I’ve always said growing inequality is the biggest issue in America, because it overlaps so many other issues. MAGA, and the Tea Party before it, along with “regular” Republicans, offerthe “illusion” of tax cuts for regular people, while moving 50 trillion (an incomprehensible number) dollars upwards to the wealthy. Blaming the Democrats and voicing “socialism”, the mega-wealthy and their politicians offered Christianity, culture wars and guns in exchange for taking the livelihood of rural America. When they feel disenfranchised, why do they blame Dems when the rural communities have had non-stop Republican government make them poorer and poorer? Dems stand for living wage, unions to help that, progressive tax plans, all of which would combat inequality. But the RW and the mega-rich have managed to convince poor white folks that the evil Democrats are coming after their religion and guns, allowing supply-side economics to bleed these folks dry.
This is so true. And the only way there’s a prayer of taxing the richest is to elect Biden and Democrat lawmakers right down the line. Most people are too ignorant of the situation to know what’s in their own best interest.
I am not sure when our inequality will reach the breaking point, but at some point I believe it will. The longer the morbidly rich keep grasping more and more, the uglier and bloodier that breaking point will be. If we could get a more progressive Democratic Congress and re-elect President Biden, my fantasy would be a radical transformation of our tax system, with very progressive, high taxes on people earning over, say a million dollars a year, with increased funding for the IRS and one caveat: only audit people earning more than a million dollars a year or with wealth of $10 million or more. Because now, the IRS makes more money for the government auditing lower income taxpayers who can’t hire fancy tax lawyers. Forcing the IRS to take on the morbidly rich, maybe even empowering it to hire special counsel to even the odds are bit, could mean fewer audits but a lot more money rolling in. The morbidly rich would, of course, use every tool at their disposal to defeat this, including bribes to Democratic legislators disguised as something else under the protection of Citizens United.
Given my fantasy will never happen, and though at 76 and in poor health I will not live to see it, the tide of inequality will keep going out an an accelerating speed, to explode in its return in a giant tsunami that will, tragically, cost the lives of many innocent people before the morbidly rich pay the ultimate price for their addictive acquisitiveness. Our poor grandson may be caught up in it, hopefully as a revolutionary leader, but one never knows.
The saddest thing is that it needn’t have been this way. Starting at least with Reagan, abetted by the most corrupt and partisan SCOTUS in my lifetime, we are where we are. May God have mercy on us. Most of us, at least.
Tough to diagnose individuals from 10,000 feet. Up close and personal, IMHO criminal intent (mens rea) cuts across classes.
Can't tell you how many country club kids were sent to military school in lieu of reform school At one time I was on the advisory board of a reform school. I prosecuted and defended juveniles, starting when I was still in school. I heard disability cases for 10 years. Thom is an expert in this subject but I found there was usually a correlation with hypertension. This is a medical and not so much a social issue.
These days every disruptive kid is probably entitled to an IEP as a matter of law and thus is tested and clinically observed. The juvie and IEP records are sealed, so they are not available when a person is charged as an adult. If I were king, I'd change that.
With some adult impairments, some of the evaluation is "longitudinal" so the juvie and IEP records are invaluable. E.G. 12.05 Intellectual disorder (see 12.00B4), satisfied by A or B:
Satisfied by 1, 2, and 3 (see 12.00H):
Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning evident in your cognitive inability to function at a level required to participate in standardized testing of intellectual functioning; and
Significant deficits in adaptive functioning currently manifested by your dependence upon others for personal needs (for example, toileting, eating, dressing, or bathing); and
The evidence about your current intellectual and adaptive functioning and about the history of your disorder demonstrates or supports the conclusion that the disorder began prior to your attainment of age 22.
