Christians, are they pretending to have forgotten that Christ, born in Bethlehem (near Jerusalem and Palestine, in other words, the Middle East), most certainly was dark-skinned? True Christians?
My evangelical relatives in their personal lives are anti-racist. They vote as they do because they believe that on balance Pence etc is better than the alternative. They believe a lot of stuff that I don’t. My point is, some evangelicals see themselves as supporting trumpistan despite the racism, not because of it.
Yeah, unfortunately that doesn't excuse them. If they had any understanding of the religion they claim to be members of (Fundamentalist christianism has as much connection to Christianity as Fundamentalist jewishism does to Judaism or Fundamentalist muslimism doe to Islam - they're all Fundamentalism, all share the same beliefs regarding partriarcy, misogyny and racism/tribalism) they wouldn't be the "good Germans" they are.
Thank you for your comment, Joan. I do have friends who endorse Trump but are not racist. My main issue is with racist "Christians"; I believe you can't be both.
I'll bet that if your friends had lived 88 years ago, in a certain central European country, they'd have supported Hitler despite his anti-Semitism. Saying nothing to oppose it is supporting it.
I'm not a violent person by any stretch of the imagination, but Rick Scott has one of those "I really deserved to be punched in the face" faces. Ditto Ted Cruz and Rand Paul............
Not only do companies face losing customers, they are are realizing they can't attract the best talent to backwoods Southern states. My guess is this is the biggest reason for the change in the public-facing messaging in the face of clearly unAmercian lawmaking.
Which of course doesn't mean they won't try to grease the skids on the sly. It's just getting less easy for them to do.
As a salesperson all of my adult life, I am stuck between two economic paradigms - the “trickle-down” economic cycle, in which the government spends little on the average American, and the “liberal agenda” economic cycle, where the government invests in itself and its citizens. And all these companies need the latter, simply because when the people have no money, they can’t afford to buy their products. Wal-Mart once lamented that the squeezing of welfare dollars negatively impacted their business. And, long before Trump’s nativism caught the attention of latent racists, I decided to stick w the “liberal agenda”, cause it is good for business.
What Rick Scott did in that op-ed was a miscalculation in salesperson terms. It tears against the golden rule of business relationships that “the customer is always right.” And it is never the action of a salesperson to threaten retaliation against a customer after they drop your business; as a salesperson, you NEVER burn that bridge.
Donald Trump’s time as the figurehead that came with the votes is waning, and we all know he’s a sore loser. The Republican Party’s time as the figurehead of business MAY ALSO BE WANING, and the day when the GOP could no longer rely on that great influx of cash to finance the machine that never works may finally be here.
I hope you're right. That op-ed struck me as "burning your bridges" and "biting the hand that feeds you" all wrapped in one.
Except I think it was playing to the base while knowing that Big Business will never actually abandon them. I guess time will tell.
I don't believe that "Trickle Down Economics" and "Liberal Agenda Economics" are inherently exclusive. I think that even the Chamber of Commerce is coming round to believing this as well. Okay, I'm a moderate social liberal and I am encouraged to see that there is a sea change at the national level of the Chambers of Commerce who in this last election showed a much more bipartisan stance than they have over the past 30 years. This has been met with a great deal of consternation by the old guard but I believe that it is such actions that can bring together the so called "silent majority" of moderates whose voice has been drowned out by extreme views on either side of the political spectrum. I believe that it will be good for small and big business to have some sort of National Health Care program as in European countries so that the onus of supplying Health Insurance is not entirely on businesses. Without a healthy infrastructure we cannot have a healthy economy. We must nip corruption and waste in the bud at ALL levels of government spending especially if we are going to spend trillions to fix what ails us. We need lots of oversight as well to collect the already existent taxes that companies and individuals are evading. Government is not the problem, greed and white fear of power sharing is.
As a restaurateur I could never understand why business wasn’t behind some form of National Healthcare program. We provided health insurance for our full time employees but the cost rose so substantially each year that we were constantly searching for new coverage. The Restaurant Association used to put out ads “we don’t trust government in our healthcare “ and we would answer but to no avail “do you trust insurance companies with your healthcare?” Their rhetoric seemed to win the day. Sigh
Exactly! Businesses have no problem utilizing or "trusting" government roads and bridges, but then they fail to see how national health coverage would significantly improve their bottom line. Never made sense to me.
Biden is good for Business.
yup
Working from the political center has been non-existent so far in the 2000s.
I'd agree for the most part but the concerted decision to run Biden for President was a surprising exception to that tendency. Idem the two terms of President Obama. Certainly, the GOP has thrown their moderates to the lions.
Thank you.
I wouldn't expect you to predict the outcome of this fascinating and potentially momentous split. After all, historians don't predict the future. The Harvard Kennedy School poll of young people, released today, is a harbinger. It shows record-high approval ratings of President Biden among young people, higher even than for President Obama. This follows news of 300 business leaders endorsing aggressive action to combat climate change. The ground is shifting, and Republican leaders are unable or unwilling to see how attitudes in America are changing. They're fighting a tidal change that may sweep them away.
I hope you're right. Even if you are, I fear we have another 40 years of unwinding this disaster. After all, it took them roughly 40 to make it happen.
I would say that we have been in this blind loop of disaster since the beginning of the industrial revolution, with a mighty boost from single-use, throwaway, consumer culture. Until we as a people, acknowledge our part in this process, our capitulation to consumption, and floundering, (not to mention "buying" political outcomes) we will remain in decline.
Given that the republicans (note the small "r" , just as Mary Beth did) have put all this effort to mould the courts, especially SCOTUS, I'm afraid it may last much longer.
“Mould” the courts indeed! Aptly put! 🤫
No doubt the process will be slower than it should be.
I think Big Business's support of environmental efforts AND their withdrawal of funds from Rs are both largely performative. They will continue to do whatever is in their best interest and there is every indication that they will play both sides, as they have all along. Already, many corporate donors are quietly back to financially supporting Rs, even those who voted to decertify the presidential election.
No doubt some of what we're seeing is performative, and I don't mean to suggest that businesses have become ethically and morally driven. But companies are waking up to the fact that people today are increasingly likely to punish them financially if they don't respond. The sustainability fervor sweeping the fashion industry is a good case in point. There's tangible evidence showing that a significant number of shoppers, especially younger ones, won't buy products from companies not committed to good environmental practices. And companies of all kinds are being pressured by their employees to be better corporate citizens.
Yes! Do not underestimate our "young people" (which to me is anyone under 45) and the Pete Buttigieg's out there gaining smarts and power. We HCR fans probably skew older - listen to what "the kids" are saying, and who they are voting for, with their wallets as well as at the polls.
And let’s hear it for young people’s modes of effective action. TikTok, K-pop—they made it work with stealth and speed against trump! Ninja!
I agree. My children are in their young/mid-twenties and in their friend circles, most are or have become either vegitatian or vegan because they care about their future and the planet. They are so much more aware of what is happening and they are fully committed to take a stand. Their voices will make changes. I think it is the 30-40 year olds that are in between on where they stand.
This is cheering. Thank you for mentioning it. I hope to God it is a harbinger.
It’s a simple business decision.
The American economy is based on consumerism. The demographics of American consumers is getting more colorful and more diverse every day. Businesses wishing to thrive therefore must adjust their political outlook and support in order to not alienate the people they more and more depend on.
When people of color were denied economic participation, denying them political participation was an easy business decision. The world is changing and smart businesses will change with it.
Hi Ralph. Let's simplify: businesses that oppose HR.1 will be boycotted, businesses that support HR.1 will be frequented and recommended to friends and family, and businesses that take no position will be duly ignored. Even if this costs us some inconvenience, folks. This is too important to just say our prayers and cross our fingers.
Boycots are good short-term strategy, I agree and will participate. The long-term trend is a more diverse consumer base. You don't need to wish for it, it's happening, and many businesses understand this. If your customer base was on the tv on Jan. 6th, your business is dying.
