Madison wasn’t talking about an abstraction or some highfalutin concept. He was talking about how some rich people will inevitably try to seize political power to screw everybody else.
Trump's cult is giving the capitalist all of our wealth. And neither party is fighting back because they're trying to get a piece of the pie. In other words, the rich are stealing everything from us.
Trump's cult, owns a lot of guns and they are mental midgets. The US military and with modern technology, will have their leaders all rounded up by noon on any given day they want to. Then everyone else who isn't a billionaire or millionaire, will be working 16 hours a day and probably living in the car. If they object, they could be disappeared or sent off to some foreign war.
Remember to thank your maga neighbor for your third world economy, so the mega rich can have more power, fame and money.
WE have got to fight back now. Do you think a Biden win will save us from the Trump Cult? I know Biden isn't the greatest, but Trump is the worse. His followers aren't thinking rationally, & we can't convince them before the election to vote for Biden. I fear for all of us. Anyone out there, please comment or assure me we can do something to stop Trump & his followers from winning.
Just like in Groundhog Days past, we are still subject to the tyranny of those who wield the powers of corporate personhood (i.e., money is speech and corporations are people). Those powers are why our democracy is devolving into autocracy. If we assume that there is a proven strategy to nullify those powers (and there is), and we know how to make that happen (and we do), why aren’t we?
A significant faction of the Supreme Court who are supposed to support the Constitution, are beneficiaries of big money directives to delete the Constitutional advice of Madison. One might say that money is exactly what is corrupting our Society .
Because it has been steered to the rich and powerful in this Country.
Expressly opposed by our Constitution .
I am amazed at what passes for the law right now.
These proponents of wealth w severe inequality as a result are people who are held up as successful but are cutting the throats of the poor.
How interesting that they are trying to save the poor from any assistance at all . The assistance goes to the least needy . Who keep it that way .
The Supreme Court's "Abominable Trifecta" of Buckley (1976), Bellotti (1978) and Citizens United (2010) destroyed America's history of blocking the corruption of money in the political process. When the Democrats have the power to pass legislation, they must overturn these decisions. In the legislation they might include a reference to the Constitution's Article III, Section 2, Clause 2 and its text: "...the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.". Follow this with an instruction to the Supreme Court that this legislation is passed outside of their jurisdiction.
If is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a Republican oligarch to act like a mensch.
What will Murkowski or for that matter the "pious" Lankford or the self-righteous Hawley say?
Democrats control the Senate. Could negotiate to extend the child tax credit -- E.G. https://www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit/ The Senate can pass additional budget reconciliation bills by describing them as a revised budget resolution that contains budget reconciliation instructions.
I would add giving Biden authority to sue price fixers and price gougers.
Or, at least, mitigate them. They were designed to hurt blue states. As if Republicans don't reside in California or New York. Republicans in those states are precluded from writing off state taxes -- has to be more important to them than virtually anything else.
Truck drivers are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. They sit in their cab, 8 or more hours a day, listening to right wing radio. They were Rush's biggest fans
How about the Republican deletion of mortgage interest deduction. That was targeted to blue states. I imagine that in red states, most homes are mortgage free, having been passed down parent to child.
At least it hurt blue states and cities (which are blue i n a red state), businesses, including people and companies that rent rooms, homes or property get the mortgage interest deduction anyway on schedule E.
However Joe or Jane Six pack, who can only file a Schedule A doesn't get that deduction.
WTF are you talking about I am a retired regular officer of the United States Armed Forces.. On the "Wall" in the area for Sept 1967, are inscribed the names of four of my team mates.
Vietnam Nam. My generation. My husband got in the Army Reserve, so he didn't go to Nam. If ever there was a stupid war, that was Viet Nam. We found out in our small area, that the lady at the local draft board kept her son safely out of the draft, while others went in his place. Eventually, she was caught, not before her son got his law degree. My husband was trying to get in the Reserve & she wanted to draft him. He served his 6 years in the Army Reserve. Every summer they went to a different location to train.
"I would add giving Biden authority to sue price fixers and price gougers." led me to query online the executive power of the President under the Sherman Act (1890) and the Clayton and FTC Acts (both 1914). I was disappointed to read:
"In summary, these antitrust laws do not grant the President direct executive power but serve to maintain competitive markets and protect consumers. The enforcement and interpretation of these laws fall within the purview of the judicial system, regulatory agencies like the FTC, and the Department of Justice"
So your suggestion seems to correct a major inadequacy of our anti-monopoly laws.
