This column says it all, with such clear, documented arguments. I have 8 grandchildren, and I am determined to do everything in my power to reverse the fundamental power imbalance in this country, so there is some hope for those grandchildren to grow up in a nation of equity and justice.
Thanks again Thom for always providing good data and updating that data. It is heartbreaking that it does not get to the people that need this information but you continue to educate and bring new people along. Could you please update us on subsidies corporations get and the amounts on a annual basis.
SOBERING & DEPRESSING! However, it's not debilitating. I for one refuse to go down without a fight. I remain vigilant in my civic efforts to fight for a just and equal society. I will continue to donate, volunteer, canvass, register, and work the polls. With the brilliance and genius of Thom Hartmann, my arsenal of history and facts is well stocked to combat the daunting battles ahead.
God bless Thom and Louise and the entire team who relentlessly give us ample motivation and information to prepare us to fight back.
I love you, Thom Hartmann. You are an accent to life!
It actually all goes back to the system of cancer capitalism that both political parties currently ascribe to. The fed's answer to inflation, which is a direct result of cancer capitalism and primarily harms the working class, is to raise interest rates, which is another tool of cancer capitalism and again harms the working class. The Affordable Care Act puts us at the mercy of for-profit health care conglomerates who have transformed the system so that 100 million Americans cannot afford health care and over 20% are in collections for health care related costs. Free trade has benefitted the 0.1% while devastating the manufacturing sector and thus the working class. Your diagnosis of the Supreme Court allowing unfettered political bribery is certainly part of the problem, but does that mean that politicians have to be subservient to that system rather than calling it out and trying to change it? Because last I checked Nancy Pelosi was saying that Congressional insider trading was just business as usual and Joe Biden was telling rail workers that a contract with no paid sick leave was a "good deal." Pete Buttigieg is warming his chair as head of Department of Transportation to maintain a high profile for a presidential run, but is completely ineffectual and unqualified as the airline industry goes unregulated. These problems run much deeper than a particular Supreme Court decision, and are shared equally in our two party system. Tweaks to a system that is working directly against the vast majority of people will do nothing to change the downward trajectory of the American Empire, made worse by a media who clamors only to support "their side" in the interest of not offending their audience.
Thank you again Thom for a great article. It hits home for me being a retiree dependent on SS and a small 401k(IRA) which I’m sure the Republicans will find a way to take all of it away somehow with their economic brain dead policies. I am relatively comfortable financially but can’t afford take-away BS legislation by the Republicans. The thought of my 30 + year working life retirement swept away as “ entitlements” enrages me and I am spitting mad that too many Americans just shrug their shoulders at the Republican threats against SS and Medicare/ Medicaid. Thankfully most of their BS legislation won’t get past the Senate but still- too many Americans voted for those Republican cretins. Unfortunately I just had an disagreement with my stepdaughter (a Republican who voted for TFG in 2016 but not 2020) who just won’t admit the economic policies of the Republicans do not benefit anyone but the super rich. I explained that the Democratic Congress thankfully passed a provision before the end of the year that postponed the RMD for retirees until 2024 to help with economic hardship before the Republicans took over in 2023. Somehow she took that as somehow not a big deal but it is for a lot of retirees in my position. And when given multiple examples of Republican administrations adding to the deficit with their policies in which Democratic administrations have always come in and attempted to fix the economic messes she said something-something about both sides do it and I realized it’s pointless to try to get someone so indoctrinated in Republican BS to understand the big picture. Again unfortunately too many people , family members as well as friends and neighbors, have bought into the myth of Republicans being the economic savior and something-something law and order blah blah blah and the MSM laziness and failure to present the reality of regressive policies. I am sick of it.
The differenence is that the other countries are fully functioning democracies, something that has never been the case with the colonies or later with the U.S. goverment. This was done by design to keep the rabble from exercising power. Senators and electoral college and supreme court justices were appointed by the elites.
We do not even get to choose who will be on the ballot as that is decided by the party bosses. Henry A. Wallace after 3 terms as the VP was pushed aside and Truman was selected to replace him and so 3 months after the election when FDR died, Truman became the president. Bernie Sanders has had more primary votes than the other candidates in 2008, 2016, 2020, but he is not a party man and so kept off the ballot.
"The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return." - Gore Vidal
For between 30 and 40% of the population, happiness (for them) is sticking it to the libs, having POC being denied rights, opportunities, women being denied fundamental rights and forced into a submissive domestic and social role, and the elimination of LGBT people
They have said it themselves, they don't care if they take a hit, have to pay more so long as those "mud" people, don't get a seat at the table.
They will gladly pay more for health insurance, as long as POC don't get any.
