Month: May 2019

America has been known for protecting and standing for human rights throughout the world.  During my life time, we have recognized our own shortcomings in some of these areas and have fostered change in civil rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights.  Now we need to fight for “financial and economic rights.”

Wages have not kept up with the cost of living while collective bargaining organizations have been gutted.  Job opportunities providing a living wage are much harder to find today.  Regulation or de-regulation is favoring stockholders at the expense of stakeholders.  CEOs, board members, stockholders and the wealthy are pillaging the American middle class.  Pillage means to strip ruthlessly of money or goods by open violence.  By breaking unions and increasing the cost of good and services, including prescription drugs and healthcare and higher education, the middle class is being bled dry.

A potential example of this pillaging has come to light this week as Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury Secretary, is suspected of aiding hedge-fund manager, Eddie Lampert, of siphoning more than $2 billion from Sears resulting in the company’s bankruptcy and the loss of thousands of middle class jobs.  Sears has been an American staple since the pioneer days and one greedy, ruthless person has robbed it of all its assets at the expense of thousands of Americans.

Where is the integrity, decency, ethics, morals and fairness that have been connected to America?  Is it lost to “ruthless Darwinian competition?”  Is this a response to the promotion of mediocracy in which “everyone gets a trophy?”  I think we can find the middle ground between “ruthless Darwinian competition” and “everyone gets a trophy.”  The middle ground involves empathy and empathy is what makes us human.  It’s not wrong to recognize natural talent and hard-work while providing opportunities and encouragement for everyone else rather than shaming for not being the best.  Every team member has value!

Legislators must create regulation that provides livable wage jobs and immediately stops the pillaging of the middle class by the wealthy class.  The survival of American democracy requires it.

What is it?  Where did it come from?  Why is it happening? Is it dangerous?  What does it mean to our everyday lives?

According to Steven Hahn in The Populists Specter (thenation.com January 28-February 4, 2019 issue), populism has become “…a term meant to encapsulate the rage often found among white and native-born voters across Europe and other parts of the Western Hemisphere, who regard themselves as victimized by established political institutions, the corrupt practices of politicians, and the influx of immigrants from afar.  …these ‘populists’ appear to be united by shared grievances and  by a disposition to place the blame not on the workings of the economic system or the excesses of economic elites (though anti-Semitic currents suggest some of this), but on the the threats posed by immigrants to the national culture and economic well being.”  He continues, Populism “…seems to defy accepted political rules and norms, transgress recognized boundaries, and veer toward authoritarian solutions.  Most of all, it threatens the institutions and practices associated with liberal democracy, long believed to be the foundation of American political culture….”

In The People vs Democracy, Yascha Mounk writes about the causes of  liberal democracy’s crisis and decomposition as follows.

• slow rate of economic growth since the 70’s
• corporate offense against unions
• insulation of political elites from popular pressure
• expanding power of the executive and judicial branches of government
• social media disseminating extreme ideas
• erosion of ethnic and cultural homogeneity

Mounk states “…these developments have dramatically increased economic inequality, raised deep suspicions about the integrity and responsiveness of political institutions, and encouraged the rise of nationalist movements that place immigrants and other ethnic and religious minorities at the root of their predicament.”  He continues, this has “…caused liberal democracy to unravel into two strands, ‘undemocratic liberalism’ and ‘illiberal democracy (populism)’.”  He argues, that polling and related surveys “…show not only the erosion of trust in political institutions and democratic norms but also a growing support of authoritarian leadership, including military rule.”

William Galston in Anti-Pluralism writes that “Populism is tribal.  It feeds on feelings of economic and cultural vulnerability and thrives on binary and simplistic portraits of the world (‘us’ versus ‘them,’ the ‘people’ versus the ‘elites’).  It draws strength from the ‘incompleteness of life in  liberal societies’ and attacks vital norms, pluralism chief among them.”

Barry Eichengreen (The Populist Temptation) suggests that “…populism is marked by anti-elitism, authoritarianism, nativism, bellicose nationalism, demagoguery, and destruction.  Populism is ‘corrosive’ and brings out the ‘ worst of [its] followers arraying the general public against the intelligentsia, natives against foreigners, and majority groups against minorities.  Populists revel in flouting restraints and disregarding expert opinion, and although they are willing to have the government advance their agenda, it is not clear what their agenda is beyond punishing their enemies.”