Seems we all become diverted from aiming at the major legislation that has made us more subservient to wealthy interests. That being Citizens United. It appears that the precept of critical thinking "Consider the source." has not been taught either by parents or school teachers. I hear that there is little to zero Civics or what was called Social Studies.
We need to keep in mind that there are many of us who have nothing and no-one else to help us other than our government. Your birth certificate is the one deed you are given. My heart does bleed for those who either never have had anyone or lose all family and are alone.
I agree with Hartmann that oligarchs for the past 7000 years don't allow a democratic society to work for the common good. Our society is not different. We may have already lost our democracy.
But I disagree that Madison was warning that the morbidly wealthy was the faction to worry about. The Federalists papers were written to be published in a New York newspaper to convince the wealthy to not be afraid of the new constitution, and to go along with the ratification because their wealth would be protected. I believe Madison meant factions in general, including a faction that would potentially choose to heavily tax the rich.
The book, "We the Elites: Why the U.S. Constitution Serves the Few" by Robert Ovetz, 2022. Ovetz explains how 55 rich white men (signed by only 39 of them) wrote the Constitution to be a rule book "empowering elites to protect capitalism from democracy."
The "system works as it was designed to." The first problem was that Hamilton modeled the National Bank after the bank of England, which Jefferson was very opposed to and said it was unconstitutional. He said in part, the bank "which might be for the good of the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless. It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and, as they would be the sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please."
Andrew Jackson opposed the bank and stopped the renewal of the charter, temporarily. Lincoln opposed taking on debt that the taxpayers had to pay back with interest and the union printed the greenbacks. Why are we still borrowing money from private banks? Because the oligarchs want the parasite class to continue, and they always figure out a way to get away with it, usually by manipulating foreign affairs and starting wars.
It's almost impossible for the government to pass legislation for the common good because of the "checks and balances." FDR saved capitalism because it was in the best interests of the capitalists in the long run.
Apparently Jefferson had a change of heart by 1816, as earlier he was suspicious of democracy, and he chaos of rule by the common man. He visited a Baptist Church in Danville, Pittsylvania County, VA and was dismayed by what he saw of democracy in action at a church business meeting.
The Federalist papers make it pretty clear, that by "democracy" what was meant was a Democratic Republic, the name of the party founded by Jefferson and Madison,
Bear in mind that a Republic is rule by "wise men", which of course or the wealthy, which in those days were propertied men. Women, slaves, men without an investment in the country (property) were not initialed franchised,
However it was left up to the states as to who was enfranchised to vote, and in short order, state by state, all free men were enfranchised to vote.
To my knowledge, until the Nat Turner rebellion of 1832, free black property owning males were voting, because until that rebellion there were black planters who owned slaves, in South Carolina and Louisiana had the most black, slave owning planters.
Hamilton was a financial genius, one of the few in his lifetime which ended in 1804. He saw the need for federal supremacy over the states, which only later was established by Jefferson's cousin, Chief Justice Marshall . One of the most important elements of that supremacy is sound, centralized, federal control of banking. Jefferson and Jackson were financial illiterates who feared the strong commercial interests centered in the north (as opposed to their beloved agrarian, slave-holding, commercially illiterate south. Jefferson and Jackson saw no harm in currecncies being issued by any goddam bank that wanted to issue it. The problem is not 'capitalism'. The problem is morbid wealth taking control of public policy to the exclusion of the average citizen-worker. The Constitution gave the power to govern to the people, who greatly outnumber the oligarchs then and now. The systemic failure we are witnessing now is the power grab of the morbidly and psychopathically rich who have convinced the average Joe and Jane that the average person is a fool not to make the rich richer by taxing them less and less. FDR was a genius like Hamilton. He didn't give a crap about capitalism as against the common good. He knew the people could be brought to their senses. And he succeeded in proving it AND defeating Hitler. His great work was destroyed by the Republican Party, and we all know to whom they owe alegianc.e.
Anyone who has seen the castles, manor houses, and villas of Europe would understand why Madison referenced European systems. Hard to heat those things, but they were terrific if you wanted extra rooms where you could hide from your family.
We're so there! We were there before the Civil War, and it didn't stop right through the Robber Barons. Along came the crash that took care of some of that. After WWII there was a chance for people to break through to the middle class and have a union. But, Reagan and corporate America couldn't have that. So then comes the wage suppression, massive tax cuts for them, outsourcing, the War on Drugs, and turning the mentally ill out to live on the streets. Welcome to toxic America.
