True Insecurity

The simplistic view of wealth inequality is that it could lead to a violent “socialist” revolution.  Maybe.  .  . 

But what obscene inequality actually does is nourish the kinds of ignorance, helplessness, and apathy that breed insane conspiracy theories and brutally clownish demagogues as people lose faith in effort, learning, politics, community, government, altruism, and democracy.   On a purely economic front, extreme wealth inequality is a primary cause of both cyclical instability and secular stagnation since lack of disposable income is equivalent to anemic “demand”. 

It’s a vicious cycle which nearly crushed our nation before.  Though it took World Wars and a Great Depression, we were once able to briefly support a regime based on recovery, reform, and redistribution that sparked a generation of prosperity for most people living in advanced economies while improving living conditions nearly globally.  It was called “The New Deal” here and “Democratic Socialism” in Western Europe.  Still hated by “malefactors of great wealth” it offers an inspiring example to follow and surpass - if we only have the will and the courage. 

https://www.streamlygredible.com/

We Will Be Fooled Again

https://www.streamlygredible.com/

“America’s political elite — particularly members, like Senator Jeff Flake, who are still in office — owe us much more than veiled put-downs at a funeral. Still, even their symbolic repudiation of Trump matters. At moments, McCain’s funeral reminded me of the “La Marseillaise” scene in “Casablanca,” when refugees from occupied Europe — one of them deeply compromised — belted out the French national anthem and for a moment remembered who they used to be.” — Michelle Goldberg

Michelle Goldberg is rising to the highest eminence in contemporary US political commentary. 

Some people on the left and on the right are so cynical and so fearful of being caught out as “sentimental” or naive because of the harsh American human realities of violence, oppression, hypocrisy, greed, and inequality. And yes, trimp has not (yet) done anything as egregious as the Iraq invasion. But neither forgiveness nor retribution (thinking about dubbya) are ultimates. The closest we can ever come to an “ultimate” is a perpetual commitment to better understand and fulfill certain ideals.

Of course we will be ‘fooled again'. But, to some extent, we can still choose how and what we learn from each mistake.

Joe Panzica

A Spooky Rebuke to the Enemies of Democracy

John Brennan has every right (and, I believe, a duty) to speak out on the dangers of Russian interference in our politics and elections. The same goes for the threat posed by trimp and his minions to liberal democracy, the rule of law, and basic human decency.

But when a kingpin of US “intelligence” and covert operations condemns Russia and our deplorable president* for counter democratic intereference and corruption, it behooves us to acknowledge how the US has (historically and currently) run roughshod over the rights of others countries to determine their own futures in a democratic manner.

Aside from brutal interventions across the globe, the US has perverted the democratic process in in Italy, Greece, Chile, Guatemala, Iran etc. etc. etc. mostly in the name of anti-communism or resistance to radical Islam.

Does Mr. Brennan sincerely advocate for national or democratic self determination everywhere - or is he even opposed to it in the US,  believing somehow that only a self interested, immoral, idiot elite (0.1%) has the right to impose its will on the global population through force and fraud?

Economic Democracy v State Capitalism

Just as markets could not exist and develop without vigorous government support, capitalism has always been a creature of the state, a sophisticated and somewhat pluralistic way of accumulating wealth, driving workers, and creating more wealth. But concentrated wealth used irresponsibly is a danger to democracy, our species, and the planet.

Ayn Randyish fantasies about heroic ubermenschen are only one toxic component of an outlandish mythology that has outlived its usefulness. To some extent, the rich (and therefore the poor) will always be with us, but by now we have overlearned the peril of allowing this dynamic to develop to extremes. We have also (through experiences like the Great Depression and The New Deal) begun to learn what we can do to prevent the abuses and pathologies of deslusional crisis capitalism.

Our established political fronts (and fall guys) for capitalist abuse are crumbling with one party unable to contain its racists, fascists, NAZIs - and dark Q enchantments. An alternative (involving a major restructuring of our economic, energy, transportation, education, and healthcare infrastructures) hardly looks extreme.

If people don’t like the term “socialism” just call it what it really is: ‘Jobs, Freedom, and Economic Democracy’!

https://www.streamlygredible.com/