You wrote:" If your customer base was on the tv on Jan. 6th, your business is dying." That's the core of it. Smart marketing folks will understand that that group is not a sustainable market - and it's shrinking.
That is why they are so vulnerable to white national populist demagoguery, what they crave is their redemption, in Donald their redeemer.
“If your customer base was on the tv on Jan. 6th, your business is dying.”
Brilliantly said Ralph
Is there some place where we can obtain a listing of businesses that support the Trump agenda and should be boycotted and a listing of businesses that should be supported? I know the big names like Amazon and Home Depot but what about others?
We can't even stop using Amazon, even though they are destroying other businesses, treat their employees abysmally, and are union-busting goons. We can't even get out of our cars and planes, or give up fossil fuel, even though climate change is actively trying to kill all life on earth. We show very little taste for inconvenience.
I only rarely use Amazon if there is no alternative. I didn't like that there was no customer service years ago when I had a problem. Amazon can be boycotted.
It's true, Americans put convenience ahead of all other criteria most of the time. We pay for it by stupidly and conveniently giving away our valuable personal information to the Internet and advertising barons on a daily basis, and we love what Amazon can do for us while we hate how Amazon treats its employees. And worse than each of us being unable to give up our cars, planes and an infinity of other world-killing habits, we cannot even elect politicians who will pass and enforce laws requiring us to give up or limit our habits in any meaningful way. We have even had to suffer several decades of guilt-tripping as the organizations that would save the earth have made it each individual's personal responsibility: drive less, fly less, don't eat meat, recycle and reuse, change lightbulbs, erect solar panels, buy an electric car, ride a bike, live in a high-rise, grow your own vegetables, buy organic, wear bamboo socks and all this becomes a topic for conversation and a few of us compete obsessively to be greener than thou knowing full well two thirds of the world's population still aspires to 3 squares a day, a roof, shoes, enough schooling to get a decent job, maybe even healthcare and a few days off now and then, maybe even a little safety or at least the illusion of safety, and if someone can actually afford to own a car, WOW!, go for it. All this while the fossil fuel industry has known where things were heading for the past 50-60 years, their scientists had it all figured out long ago but kept it secret and the CEOs denied it and paid the politicians to keep quiet, and there were some "almost" moments, even Bush Sr. had a bill to sign on his desk that might have given us a 30-year head start on saving the world, but no, didn't happen. I'm ranting...
Nevertheless, we can conscientiously save Amazon only for dire emergencies (y'know, like "I need it yesterday!") not join "Prime" or shop at Whole Foods and favor the companies whose owners are looking beyond mere immediate-profit-at-whatever-damaging-cost-to-the-greater-good. Several seem not to have lost their humanity and need to be encouraged. Others, perhaps, never had much humanity and need to be discouraged. As long as Citizens United stands, corporations should use their free speech rights and money to curry favor with the majority who ditched Trump, not the minority who tried to keep him. Can't hurt.
I think the gov't needs to take the lead on addressing climate change. For the half of the country that doesn't have an extra $400 for an emergency, it's just not going to register given all their other problems. But I think Biden is moving us in that direction, and as long as we can keep a hold on the House and the Senate, we'll get there.
Amazing how each big problem helps solve the other.
I'll plead guilty. The majority of my readers buy my books there, and right now in the Great Cat Food Shortage, it's the only place I can find the stuff the fur people like.
Yes! Amazon is very, very difficult to withdraw from.
Yes you can stop using Amazon, and I don't understand why people say that. I am happy to say that I have not bought anything from Amazon in years. There are always alternatives, both online and brick and mortar. As much as possible, I support local businesses because that is the only way to preserve alternatives to Amazon. They may be on their way to a semi-monopoly position.
Re cars--our country has been built around them for almost a century. I didn't own a car until I was 32. Until then, my bicycle was my basic transportation, summer and winter, in Wash. DC. I put 3650 miles a year on it. The impetus for buying that first car was a project that was too far away from me to commute by bicycle. I bought an eight year old Toyota for a little less than $1000 inflation-adjusted, and I can remember wondering if I was going to sell it when the project ended six months hence. It took my two weeks to realize I never wanted to be without a car again--my life was that much better with the car.
After I got the car, I still maintained the same bicycle mileage, but for the next 4-5 years my car mileage was only about 6000/year.
The Dems need badly to maintain hegemony on Capitol Hill in order to deal with climate change. All new buildings could and should be zero emissions, personal vehicles need be no more than 3,500 lbs, but there are plenty of 5,000 lb cars and light trucks running around. There probably should be limits on the sizes of houses. The vast majority of new electric power in the US is solar and wind. And we need to stabilize or even reduce our population if our country is going to be environmentally sustainable.
The word must be tailored locally
Yes, and not just consumers, but also employees. More and more businesses are aware of the more diverse work force and employees, BIPOC and some whites, especially younger whites, are a force inside the various businesses pushing for equality and change.
Yes, I am hearing this more and more, that talented young people are asking tough questions of corporations trying to recruit or retain them and that this is the major driver behind corporations new "wokeness." Doesn't matter to me why, if it gets results. Go, youth! They may save us from ourselves yet.
Thank you, Prof. HCR! Your political/historical musings are invariably a delight: filled with questions, critical thinking, and possible outcomes! They can never be skipped or ignored -- please, feel free to muse away to your heart's content. You never disappoint!
Rowshan Nemazee, I agree 😊 HCR does not disappoint
Here’s what I know about Rick Scott:
When I was in B-school in the late 80s’, the big debate was over the quality of for-profit hospitals, and it centered around HCA out of Tennessee, started by a doctor named Thomas Frist, whose brother was a US Senator. In the 90s, HCA merged with Columbia Health Care, out of Kentucky and started by Rick Scott.
Scott became chairman and CEO of Columbia/HCA. Then, employees blew the whistle and showed that the company was defrauding Medicare out of mllions of dollars. It paid "over $2 billion in criminal fines and civil penalties for systematically defrauding federal health care programs." [42] Columbia/HCA pleaded guilty to 14 felonies and admitted to systematically overcharging the government. The federal probe has been referred to as the longest and costliest investigation for health-care fraud in U.S. history” (Wikipedia cites)
Rick Scott was fired and Frist came out of retirement to repair the damage. The company was renamed simply HCA, I’m assuming to rid itself of the stain associated with Rick Scott’s company, Columbia Health Care.
Then Scott got into venture capital and became the governor of Florida.
This was interesting in Wikipedia "During Scott's 2000 deposition, he pleaded the Fifth Amendment 75 times.”
This is what the company confessed to:
"Columbia/HCA admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. It also admitted to fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to HCA. It filed false cost reports, fraudulently billing Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, it gave doctors "loans" never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies.
This is a list of every way of breaking health care financial-related laws that I’ve heard of, and used to read endlessly about how to not run operations in a way that could put you afoul of them. Systemically, a total sewer, and impossible that Scott was blind to it.
.
Thanks for that excellent summary. And yet, Scott was elected governor twice and even after he thoroughly screwed up the state, Floridians replaced their long term Senator Nelson with this idiot. Never underestimate the gullibility of Floridians.
That's what Democrats down here do, and that is why they lose statewide elections.
I agree with all you are saying but being fired with a $300 million parachute does not sound too much like a normal firing. He used those millions to lend to his first campaign for Gov. of Florida. He seems to be a more clever crook than the former guy, but he is of the same ilk.
If he had done some prison time, as he ought to have, would that have kept him out of elective office? (I have the same question about trump.)
I revise my previous description. He's not Senator Skeletor, he's Senator Red Skull.
Scott is owned by some really wealthy individuals.
Nina, I just waded through most of the Wikipedia entry on Rick Scott. Thanks for the tip.
Thank you. I was waiting for someone to bring this up!! He did a lot of damage, also, to his employees.
OK, as an Auslander (even if we have spent time living in the US) we just can't comprehend the power that Trump has over the Republicans (as we say, he seems to have them by the"short and curleys"). We just don't get the dynamics. Can someone please explain to us pig-ignoranti. Thanks.