Enough already Romney---everyone should be able to afford housing, transportation, and food. He can take his raiding, rich, condescending ass back to one of his homes while the rest of us do all the work and try to figure out the best way to put people like him out of business.
Romney was LDS version of "anointed," by something called "The White Horse Prophecy." He's born and steeped to the core subject to the Prophet in the Temple and nothing else, including The Constitution of the United States of America. He abhors Trump because it is so ordained by The Prophet, to His Purpose. So, got that out of my system. Meanwhile, you remind me of my "steeped" authoritarian mother who held that aristocracy and wealth created the cream of civilization. How could there be a Neuschwandstein without KING Ludwig? a Versailles without The Sun King? For that matter, the Alhambra without the Emir of the Moors in Spain? (She forgot about the Alhambra when "Shock and Awe" came to Bagdad; Arabs just barbarians, yadayada...) Do the dismal gray tenements of Stalin validate this idea?
Thanks Mmerose, I love learning how that rarefied air they are breathing makes them crazy. They even made it official for Mad King Ludwig. Did catch a horse-cart up to his "house" on a memorable snowy day, but I had to go back to Frankfurt to serve my nation. I was living in some old Nazi barracks. That slapped me back to reality! LOL
Thom: Here's an idea for someone, maybe you. Print up funny money coupons that are worth millions in their virtual values and distribute them to poor people to send into millionaire politicians. Put serial nos. on them to make them registerable so that the amount contributed by poor people to the Grassleys and Romneys can be reported widely. I haven't worked out the details yet. The point would be to shame the legislators but the fly in the ointment is that they probably are not capable of feeling shame. Just an idea.
I've never read any explanation of why we aren't even suggesting more than a 2% tax on the morbidity rich -- and even begging for that puny amount...???
The rich invest in blindness that wealth inflicts upon society that the Bible tells us it causes. You cannot have just judges with bribery anymore than you can have a just society with it. The people are against the rot of corruption but they need a basis to believe the representatives are on the side of justice by a promise of campaign economic issues for those low information Dem base to know that the effort is real. That requires a united voice that is heard and visual daily. The low information Dem voter base is not convinced of the real threat of the loss of democracy. They only believe in concrete action otherwise they will not bother to vote as the lack of economic issues in 2022 made them not bother,
I humbly submit that there is an identifiable schism between the Old and New Testaments, if you disregard the misogynistic, authoritarian "Letters" of Paul. If those who claim salvation through Jesus actually focused on the remnants of what seem to actually be His teachings, there sure would be a "tectonic shift" in what I would say would be a better direction for humanity. It's been a long time since I looked at the scholarly distillation of what might have been original teachings of Jesus: it was almost fragments, but was published in book form, if I remember. I was most familiar with the King James Book of John.
In a two party system that is a vote for Trump. You may hold that both are the same but with one your young kin will not have democracy. Putin puppies want every one to believe there is no difference. Are you agreeing with Putin?
The overriding factor in the election of 2024 is the issue of retaining democracy or giving it up to fascism. Every person who votes third party is voting against democracy. It takes votes from a president (Biden, in this case), and from our democratic ideals.
RFK Jr. can’t even figure out which party he belongs to. How can anyone trust his belief system or know his values? Manchin claimed to be a Democrat until he sided against Democratic legislation. Then he became an Independent and fundraised from the Republicans. No Labels is simply pursuing a well known candidate who skews right, but gives the illusion of working for moderates. It is a desperate attempt to delude moderate voters into thinking this guy represents their interests, while draining votes from the Democratic Party. Vote blue.
They are all owned by Big Money. And Biden is surely not the answer to all our problems. But at this point in time he is the only candidate willing to preserve the rights of the people.
I am horrified by the Israeli/Palestinian war, and Biden made some bad decisions in supporting Israel as he has. It will cost him in votes. However, my children and grandchildren deserve to live in a country free of fascism, so he still retains my vote.
Seriously? When Trump (and McConnell, let us not forget) foisted Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barratt on us? What are we supposed to do, write in Tinkerbell?
As I read your comment, Carolyn, you are saying that you would throw your vote to a third party candidate in order to keep Biden out of office and put Trump back in because Biden is a war criminal and Trump is going to die soon and his VP will be harmless. Is that correct?
It is Biden or a theocratic, fascistic dictatorship, and it is Trump who is promoting genocide of Ukranians, and he and his MAGA base have no time for Arabs and Muslims,
There is no genocide in the Levant. Genocide is just an emotional word you sling around.
