The Corporatocracy doesn't want you to know this about economics & the economy

In general, the Powers-That-Be (both public & private) almost constantly mislead us regarding whether or not the economy is doing well.  That's because they measure such all wrong.

Robert Reich tells it like it is---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFjoDq0HfFw&list=WL&index=71

To have an economics as if all people and the entire ecosphere matter, we must adhere to the parameters described/endorsed by Prof. Reich in the short clip above.  Anything else is mostly propaganda.

.................

Not only my opinion.  Take Care

Why is the Class War Accelerating in the USA and Elsewhere?

 Here's a large part of the answer---(the clip is only 6.5 minutes long)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJz3gPJ46kc&list=WL&index=71&t=23s

For over forty years, the Establishment has been favoring the upper 10% of income earners with tax cuts, tax loopholes which go unplugged, subsidies for big corporations, government contracts, lack of prosecution for wrongdoing, and more.  For the last few-to-several years, Main Street has become more & more aware of all that, and is finally pushing back with demonstrations, strikes, boycotts, and the like.  They have done so despite the fact that the Establishment often criminalizes those who peacefully object to being ripped off or exploited.  On top of all that...

The Super-Rich CEOs and corporations have realized what's happening to the American Empire - it's crumbling.  As a result of their realization, they now are making extra efforts to garner more wealth in order to further secure their future in the Post-American-Era.  Those extra efforts include increasing profits even more at the expense of workers, buying influence with politicians more than usual (they spent one billion dollars on the last mid-term elections), treating customers much like livestock (denying claims re faulty goods or services, ignoring safety concerns, etc.), buying back their own stock so shareholders get that money instead of workers, and in general, cutting corners to the max at the expense of Main St.

In addition, we have this...

https://www.democracynow.org/2023/5/24/jeffrey_sachs_defense_spending_us_debt

In the current "Debt Ceiling" talks, neither Biden nor McCarthy is mentioning or considering cuts to Defense spending.  The USA's spending on defense-related items constitutes 40% of the entire world's spending on such items.  Our Defense budget is larger than that of the next ten nations combined.  Most politicians in both major Parties support the concept of perpetual war.  So, the Defense budget is sacrosanct.  Plus, increasing taxes on the super-wealthy is not on the table.

Instead, the Repubs want to cut spending on items which benefit the poorest Americans.  Is that because they believe the Poor are undeserving of help?  If not that, what is it?  It can't be concern over fraud in some welfare instances.  Why?  Because they don't seem concerned at all about rampant mega corporation fraud.

All of the above has accelerated the ongoing Class War.  The bought-off politicians on both sides of the aisle largely are to blame.  So are many/most of the mega corporations and their Super-Rich CEOs.  If you agree, think hard before casting your vote in the next national election, and before buying another piece of manufactured rubbish made in China.

....................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

I don't know anything about this man, but...

 he's about 99% on the mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgXda61MtWE

This short clip gives you a condensed view of the last 50 years of the U.S. Government's economic philosophy.  One of the best lines in the piece is:  "We've basically had the same President since 1982, & yes, that includes the Black one.".  [Relative to economics]  Amen.  

This is why for 50 years we've been experiencing the greatest transfer of wealth to the Upper Crust in all of human history.  The clip explains it to a "T".  It's the best 12-minute lesson in economics you'll ever experience.  It also clearly demonstrates why I keep saying:  except for a few social hot-button issues, it doesn't matter one whit whether Dems or Repubs are the majority in the Fed Gov't.

The remedy for all this is fairly simple in concept.  Vote the neoliberal politicians out of office.  Unfortunately, rampant propaganda in the USA (and elsewhere) kills any desire/will to do so.  A change is required, and it seems to me education is the key to launching such change.  [Perhaps better stated: "...the key to continuing such change."] So, whenever appropriate, start educating people.  Or, if you like the current system, then don't start.  Naturally, it's your choice.

If you really don't have (and can't make) the time to counter the neolib propaganda, then support outfits which do; or, at least suggest to people - when appropriate - that they might find such groups interesting.