OR
Satisfied by 1, 2, and 3 (see 12.00H):
Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning evidenced by a or b:
A full scale (or comparable) IQ score of 70 or below on an individually administered standardized test of general intelligence; or
A full scale (or comparable) IQ score of 71-75 accompanied by a verbal or performance IQ score (or comparable part score) of 70 or below on an individually administered standardized test of general intelligence; and
Significant deficits in adaptive functioning currently manifested by extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
Understand, remember, or apply information (see 12.00E1); or
Interact with others (see 12.00E2); or
Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace (see 12.00E3); or
Adapt or manage oneself (see 12.00E4); and
The evidence about your current intellectual and adaptive functioning and about the history of your disorder demonstrates or supports the conclusion that the disorder began prior to your attainment of age 22
Trump is an example of the kind of kid I used to see in juvenile court and later in Social Security hearings. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a type of behavior disorder. It is mostly diagnosed in childhood. Children with ODD show a pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures. He was by all accounts a classic bully.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by a pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting for at least six months. Children and adolescents with ODD may have trouble controlling their temper and are often disobedient and defiant toward others. There are no tools specifically designed for diagnosing ODD, but multiple questionnaires can aid in diagnosis while assessing for other psychiatric conditions. ODD is often comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. Behavioral therapy for the child and family members improves symptoms of ODD. Medications are not recommended as first-line treatment for ODD; however, treatment of comorbid mental health conditions with medications often improves ODD symptoms. Adults and adolescents with a history of ODD have a greater than 90% chance of being diagnosed with another mental illness in their lifetime. They are at high risk of developing social and emotional problems as adults, including suicide and substance use disorders. Early intervention seeks to prevent the development of conduct disorder, substance abuse, and delinquency that can cause lifelong social, occupational, and academic impairments.
I have a problem. My perception of inequality is that I pay taxes and those rich bastards don't. But I don't have the mens rea to chat, steal, rob, assault. I act out -- trying to recruit volunteers and donors to sweep Republicans out.
Yes, but that’s the American way. We had a brief time in from the late 50s to the early 80s when the wealth gap began to close, the Supreme Court was protecting rights, and Roe v Wade was passed. But then Reagan came and declared that “greed is good.”
I was in grad school in the 70s getting a Ph.D. in psychology. The professors were all about Freud vs. Behaviorism. When I got out I worked in Massachusetts mill cities. It soon became obvious to me that the two biggest causes of stress, depression, drug use, and domestic violence were poverty and racism.
Who makes the policies in America? Who owns the Republican Party and more than half of the Supreme Court? It’s the billionaires who just want to hold onto and expand their wealth and power, with no concern about “collateral damage.”
I am surprised that there is no mention of the book, "The Inner Level" by Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett. I believe I learned about the book on the show. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book and highly recommend it. It verifies with ample documentation and research all the points made in this piece. A much greater focus needs to be made on inequality by those in positions of influence and in media. I cannot avoid mentioning also how the book clearly elaborates how our schools are set up to exacerbate all of the problems of inequality, and how, as institutions based on competition, arbitrary evaluations and arbitrary authority, schools perpetuate the pernicious thinking and attitudes which are inherent in grossly unequal societies.
Spot on Thom. I think the peasants would be happy just to work about 30 hours a week and have secure food housing medical and education. The masses don't care how much the rich make, as long as they do not become a wage slave that has to work several jobs and eat unhealthy food with no security available.
The fascist will lie about everything to get elected. Passing Ukraine aid I believe is just another lie of the fascists. The fascist pretend to care about crime, poverty, wars, social security, the environment, just to get elected. Once in as a dictator though, they will just forget all of that nonsense and get back to squeezing the grapes.
Many Americans are feeling the squeeze of inequality which has grown greatly since Reagan. The squeeze used to only be felt by the poor. Now you can earn over $100,000 a year and be one paycheck away from homelessness.
In this country, the billionaire fascists are deploying the Shock Doctrine to wipe out the middle class. They cloak it in flowery language like “Libertarianism” and “trickle down” economics. I suggest reading Naomi Klein’s description of The Shock Doctrine.
Fascists want it all for themselves—avaricious, insatiable greed—and the RNC is now the vehicle they use to deploy policies aimed to subvert democracy. Every last Republican is a puppet for fascist billionaires. They have compromised every level of government from the Justice/FBI/SCOTUS on down to Dominionist, neo-nazi community members in school boards and city councils.
We are literally in the fight of our lives—and few have woken up to this.
Hot crime tip from today's news: if you have an I Phone, put an Air Tag in your car. They went on to say make sure you don't confront them when you find it, call the police.
This inequality association makes sense to me. Resentment can make someone do things they might normally resist, especially if they are immature. Young and poor are the top demographic for crimes.
Thanks Thom. This is one of the best benefits we will reap by making the rich pay their fair share.
Good luck with that in today's current political climate. But there may be a little sunshine on the horizon if these pro-Palestine protests start taking off across the U.S., reminiscent of the Vietnam War protests of the late 60's and early 70's. I hope we don't have another Kent State but maybe a little course correction is in order. They have my support.
Thank you for acknowledging my contribution and giving me the full article and I did learn a new sociological fact that makes so much sense that I can’t believe I’d never thought of it myself.