Genocide requires intent. Israel does not have the intent to genocide Arabs or Muslims (not when they control 57 countries and are ethnostates)
However the Arabs (and the Gazans are Arabs, at least the Muslim Arabs, have every intention of committing genocide of the Jews, it is in their holy text and the HAMAS covenant.
Stop spouting bull shit propaganda, people know better.
Bull shit. The only genocide in that wretched land, is the intentions of HAMAS and Islam. Genocide of Jews is a sacred obligation of Islam, unless they are willing to accept the status of dhimmi's (2nd class citizens) and pay he Jizzyah (the poll tax).
There is a difference, small may it be, a vote for a third party is a vote for Trump and a vote for Trump is a vote for a theocratic, fascistic, dictatorship.
Can you go into more background as to why you hate America and Americans? I've been perhaps too "sharing" about my evolution in sentiment by way of my (probably notorious here) Mom. But that has all been about a journey to loving America and discriminating, but always looking for the best hopes of my fellow Americans. You seem to really hate us. Maybe you can help us to understand.
Don't be a fool! The Democratic Party is our only chance of stopping the rapacious power of our oligarchss and fascists. Think FDR. That's what we need again, before it's too late.
And no country deserves the mindlessness of ignorant citizens and the choice between ruthless oligarchy or stupid ideologies like stateless anarchy and it's poster child communism. The former is the land of Koch, and the latter is the land of Chomsky.
Everyone's opinion can change, but Romney had his own child tax credit "plan" within the last few years. He is just upset that he couldn't get enough support for his "plan".
Madison also warned about political parties, the danger being that loyalty to party would replace civic virtue. Almost makes me want reincarnation to be real. We could use another James Madison right now.
Micro-level examples of America's Plantation Economy:
a. Hispanics ordered back to America's meat-packing factories by Drumpf himself; this when people were dropping like flies at the outset of C19. (n.b. on-site White mgt est'd a pool, wagering on who'd drop dead first this week. (True.))
b. These days, Executives (e.g.: Jamie Diamond and his ilk,) ordering hybrid and remote workers back downtown into still semi-vacant office bldgs, for no good reason, just to have managements' egos stroked.
I have seen more positive reaction to my statement, comment of Feb. 2 than about any other I have posted anywhere. The feedback helps me believe in what I think. I have been fortunate to have lived up and down the East Coast in Chicago and have had an extended visit to Redway California. It was in NYC that I met a woman who was selling her brother's tools. He had died and he had been her last living relative. It hit me hard. He had died of AIDS. However he got the disease doesn't matter. It is clear that all the chemicals in our environment cause cancer. So we can find those responsible. No one can be replaced. Conformists aren't even conformists. As long as we live we have something to give to others. Anyway, thanks for all the response. Thanks to Mr. Hartmann.
Trump's cult is giving the capitalist all of our wealth. And neither party is fighting back because they're trying to get a piece of the pie. In other words, the rich are stealing everything from us.
Trump's cult, owns a lot of guns and they are mental midgets. The US military and with modern technology, will have their leaders all rounded up by noon on any given day they want to. Then everyone else who isn't a billionaire or millionaire, will be working 16 hours a day and probably living in the car. If they object, they could be disappeared or sent off to some foreign war.
Remember to thank your maga neighbor for your third world economy, so the mega rich can have more power, fame and money.
90% of the cult vote against their own economic and physical health.
WE have got to fight back now. Do you think a Biden win will save us from the Trump Cult? I know Biden isn't the greatest, but Trump is the worse. His followers aren't thinking rationally, & we can't convince them before the election to vote for Biden. I fear for all of us. Anyone out there, please comment or assure me we can do something to stop Trump & his followers from winning.
Given what President Biden has to confront, his efforts have been miraculous, and he has earned every American's vote.
Just like in Groundhog Days past, we are still subject to the tyranny of those who wield the powers of corporate personhood (i.e., money is speech and corporations are people). Those powers are why our democracy is devolving into autocracy. If we assume that there is a proven strategy to nullify those powers (and there is), and we know how to make that happen (and we do), why aren’t we?
A significant faction of the Supreme Court who are supposed to support the Constitution, are beneficiaries of big money directives to delete the Constitutional advice of Madison. One might say that money is exactly what is corrupting our Society .
Because it has been steered to the rich and powerful in this Country.
Expressly opposed by our Constitution .
I am amazed at what passes for the law right now.