Here are only a few of those outfits (in no particular order):

https://earthjustice.org/

https://woods.stanford.edu/

https://mahb.stanford.edu/what-is-the-mahb/

https://steadystate.org/

https://www.gp.org/

..................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

An Editorial Review from Online Book Club

 

Review of The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction, and HOW TO GET OFF IT -

Unread post by Grace Lee Rose » Yesterday, 14:19

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction, and HOW TO GET OFF IT -" by Scott C. Haley.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction and HOW TO GET OFF IT - Notes on a Paradigm Shift is a book that focuses on the breakdown of ecological crises. These elements cause environmental crises, such as neoliberalism, overconsumption, and many more. Many people worldwide are aware of the ecological disaster that the Earth is facing. However, very few people are educated on how they might help the Earth survive and thrive. This book addresses potential remedies to the looming ecological problem with enough references to authoritative sources and research. Read Scott C. Haley's book for more information.

Many people are aware that the planet is in peril. This is not a debate over whether or not Earth will survive; it will. It does not take a genius to recognize and comprehend that the existence of the Earth is dependent on a communal solution. That is the subject of this book. This book investigates solutions to assist in the healing of the earth. The issue of environmental preservation is extensive. When it comes to the numerous ways in which the planet can survive, many aspects have been disregarded over the years. The bulk of us are well aware that human actions are to blame for the planet's deterioration. Some human activities that endanger the ecosystem include deforestation, environmental pollution, monoculture farming, and many others. I feel that many people are still unaware of the impact their actions have on the environment. Not only do people not comprehend, but many others in other parts of the world, particularly developing countries, are not educated on how to save the planet.

I appreciate how Haley took the time to explain the relationship of various life forms to the ecosystem and how these creatures help keep the earth operating. Haley does not only discuss human activities that are causing the extinction of several species. He also addresses concrete ideas that can help prevent human-caused environmental damage. Haley's detailed and elaborate depiction in this book addressed some aspects of environmental sustainability, such as how eco-ethics plays a significant role. I enjoyed all of the references in this book that the author included. For example, on page 49 of 173, after briefly discussing nuclear waste, the author invites readers to YouTube to gain a fuller understanding of the issue he previously mentioned. This makes the information in this book more conventional and intense.

Furthermore, there was nothing in this book that I found objectionable because I found myself agreeing with Haley's analysis. Reading this book taught me how to contribute to the earth's sustainability.

In addition, I found no errors in this book, which shows it was exceptionally edited. Thus, I rate The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction and HOW TO GET OFF IT - Notes on a Paradigm Shift 5 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to individuals of all ages, young and elderly. This is because it includes strategies for every human to help Earth survive by lessening ecological crises through numerous approaches.

*****
The Beginning of the Path to Human Extinction, and HOW TO GET OFF IT -
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Many people act as if it's over, BUT IT'S NOT, and there's more yet to come

 The USA recently passed the ONE-MILLION-deaths mark re the SARS-COV-2 (aka Covid-19) pandemic.  Such deaths continue to increase in TOTAL number every week.  [The rate of increase is trending down, but the total number of deaths still increases every week.]  About 1,000 people per week still die from SARS-2 in our country.  The number of new infections also is on the rise, and that's mostly due to the latest MUTATION of the virus,  BA.2.  Meanwhile, the Establishment says the "emergency is over".  I doubt it, but time will tell.

Politicians love to tout the fact that they "follow the science" when it comes to the pandemic, and I agree, such is a good thing.  By "the science", though, what they mean is the medical science.  It appears to me as though they mostly ignore this science:  ecology.

So, what does ecology have to do with pandemics?  Everything!  See the article below for a detailed explanation of how climate disruption, reckless human land use, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the like, not only exacerbate, but also CAUSE explosions of disease.

https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-infectious-diseases

More on the subject---

https://www.ehn.org/pandemic-population-covid-19-2645518249.html

Until the Powers-That-Be are proactive, instead of only reactive re pandemics, we'll have more and more disease in the future.  This warning has been issued many times in the past by professional ecologists, biologists, and other scientists.  Despite that, especially in the USA I've seen little-to-no significant concern (much less action) expressed by our squabbling politicians regarding the mitigation of biodiversity loss, reckless ecosystem damage, damage by factory farming, deforestation, mining damage, etc.

