Robert Reich. (photo: MoveOn.org)
he
question I keep coming back to is why the Democratic and Republican
establishments so wildly underestimated the rebellion. A year ago –
which now seems like an eternity – they proclaimed Hillary Clinton and
Jeb Bush shoe-ins.Those of us who foresaw the upsurge (see, for example, “Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few”) were discounted.
Since then, the rebellion has taken two forms: Some Americans are, unwisely, choosing an authoritarian bigot; others are joining a political revolution. Economists, in particular, have been shocked, shocked! The economy, they say, is improving. So there’s no reason for the rebellion. Do not put great stock in standard economics to explain what is occurring. The discipline of economics has little or nothing to say about the linkages between widening inequality, wealth and power, crony capitalism, declining real wages, soaring CEO pay, and a billionaire class intent on turning our democracy into an oligarchy.
On the eve of the Nevada Democratic caucuses (which Bernie actually has a chance of winning) and South Carolina primaries (where Trump has a wide lead), the establishment is having conniptions. But it still refuses to acknowledge the source of the rebellion -- or, sadder still, to commit to doing anything to reverse the trends fueling it.
What do you think?
Comments
+49
#
2016-02-20 12:01
Time for political
revolution thru citizen unrest, at minimum. I doubt however that
anything, even 10 million citizens, can confront and / or change their
increasing $billions and the war machines of mass destruction the
establishment is ready to wage against WE The PEOPLE, and already have
in countless cases.
+49
#
2016-02-20 15:02
Why do you think so many police forces have been militarized? I'll give you one guess ...
+10
#
2016-02-20 16:07
The revolution is
already underway. Evidently, the Sixth Party System is coming to an
end.It seems like a big end-cycle, beginning of a new cycle is
occurring, sort of a death-rebirth thing. One example is the changeover
within the Party System itself: The Republican Party has proved to be
the Party of Death -- and as an establishment is dead; the Democratic
Party is alive and well, being re-established and reborn as the party of
democracy.
I think we've reached that level of informed electorate spoken of by Thomas Jefferson where we can realize a true representative democracy, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The Internet has truly changed everything.
The realm of the Internet is also known as the Fifth Dimension: Information -- cyberspace. It has created a new universe that We the People are living in and freely communicating to each other, in addition to our 3 dimensional world (actually 4 if you include Time). A new Universe is upon us, I believe-- let's make it a good one.
I think we've reached that level of informed electorate spoken of by Thomas Jefferson where we can realize a true representative democracy, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The Internet has truly changed everything.
The realm of the Internet is also known as the Fifth Dimension: Information -- cyberspace. It has created a new universe that We the People are living in and freely communicating to each other, in addition to our 3 dimensional world (actually 4 if you include Time). A new Universe is upon us, I believe-- let's make it a good one.
+2
#
2016-02-20 21:42
What is happening is
the logical evolution of the American Revolution. The authors of the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution foresaw the necessity
for adaptive change in the political system and provided ways in which
this could occur without the bloodshed and property loss that are the
inevitable consequences of a civil war. The system has produced a
broadened voting franchise independent of personal wealth, the
liberation of the slaves, the extension of property and voting rights to
women,and the recognition of civil rights for all without regard to the
geographic origin of ancestors. Only the liberation of the slaves
involved civil war.
All these steps have been logical extensions of the original concepts of personal liberty and democratic government. RicKelis is astute in recognizing the critical role of the Internet, like the printing press before it, as a vehicle for the propagation of new ideas and approaches that promise to enhance the possibilities for peace, justice, and prosperity of everyone on the planet.
All these steps have been logical extensions of the original concepts of personal liberty and democratic government. RicKelis is astute in recognizing the critical role of the Internet, like the printing press before it, as a vehicle for the propagation of new ideas and approaches that promise to enhance the possibilities for peace, justice, and prosperity of everyone on the planet.
+20
#
2016-02-20 16:11
Don't be too sure.