These proponents of wealth w severe inequality as a result are people who are held up as successful but are cutting the throats of the poor.
How interesting that they are trying to save the poor from any assistance at all . The assistance goes to the least needy . Who keep it that way .
The Supreme Court's "Abominable Trifecta" of Buckley (1976), Bellotti (1978) and Citizens United (2010) destroyed America's history of blocking the corruption of money in the political process. When the Democrats have the power to pass legislation, they must overturn these decisions. In the legislation they might include a reference to the Constitution's Article III, Section 2, Clause 2 and its text: "...the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.". Follow this with an instruction to the Supreme Court that this legislation is passed outside of their jurisdiction.
If is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a Republican oligarch to act like a mensch.
What will Murkowski or for that matter the "pious" Lankford or the self-righteous Hawley say?
Democrats control the Senate. Could negotiate to extend the child tax credit -- E.G. https://www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit/ The Senate can pass additional budget reconciliation bills by describing them as a revised budget resolution that contains budget reconciliation instructions.
I would add giving Biden authority to sue price fixers and price gougers.
The way it could work is if the House and Senate bills were not congruent, it could go thorough "reconciliation." Budget reconciliation is a special parliamentary procedure set up to expedite the passage of certain federal budget legislation in the Senate. The procedure overrides the Senate's filibuster rules, which may otherwise require a 60-vote supermajority for passage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconciliation_(United_States_Congress)#:~:text=Budget%20reconciliation%20is%20a%20special,60%2Dvote%20supermajority%20for%20passage.
I would love to the GQP out of Congressional and Senate control and to repeal Trump’s tax cuts.
Or, at least, mitigate them. They were designed to hurt blue states. As if Republicans don't reside in California or New York. Republicans in those states are precluded from writing off state taxes -- has to be more important to them than virtually anything else.
My favorite are truck drivers -- 80% MAGATS. Screwed by Trump tax cuts. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-tax-bill-truckers-truck-drivers-deduction/
Truck drivers are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. They sit in their cab, 8 or more hours a day, listening to right wing radio. They were Rush's biggest fans
How about the Republican deletion of mortgage interest deduction. That was targeted to blue states. I imagine that in red states, most homes are mortgage free, having been passed down parent to child.
At least it hurt blue states and cities (which are blue i n a red state), businesses, including people and companies that rent rooms, homes or property get the mortgage interest deduction anyway on schedule E.
However Joe or Jane Six pack, who can only file a Schedule A doesn't get that deduction.
The mortgage deduction is for your Federal taxes, right? So it can't be targeted just to blue states, I didn't know that deduction was gone.
Are you saying home owners today no longer have the mortgage exemption?
It is not a mortgage exemption, but mortgage interest was a deduction.
Mama hated diesels? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BoyEHeID8U
LOL, man you are a red neck indeed?
WTF are you talking about I am a retired regular officer of the United States Armed Forces.. On the "Wall" in the area for Sept 1967, are inscribed the names of four of my team mates.
Again you show your ass.
Vietnam Nam. My generation. My husband got in the Army Reserve, so he didn't go to Nam. If ever there was a stupid war, that was Viet Nam. We found out in our small area, that the lady at the local draft board kept her son safely out of the draft, while others went in his place. Eventually, she was caught, not before her son got his law degree. My husband was trying to get in the Reserve & she wanted to draft him. He served his 6 years in the Army Reserve. Every summer they went to a different location to train.
Didn't Trump make the huge tax cut for the rich permanent?
Daniel, Your statement:
"I would add giving Biden authority to sue price fixers and price gougers." led me to query online the executive power of the President under the Sherman Act (1890) and the Clayton and FTC Acts (both 1914). I was disappointed to read:
"In summary, these antitrust laws do not grant the President direct executive power but serve to maintain competitive markets and protect consumers. The enforcement and interpretation of these laws fall within the purview of the judicial system, regulatory agencies like the FTC, and the Department of Justice"
So your suggestion seems to correct a major inadequacy of our anti-monopoly laws.
Seems we all become diverted from aiming at the major legislation that has made us more subservient to wealthy interests. That being Citizens United. It appears that the precept of critical thinking "Consider the source." has not been taught either by parents or school teachers. I hear that there is little to zero Civics or what was called Social Studies.
We need to keep in mind that there are many of us who have nothing and no-one else to help us other than our government. Your birth certificate is the one deed you are given. My heart does bleed for those who either never have had anyone or lose all family and are alone.