Trump is a symptom, the avatar of a strain of white, straight, Christian, male supremacy that traces its roots back to the earliest days of our colonial lives, indeed back to 1492. This faction is in ascendancy because the country's perceived malaise, as embodied (in their view) by 9/11, the election of a Black man to the presidency, and the 2008 financial crash, among other events, has brought about the necessity of radicalization to counteract the forces which are "trying to take over our country," by which they mean those who understand that immigration is a net positive for our country and always has been, that providing help to those less fortunate (i.e., chewed up by the capitalism meat-grinder) is our solemn obligation, that universal gun ownership does not make us safer as individuals or as a nation, and that safe, available abortion is a civil right. It is a true Civil War between ideological extremes and currently they are winning, with Trump as their hallmark.
One bright point of optimism is that a recent poll shows young people’s optimism has jumped 40-50% in the last two years since Biden took office. Biden has totally exceeded my expectations, and is proving himself to be an exceptionally competent manager and statesman!
I am astonished on a daily basis how very, very good Joe Biden is at this. Harris is also superb, but I expected that of her. But Uncle Joe playing nearly all of his cards right all the time? (Yes, he stumbled on immigration quotas, but that's about it). Not even remotely likely in my most optimistic assessment when he was elected. He is hitting all the right notes and selling, selling, selling his vision of and for the United States. Truly masterful. Cynic that I am, I nonetheless cried when he spoke after the Chauvin verdict; he was so compassionate and presidential.
I've made the argument before and will do so again here: there are people who are "for a moment." Before their moment comes, the things that will make them memorable are seen as negatives. The two best presidential examples are Lincoln, who learned through his life before the presidency to deal with loss and the frustration of ambitions and plans, and yet find the ability to pick it up and carry on - exactly the qualities needed to lead a country through a civil war. The other is FDR, seen as an upper-class twit; he was felled by a "bolt from the blue" over which he had no control (polio) and learning to overcome that gave him the empathy and knowledge to lead a country hit by two bolts from the blue (Depression and World War II) successfully. Biden's qualities now seen as strengths are the qualities that led many of us (including me) to conclude he was "not the guy" in his previous runs for the presidency. His experience of profound loss at an early age and finding the internal strengths to carry on is exactly what is needed now. That and his knowledge of how the system should work, and his learned ability to get it to work.
TC, I think you would enjoy Doris Kerns Goodwins leadership in Turbulent times, and/or Forged in Crisis- Nancy Koehn. Both make the case for suffering and overcoming it (resilience) as a key leadership trait.
Churchill was the same and De Gaulle too....only he did it twice!
And the speed, he is accomplishing his work, our work! Today, I read that science is not sure why Covid rates have dropped dramatically. At look at the chart shows that they began to drop after Biden took office! Yes, a coincidence, or is it?
Biden has been in politics for almost 50 years. He's seen a lot of ups and downs, both in his political life and in his personal life. Unlike many, he's gained wisdom and perspective from what he's been through, and he's learned from events that preceded him as well. He realizes he came to power in a very special moment for the country, and he's determined to make the best of it.
It would make for an interesting sociological study, wouldn't it? On the surface, it's coincidence and dumb luck, since both the vaccination effort and results of social distancing were largely from programs begun in the previous administration. But the psychological effects of a newfound hope are both hard to quantify and hard to ignore. It will probably take decades to sort out; I'm already looking forward to buying HCR's book on this topic!
Reid, the vaccines that Trump wants to take credit for were already in development as part of a Bio-security program. We have resources which do this. Mobilizing massive amounts of vaccine is to Biden’s credit. Trump exported 6 times the normal amount of PPE while our health care workers washed masks and wore trash bags in some cases. I totally agree with your assessment that the “psychological effects of a newfound hope are both hard to quantify and hard to ignore.” Well said! In my community, the release and relaxation that have happened are palpable. I think the Asian community is resting easier as well.
Except in Michigan where our $%#@ Republicans took away our governor's emergency powers, so COVID numbers have sky rocketed ever since, especially in the young, unvaccinated population. CDC could not increase vaccines allocations (and how fair would that be anyway - taking from states that follow guidelines to reward Republicans who are trying to kill us?), but the CDC did increase shipments of monoclonal antibody treatments.
MaryPat, I feel very sad about the state of your society and culture in Michigan. Honestly, I want to mark it all up to just plain stupidity and backwoodsman mindset. But DAMN I have very smart friends who live in Michigan, and you sound highly intelligent and more than able to figure out what's going on there. So I hope I can send you more Democratic sentiment - straight to Michiganders needing it!
UK strain took root in MI. Stay vigilant.
Biden has decades of experience, and he's managed to gain wisdom from all that experience. He is stumbling on immigration--of all of his policies he polls worst with respect to that one--Americans want less immigration, and border district representatives such as Henry Cuellar (D-Tx) are issuing warnings about that,
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/18/immigration-politics-democrats-469732
and if he doesn't come around, it's going to be bad for American workers.
https://americancompass.org/the-commons/worker-power-loose-borders-pick-one/
I wish he'd come around on this, but he's doing really well on everything else, and I hope he manages to garner huge numbers of independents and even GOPers in the midterms, so that we can change the country for the better.
Yes, it seems you beat this drum a lot, but there really is little or no evidence that immigration leads to ill effects for American workers and considerable evidence that it's a net positive. https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/does-immigration-create-jobs
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2013/08/29/73203/immigration-helps-american-workers-wages-and-job-opportunities/
Hear! Hear! The fact is that immigrants do the job American workers won't (and generally do it better).
On the contrary. If immigration were a net positive, why is it that wages for American low/no-skilled workers have gone from middle class worthy to sh!t over the last 30-plus years? In the '80s, meat packers, as an example, used to earn as much as $50/hour (inflation adjusted). Now they get barely above minimum, under atrocious conditions. You can read what the NYT's Nick Kristof had to say about this phenomenon here.
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/opinion/compassion-that-hurts.html
I beat this drum a lot because there's a lot of junk out there. American Progress on immigrant and US workers complementing each other is such BS. Why do you think death by opioid is an epidemic among low wage Americans (and a lot of those deaths are probably suicides--something I've written about).
When she ran a commission on immigration reform under Pres. Clinton, the late Barbara Jordan recommended cutting immigration numbers roughly in half, and strict enforcement of immigration laws--so that working class Americans, including African Americans, would be able to get decent jobs. (If you're too young to be familiar with her, google her. She was an African American Democrat from Texas who made her name on the House Watergate Committee.)
You want him to carry one with the anti-immigrant (largely =race) card? There is not reason to think immigration is bad for American workers. There is, however, every reason to think that the flow of refugees is driven by US disruption of other countries. Whether Biden can "get" this and act on it is the real test.
Indeed you are right. Reagan's Central American Wars are what brought the Central American influx, and then us deporting them after they become committed gang members leads to the current situation, which produces more refugees. And NAFTA destroyed Mexican agriculture to the point the farmers were forced to come here and become out gardeners.
The problem with immigration is not immigrants per se; it's the numbers. It is obvious that ***too much*** immigration has been bad for American workers. Their wages stagnating and shrinking coincides with huge numbers of low/no-skilled immigrants. Nicholas Kristof does a good job of explaining the problem here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/opinion/compassion-that-hurts.html
As for refugees, most of that flow are economic refugees; but some of the refugee problem has been driven, as you say, by US disruption.
There is also a sustainability argument against mass immigration. In 1975, I learned about global warming and ecosystem services in a class given by John Holdren, who later became Pres. O's Science Advisor. Ecosystem services provide clean air, clean water, fertile soil, pollination, disease prevention, and a host of other services needed to keep the planet healthy. It doesn't take much human activity on a piece of land to reduce productivity of ecosystem services. Our country's population is nearly four times what would be sustainable at current consumption levels.
https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/
We need to be reducing, not growing our population. Half of the 83 million additional people (equivalent to four New York States) in the US since 1990 are here due to immigration. Going forward Pew projects that 90% will be from immigration.