Instead of eradicating disease, we tend to damage and/or eradicate that which suppresses and controls disease - natural ecosystems and their biogeochemical cycles.

.....................

Not only my opinion.  Take Care

Listen-up BRICS & other out-of-line nations: no country can have a "Sphere of Influence" except for the USA!

That seems to be what our Fed Gov't has been saying for years.  Talk about hubris!

 https://www.democracynow.org/2023/4/27/monroe_doctrine

It's no wonder that countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, pockets of Europe, and a few other places are fed-up-to-the-gills with the USA's holier-than-thou arrogance.  The majority of our politicians appear to be stuck in the Past, with no clue as to how the world is changing.  They cling to the hostile, immature concept of:  whoever has the biggest stick gets to make all the rules.

Add to the above the fact that we're overextended financially and militarily, plus we're in massive ecological overshoot, and it becomes clear why the USA Empire is crumbling.  In the long run, that's a good thing.  The Rat-Race existence which some refer to as "The American Dream" is somewhat like junk food.  It looks good and tastes good, but it's not especially good for you.

A few have awakened (some long ago), but most of our politicians are in a dogmatic slumber, and such does not bode well for Main Street or the world.  The sleepers are stuck in war, trickle-down economics, patriarchy, neocolonialism, neoliberalism, and "holier-than-thou"-ism.  It doesn't have to be this way.

Politicians who are stuck in the Past (McCarthy, Pence, Trump, Biden, Schumer, et al.) don't have a majority of voters supporting them today but are at the top of the game because of the RNC and the DNC.  Those two Committees  (it seems to me) make sure that forward-looking, comprehensive thinkers don't get nominated to run for President.  So with the Dems, people like Warren and Sanders don't have a chance.  With the Repubs, someone who has (for example) a non-interventionist foreign policy - such as Rand Paul - has no chance either.

What it all means to me is as follows.  The stale, out-of-touch, Establishment factions - which are the majority in the top tiers of each major Party - will almost always be the lapdogs of the Oligarchs and Plutocrats.  Overall, that means we'll continue to have wars, interventions, sanctions, eco-overshoot, insane military spending, neocolonialism, etc.  That is, unless we...

stop electing those who adhere to failed concepts/policies/actions.

Neoliberalism, neocolonialism, trickle-down economics, constant intervention in the affairs of other nations, spying on literally everyone, trying to be the world's police, financial/economic sanctions (which harm Main Streets more than Leaders), and acting as if we are King of the World are all not only bad ideas/actions, but also dangerous to world stability.  If - because of the RNC & DNC - only oligarch lapdogs are on the ticket, then vote for the Green Party (which is better by far for the world than the major Parties) , or the Constitution Party, or the Libertarian Party, or some other Party. 

People say, but third parties don't have a chance of getting elected.  They certainly don't if everyone keeps saying and believing that.  In any case, such could be a loud message to the major Parties, a boycott of sorts...IF enough people participated.  Or, simply don't vote.  The game is rigged anyway (but not in the manner thought by the Trump Cult).

I've been keenly observing USA elections since 1956 and one thing is clear.  About 95% of the time, voters keep electing the same types of politicians to high office:  smooth talkers, believers in USA hegemony, people who essentially are ecologically illiterate, those who think infinite economic growth is a good thing, people who have interventionist foreign policies, and those who believe the USA should be the world's police force.  All of that must cease if we are to provide our progeny a sustainable future.

...........................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"Jeffrey Sachs on China's 'Historic' Push for Multipolar World to End U.S. Domination"

If only Biden & Crew had even half the knowledge and experience in diplomacy and history as does Sachs, the world would be much safer.  [Trump would need ten times as much:]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgMPIhBLp1I&list=WL&index=74&t=59s

If you're pressed for time, fast-forward to the beginning of the Sachs interview at 3:28.  In any case, don't miss the last one-third starting at about 15:35.  Especially don't miss the hypothetical situation involving Mexico & China described starting at 22:44.

You won't find most of this on the mainstream (corporate) media.  Why?  Because it runs contrary to the propaganda supporting the concept of USA's hegemony.

........................

Not only my opinion.  Be Well