Spot on. May I propose a hypothesis? Much of this red state behavior, ALEC manipulation is due to Alcoholism/addiction, the 'alcoholic personality'. I work with people in recovery and I see this greed, avarice, pure self-centeredness time and time again in newcomers. I was just like the ALEC people you describe when I was drinking (been sober for 11+ years, now and I work an active 12-Step program). Sadly, if they remain addicted to certain behaviors, thought processes, their political views remain very MAGA. Many are literally addicted to and brain-washed by Fox News. They shoot guns; firing a semi-automatic weapon is addictive - it produces a brain chemistry rush quite similar to sex. I can't tell you how many people I know who get drunk and shoot guns! In 2019, the NIH reported 25.8 percent of Americans admitted to binge drinking - that's 85,000,000 people - who admitted it! We know that alcoholism and drug addiction exploded during the pandemic. Years ago, I remember boozy Chamber of Commerce 'train rides to Washington' from NJ on which we all got the politicians we were courting hammered and convinced them to support our agendas.... the beat goes on.
Adenauer and the powers that were at that time had it right after WW2 when they instituted social market economic system . It is free market with regulations. Still to this day, corporations in Europe, not only have shareholders but they are required to have stake holders. This requires that they take the community, environment, and all concerned into consideration. America has free market economy which only promotes greed. Economic policy is based on profit at all costs. It’s no wonder we’ve devolved into a plutocracy. And it appears that when people have power and money over reach becomes worse. Does having billions make you a sociopath? If Musk is any indication, I might say yes. They believe they own the world and everyone in it. We have been on this path for at least forty years and I know there have been some that have been making predictions for a long time. I believed we’ve finally arrived. It’s going to be a long up Hill battle for a long time, I fear.
At the rate the robber baron billionaires are going, the country would be a smoking ruin. If there are no laws to provide guardrails, then NO ONE is safe. The lawlessness will be utilized by everyone, even the poor. Such a society is unstable, unpredictable, and unsustainable.
As usual, I am a compulsive reader of Thom's articles, and download them all the time. I send them to others, including trying to convince my brother and others to sign up. Let Thom know he is needed!
I once, quite naively, left a comment that we needed a new Constitutional Convention to fix the many flaws that exist in our current one. Of course, in doing so, my thought was that progressive lovers of democracy and justice for would prevail and the holes would be filled. The things men 250 years ago could not have anticipated would be addressed and tended to. This is how it SHOULD play out, and such a reassessment of the Constitution is indeed needed. However, considering how the entire process has already been owned by the most anti-democratic, treasonous, and un-American factions in America, no faith can be placed in such a process today. For the present time, for all its flaws, the US Constitution needs to be regarded, almost, as Holy Writ. What would be produced by such a process at this point in history is truly horrifying to consider.
We can longer wait for our leaders or the Main Stream Media to do the right thing. We the People must start exposing the DARK MONEY BILLIONAIRES overtly attacking our freedoms, subverting the Rule of Law. Do we really want to start over again establishing DEMOCRACY, fighting modern TYRANTICAL corporations.
I would contend Trump is very greedy, extremely compromised, and void of conscience. He's what R sponsors are looking for before supporting a political candidate. Their candidates must have a price tag, sales ability, and demonstrate a high degree of sociopathy.
Interesting "ripped from the headlines" event relevant to corporate responsibility: Virgin Islands suing JP Morgan for banking Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation. Why, that trial could exceed OJ Simpson's viewership! Haven't heard much about Trump and Deutsche Bank lately; illustrates what a big enough crime wave can obscure. In answer to Thom's question, I am an optimist that The Dark Side isn't going to win. Sadly, part of it is that the Trump rampage may have been "rock bottom" for America's famous mass apathy about politics and voting. Together with the Dobbs decision being a wake-up call against complacency about "progress." Add to those things the fact that Michael Moore reminds us of: there are lots more of us than them! Happy New Year, and succor to Ukraine, whatever we can do.
We suffer from a nearly 16o year-old mistake. Grant and Sherman should have been permitted to finish the despoliation of the traitorous Southern states, and then Congress and President Lincoln should have granted them their dearly desired independence. Who knows? Perhaps a weakened Texas might even have been reabsorbed into Mexico. I'd say that's a good deal all around.
The new battlefield---the ESG score for corporations has been in the news lately, so this Report is very important. It is going to be another double-edge sword situation. As the right tries to stifle it, they inadvertently educate people on the left and in the middle. I believe that happened with Critical Race Theory. No one knew what it was and then everyone did. In the end, it WAS taught, just not to kids.
Also, this is going to expose the fact that when they are talking about being on the side of the American worker, they are really just talking about CERTAIN American workers. Add to that, the right has lost control of the environmental discussion. I heard it explained as: The youth are not hearing about the climate crisis, they are living it.
I'd say we have won some ground and that is why they have to fight us there. The newer meaning of "gaslighting" was added to the dictionary last year, so we need to use it. We have to point out that the conservatives want accountability for everyone BUT corporations!
And the US considers itself a modern democracy?