I agree with Hartmann that oligarchs for the past 7000 years don't allow a democratic society to work for the common good. Our society is not different. We may have already lost our democracy.
But I disagree that Madison was warning that the morbidly wealthy was the faction to worry about. The Federalists papers were written to be published in a New York newspaper to convince the wealthy to not be afraid of the new constitution, and to go along with the ratification because their wealth would be protected. I believe Madison meant factions in general, including a faction that would potentially choose to heavily tax the rich.
The book, "We the Elites: Why the U.S. Constitution Serves the Few" by Robert Ovetz, 2022. Ovetz explains how 55 rich white men (signed by only 39 of them) wrote the Constitution to be a rule book "empowering elites to protect capitalism from democracy."
The "system works as it was designed to." The first problem was that Hamilton modeled the National Bank after the bank of England, which Jefferson was very opposed to and said it was unconstitutional. He said in part, the bank "which might be for the good of the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless. It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and, as they would be the sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please."
Andrew Jackson opposed the bank and stopped the renewal of the charter, temporarily. Lincoln opposed taking on debt that the taxpayers had to pay back with interest and the union printed the greenbacks. Why are we still borrowing money from private banks? Because the oligarchs want the parasite class to continue, and they always figure out a way to get away with it, usually by manipulating foreign affairs and starting wars.
It's almost impossible for the government to pass legislation for the common good because of the "checks and balances." FDR saved capitalism because it was in the best interests of the capitalists in the long run.
Apparently Jefferson had a change of heart by 1816, as earlier he was suspicious of democracy, and he chaos of rule by the common man. He visited a Baptist Church in Danville, Pittsylvania County, VA and was dismayed by what he saw of democracy in action at a church business meeting.
The Federalist papers make it pretty clear, that by "democracy" what was meant was a Democratic Republic, the name of the party founded by Jefferson and Madison,
Bear in mind that a Republic is rule by "wise men", which of course or the wealthy, which in those days were propertied men. Women, slaves, men without an investment in the country (property) were not initialed franchised,
However it was left up to the states as to who was enfranchised to vote, and in short order, state by state, all free men were enfranchised to vote.
To my knowledge, until the Nat Turner rebellion of 1832, free black property owning males were voting, because until that rebellion there were black planters who owned slaves, in South Carolina and Louisiana had the most black, slave owning planters.
Hamilton was a financial genius, one of the few in his lifetime which ended in 1804. He saw the need for federal supremacy over the states, which only later was established by Jefferson's cousin, Chief Justice Marshall . One of the most important elements of that supremacy is sound, centralized, federal control of banking. Jefferson and Jackson were financial illiterates who feared the strong commercial interests centered in the north (as opposed to their beloved agrarian, slave-holding, commercially illiterate south. Jefferson and Jackson saw no harm in currecncies being issued by any goddam bank that wanted to issue it. The problem is not 'capitalism'. The problem is morbid wealth taking control of public policy to the exclusion of the average citizen-worker. The Constitution gave the power to govern to the people, who greatly outnumber the oligarchs then and now. The systemic failure we are witnessing now is the power grab of the morbidly and psychopathically rich who have convinced the average Joe and Jane that the average person is a fool not to make the rich richer by taxing them less and less. FDR was a genius like Hamilton. He didn't give a crap about capitalism as against the common good. He knew the people could be brought to their senses. And he succeeded in proving it AND defeating Hitler. His great work was destroyed by the Republican Party, and we all know to whom they owe alegianc.e.
Anyone who has seen the castles, manor houses, and villas of Europe would understand why Madison referenced European systems. Hard to heat those things, but they were terrific if you wanted extra rooms where you could hide from your family.
We're so there! We were there before the Civil War, and it didn't stop right through the Robber Barons. Along came the crash that took care of some of that. After WWII there was a chance for people to break through to the middle class and have a union. But, Reagan and corporate America couldn't have that. So then comes the wage suppression, massive tax cuts for them, outsourcing, the War on Drugs, and turning the mentally ill out to live on the streets. Welcome to toxic America.
Enough already Romney---everyone should be able to afford housing, transportation, and food. He can take his raiding, rich, condescending ass back to one of his homes while the rest of us do all the work and try to figure out the best way to put people like him out of business.