Please go back to FleeceBlock, where you won't be so blindlingly obvious.
Hi All - just wanted to say thanks for this whole thread. I've wondered about many of the issues raised here. Cant say anyone convinced me, but it got me inspired enough to commit to read all the references and try to sort this out - let you know how it goes!
Yes, I’m stunned too at his effectiveness. It’s made me wonder how we can improve the primary process so that the candidates can better showcase their ideas and give us a better picture of how they would govern. There was nothing in that process that gave me even a remote indication of this man’s abilities. He certainly didn’t run his campaign on all these forward thinking policies. But for covid, I fear we could have had four more years of the other guy.
Absolutely. Some of Biden's enthusiasms are encouraging. That he's increasing the Pentagon's budget over Trump's, announcing withdrawal of Afganistan troops while retaining thousands of special operations there, being unnecessarily hawkish toward China and Russia are less so.
But recognizes that future wars will be fought with internet, power grid, and digital warfare, not just boots on the ground.
Sounds like upgrading our digital infrastructure to an appropriate National Security status is a crisis waiting to happen.
"The fact that those in charge of US nuclear weapons now see both Russia and China as a major nuclear threat, and the fact that US cold warriors are escalating against both of them, is horrifying. The fact that they’re again playing with “low-yield” nukes designed to actually be used on the battlefield makes it even more so. This is to say nothing of tensions between nuclear-armed Pakistan and nuclear-armed India, between nuclear-armed Israel and its neighbors, and between nuclear-armed North Korea and the western empire." (Caitlin Johnstone, Popular Resistance.com)
I think that our China and Russia policies are challenging and must be dealt with a deft hand. However, China's violation of the UNConvention on the Law of the Sea to which they (unlike the U.S.) are signers shows their disdain for treaties and agreements. Their outrageous claims to the S. China Sea (actually a claim that I believe was first put forth by Formosa under Chiang Kaishek) could become a trigger point for a nuclear war, so a clear disagreement from Biden could with a restrengthening of our alliances with Taiwan, S. Korea and Japan possibly restrain them from pushing the boundaries. As to Russia, I believe Biden was effective in getting Putin to withdraw forces from the Ukrainian border.
Same here! That speech finally convince fed me both of his sincerity and competence.
I am continually surprised by his competence and statesmanship We did have the privilege of living with gross incompetence and a white supremacist authoritarian male chauvinist bully who had no impulse control. Anything would have been an improvement, but Joe Biden is exceeding all my expectations. I am so thankful I don’t have to wake up the next day with angst as to what 45 ‘s next move would be. I hope those last four years are a wake up call to the fragility of our Democracy. We need our citizens to vote and participate to save our country. I would hate to think my family’s sacrifice in WW2 was for naught.
Yes, it's nice to wake up and not be afraid to look in your newsfeed out of fear the idiot blew up the world at 0300.
I grew up in Delaware and have watched Biden for a long time. In many ways he is doing better than I would have expected. But his ability to support needed fundamental reforms is yet to be demonstrated.
I feel guilty now that I gave him bad directions in Rehoboth years ago. I was angry about Anita Hill. Sorry, Joe.
I’m still angry about Anita hill.
That’s funny Grace! But how hard can it be to find the beach in Deleware?
How solid is his cabinet? It’s his experience and judgement to choose wisely that’s making all the difference me thinks.
Give him a minute. He’s on a roll and although it’s hard to imagine how he can get reforms through in the current political environment he doesn’t seem shy of trying. Anita Hill was a disaster but he does seem to have evolved way more than most politicians I’ve observed.
It's only been 3 months since Biden took office, but it feels like he has accomplished 3 years worth in that short time!
Last 2 years?
I was casually watching this report, but the optimism rates of young people and people of color have dramatically taken an uptick now, compared to the last 2-4 years.
Thanks Judy, now I understand 💙
Well put Reid!!🤗😣
You can frame that rant!
It mustn't be forgotten that in 1492 Isabella of Castille had just unified the country after finally driving out the islamic Umayyadic invaders after a few centuries of civil war.....victorious European catholicism! The relations between these North African usurpers and the locals were not exactly either peaceful or respectful and hardly disposed the Spanish to consider humans with darker skins with interest and compassion. This doesn't excuse, but goes someway to explain the disdain for the "carrib" on the arrival of the Santa Maria in what became the Dominican republic. Differnt times, different values.....an impoverished Spain faced with dreams of El Dorado within reach in what was then....and often still....a "grab as grab can" and "might is right"world.
Thank you for this Stuart😊
High, it’s stunningly simple once you recognize djt as the snake oil salesmen he is. He’s bamboozled his base into believing everything he says, however ridiculous. Republicans need his base to win and know they will vote however djt instructs them to. Republican politicians are terrified djt will “primary” them which means to support their opposition in the next primary election.
It’s straight up bully mentality.
And that's what Trump has been his entire life. Whenever his niece was interviewed on CNN or elsewhere, she always accurately predicted what he would do when put in a corner. And that was to lie and bully his way out. I still can't believe people follow him after all the anti-democratic crap he's done, but there are still Trump flags flying not far from my house.
H. sapiens. Big brains. Don't know how to use 'em.
Good question, Hugh. Demagoguery based on lies is alive and well in America. One only need to study the rise of Nazism to see the similarities to what is happening to our country. History has shown us that mass movements need not be based on truth and ideals; they can also be fueled by fear and hate. To sum it up, we are a country of suckers.
Randy, I agree we are in a bad place fighting against strong, wealthy advocates like the Koch brothers, but large percentages of those polled love what Biden is doing. We need to all be engaged in winning over every registered Democrat and Independents to enlarge our control of both the Senate and House. We have to start NOW to spread the message of how critical it is. Everyone must work with your local Democratic party organization in this mission.
The Koch brother... one of them died two years ago.
Exactly!!
I'm an American and I struggle to understand Trump's hold over Republicans. Yes, he's a con man and a mob boss. He's played the victim card so well that all these disenfranchised people who think they are the victims relate to him. I still don't understand how so many Americans can be so gullible and so blind. And how many elected officials feel trapped in enabling him. It does appear that because President Biden is addressing the bread and butter needs of the citizens he is winning over moderate Republicans. One of President Biden's best moves is to claim bipartisanship for his policies from the polls of the electorate rather than from the stubborn Republican elected officials that follow the dwindling Trump base. This I'm going with the People seems to be working and we're seeing Republican members of Congress at lease attempting to work with Democrats.
Trump brings the voters. When Movement Conservatives first brought their ideas to light, they were extremely unpopular outside of the business community. But after Brown v Board of Education, which forced school districts to integrate, and Roe v Wade which made abortion accessible nationwide, the evangelicals and the cultural “traditionalists” needed a voice and found it in the Movement Conservative GOP. And while the GOP really didn’t care about religious views, they made the deal w evangelical leaders that they would pursue a pro-life agenda. But then came Donald Trump, who said out loud all the hateful things the GOP had dogwhistled for years - that America doesn’t look like America anymore; that brown people and folks w blue hair and blasphemous clothes Amy run the country some day.
And the people who came out for DJT are above and beyond any numbers the GOP can scare up; without him, they don’t stand a chance. But I really think they don’t stand a chance with him either. He and his family are money hogs, and they can run dry the biggest of multi-million dollar budgets. It’s currently a can’t-win situation for Republicans, unless they can win without Trump’s blessing.
Thanks for all those comments - the muddy water is a bit clearer now.
Love it! 🤣
As Michael Bales commented earlier, the national poll of America’s 18-to-29 year olds by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School provides a tantalizing look into the future. This comment was prepared for another day, but as your interest seems high, here we go. This was put together in an effort to raise the spirits of those among us worried about the future (who isn’t). There been too many disappointments over the years; an acute awareness of the terrible political strength and manipulation of the system and of American people by the Republican Party and age-old weariness can keep us down. There are, nevertheless, avenues of vibrancy, proven success and ingenuity in democratic and progressive circles. Knowing what young people are thinking is a fruitful road to travel. With that, please enjoy the following::
‘April 23, 2021’
‘A national poll of America’s 18-to-29 year olds released today by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School shows that despite the state of our politics, hope for America among young people is rising dramatically, especially among people of color. As more young Americans are likely to be politically engaged than they were a decade ago, they overwhelmingly approve of the job President Biden is doing, favor progressive policies, and have faith in their fellow Americans’.