Check this map for the number of people struggling with hunger and poverty in every county.
"The poor fight each other to entertain the rich in the Hunger Games. Poor Americans struggle to survive while the rich thrive on tax cuts in the real American Hunger Games."
Although I was a college graduate (and furthered my education), I wasn’t paid well working in a hospital. We were not unionized.
I worked hard all my life, lived frugally, invested and was able to purchase a fine home in a good neighborhood.
My sibling who I always looked up to as being a good role model betrayed my trust. Every time she came to visit things would go missing. She proudly sent pictures of her Halloween decorations which displayed my unique stuffed flying witch that was missing. A heater I used for the guest room (where she stayed) ended up at her home I noticed at Thanksgiving.
Recently, a large jewelry box, a smaller jewelry box and my expensive rings were missing. I discovered this after her visit.
I finally confronted her but she denied taking anything and said she purchased the witch and heater because she had liked mine. (She lives 5 hours away…).
Needless to say I feel devastated and the loss of my “best friend”, the only person who I felt really loved me.
I know she and her husband scrimped while raising their family, but they have since remodeled their home, take extensive 5 month trips and both drive Teslas. I do live in a slightly better neighborhood.
I had been the caregiver for my paralyzed mother for 15 years. Mother had asked me to stay home and take care of her and she would give me everything which my sister heard her say. (I had to pay for the roof out of my savings as her funds ran low). But that wasn’t the case.
I generously provided to my sister both monetarily and with possessions she selected.
So I asked her if she felt resentful which she also denied. (But she doesn’t like confrontation). Her voice broke and said that she wouldn’t come to visit me if I felt that way.
But if we had placed Mother in a home, the money from the sale of her house would probably not have covered her care for 15 years. (But then again she most likely would not have survived the 15 years).
To sum up. I do believe it was a matter of her being resentful and felt it was “inequitable”.
With all this anxiety about the election, the loss of trust of the only person in the world I thought cared about me, I ended up having a heart attack.
I’ve always said growing inequality is the biggest issue in America, because it overlaps so many other issues. MAGA, and the Tea Party before it, along with “regular” Republicans, offerthe “illusion” of tax cuts for regular people, while moving 50 trillion (an incomprehensible number) dollars upwards to the wealthy. Blaming the Democrats and voicing “socialism”, the mega-wealthy and their politicians offered Christianity, culture wars and guns in exchange for taking the livelihood of rural America. When they feel disenfranchised, why do they blame Dems when the rural communities have had non-stop Republican government make them poorer and poorer? Dems stand for living wage, unions to help that, progressive tax plans, all of which would combat inequality. But the RW and the mega-rich have managed to convince poor white folks that the evil Democrats are coming after their religion and guns, allowing supply-side economics to bleed these folks dry.
Fantastic piece. Thank you.
This is so true. And the only way there’s a prayer of taxing the richest is to elect Biden and Democrat lawmakers right down the line. Most people are too ignorant of the situation to know what’s in their own best interest.
I am not sure when our inequality will reach the breaking point, but at some point I believe it will. The longer the morbidly rich keep grasping more and more, the uglier and bloodier that breaking point will be. If we could get a more progressive Democratic Congress and re-elect President Biden, my fantasy would be a radical transformation of our tax system, with very progressive, high taxes on people earning over, say a million dollars a year, with increased funding for the IRS and one caveat: only audit people earning more than a million dollars a year or with wealth of $10 million or more. Because now, the IRS makes more money for the government auditing lower income taxpayers who can’t hire fancy tax lawyers. Forcing the IRS to take on the morbidly rich, maybe even empowering it to hire special counsel to even the odds are bit, could mean fewer audits but a lot more money rolling in. The morbidly rich would, of course, use every tool at their disposal to defeat this, including bribes to Democratic legislators disguised as something else under the protection of Citizens United.
Given my fantasy will never happen, and though at 76 and in poor health I will not live to see it, the tide of inequality will keep going out an an accelerating speed, to explode in its return in a giant tsunami that will, tragically, cost the lives of many innocent people before the morbidly rich pay the ultimate price for their addictive acquisitiveness. Our poor grandson may be caught up in it, hopefully as a revolutionary leader, but one never knows.
The saddest thing is that it needn’t have been this way. Starting at least with Reagan, abetted by the most corrupt and partisan SCOTUS in my lifetime, we are where we are. May God have mercy on us. Most of us, at least.
