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.
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.