Populism is a response to the loss of economic security.  It strives to tear down what they think are the causes of this economic insecurity, liberal democracy and immigration.  The danger is that in destroying liberal democracy we are vulnerable to authoritarian rule which means giving up our role in a representative government.  I believe that our current system of government is unbalanced, but I don’t think tearing it completely down is the wise answer.  Rebalancing the three branches of government to ensure checks and balances is an imperative first step.  Campaign finance regulation to remove big money from government is another step.  Legislative regulation to protect all Americans from greed and investment in healthcare, education and infrastructure are essential to protect our democracy.  Let’s fix it, not destroy it.  Democracy is the foundation of America.

Trump reflects this populism with his authoritarian tendencies, despicable treatment of immigrants, binary thinking of us vs them, destruction of norms and disregard for expert opinion.  This is not America!  We are smart, welcoming, and civil!  The 2020 election is the opportunity to get us back on course.  Democracy will always be a work in progress just like each of us.  It is always changing and we can make it work for everyone.  Vote!

Following politics is a head spinning activity.  Everyone is trying to get their way no matter how harmful it is, even to themselves.  In  the meantime most Americans are struggling.  Average Americans, which is most of us, earn about $56,000 per year, while 48% of Americans earn less than $30,000 per year.  This is not a respectable income for citizens of the greatest and wealthiest country in the world.  All work is valuable and deserves a livable wage which is by my estimation $25 per hour (40 hours per week 50 weeks per year) with an extra $5 per hour for healthcare and another $5 for pension.  That is $70,000 per working person per year for a total of $11 trillion.  It is doable.

Somehow over the last 40 years, workers have become devalued and stockholders have become overvalued.  It’s like you hold a buffet style dinner party and the first people who arrive take all the food, far more than they need, stuffing it in their purses and pockets to take it home leaving everyone else with the scraps to share.  And, its as if the rules of decency have been deregulated or ignored.  What is really frightening is, the early hoarders don’t recognize that they’ve done anything wrong and they blame those who arrived after them for their own state of lack.

Both sides ( Democrats and Republicans) need to find common ground so that average Americans can live comfortably not extravagantly.  Our democracy cannot survive this level of income inequality.  The top 1% (those earning $400,000 and above per year) are out of touch with the experiences of the majority of Americans.  In response I offer the following observations.   If your wealth hurts fellow Americans, stop!  If your integrity is diminished by dealing with unscrupulous business people or Oligarchs, stop!  If your patriotism is dwindling so you can make deals with hostile foreign governments, Stop!

A successful society provides livable wages and comfortable living conditions for all workers and supports the arts and sciences that move humans forward.  It provides training/education/healthcare opportunities for all, not free but affordable.  And, it helps those with challenges.  The new and growing “gig” economy does not provide livable wages and benefits.  It is going to create a class who is in debt without healthcare and pension and in 40 years will become a class of senior citizens who live in poverty.   We need to find common ground for the common good through fair legislation that includes all Americans.

How many lies can one espouse or overlook to hold the party line at the expense of our democracy and our standing in the world?  For me this is a rhetorical question that doesn’t have an exact answer, but I do know that it is ultimately destructive and not good for America.

Volume I pages 1-2 of the Mueller report states that “…the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome…” and the “…Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian effort….”

It is a fact that the Trump campaign and Russia worked in concert to elect Trump in 2016 undermining our democratic process.  Since Trump believed on some level that this was illegal, he obstructed the investigation in a multitude of ways which are outlined in Volume II of the report.

Trump and other Republicans are calling the investigation a hoax which it is obviously not and declaring it over which it is not.  Their only focus is staying in power and not on searching for the truth.

What do they get from this power?  I am not exactly sure, but it might be to protect those who fit into their definition of an American.  As I have been observing their behavior more closely since November 2016, I have a very cynical view of the Republican definition of an American.  It is as follows, wealthy, white, straight, suit wearing, Christian, male and no one else.  Everyone else is undeserving of the rights and protections provided by our democracy.  And, they believe they are entitled to all the wealth.  This seems to be their motivation for lying and overlooking wrongdoing and incompetence even at the expense of their own integrity.

Right now, the number one party line holder is A.G Barr and his number one job is to protect the American people, all the people.  And he is not doing that!  He needs to resign!  He has trashed his reputation and legacy.  For what, is a mystery!

I am ending this week’s blog with a message for the wealthy from the Bible.  “For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another” Galations 5:13 (Amplified Bible).  … and not just yourself and those who fit your narrow definition!