‘Power Up: Biden scores record high approval rating among young voters, according to new poll’ (The Washington Post) April 23, 2021 at 6:22 a.m. EDT
‘The people’
‘THE BOY NEXT DOOR PHENOMENON’: Young Americans are more optimistic about the future and far more approving of U.S. leadership under President Biden than during ex-president Donald Trump's tenure, according to a new Harvard Youth Poll released on Friday.
Biden has hit the highest favorability rating — 63 percent — among college students who are registered voters of any president in the youth poll's 21-year history, according to the poll.
Sitting at an overall 59 percent approval rating with those surveyed, Biden's popularity among young voters also marks a dramatic U-turn for the 78-year-old president: at this time last year, only 34 percent of all young adults viewed Biden favorably, per the spring 2020 Harvard Youth Poll. Read the full results here.
• Fifty-nine percent of 18-to-29 year old Americans approve of Biden's overall job performance; 65 approve of his handling of the coronavirus; and 57 percent of race relations, according to the poll.
Another striking development: young Americans are more hopeful about the future of America than they were in the fall of 2017 – almost a year after former president Trump took office. Only 31 percent of young Americans were hopeful about the future of America at the time and 67 percent were fearful.
Four years later, 56 percent of young Americans are more optimistic – especially young people of color.
• “While the hopefulness of young whites has increased 11 points, from 35 percent to 46 percent – the changes in attitudes among young people of color are striking,” according to a memo penned by Della Volpe. “Whereas only 18 percent of young Blacks had hope in 2017, today 72 percent are hopeful (+54). In 2017, 29 percent of Hispanics called themselves hopeful, today that number is 69% (+40).”
• Notable: the polling was conducted before the verdict that found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
And for all of the caricatures of young Americans, the poll found that young people are open minded, more likely to be politically engaged than they were a decade ago and favor big government solutions to problems.
• Thirty-six percent of young Americans are politically active, with young Black voters (41 percent) the most active among that group. That's a 12-point difference from a 2009 poll that found in the fall after Obama's election that 24 percent of young Americans considered themselves to be politically active.
• “By a margin of nearly three-to-one, we found that youth agreed with the sentiment, ‘Americans with different political views from me still want what’s best for the country’ — in total, 50% agreed, 18% disagreed, and 31% were recorded as neutral,” according to Della Volpe's memo.
• The poll found a majority of young Americans favor government intervention on the issues of poverty, combating climate change, and health care.'
HARVARD KENNEDY SCHOOL
INSTITUE OF POLITICS
Survey of Young Americans’ Attitudes toward Politics and Public Service 41st Edition: March 9 – March 22, 2021 N=2,513 18- to- 29-Year-Olds in English and Spanish Margin of Error: +/-2.60% at the 95% Level 1. With regard to school, are you currently enrolled at any of the following?
High school ................................................................................ 7%
Trade/Vocational school ............................................................ 2%
2-year or junior college or community college .......................... 9%
4-year college/university.......................................................... 21%
Graduate school.......................................................................... 5%
Business or professional school (law, medicine, etc.) ............... 2%
Not enrolled in a college/university, but taking at least one course....... 2%
Not currently enrolled in any of these...................................... 54%
Refused...........................................................................................*
[If enrolled in 4-year college/university, ask] 2. In which year of college are you? (n=511)
First year student/Freshman ..................................................... 17%
Second year student/Sophomore .............................................. 18%
Third year student/Junior ......................................................... 25%
Fourth year student/Senior....................................................... 31%
Fifth year student or higher........................................................ 7% Refused....................................................................................... 1%
###
I hope that you enjoyed this glimpse into the future. May these young people work together with a strong commitment to Democracy. Sounds like prayer, doesn’t it?
As the parent of two “young Americans” I can tell you without a doubt they are both more “politically engaged than they were a decade ago, they overwhelmingly approve of the job President Biden is doing, favor progressive policies, and have faith in their fellow Americans.” Their commitment to Democracy fills me with hope for the future.
And the wonderful news is that, unlike previous years, in 2020 they actually went out and voted! Here's hoping that 2022 and 2024 are a repeat of that phenomenon. https://circle.tufts.edu/latest-research/election-week-2020
That's one reason why we need to keep talking to the young people (especially those who will be voting for the first time in 2022) and gently nudge them to think about what they want their future to be like and then vote for the people who will help their future be the way they want.
I know that a few young people I talked to before the 2020 election were Bernie boys and I haven't had a chance to ask them how they feel about Biden. Especially a couple who said they were going to sit out the election because Bernie didn't get the nomination.
I am hopeful about our future, because of the young people I talk to. I've put a big burden on their shoulders, telling them that when my grandson gets to be their age, they will be the ones with the power and I want them to think about my grandson everytime they make choices that will impact his future.
I think they are up to the task. Thank you.
Fern"
A nice review of the numbers.
President Biden "must" fix the student loan crisis he helped to create with his support of MBNA and banking interests. There was no crisis of students using bankruptcy to escape their loans which was the excuse used to pass laws blocking bankruptcy..
Having written for Student Loan Justice Org on occasion, I find the shackling of Millennials and other younger age groups to be detrimental to future economic growth. Student Loan Justice Org's petition is approaching 1 million signatures. and it will be sent to Congress and President Biden.
“I have no empathy for it. Give me a break,” Joe Biden should fix the disaster he helped to create since the nineties with student loans. Younger citizens have found they no way out of the financial burden shackling them to a pseudo debtors prison. We have a large segment of the population who can not be as productive as they could be if granted relief. Furthermore, I know of no other type of loan to which the borrower can not escape from by following legal means.
We seem to forget all of those who are left behind and stranded with student loans. Roughly 40% of those with student loan debt going into retirement will still have student loan debt and can have a portion of their SS garnished if behind. If you are behind on your student loan, you can also be denied from participating in federal programs such as retraining.
President Biden appears to be slow walking any form of student loan debt relief..
Oh, Bill, we are of the same mind! I also get worked up about the lockup of young, Black men, too. He and Clinton, and others devastated Black families, lowering them to hell, while building up the prison industrial complex. So much damage. Thank you for communicating Bill. Student debt was one of the reasons I support Elizabeth Warren.
“The answer is to rely on youth”- Robert Kennedy
All of this is reflected in the words and actions of my 5 grandchildren, ages 11-21. Hope rules!
YESYESYES!!!
Thank you. I needed this shot in the arm. I have long held out hope that our youth would "save" us from ourselves, but every time I said anything to that effect, I was reminded, "Yes, but they never show up to vote." Well, THIS time they did. I do wonder if David Hogg and his activists might have lit the match to show the way. Stacey Abrams is certainly reaching a huge segment of voters and not only succeeding in getting them to register to vote, but to show up and remain in long lines for hours to cast their votes. That our POC and youth are doing the hard work now and succeeding is evidenced by legislatures who are so panicked, they are desperately trying to suppress the vote, even to the extent of going after first amendment rights. I read somewhere (I'm nowhere near as organized as you in recording sources that can be cited later) that hundreds of attorneys have joined together to fight these efforts. I do wonder if anything at all can be done to the Georgia decision to remove power of local election officials and place decisions in the hands of elected GOP, or in the case of Arizona, to try to actually overturn an election months after it occurred. Surely, these actions, while desperate, are not LEGAL?
Ellen, Your reply lifted my up and UP! When I saw this report, my elation was as yours. Some subscribers have been tossing hope to the wind for understandable reasons. The need for some good surprises sent me on a treasure hunt. The bench has been stacked against democracy, but we may still have some success in the courts. The facts via the press, letters, organization, phone calls and demonstrations are in our hands. The Republicans are armed for war. Our spirits cannot flag on behalf of the truth, democracy, equality, honor and unity...good stuff!