The sad thing is, the problem is, despite all of the kevetching by "experts", there is no cure, no solution, because there is a mentality of myth, fear, anger and angst embedded in 30 to 40% of Americans, and there is no rooting it out, mitigating it
It can be suppressed by government action, however that is what the right is doing to liberal ideas, policies and actions via a neo feudal, fascist state.
I am relatively new to The Hartmann Report and while I agree with everything you say, I have two growing issues with these daily diatribes:
1. It's not just the republicans - democrats are just as guilty - Biden sold his soul to the fossil fuel industry and threw the black voters that elected him under the bus, too. As you point out, Sinema is a traitor. They are all crooks (or, maybe there's some who aren't - tell us who!)
2. Enough of the problem; where is the solution? Please use your platform to share solutions - who should we support? Who is doing some good? Is there an NGO or two that are really making a difference? Which environmental NGO's are really working to combat the climate crisis? Enough Doom and Gloom!
In the past Americans didn't get out much, before 1994 passport holders were under 10%. Due to crossing regulations on the north and south border, it's increased to 40%. However, according to GOOGLE: "As of 2020, 64% percent of US Citizens have never left the US for any reason."
While we (and much of the rest of the world) have been busy being brain-washed about how rich, advanced, and wonderful this country is, many nations have done what is practical for the pursuit of happiness.
With the net, you don't have to go anywhere to see for yourself, provided you exercise some discernment. Practical solutions to our hardships have been used in so many places, we just need to listen and learn instead of bragging.
We deserve better! Other countries have nice things, so can we. Thankfully you've seen, studied, and connected with the rest of the world. Getting an education without "getting out much" is easier than ever. Good class, Thom.
Interesting thoughts As regards genetics and the mental illness of nations, There is Julian Jaynes and the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind (the thesis of which is that at some point in the past we were schizophrenic and heard voices, which our leaders told us was the voice of god and only they could understand what it said or meant.
Then there is the god module.
Genetically we are evolved as pack animals, and that means following the pack, the need to belong to join a pack, it is the most used way of manipulating people, individually or collectively (Hitler, Franco, Mussolini for example, also Constantine and the Muslim caliphs.
Thank you, thank you , thank you .
Always the truth .
Always backed by truth .
What our citizens for Democracy need to know .
Thom,
Thank you!
This column says it all, with such clear, documented arguments. I have 8 grandchildren, and I am determined to do everything in my power to reverse the fundamental power imbalance in this country, so there is some hope for those grandchildren to grow up in a nation of equity and justice.
Tom Taft
Thanks again Thom for always providing good data and updating that data. It is heartbreaking that it does not get to the people that need this information but you continue to educate and bring new people along. Could you please update us on subsidies corporations get and the amounts on a annual basis.
SOBERING & DEPRESSING! However, it's not debilitating. I for one refuse to go down without a fight. I remain vigilant in my civic efforts to fight for a just and equal society. I will continue to donate, volunteer, canvass, register, and work the polls. With the brilliance and genius of Thom Hartmann, my arsenal of history and facts is well stocked to combat the daunting battles ahead.
God bless Thom and Louise and the entire team who relentlessly give us ample motivation and information to prepare us to fight back.
I love you, Thom Hartmann. You are an accent to life!
Blessings, Frances
It actually all goes back to the system of cancer capitalism that both political parties currently ascribe to. The fed's answer to inflation, which is a direct result of cancer capitalism and primarily harms the working class, is to raise interest rates, which is another tool of cancer capitalism and again harms the working class. The Affordable Care Act puts us at the mercy of for-profit health care conglomerates who have transformed the system so that 100 million Americans cannot afford health care and over 20% are in collections for health care related costs. Free trade has benefitted the 0.1% while devastating the manufacturing sector and thus the working class. Your diagnosis of the Supreme Court allowing unfettered political bribery is certainly part of the problem, but does that mean that politicians have to be subservient to that system rather than calling it out and trying to change it? Because last I checked Nancy Pelosi was saying that Congressional insider trading was just business as usual and Joe Biden was telling rail workers that a contract with no paid sick leave was a "good deal." Pete Buttigieg is warming his chair as head of Department of Transportation to maintain a high profile for a presidential run, but is completely ineffectual and unqualified as the airline industry goes unregulated. These problems run much deeper than a particular Supreme Court decision, and are shared equally in our two party system. Tweaks to a system that is working directly against the vast majority of people will do nothing to change the downward trajectory of the American Empire, made worse by a media who clamors only to support "their side" in the interest of not offending their audience.