Romney was LDS version of "anointed," by something called "The White Horse Prophecy." He's born and steeped to the core subject to the Prophet in the Temple and nothing else, including The Constitution of the United States of America. He abhors Trump because it is so ordained by The Prophet, to His Purpose. So, got that out of my system. Meanwhile, you remind me of my "steeped" authoritarian mother who held that aristocracy and wealth created the cream of civilization. How could there be a Neuschwandstein without KING Ludwig? a Versailles without The Sun King? For that matter, the Alhambra without the Emir of the Moors in Spain? (She forgot about the Alhambra when "Shock and Awe" came to Bagdad; Arabs just barbarians, yadayada...) Do the dismal gray tenements of Stalin validate this idea?
Thanks Mmerose, I love learning how that rarefied air they are breathing makes them crazy. They even made it official for Mad King Ludwig. Did catch a horse-cart up to his "house" on a memorable snowy day, but I had to go back to Frankfurt to serve my nation. I was living in some old Nazi barracks. That slapped me back to reality! LOL
Thanks for sharing.
Thom: Here's an idea for someone, maybe you. Print up funny money coupons that are worth millions in their virtual values and distribute them to poor people to send into millionaire politicians. Put serial nos. on them to make them registerable so that the amount contributed by poor people to the Grassleys and Romneys can be reported widely. I haven't worked out the details yet. The point would be to shame the legislators but the fly in the ointment is that they probably are not capable of feeling shame. Just an idea.
I've never read any explanation of why we aren't even suggesting more than a 2% tax on the morbidity rich -- and even begging for that puny amount...???
The rich invest in blindness that wealth inflicts upon society that the Bible tells us it causes. You cannot have just judges with bribery anymore than you can have a just society with it. The people are against the rot of corruption but they need a basis to believe the representatives are on the side of justice by a promise of campaign economic issues for those low information Dem base to know that the effort is real. That requires a united voice that is heard and visual daily. The low information Dem voter base is not convinced of the real threat of the loss of democracy. They only believe in concrete action otherwise they will not bother to vote as the lack of economic issues in 2022 made them not bother,
The "Bible" tell us many things, depends on what you want to here. It also tells slaves to obey their master.
The main message of the Bible by numbers by far is do not fear or be not afraid which is the main messaging of the GOP in their fear based ideology.
You got me.
Do not fear and be afraid or contradictions.
There is no main message in the Bible. It is simply another tool by which to control humans by words.
I humbly submit that there is an identifiable schism between the Old and New Testaments, if you disregard the misogynistic, authoritarian "Letters" of Paul. If those who claim salvation through Jesus actually focused on the remnants of what seem to actually be His teachings, there sure would be a "tectonic shift" in what I would say would be a better direction for humanity. It's been a long time since I looked at the scholarly distillation of what might have been original teachings of Jesus: it was almost fragments, but was published in book form, if I remember. I was most familiar with the King James Book of John.
Since the Dems are also ruled by the wealthy what is the point in voting?
I would vote for a 3rd party.
In a two party system that is a vote for Trump. You may hold that both are the same but with one your young kin will not have democracy. Putin puppies want every one to believe there is no difference. Are you agreeing with Putin?
If you think you have a democracy now maybe you should think again?
Putin is not always on my mind like brainwashed people in the US!
It is not democracy that is at issue, it is a theocratic, fascistic dictatorship.
Apparently that is what you find preferable.
Thankfully you don't vote in America.
The overriding factor in the election of 2024 is the issue of retaining democracy or giving it up to fascism. Every person who votes third party is voting against democracy. It takes votes from a president (Biden, in this case), and from our democratic ideals.
RFK Jr. can’t even figure out which party he belongs to. How can anyone trust his belief system or know his values? Manchin claimed to be a Democrat until he sided against Democratic legislation. Then he became an Independent and fundraised from the Republicans. No Labels is simply pursuing a well known candidate who skews right, but gives the illusion of working for moderates. It is a desperate attempt to delude moderate voters into thinking this guy represents their interests, while draining votes from the Democratic Party. Vote blue.
Go and do something with your so-called Democracy where you think Biden is the answer to your problems. He is owned by BIG money.
You can bury your head in he sand as much as you want.
He is allowing genocide!
They are all owned by Big Money. And Biden is surely not the answer to all our problems. But at this point in time he is the only candidate willing to preserve the rights of the people.
I am horrified by the Israeli/Palestinian war, and Biden made some bad decisions in supporting Israel as he has. It will cost him in votes. However, my children and grandchildren deserve to live in a country free of fascism, so he still retains my vote.
Don’t think you know me, Jenny.
NO Kathleen I do not know YOU.
Give me a break.
Look up his voting record since he has been a politician.
DO not forget that he voted for Clarence Thomas.