Yes. Fantastic piece. We myst re elect Joe Biden to maintain and advance all he’s done to help with the problem of inequality in America.
Tough to diagnose individuals from 10,000 feet. Up close and personal, IMHO criminal intent (mens rea) cuts across classes.
Can't tell you how many country club kids were sent to military school in lieu of reform school At one time I was on the advisory board of a reform school. I prosecuted and defended juveniles, starting when I was still in school. I heard disability cases for 10 years. Thom is an expert in this subject but I found there was usually a correlation with hypertension. This is a medical and not so much a social issue.
These days every disruptive kid is probably entitled to an IEP as a matter of law and thus is tested and clinically observed. The juvie and IEP records are sealed, so they are not available when a person is charged as an adult. If I were king, I'd change that.
With some adult impairments, some of the evaluation is "longitudinal" so the juvie and IEP records are invaluable. E.G. 12.05 Intellectual disorder (see 12.00B4), satisfied by A or B:
Satisfied by 1, 2, and 3 (see 12.00H):
Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning evident in your cognitive inability to function at a level required to participate in standardized testing of intellectual functioning; and
Significant deficits in adaptive functioning currently manifested by your dependence upon others for personal needs (for example, toileting, eating, dressing, or bathing); and
The evidence about your current intellectual and adaptive functioning and about the history of your disorder demonstrates or supports the conclusion that the disorder began prior to your attainment of age 22.
OR
Satisfied by 1, 2, and 3 (see 12.00H):
Significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning evidenced by a or b:
A full scale (or comparable) IQ score of 70 or below on an individually administered standardized test of general intelligence; or
A full scale (or comparable) IQ score of 71-75 accompanied by a verbal or performance IQ score (or comparable part score) of 70 or below on an individually administered standardized test of general intelligence; and
Significant deficits in adaptive functioning currently manifested by extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
Understand, remember, or apply information (see 12.00E1); or
Interact with others (see 12.00E2); or
Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace (see 12.00E3); or
Adapt or manage oneself (see 12.00E4); and
The evidence about your current intellectual and adaptive functioning and about the history of your disorder demonstrates or supports the conclusion that the disorder began prior to your attainment of age 22
Trump is an example of the kind of kid I used to see in juvenile court and later in Social Security hearings. Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a type of behavior disorder. It is mostly diagnosed in childhood. Children with ODD show a pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures. He was by all accounts a classic bully.
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by a pattern of angry or irritable mood, argumentative or defiant behavior, or vindictiveness lasting for at least six months. Children and adolescents with ODD may have trouble controlling their temper and are often disobedient and defiant toward others. There are no tools specifically designed for diagnosing ODD, but multiple questionnaires can aid in diagnosis while assessing for other psychiatric conditions. ODD is often comorbid with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. Behavioral therapy for the child and family members improves symptoms of ODD. Medications are not recommended as first-line treatment for ODD; however, treatment of comorbid mental health conditions with medications often improves ODD symptoms. Adults and adolescents with a history of ODD have a greater than 90% chance of being diagnosed with another mental illness in their lifetime. They are at high risk of developing social and emotional problems as adults, including suicide and substance use disorders. Early intervention seeks to prevent the development of conduct disorder, substance abuse, and delinquency that can cause lifelong social, occupational, and academic impairments.
I have a problem. My perception of inequality is that I pay taxes and those rich bastards don't. But I don't have the mens rea to chat, steal, rob, assault. I act out -- trying to recruit volunteers and donors to sweep Republicans out.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/actions
Yes, but that’s the American way. We had a brief time in from the late 50s to the early 80s when the wealth gap began to close, the Supreme Court was protecting rights, and Roe v Wade was passed. But then Reagan came and declared that “greed is good.”
I was in grad school in the 70s getting a Ph.D. in psychology. The professors were all about Freud vs. Behaviorism. When I got out I worked in Massachusetts mill cities. It soon became obvious to me that the two biggest causes of stress, depression, drug use, and domestic violence were poverty and racism.
Who makes the policies in America? Who owns the Republican Party and more than half of the Supreme Court? It’s the billionaires who just want to hold onto and expand their wealth and power, with no concern about “collateral damage.”
I am surprised that there is no mention of the book, "The Inner Level" by Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett. I believe I learned about the book on the show. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book and highly recommend it. It verifies with ample documentation and research all the points made in this piece. A much greater focus needs to be made on inequality by those in positions of influence and in media. I cannot avoid mentioning also how the book clearly elaborates how our schools are set up to exacerbate all of the problems of inequality, and how, as institutions based on competition, arbitrary evaluations and arbitrary authority, schools perpetuate the pernicious thinking and attitudes which are inherent in grossly unequal societies.