I'm certainly ready for the baton to pass to the younger generation. It's the first generation who has felt, rightfully so, that they would not do better than their parents economically.
Amen.
Of course, Scott is also the guy who headed Columbia/HCA when it was hit with the largest fine by the Justice Department to that time - $1.7B for defrauding Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs. How do these people live with themselves?
And when deposed in the matter, he pled the 5th Amendment to the Constitution which provides protection against self-incrimination 75 times!! Pleading the 5th allowed Scott to avoid testifying under oath with answers that might incriminate himself. In effect, pleading the 5th means, I may be guilty but the prosecution must prove it. I need not provide you the answers that may be used to convict me. Let that sink in!
“Rick the fifth”
And for his criminal efforts, Scott gets to be a Senator! I'm dismayed that there isn't more effort to understand the way elected officials buy or can urge others to help buy them their seat in Washington. Until the cash-playing-field is leveled---same public funding, same election time-frame---we face continued assaults on the electoral system, and I would say that we are aiming at symptoms and ignoring the real problem.
We pay for his healthcare, ironically
The scumbags just move into bigger homes 🏠 and probably buy more homes. He left Columbia/HCA with a fortune, and moved into a more lucrative arena, politics where there’s less risk of loss of fortune and jail time.
I don't know about yours, but my mailbox is full of requests for donations to political candidates, some I even like. But I see it as a problem of money in politics. There is a persistent and escalating "ask" for donations from anyone running for office, right or left. They also use the challenge that "we only have until midnight to show that we can "win" by the racking up the largest amount of quarterly donations. "Send more money. Even a small donations help." It's endless. Everything has a "DONATE" button to click. We are beginning to think this is normal, that money is the route to winning. Almost none of these "asks" focus on policy. The focus is on winning by raising money. In this interpretation of the electoral process, the ceiling is infinite. Millions, billions, and what next, trillions of dollars on campaigns? This is a serious problem.
Stylish Moral blinders
See also the great detailed post by HCR Reader Nina about Scott and HCA/Columbia.
All the yadda-yadda-yadda about how business is finally "woke" is so much happy horseshit. It was on the news tonight on Rachel's show that business PACs are once again donating to the Sedition Caucus. There's also the Chamber of Commerce (that they're all members of) that is whipping votes AGAINST H.R.1, and none of the "woke" CEOs are calling the Chamber out, or canceling their membership.
As always, watch what they do, not what they say, and FOLLOW THE MONEY.
So far as Senator Skeletor is concerned, global warming can't happen fast enough if it means we get the privilege of No More Florida.
Time for mass boycotts. If we chose one company as the target of a nation-wide boycott, which one would it be?
More exposure of this will be helpful
It is interesting to see the stock market at an all time high. And what does it represent? The average American doesn't have any part of it. I just read recently that 50 percent of the stock market value is held by the top 1 percent. And 90 some percent is owned by the top 10 percent. Where does that leave the rest of us?
And a bigger question: "What does that value represent?" In the 50's and 60's it represented factories, machinery and jobs. It meant you could buy a house and a car because you had a job.
What can you manufacture with a BitCoin? What can you cook for dinner with a stock certificate?
When American business got taken over by the bookkeepers, we lost sight of the things we could make and the science and engineering problems we could solve.
The political leaders of today are only concerned with raising money. I am happy to see the young people of this country getting involved in government at every level. Time to start thinking about how we are going to feed ourselves and our children.
Don, I don't expect to hear a better question than 'What can you manufacture with a BitCoin?' It is absolutely to the point, put less well, How is BitCoin an asset? An asset of what?
Some one was trying to convince me of the importance of holding onto gold in these times of economic insecurity and I told them it was more important to have a pair of pliers and a ball peen hammer.
I wish we were neighbors.
We are. We're Americans.
Even if we weren't, we are citizens of the world.
Given Bit Coin's past pattern of going high then falling precipitously quite quickly, I wouldn't trust it as an investment.
I have heard of it, but I actually don’t know what it IS.
I have read that Bitcoin is a fund-raiser for white nationalists. Any truth to that?
In today's Letter, Heather speculates that given The Republican Party's furor over Corporate America's cold shoulder since January 6th attempted Insurrection, there may be an even bigger split in the Party. Could the Republicans get by without their best friend and depend mostly on small donations? Reading the following may give pause to Heather's speculation of a deep split between The Republican Party and its dance partner.
I've been keeping the following information for a time like this.
from: Public Citizen APRIL 5, 2021
'The Corporate Sponsors of Voter Suppression'
'Since 2015, Corporations Have Contributed $50 Million to the State Lawmakers Supporting Voter Suppression Bills, Trade Groups Have Given Another $36 Million'
'Key Findings'
'Corporations have contributed $50 million since 2015 to state legislators supporting voter suppression bills, including $22 million during the 2020 election cycle. More than 60 corporations have contributed more than $100,000.
Among the Fortune 100, 81 companies have contributed to these lawmakers, giving a combined total of $7.7 million.
Among the Fortune 500, 45 percent of companies have contributed to these lawmakers, giving a combined total of $12.8 million.'
Industry trade groups contributed $36 million to state legislators supporting voter suppression bills, including $16 million during the 2020 election cycle.'
•Three-fourths companies that paused some or all political contributions in response to the January 6 Capitol insurrection have contributed to state legislators who are supporting voter suppression legislation.
• AT&T has given the most to supporters of state-level voter suppression bills, at more than $811,000. AT&T is followed by Altria / Philip Morris ($679,000), Comcast ($440,000), UnitedHealth Group ($411,000), Walmart ($377,000), State Farm ($315,000) and Pfizer ($308,000).'
You cannot miss the names of the companies, which have been major supporters of the Republican state legislatures and bankrolling all that voter suppression stuff. When you think about the problems we've got, think about the Democratic Party, too. Howard Dean, when Chairman of Democratic National Committee, successfully implemented the fifty-state-strategy, which met with great success. Naturally, the Party didn't stick with it.
Public Citizen is just one source. The big bankers behind Right Wing (anti-government, anti-regulations, anti-taxi, ANTI-CLIMATE CRISIS are CHARLES and DAVID KOCH. David died in 2019, but what is Charles up to? There are a lot of Big Money Men still alive, and they are not going to make love to the Democratic Party. Oh no, there are a few crumbs left in the Republic Party, who of them would turn a date with these companies?
Below is the link to Public Citizen's web site:
https://www.citizen.org/
The point Prof Richardson was making wasn't so much the corporate world's loss of its own power as it was a divide between "corporate Republicans" and "Movement Conservatives." The corporate world - or at least certain C-suites within it - are questioning whether they want to risk alienating customers and employees by being so closely associated with the racist, nationalist and xenophobic parts of Movement Conservatives (who, let's be honest, aren't really conservative in any way except for "culture war" issues).
The corporate world has relied on getting low-information, socially conservative voters to support largely corporate policy interests by aligning itself with - or supporting candidates who curry votes by talking up - issues like abortion restriction, fear of immigrants, loss of a sense of superiority.
In short, White Grievance has been the partner that gets Republicans elected to foster policies that support corporate interests far more than the economic interests of "conservative" voters themselves. Heather's post tonight mostly focused on wehther that marriage will survive - and as she noted - it's speculation on her part. Your source material is interesting and provides a good base to see if corporate spending after January 6, 2021, maintains the patterns from the prior years that Public Citizen was reporting in that article.
Steve, I would say that the gross nature of campaign finance is at the core of mounting insanity of our current elected officials. As the measure of campaign strength continues to rely on, and escalate, the financing of candidates, only those with the best donation "snow jobs" survive. The idea of buying our electoral candidates with our donations, and the continual support of the importance of donated money to our elections is what assured the election of guy like djt. The bewildering blathering is the smoke-screen. The money is the problem.