Be safe,
Seriously? When Trump (and McConnell, let us not forget) foisted Kavanaugh, Gorsuch and Barratt on us? What are we supposed to do, write in Tinkerbell?
Jenny, you've been reading too many Chomsky-esque false equivalancies.
You have yet to 'splain how Biden can make Netanyahu do what you want.
As I read your comment, Carolyn, you are saying that you would throw your vote to a third party candidate in order to keep Biden out of office and put Trump back in because Biden is a war criminal and Trump is going to die soon and his VP will be harmless. Is that correct?
What war crimes?
It is Biden or a theocratic, fascistic dictatorship, and it is Trump who is promoting genocide of Ukranians, and he and his MAGA base have no time for Arabs and Muslims,
There is no genocide in the Levant. Genocide is just an emotional word you sling around.
Genocide requires intent. Israel does not have the intent to genocide Arabs or Muslims (not when they control 57 countries and are ethnostates)
However the Arabs (and the Gazans are Arabs, at least the Muslim Arabs, have every intention of committing genocide of the Jews, it is in their holy text and the HAMAS covenant.
Stop spouting bull shit propaganda, people know better.
Bullshit.
Bull shit. The only genocide in that wretched land, is the intentions of HAMAS and Islam. Genocide of Jews is a sacred obligation of Islam, unless they are willing to accept the status of dhimmi's (2nd class citizens) and pay he Jizzyah (the poll tax).
There is a difference, small may it be, a vote for a third party is a vote for Trump and a vote for Trump is a vote for a theocratic, fascistic, dictatorship.
So stupid idea.
So be it.
You in my opinion deserve an uncivil war!
It is not wise for me to say what you deserve.
Shame on you, Jenny!
Can you go into more background as to why you hate America and Americans? I've been perhaps too "sharing" about my evolution in sentiment by way of my (probably notorious here) Mom. But that has all been about a journey to loving America and discriminating, but always looking for the best hopes of my fellow Americans. You seem to really hate us. Maybe you can help us to understand.
Don't be a fool! The Democratic Party is our only chance of stopping the rapacious power of our oligarchss and fascists. Think FDR. That's what we need again, before it's too late.
Gosh, Jenny, we're shocked that would be your thought on the subject! Shocked!
Why shocked?
Either way countries get what they deserve.
And no country deserves the mindlessness of ignorant citizens and the choice between ruthless oligarchy or stupid ideologies like stateless anarchy and it's poster child communism. The former is the land of Koch, and the latter is the land of Chomsky.
So, you hate America, funny, just like Putin hates America. It's not Shakespeare, but "birds of a feather" ring a bell?
Frankly, I think "she" gets a few rubles from Putin every time we react to (it?) but we play anyhow.
Here comes the Putin excuse!
If you prefer oligarchy, say so. If you prefer communism, say so. If you prefer anarchy, say so. And so on.
I lived there for 23yrs and got out when GWB got in....the writing was on the wall.
Everyone's opinion can change, but Romney had his own child tax credit "plan" within the last few years. He is just upset that he couldn't get enough support for his "plan".
Madison also warned about political parties, the danger being that loyalty to party would replace civic virtue. Almost makes me want reincarnation to be real. We could use another James Madison right now.
JHC is everybody in need of a nap that is of just the rite length?
Utterly brilliant.
Utterly Rigged ; Thru and Thru.
Micro-level examples of America's Plantation Economy:
a. Hispanics ordered back to America's meat-packing factories by Drumpf himself; this when people were dropping like flies at the outset of C19. (n.b. on-site White mgt est'd a pool, wagering on who'd drop dead first this week. (True.))
b. These days, Executives (e.g.: Jamie Diamond and his ilk,) ordering hybrid and remote workers back downtown into still semi-vacant office bldgs, for no good reason, just to have managements' egos stroked.
One for One, and All for One.
I have seen more positive reaction to my statement, comment of Feb. 2 than about any other I have posted anywhere. The feedback helps me believe in what I think. I have been fortunate to have lived up and down the East Coast in Chicago and have had an extended visit to Redway California. It was in NYC that I met a woman who was selling her brother's tools. He had died and he had been her last living relative. It hit me hard. He had died of AIDS. However he got the disease doesn't matter. It is clear that all the chemicals in our environment cause cancer. So we can find those responsible. No one can be replaced. Conformists aren't even conformists. As long as we live we have something to give to others. Anyway, thanks for all the response. Thanks to Mr. Hartmann.