Daniel Estulin, who writes about the Biulderbergs said the only thing
they fear is a popular uprising. Let's give it to them. I'm sick of
their flaunting their yachts and hookers and blow.
+14
#
2016-02-20 16:23
We are Germany, 1932.
Our internal Defense units have been prepared. There are millions of recent veterans, both government and private militia experienced to draw from. The police are equipped.
Our external Defense units are already in action thanks to Ashes, Rice, and Bennett.
Our domestic and foreign espionage units are up and running per Homeland units and Clapper.
They are all only awaiting orders from the Shadows.
It won't stop me from fighting for a renegade for President, but the odds of success are very slim. Just like Germany in 1932.
Our internal Defense units have been prepared. There are millions of recent veterans, both government and private militia experienced to draw from. The police are equipped.
Our external Defense units are already in action thanks to Ashes, Rice, and Bennett.
Our domestic and foreign espionage units are up and running per Homeland units and Clapper.
They are all only awaiting orders from the Shadows.
It won't stop me from fighting for a renegade for President, but the odds of success are very slim. Just like Germany in 1932.
-45
#
2016-02-20 16:29
Oh, boy. Here we go. Man the ramparts!
This interpretation only works if you think everything is rotten at its core. Obviously, most Bernie-bots do. So, of course, do most Trump-bots. That's the only way the "outsider" case works. If it ain't rotten, who needs a revolution to change it?
Of course, THE FACTS don't matter. Could things be better, or changed, or the pendulum start to swing to other side? Sure.
But move the Democratic Party to an unsustainable place too far outside of where most of the American electorate is? Well, some of us "old" liberals remember the period between 1980-1992. Look at all of the damage caused during that period, which has arguably resulted in the gross inequality we see currently.
Are the majority of Democrats willing to risk another 12 years in the political wilderness, with all that entails, by veering too far to the left?
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE WILLING TO COMMIT POLITICAL SUICIDE ON THE ALTER OF 'PROGRESSIVE PURITY'?
Not me; and I'm betting not the VAST MAJORITY of registered Democrats.
If you want to talk reality, realistic solutions, battling the entrenched forces of the 1%, etc., I and others are there.
Hijacking the Democratic Party and remaking it in anyone's image, be it Bernie, Dr. Reich, or anyone else, AIN'T HAPPENING.
Should you find this notion unpalatable, feel free to start your own party. An option that was always available to Sen. Sanders. Apparently, that would have been just too hard.
This interpretation only works if you think everything is rotten at its core. Obviously, most Bernie-bots do. So, of course, do most Trump-bots. That's the only way the "outsider" case works. If it ain't rotten, who needs a revolution to change it?
Of course, THE FACTS don't matter. Could things be better, or changed, or the pendulum start to swing to other side? Sure.
But move the Democratic Party to an unsustainable place too far outside of where most of the American electorate is? Well, some of us "old" liberals remember the period between 1980-1992. Look at all of the damage caused during that period, which has arguably resulted in the gross inequality we see currently.
Are the majority of Democrats willing to risk another 12 years in the political wilderness, with all that entails, by veering too far to the left?
IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE WILLING TO COMMIT POLITICAL SUICIDE ON THE ALTER OF 'PROGRESSIVE PURITY'?
Not me; and I'm betting not the VAST MAJORITY of registered Democrats.
If you want to talk reality, realistic solutions, battling the entrenched forces of the 1%, etc., I and others are there.
Hijacking the Democratic Party and remaking it in anyone's image, be it Bernie, Dr. Reich, or anyone else, AIN'T HAPPENING.
Should you find this notion unpalatable, feel free to start your own party. An option that was always available to Sen. Sanders. Apparently, that would have been just too hard.
+14
#
2016-02-20 19:50
Well, Sir, I lived
through the 1980-1992 period and didn't get stuck in it. It was a great
time for the middle class. When Bill did NAFTA/CAFTA and started sending
millions of jobs south is when the hard times for blue collar and
middle class people started. You miss the subtleties. It's when Poppa
Bush brought the CIA directly into the White House that things changed.