Thank you again Thom for a great article. It hits home for me being a retiree dependent on SS and a small 401k(IRA) which I’m sure the Republicans will find a way to take all of it away somehow with their economic brain dead policies. I am relatively comfortable financially but can’t afford take-away BS legislation by the Republicans. The thought of my 30 + year working life retirement swept away as “ entitlements” enrages me and I am spitting mad that too many Americans just shrug their shoulders at the Republican threats against SS and Medicare/ Medicaid. Thankfully most of their BS legislation won’t get past the Senate but still- too many Americans voted for those Republican cretins. Unfortunately I just had an disagreement with my stepdaughter (a Republican who voted for TFG in 2016 but not 2020) who just won’t admit the economic policies of the Republicans do not benefit anyone but the super rich. I explained that the Democratic Congress thankfully passed a provision before the end of the year that postponed the RMD for retirees until 2024 to help with economic hardship before the Republicans took over in 2023. Somehow she took that as somehow not a big deal but it is for a lot of retirees in my position. And when given multiple examples of Republican administrations adding to the deficit with their policies in which Democratic administrations have always come in and attempted to fix the economic messes she said something-something about both sides do it and I realized it’s pointless to try to get someone so indoctrinated in Republican BS to understand the big picture. Again unfortunately too many people , family members as well as friends and neighbors, have bought into the myth of Republicans being the economic savior and something-something law and order blah blah blah and the MSM laziness and failure to present the reality of regressive policies. I am sick of it.
The differenence is that the other countries are fully functioning democracies, something that has never been the case with the colonies or later with the U.S. goverment. This was done by design to keep the rabble from exercising power. Senators and electoral college and supreme court justices were appointed by the elites.
We do not even get to choose who will be on the ballot as that is decided by the party bosses. Henry A. Wallace after 3 terms as the VP was pushed aside and Truman was selected to replace him and so 3 months after the election when FDR died, Truman became the president. Bernie Sanders has had more primary votes than the other candidates in 2008, 2016, 2020, but he is not a party man and so kept off the ballot.
"The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return." - Gore Vidal
For between 30 and 40% of the population, happiness (for them) is sticking it to the libs, having POC being denied rights, opportunities, women being denied fundamental rights and forced into a submissive domestic and social role, and the elimination of LGBT people
They have said it themselves, they don't care if they take a hit, have to pay more so long as those "mud" people, don't get a seat at the table.
They will gladly pay more for health insurance, as long as POC don't get any.
The sad thing is, the problem is, despite all of the kevetching by "experts", there is no cure, no solution, because there is a mentality of myth, fear, anger and angst embedded in 30 to 40% of Americans, and there is no rooting it out, mitigating it
It can be suppressed by government action, however that is what the right is doing to liberal ideas, policies and actions via a neo feudal, fascist state.
I am relatively new to The Hartmann Report and while I agree with everything you say, I have two growing issues with these daily diatribes:
1. It's not just the republicans - democrats are just as guilty - Biden sold his soul to the fossil fuel industry and threw the black voters that elected him under the bus, too. As you point out, Sinema is a traitor. They are all crooks (or, maybe there's some who aren't - tell us who!)
2. Enough of the problem; where is the solution? Please use your platform to share solutions - who should we support? Who is doing some good? Is there an NGO or two that are really making a difference? Which environmental NGO's are really working to combat the climate crisis? Enough Doom and Gloom!
In the past Americans didn't get out much, before 1994 passport holders were under 10%. Due to crossing regulations on the north and south border, it's increased to 40%. However, according to GOOGLE: "As of 2020, 64% percent of US Citizens have never left the US for any reason."
While we (and much of the rest of the world) have been busy being brain-washed about how rich, advanced, and wonderful this country is, many nations have done what is practical for the pursuit of happiness.
With the net, you don't have to go anywhere to see for yourself, provided you exercise some discernment. Practical solutions to our hardships have been used in so many places, we just need to listen and learn instead of bragging.
We deserve better! Other countries have nice things, so can we. Thankfully you've seen, studied, and connected with the rest of the world. Getting an education without "getting out much" is easier than ever. Good class, Thom.
Today, January 17, is the birthday of Ben Franklin.
The only President of the United States
who was never President of the United States.
An excellent analysis.
Thank you for this explanation.
Now, some advice to “fix” the political situation and how to educate the people.
Thanks, again
We lost another one to the Covid vaccine. 😛
https://www.reuters.com/world/worlds-oldest-person-french-nun-sister-andre-dies-118-retirement-home-2023-01-17/?utm_source=reddit.com
Un-f’ing-believable!
“Texas Republican Wants Food Made Of Aborted Fetuses Labeled”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/texas-republican-wants-food-made-of-aborted-fetuses-labeled_n_63c7232ae4b07c0c7df8904b
Interesting thoughts As regards genetics and the mental illness of nations, There is Julian Jaynes and the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind (the thesis of which is that at some point in the past we were schizophrenic and heard voices, which our leaders told us was the voice of god and only they could understand what it said or meant.
Then there is the god module.
Genetically we are evolved as pack animals, and that means following the pack, the need to belong to join a pack, it is the most used way of manipulating people, individually or collectively (Hitler, Franco, Mussolini for example, also Constantine and the Muslim caliphs.