Spot on Thom. I think the peasants would be happy just to work about 30 hours a week and have secure food housing medical and education. The masses don't care how much the rich make, as long as they do not become a wage slave that has to work several jobs and eat unhealthy food with no security available.
The fascist will lie about everything to get elected. Passing Ukraine aid I believe is just another lie of the fascists. The fascist pretend to care about crime, poverty, wars, social security, the environment, just to get elected. Once in as a dictator though, they will just forget all of that nonsense and get back to squeezing the grapes.
Many Americans are feeling the squeeze of inequality which has grown greatly since Reagan. The squeeze used to only be felt by the poor. Now you can earn over $100,000 a year and be one paycheck away from homelessness.
Thank you Thom, this is one of the most important and timely articles I have read in ages. I will have to forward it to others who need to read it.
In this country, the billionaire fascists are deploying the Shock Doctrine to wipe out the middle class. They cloak it in flowery language like “Libertarianism” and “trickle down” economics. I suggest reading Naomi Klein’s description of The Shock Doctrine.
Fascists want it all for themselves—avaricious, insatiable greed—and the RNC is now the vehicle they use to deploy policies aimed to subvert democracy. Every last Republican is a puppet for fascist billionaires. They have compromised every level of government from the Justice/FBI/SCOTUS on down to Dominionist, neo-nazi community members in school boards and city councils.
We are literally in the fight of our lives—and few have woken up to this.
Hot crime tip from today's news: if you have an I Phone, put an Air Tag in your car. They went on to say make sure you don't confront them when you find it, call the police.
This inequality association makes sense to me. Resentment can make someone do things they might normally resist, especially if they are immature. Young and poor are the top demographic for crimes.
Thanks Thom. This is one of the best benefits we will reap by making the rich pay their fair share.
Good luck with that in today's current political climate. But there may be a little sunshine on the horizon if these pro-Palestine protests start taking off across the U.S., reminiscent of the Vietnam War protests of the late 60's and early 70's. I hope we don't have another Kent State but maybe a little course correction is in order. They have my support.
Thank you for acknowledging my contribution and giving me the full article and I did learn a new sociological fact that makes so much sense that I can’t believe I’d never thought of it myself.
Check this map for the number of people struggling with hunger and poverty in every county.
"The poor fight each other to entertain the rich in the Hunger Games. Poor Americans struggle to survive while the rich thrive on tax cuts in the real American Hunger Games."
https://thedemlabs.org/2021/08/17/foods-stamps-increased-to-fight-the-real-hunger-games/
Although I was a college graduate (and furthered my education), I wasn’t paid well working in a hospital. We were not unionized.
I worked hard all my life, lived frugally, invested and was able to purchase a fine home in a good neighborhood.
My sibling who I always looked up to as being a good role model betrayed my trust. Every time she came to visit things would go missing. She proudly sent pictures of her Halloween decorations which displayed my unique stuffed flying witch that was missing. A heater I used for the guest room (where she stayed) ended up at her home I noticed at Thanksgiving.
Recently, a large jewelry box, a smaller jewelry box and my expensive rings were missing. I discovered this after her visit.
I finally confronted her but she denied taking anything and said she purchased the witch and heater because she had liked mine. (She lives 5 hours away…).
Needless to say I feel devastated and the loss of my “best friend”, the only person who I felt really loved me.
I know she and her husband scrimped while raising their family, but they have since remodeled their home, take extensive 5 month trips and both drive Teslas. I do live in a slightly better neighborhood.
I had been the caregiver for my paralyzed mother for 15 years. Mother had asked me to stay home and take care of her and she would give me everything which my sister heard her say. (I had to pay for the roof out of my savings as her funds ran low). But that wasn’t the case.
I generously provided to my sister both monetarily and with possessions she selected.
So I asked her if she felt resentful which she also denied. (But she doesn’t like confrontation). Her voice broke and said that she wouldn’t come to visit me if I felt that way.
But if we had placed Mother in a home, the money from the sale of her house would probably not have covered her care for 15 years. (But then again she most likely would not have survived the 15 years).
To sum up. I do believe it was a matter of her being resentful and felt it was “inequitable”.
With all this anxiety about the election, the loss of trust of the only person in the world I thought cared about me, I ended up having a heart attack.