I agree - how we finance campaigns is grotesque, and I'm not defending it. Fern is correct in noting that state legislators, and corporate donations to them, need to be scrutinized as much as federal-level political donations. Prof. Richardson's article was musing about the possibility that there may be a fissure between corporate political interests and the interests that have so far brought populist/nationalist/racist into the Republican voting base. The discussion's gotten a little off track from the Professor's post, and that was why I responded to Fern's comment.
In regards to White Grievance, please read this assessment by Dr Justin Frank, a psychologist w/ 40 years experience. It discusses the Grievance Addiction of him and his followers and the potential consequences thereof. https://www.salon.com/2021/02/12/dr-justin-frank-on-the-trial-for-trump-capitol-riot-was-a-source-of-incredible-pleasure/
Wow. That was really interesting!
And right on.
Very interesting. And since this was written during the trial, much of the prognosticating has come true.
PS Steve, I think you missed in my comment that companies continued to contribute to state legislatures in support of voter suppression bills after 1/6.
I agree with you, Fern, that that state support must be called out.
Yes, I saw that comment, but because there haven't been many FEC reports filed since then, most reporting on that issue is anecdotal.
It may very well be that corporations will continue to say one thing and do the opposite - after all, they've been doing it for a long time.
Public Citizen reports are not anecdotal. Do you know Public Citizen? It doesn't research by using handouts from Corporations.
Yes, I donate to Public Citizen and read articles and research from it frequently. I think you're misstating what the article says
It's a good article and it clearly points out that corporate America needs to be accountable for funding the anti-democratic state legislators who are promoting voter suppression laws, but I think the article's weakness is assuming that past behavior will continue.
That's possible and maybe likely, and the article does a great job of tracing contributions from 20115 to 2020, but I couldn't find anything in it about contributions in first 4 months of 2021.
Steve, I included excerpts. It think it is a good idea for you to read the entire report, for you to fairly evaluate it. It sounds as though it would not be difficult for you to read on line or have the organization send you a copy.
I understood what Heather wrote, sorry that was not clear to you.
Fern the challenge is great, but in 2020 a re-invigorated Democratic organization was able to turn out 92% of registered Dems to vote. We didn't turn Collier County blue but if each county can arise and get their registered Dems to vote Florida can be turned Blue. DeSantis and Scott won by small margins. We can win, right now we need candidates to take on DeSantis and Rubio.
I heard on the grape vine that Val Demings is perhaps considering challenging Rubio.......
Carol, That would be sensational. I know she will get the support she deserves. I saw her level Jim Jorden during the week. I never saw her so fierce and triumphant. Val Demings would make a significantly important difference.
She was great. He shouts at absolutely everyone but cannot stand being "shouted at"!!
Sorry, Carol, I am typo liable: Jim Jordan.
Yes, I cannot be stopped. I don't know if we can be successful in courts given that deck has been stacked. Bills suppressing the vote and penalizing demonstrations is so old and new, brutal and demonic.
Thank you. Sounds like more pressure on corporate donations beyond the national landscape is needed.
Mary Beth, I am sorry that I didn't understand your reply. Could you spell it out a bit more? Thanks. I was very interested the companies that contribute to voter suppression and wonder what more than a letter would be appropriate. The biggest donors are listed but there are many more companies making contributions to this despicable and undemocratic practice.
I really should be out of bed before I start responding to other people’s posts. (Lol). I was attempting to say, corporations that stop national donations but continue to donate to state and local politicians need to be held accountable. My more naive side prefers to think it has more to do with who you know on the local level than it does the corporate policy. After all, Coca-cola uses distributors to move its product. And the local distributor might get more benefit from supporting the republican (I refuse to capitalize that word) running for office than the their opponent. If I’m going to write a letter to Coca-Cola, then I need to also make those views knows at the local distribution company. It is not enough to address this on the national level. In fact, recent history would indicate that ignoring the local level is part of what has gotten us in the mess. Does that help? I don’t want to go on and on about something I believe you already know. To be clear, I agree wholeheartedly with your concerns and I’m grateful for the information and the links.
Most of them haven't really stopped on the national level, either. They are playing a shell game, trying to have it both ways.
Thank you Mary Beth. I think you raise good questions about how to respond the companies. Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, the companies continued to shovel money to state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression. I will follow your lead by writing to national and local offices. My idea is to have them explain themselves. I also think that voting-rights groups, Stacy Abrams, etc., should know about this in case they don't. AT&T, UnitedHealthcare, Pfizer...!! Every time I read their names or type them, by body tightens. Good communicating with you.
Thanks Fern.
I've read the article twice now, and the only data on contributions that I can find is from 2015 to 2020.
Can you point me to the paragraph that says
Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, "the companies continued to shovel money to state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression."?
I don't doubt that they do, I just couldn't find it in the Article - here's the actual link -
https://www.citizen.org/article/corporate-sponsors-of-voter-suppression-state-lawmakers-50-million/
'•Three-fourths companies that paused some or all political contributions in response to the January 6 Capitol insurrection have contributed to state legislators who are supporting voter suppression legislation.' Steve, It's in the comment but thought to copy it for you.
The problem is that frequently these companies are the only or better source for their product. I live in an area where the telcomms choice is ATT or Spectrum (formerly Time-Warner Cable, aka The Doesn't Work Phone Company, where your service dies 2-3 days a month, and the costs are higher). Amazon is for me the place where the majority of my readers buy my books. The list, unfortunately, goes on, but it comes down to There's A Reason They're So Big. I literally can't do what I do without dealing with them.
What does that tell you about corporate oligarchy vs a free market with lots of buyers and sellers?
What about letters and phone calls? You know how to corner them. Ask them to explain and to write and you a letter.. Why oh why do they hurt their customers so? "Voter suppression', Is that what they want to be know for?
Hi Mary Beth. I am communicating with you today as a result of zealous fact-checking on the part of subscriber, Steve Lord. He questioned my unsubstantiated claim, when writing the following to you, 'Public Citizen's report indicated that after the failed insurrection, the companies continued to shovel money to the state legislatures for the purpose of voter suppression.' He was correct. The report's language was vague on that score. The report did not have any information about contributions in 2021. I apologize for my error. Here is what the report had to say on the matter:
'Conclusion
After the January 6 insurrection many corporations announced they were pausing their campaign donations in some capacity. Public Citizen noted at the time that any measures short of lifetime bans on donations to federal level disenfranchisers likely amounted to nothing more than PR stunts'
I hope that you do not mind me posting a copy of this correction to Steve as an end note.
Have a lovely Sunday, cheers.
.
I recall question that article when I first saw it a few months back. While it’s important to get the facts right, and I do appreciate someone willing to go back and correct the record, I believe we need to be diligent nonetheless when it comes to state level politics. Your original comment prompted my thoughts about local beverage distributors in relation to the big soda manufacturers. I may not have made that connection with out our conversation. Thank you. Lovely Sunday wishes to you as well. ~mb
Thanks for this, Fern. One of the reasons I love this forum is because we are so sincere in our desire for accuracy and not afraid to admit when we are wrong. Nicely done.
I just wonder, if corporations have been defined as persons by the SC, shouldn't each corporation be limited to the amount a single human person is allowed to contribute? Chuck Theisen, Naples, Florida
We'll know corporations are people when a Republican governor signs a death warrant for one.
Or gives corporations the franchise. Oh wait... is that what citizens United is?
A socio-political partner! Thank you, Ted. I'm smiling with amusement and satisfaction.
All talk and no action!
I think the real money powering the gop core is 100-1,000 of the wealthiest Americans because they don’t have to disclose anything. Corporations do, and it does play a part, a percentage that can be directed by those few, but harder to keep a public Corp budget in the dark.
Great question, Charles, clever and true.
Fern, thanks for your informative contributions. Corporations will never move against their bottom line..unfettered access to profit. The second that this admin or any other moves towards regulations of any kind, especially with regard to taxes and labor, they will be motivated by a higher interest than courting the new consumer base. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but not all large corporations are consumer demand dependent, as in "defense contractors", for instance.