Before their incompetence was as advisors and a few presidents like JFK
and his brother didn't listen - at their peril.
Bill had no problem with them. He declared the New World Order which was the New American Order and put the shadow government structure in internationally respectable place.
When the Cheney administration came in, THEY were the Shadow. They wore it on their Skull & Crossbones sleeve.
When Obama was elected, the Shadow went into stealth as it had under Bill. As SOS Hillary started 5 "regime changes" with the people of the Shadow government. She, like Bill is perfectly comfortable with them, because it enhances her power and wealth. They are the government of both Party Establishments.
I am most uncertain what either Sanders or Trump can do to dismantle them, but I promise you we will move from Germany 1932 where we are to Germany 1935 in very quick order if either party's Establishment wins the 2016 elections. And you will be just an anonymous victim as I will.
Bill had no problem with them. He declared the New World Order which was the New American Order and put the shadow government structure in internationally respectable place.
When the Cheney administration came in, THEY were the Shadow. They wore it on their Skull & Crossbones sleeve.
When Obama was elected, the Shadow went into stealth as it had under Bill. As SOS Hillary started 5 "regime changes" with the people of the Shadow government. She, like Bill is perfectly comfortable with them, because it enhances her power and wealth. They are the government of both Party Establishments.
I am most uncertain what either Sanders or Trump can do to dismantle them, but I promise you we will move from Germany 1932 where we are to Germany 1935 in very quick order if either party's Establishment wins the 2016 elections. And you will be just an anonymous victim as I will.
0
#
2016-02-21 08:24
Then try the 1968-1976 period.
For good and ill, the election of Jimmy Carter was a reaction against what was perceived to be too great a swing to the left by the Democratic Party. And no, Carter himself was no liberal; he was in the mold of Bill Clinton, or vice versa; historians have ranked them as the two most conservative Democratic presidents since Grover Cleveland.
For good and ill, the election of Jimmy Carter was a reaction against what was perceived to be too great a swing to the left by the Democratic Party. And no, Carter himself was no liberal; he was in the mold of Bill Clinton, or vice versa; historians have ranked them as the two most conservative Democratic presidents since Grover Cleveland.
+11
#
2016-02-20 20:13
Nobody's hijacking
anything. I want the right to support the candidate I deem to have the
best policies. That does not make me a bot. You are waaaaay out of line.
+11
#
2016-02-20 21:22
Given that the most
recent poll shows bernie doing 13 points better than hillary, against
either Cruz or Rubio and 6 points better than her against Trump, your
comments make no sense. Also, remember that Bernie has not attacked her,
the Republicans will. Bernie has the best chance by far to defeat any
Republican. The reasons are simple. He is popular with independents, she
is very unpopular. Bernie will turn out Democrats in large numbers. She
will turn out mainly the dedicated Democrats. These are the two basic
facts that cannot be escaped and why the polls consistently show Bernie
to be the better nominee. Obviously, she might win the nomination but
WHY WOULD Democrats NOT WANT TO WIN the election? THAT IS AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
+6
#
2016-02-20 19:23
Leave your doubts in your home and get out on the street to MAKE THE REVOLUTION HAPPEN!!
Reich says, "a billionaire class in running our democracy into an oligarchy" but the truth is, THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE IT!! We must rise up in rebellion. There are plans being made now for a major national day of civil disobedience in Washington D.C. (district of criminals) between April 11th and April 16th. Go to the web site at DEMOCRACY SPRING to read about it and make plans for something to happen in your town during this time. How much more can we take under this corrupt government?
Reich says, "a billionaire class in running our democracy into an oligarchy" but the truth is, THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE IT!! We must rise up in rebellion. There are plans being made now for a major national day of civil disobedience in Washington D.C. (district of criminals) between April 11th and April 16th. Go to the web site at DEMOCRACY SPRING to read about it and make plans for something to happen in your town during this time. How much more can we take under this corrupt government?
