To My Fellow Plutocrats: You Can Cure Trumpism

[Skidmore]

Long op ed worth the time. Has good points.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/07/18/to-my-fellow-plutocrats-you-can-cure-trumpism-215347

Since Election Day, I’ve been overwhelmed by anguished calls, emails and conversations from you, my wealthy friends, who, for the first time, are confronting the real possibility that our cozy utopian, urban, pluralistic lifestyles may be in peril. I share your fear. And with good reason.

Three years ago, in these pages, I warned you that the pitchforks were coming. I argued that 30 years of rising and accelerating inequality would inevitably lead to some sort of populist revolt that would disrupt the fantastic lives we elites enjoy. I cautioned that any society which allows itself to become radically and indefensibly unequal eventually faces either an uprising or a police state—or both.

And here we are.

Our new president was swept into power through exactly the kind of populist anger I predicted. He was an historically terrible candidate, and his behavior and actions as President have confirmed my worst fears. There is a thuggish, violent undercurrent to everything he says, tweets and does. Even scarier, his supporters relentlessly attack our democratic norms and institutions. The free press (and reality itself) is under assault. But given the stunningly insufficient way in which Hillary Clinton spoke to the economic and status concerns of so many voters, it shouldn’t have surprised us that Trump won. People are hurting, and they lashed out—by voting for the guy who was lashing out too....more

[Raster]

1. PREACH Nick Hanauer, preach!

Hanauer, for those that don't know, was the first non-family investor in Amazon and made a fucking fortune. Hanauer has also been at the forefront of wage and economic equality to the point that both sides of the divide tend to stick their fingers in their ears and do the "na na na... I can't hear you" when Hanauer speaks the truth.

THIS IS WELL WORTH READING.

[Squinch]

2. Just great. Kick!

[Sedona]

3. Read the whole thing

Brilliant

[Paka]

4. Hanauer is fantastic.

So always spot on.

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Why is he so rare?

His analysis always makes so much sense.

BTW, I wonder if he bailed out of Amazon because of how Bezos treats his workers. He's one of the ones that has lots of permanent part time jobs.

[madokie]

5. This is one I passed on

Everyone should have the chance to read this

[NNadir]

6. This the most amazingly insightful link I've seen on this site in many years. +1,000,000

I've been thinking in the same terms for many years.

I'm not a plutocrat by any stretch, but I'm certainly not impoverished either but I recognize that the mentally unstable person in the White House is a symptom, not a cause, of a deeper national malaise.

Thanks.

I've bookmarked this and will share it among my circle of friends.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. That is a great article. This man needs listening to.

K&R.

[TygrBright]

8. He gets it. Every word.

If the Democratic Party would grab onto this thinking and turn it into a platform, messaging, etc., we'd be an unstoppable electoral juggernaut.

Always assuming we unfuck the voting system, first.

wistfully,
Bright

[sinkingfeeling]

9. That, my friends, should be the DNC's message.

[Wounded Bear]

11. K & R ......good read...nt

[Phoenix61]

12. Wow, just wow

First I've heard of him but imho he is spot on, especially about the impact of raising the minimum wage. I live in a seasonal tourist area and waitressed my way through college. During the season every business in town is busy, from grocery stores to Super Cuts to Wal-Mart and it's not the tourist spending their money there, it's the locals. Once the season ends, it comes to a screeching halt. The locals tighten their belts and hope the car, the roof the whatever makes it till next season when they will have a little extra money. The joke here is to see what new businesses make it through the first off season. If everyone was making a decent wage we would be able to support the local businesses all year and we would all do better. Sadly, this is a deep red area, go figure.

[WinstonSmith4740]

13. Excellent!

I remember the original article he referred to. The plutocrats didn't listen then...I hope they do now, but I doubt it. I really liked the information on how Seattle's economy is really doing. I keep hearing references to that one outlier study, and it'll be good to be armed with the facts.

On the other hand, in practice, in real life here on planet earth, Seattle’s economy is kicking ass.

Thanks for posting!

[Skidmore]

14. Kicking to be shared.

Message is imp.

[mr_lebowski]

15. To his roughly 1,000,000 words, I have but one in response: YUP!

[Squinch]

16. Kicking

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17. again

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18. because

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19. more

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20. people

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21. need

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22. to

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23. read

[Squinch]

24. this

[Squinch]

25. !

[MarvinGardens]

26. Recommended.

This is the "I see pitchforks" guy. Very well written.

Slogan that comes to mind based on this article:
"Better Jobs -- Fair Wages -- Vote Democratic"