One source, Fern? Seriously? You're not a journalist, I see. To ensure this information is true, we need at least two disparate sources for corroboration. (Please excuse my annoyance. It's what QAnoner family members don't understand when they preach, "Do the research." Corroboration is what sets off truth from not truth. It's what makes Dr. Richardson's work so compelling -- cited sources.)
SLWeston if it is my business comment all info is from Public Citizen, all of it and I referred that source three times, REALLY! Look again. And guess what, I was a reporter for public television and WCBS-TV. I always provide my sources and there is a link at the end of my comment to Public Citizen's website. Any more that I can help you with? You do seem out of sorts.
But, Fern, it's still only ONE source. You even say that: "Public Citizen is just one source." Public Citizen is a lobbying and advocacy group -- yes, liberal, on the side of the good guys. But it thrives on donations. It can't be expected -- nor can it afford -- to keep its opinions and information neutral and unbiased.
No other reputable organization has compiled this information, so there in only one source. Pubic Citizen in noted for the high accuracy of its reports. It is considered to be moderate to left leaning. FYI:
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/public-citizen/
Only in America are political contributions considered free speech. Which means a few have an enormous and disproportionate obscene amount more speech than the many.
https://www.citizen.org duly subscribed...
Another in the windstorm... of a planet self-destructing... bless Biden... at 78, he finally is where his words will be heard... and ignored.
Dear Fern McBride, NYC - follow the money... conscience for the wealthy leads to guilt, a luxury they cannot afford... our most wealthy have the Devil in mind, and God takes the hind most... agnostics get it, atheists get it, true believers can get it... but IT is nowhere. Nihilism is where we are, existentialism is where we are, and this Universe, ever expanding, has Plant Earth floating billions of light years from other life, if that matters, for we are destroying Earth, destroying Planet Earth daily, driven by Greed, we are destroying our only home, and the children that kill daily, suicide by cop, are telling us that the food and water they consume is corrupt, as corrupt as the farmer that grows it... and the land he has destroyed... for we humans have met the enemy - and The Enemy Is Us... as for Trump, Hawley, Bezos, Kudlow, FOX and Sean, Tucker the latent homosexual from St. George's School, the PEA crowd of Phillips Exeter, the Andover crowd from Phillips Andover, the Deerfield boy - and girls now - from Frank Boyden's days, read McPhee... all these folks get it... sort of - and they are all of it... what is it? Isn't that the question? Dear Heather Cox Richardson vents her nightly nightmare of semi truths and platitudes to her audience of aging white women, a few of them feel what they were when they were insidious and nasty at 15, but most have made it to the point where they can spend $50 a year and suck up to the nightly therapy - historical nothingness that ignores what we whites have done to all those with color, the poor Negro lady obliged to make that mulatto to satisfy her master's son's need to become a man... feed the master's child while his white bitch ignores that child... yes, those Negro women with all their majesty served Tom Jefferson and the others, and said, Yes, Please... and No, Please.. and anything else, Please... as slavery mashed the humanity from our most elegant servants dealing with white and whiter supremacy ... then, back then and NOW - while much has changed, the feelings have not changed... we do not care about their feelings... we only care about ours.. Dear Heather, the $5 per month educator peddling her half truths... putting herself to sleep at 60, wondering how long she will live this charade... .before she will gather up all of it - and do her last book... and try to tell it like it is... just once.
As an aging male I have tried to follow your stream of semi conscious thoughts. Still have no clue where you are going. Hope you feel better soon.
Dear Aging Male, fear not. It will all be over soon. Do not hold your breath. Semi conscious thoughts? You should be so lucky. Only for the comatose. Feel better? At 82, if I hurt, I know that I am alive. I am alive... I think, therefore I am... GS.. check him out.
Hi Sandy. What a time this is! I hope you get some sun. I'm going out to take a walk. Spring is my season.
National Book Award finalist... sent to me by a deaf student at Middlebury College, a nice young man with a sense of humor to die for, and he is living... and wants to help... and we may include him in a project now taking form... go figure...
DEAF REPUBLIC poems by Ilya Kaminsky - start there... he's deaf... and hears everything, feels it all... and his students are listening with cochlear implants.
Thank you, Sandy. I have so many books to read, five sets of eyes wouldn't take care of it. I will read Ilya Kaminsky's Deaf Republic, because you recommended it to me.
Which ever way you look at it, at least now we can say that the respective "battle stations and strategies" are now clear, no more sly innuendo, no more "wink, wink...you know what I mean"! We are getting to the point where a racist has to proclaim himself as a racist for all to see and judge. We are getting to the point where the Conservative Movement supporters have to acknowledge to the majority of the people that they couldn't give a damn whether they live or die, whether they ate or not....as long as they spent their money in the economy This makes a significant difference. Nobody can hide behind a mask anymore.
The logical corrollary of Heather's second scenario where the corporations no longer see their interests represented by the Republicans is that effectively corporations move to defeat those vying for the Trumpite option. Business would change camps and fund the Democrats. However, should their money be "outlawed" as it must then it will be a clear battle between the people who actually vote and their representatives. The battle will be "fairer" if the Voting Rights measures are voted and implemented but if not, then it's a question of who can get the most people registered to vote and effectively to exercise their rights, however allowed, on the day in terms of how they see the issues and their personal interests. The result should clarify the real position of the people and will radically alter the structure and composition of the political parties.
I am not optimistic about the scenario you outline in your second paragraph, but wholeheartedly agree with the first. That is the big advantage of January 6: the bandage has been torn off and the lines have been drawn. You are either of the racist, nationalist coalition or opposed to it.
I find evangelicals who support the racist trumpista agenda utterly disingenuous. Purportedly Christians, are they pretending to have forgotten that Christ, born in Bethlehem (near Jerusalem and Palestine, in other words, the Middle East), most certainly was dark-skinned? True Christians?
Ever see any of the paintings of their version of Jesus? Blue-eyed nordic.
Max Von Sydow, The Greatest Story Ever Told. George Stevens should’ve chosen better.
My evangelical relatives in their personal lives are anti-racist. They vote as they do because they believe that on balance Pence etc is better than the alternative. They believe a lot of stuff that I don’t. My point is, some evangelicals see themselves as supporting trumpistan despite the racism, not because of it.
Yeah, unfortunately that doesn't excuse them. If they had any understanding of the religion they claim to be members of (Fundamentalist christianism has as much connection to Christianity as Fundamentalist jewishism does to Judaism or Fundamentalist muslimism doe to Islam - they're all Fundamentalism, all share the same beliefs regarding partriarcy, misogyny and racism/tribalism) they wouldn't be the "good Germans" they are.
Thank you for your comment, Joan. I do have friends who endorse Trump but are not racist. My main issue is with racist "Christians"; I believe you can't be both.
I'll bet that if your friends had lived 88 years ago, in a certain central European country, they'd have supported Hitler despite his anti-Semitism. Saying nothing to oppose it is supporting it.
Indeed.
Every time I see the name “Grover Norquist,” I vomit in my mouth a little.
I'm not a violent person by any stretch of the imagination, but Rick Scott has one of those "I really deserved to be punched in the face" faces. Ditto Ted Cruz and Rand Paul............
Josh Hawley, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert...
Yes, if I go into the House the list gets a LOT longer!
HEAR HEAR!!! And from my state Madison Cawthorn - 🤮🤬
Not only do companies face losing customers, they are are realizing they can't attract the best talent to backwoods Southern states. My guess is this is the biggest reason for the change in the public-facing messaging in the face of clearly unAmercian lawmaking.
Which of course doesn't mean they won't try to grease the skids on the sly. It's just getting less easy for them to do.
I won’t even fly below the MasonDixon line. Just changing planes in their airports is stultifying.
As long as Georgia remains controlled by its current government, I will never fly on an airline that includes Atlanta as a stop.
Yes, but most will follow their own economic interest in the consumer.