Spot on. May I propose a hypothesis? Much of this red state behavior, ALEC manipulation is due to Alcoholism/addiction, the 'alcoholic personality'. I work with people in recovery and I see this greed, avarice, pure self-centeredness time and time again in newcomers. I was just like the ALEC people you describe when I was drinking (been sober for 11+ years, now and I work an active 12-Step program). Sadly, if they remain addicted to certain behaviors, thought processes, their political views remain very MAGA. Many are literally addicted to and brain-washed by Fox News. They shoot guns; firing a semi-automatic weapon is addictive - it produces a brain chemistry rush quite similar to sex. I can't tell you how many people I know who get drunk and shoot guns! In 2019, the NIH reported 25.8 percent of Americans admitted to binge drinking - that's 85,000,000 people - who admitted it! We know that alcoholism and drug addiction exploded during the pandemic. Years ago, I remember boozy Chamber of Commerce 'train rides to Washington' from NJ on which we all got the politicians we were courting hammered and convinced them to support our agendas.... the beat goes on.
Adenauer and the powers that were at that time had it right after WW2 when they instituted social market economic system . It is free market with regulations. Still to this day, corporations in Europe, not only have shareholders but they are required to have stake holders. This requires that they take the community, environment, and all concerned into consideration. America has free market economy which only promotes greed. Economic policy is based on profit at all costs. It’s no wonder we’ve devolved into a plutocracy. And it appears that when people have power and money over reach becomes worse. Does having billions make you a sociopath? If Musk is any indication, I might say yes. They believe they own the world and everyone in it. We have been on this path for at least forty years and I know there have been some that have been making predictions for a long time. I believed we’ve finally arrived. It’s going to be a long up Hill battle for a long time, I fear.
At the rate the robber baron billionaires are going, the country would be a smoking ruin. If there are no laws to provide guardrails, then NO ONE is safe. The lawlessness will be utilized by everyone, even the poor. Such a society is unstable, unpredictable, and unsustainable.
They need to start sending migrants to Abbots house. He is such a POS.
As usual, I am a compulsive reader of Thom's articles, and download them all the time. I send them to others, including trying to convince my brother and others to sign up. Let Thom know he is needed!
I once, quite naively, left a comment that we needed a new Constitutional Convention to fix the many flaws that exist in our current one. Of course, in doing so, my thought was that progressive lovers of democracy and justice for would prevail and the holes would be filled. The things men 250 years ago could not have anticipated would be addressed and tended to. This is how it SHOULD play out, and such a reassessment of the Constitution is indeed needed. However, considering how the entire process has already been owned by the most anti-democratic, treasonous, and un-American factions in America, no faith can be placed in such a process today. For the present time, for all its flaws, the US Constitution needs to be regarded, almost, as Holy Writ. What would be produced by such a process at this point in history is truly horrifying to consider.
We can longer wait for our leaders or the Main Stream Media to do the right thing. We the People must start exposing the DARK MONEY BILLIONAIRES overtly attacking our freedoms, subverting the Rule of Law. Do we really want to start over again establishing DEMOCRACY, fighting modern TYRANTICAL corporations.
I would contend Trump is very greedy, extremely compromised, and void of conscience. He's what R sponsors are looking for before supporting a political candidate. Their candidates must have a price tag, sales ability, and demonstrate a high degree of sociopathy.
Interesting "ripped from the headlines" event relevant to corporate responsibility: Virgin Islands suing JP Morgan for banking Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation. Why, that trial could exceed OJ Simpson's viewership! Haven't heard much about Trump and Deutsche Bank lately; illustrates what a big enough crime wave can obscure. In answer to Thom's question, I am an optimist that The Dark Side isn't going to win. Sadly, part of it is that the Trump rampage may have been "rock bottom" for America's famous mass apathy about politics and voting. Together with the Dobbs decision being a wake-up call against complacency about "progress." Add to those things the fact that Michael Moore reminds us of: there are lots more of us than them! Happy New Year, and succor to Ukraine, whatever we can do.
Best way to stop this behavior is to spread the news about ALEC. I will share it now.
We suffer from a nearly 16o year-old mistake. Grant and Sherman should have been permitted to finish the despoliation of the traitorous Southern states, and then Congress and President Lincoln should have granted them their dearly desired independence. Who knows? Perhaps a weakened Texas might even have been reabsorbed into Mexico. I'd say that's a good deal all around.
The new battlefield---the ESG score for corporations has been in the news lately, so this Report is very important. It is going to be another double-edge sword situation. As the right tries to stifle it, they inadvertently educate people on the left and in the middle. I believe that happened with Critical Race Theory. No one knew what it was and then everyone did. In the end, it WAS taught, just not to kids.
Also, this is going to expose the fact that when they are talking about being on the side of the American worker, they are really just talking about CERTAIN American workers. Add to that, the right has lost control of the environmental discussion. I heard it explained as: The youth are not hearing about the climate crisis, they are living it.
I'd say we have won some ground and that is why they have to fight us there. The newer meaning of "gaslighting" was added to the dictionary last year, so we need to use it. We have to point out that the conservatives want accountability for everyone BUT corporations!
Honestly, I feel more and more politically hopeless every single day...