Washington continues to reward wealthy donors and Wall St but what about everyday Americans? Author and historian Steve Fraser has answers. See more: bit.ly/1JfmKCP
Really outstanding discussion. Capitalism has been of benefit when controlled. Without the control, capitalism benefits only the rich. Democratic socialism is a system whose time has come. I am older but totally support the Occupy Wallstreet movement, the Bernie Sanders direction. Change is coming. People know something is wrong. Enough is enough.
Yes, it is indeed an acquiescence. There will be no protestation from the masses. It's not gonna happen. And since they won't protest then they will have to settle for what is offered to them. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them ~Frederick Douglas I can see that the masses are too indolent to take action. It's their fault. They might as well get used to living an impoverished life henceforth. If you're not willing to take meaningful action then no one can help you. Do nothing..get nothing. There is no cure for laziness and indifference.
I discovered Steve Moyers thanks to an interview with David Simon, and he is a fantastic journalist. It's very hard to find something like this these days... My profound admiration from the other side of the ocean
Although it's been largely purged from network TV at this point, the fact that this discussion can take place in any venue which might allow for some measure of public consumption essentially demonstrates the lack of concern felt by the ruling elite...they don't hesitate to rub our noses in it, as they have no fear of action on the part of the working class...
Every human has a breaking point. What happens when the whole of society reaches that point at the same time I can actually imagine and have been waiting for!!!
Thank you for this informative discussion. I like the list of indices. Another could be the fact that life expectancies have declined in some parts of the U.S.
We no longer live in a free democracy as many like Steve Fraser speaks about so eloquently. We live in a "me" democracy. If I get mine you either get yours or too bad for you. No longer do we have a society of people working to improve our lives and our family, friends, neighbors but have succumb to a numbing fear of losing what little we have of we speak up and do the right thing. We have a choice to stand up now or be unable to stand at all. Allowing the people at the top to control our destiny is the biggest threat to our freedom and liberty!
If the folks started marching. It might change things. Everyone needs to get into the politics and stop the money picking the candidates. Though the American way is to let the other guy do the hard work and then they will belittle them for being the suckers who did the hard work while the rest got the benefit. That is the problem. There is an alternative. It is democratic worker owned cooperative. There are many that exist.
2nd gilded age: Government sanctioned white collar crime. Bank bailouts w no accountability on what is done w the money, the Rich paying only 15% on their unearned income, middle class paying up to 37% on earned income, corporations paying little to nothing and sending jobs overseas and the rich w their overseas tax shelters. Student loan rates kept higher and minimum wage kept the same for years, not keeping up w inflation, while tax loopholes for millionaires and billionaires never stop improving. Prices of everything goes up, including property taxes, sales taxes, groceries, etc wages stay the same but workloads increased. Middle class falling over a cliff. Faceless Banks are shamelessly putting hands inside public coffers. There is going to be a revolution.
We can only hope that the next uprising will be as peaceful as the uprising of the mid-30s (i.e., a few hundred lives lost in separate strikes that turned violent). Either way, we are within 10 years of the next uprising, and I plan to play my part in it.
John L The late 19th Century and early 20th Century saw the deaths of thousands of people fighting for decent wages, limited working hours, child labor laws, etc. Major change has never happened in America without bloodshed and it won't happen in the future either.
Excellent interview, thank you. I think you have the wrong guy possibly with that quote, or perhaps it's just taken out of context: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Townsend_Martin - "Martin's writings often criticized the extravagances of the rich - the very circles in which he traveled - and preached that '...where idleness and extravagance creep in decay begins. Nations as well as individuals have to be reminded of the dangers of these evils and they must be faced.'"
Please vote for Jill Stein of the Green Party in November. Hillary, the limousine liberal, doesn't give a fuck about the working class, though she is good at mouthing Bernie's rhetoric in her campaign speeches.
I love the Moyers program but why do Liberals still believe in capitalism? Why are you not staunch commies and socialists? Why do you vote? Why do you not see that DEMOCRAT = REPUBLICAN?
CartoonMan! Because REPUBLICANS = A whole other multi level party and they are not like the current Democrat. When the total is controlled by the owner of the Federal Reserve and Media, and the 98% have no clue. Most all have effects of long term "Reality Promotion" and would like to think it's all a bad dream.
Really outstanding discussion. Capitalism has been of benefit when controlled. Without the control, capitalism benefits only the rich. Democratic socialism is a system whose time has come. I am older but totally support the Occupy Wallstreet movement, the Bernie Sanders direction. Change is coming. People know something is wrong. Enough is enough.
1. ac·qui·es·cence
noun: acquiescence
The reluctant acceptance of something without protest.
Yes, it is indeed an acquiescence. There will be no protestation from the masses. It's not gonna happen. And since they won't protest then they will have to settle for what is offered to them.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them
~Frederick Douglas
I can see that the masses are too indolent to take action. It's their fault. They might as well get used to living an impoverished life henceforth. If you're not willing to take meaningful action then no one can help you. Do nothing..get nothing. There is no cure for laziness and indifference.
Corruption at the top, ignorance at the bottom.
The New Gilded Age is very different from the first one. It's worse, and there is no end in sight.
I discovered Steve Moyers thanks to an interview with David Simon, and he is a fantastic journalist. It's very hard to find something like this these days... My profound admiration from the other side of the ocean
I've been working for two years out of college. Everything Steve Fraser says is true!
Great interview, very informative.
Good soup, hot.
An excellent new voice in Steve Fraser.
CAPITALIST POWER FOREVER! WORSHIP IT!
Although it's been largely purged from network TV at this point, the fact that this discussion can take place in any venue which might allow for some measure of public consumption essentially demonstrates the lack of concern felt by the ruling elite...they don't hesitate to rub our noses in it, as they have no fear of action on the part of the working class...
That's because we have two major political parties, and both are in their back pocket.
Every human has a breaking point. What happens when the whole of society reaches that point at the same time I can actually imagine and have been waiting for!!!
covid lockdown.
Looking forward to reading Fraser's book!
Thank you for this informative discussion. I like the list of indices. Another could be the fact that life expectancies have declined in some parts of the U.S.
I think people will accept a lot of suffering and injustice as long as they are not hungry and don't have an physically destroying job.
5:45 our safety nets are the results of two generations of mass movements, sometimes violent
Matt Orfalea fascinating
9:15 no job security whatsoever
Long live freedom and democratic independence
KOCH ROACH BROTHERS WANT TO OWN AMERICA !!! VOTE FOR SENATOR SANDERS
Joe Weis Agreed.
Read this book...its not an easy read but the content is worth it.
We no longer live in a free democracy as many like Steve Fraser speaks about so eloquently. We live in a "me" democracy. If I get mine you either get yours or too bad for you. No longer do we have a society of people working to improve our lives and our family, friends, neighbors but have succumb to a numbing fear of losing what little we have of we speak up and do the right thing. We have a choice to stand up now or be unable to stand at all. Allowing the people at the top to control our destiny is the biggest threat to our freedom and liberty!
Exce llent! Enlightening!
Things go better with Koch?
If the folks started marching. It might change things. Everyone needs to get into the politics and stop the money picking the candidates.
Though the American way is to let the other guy do the hard work and then they will belittle them for being the suckers who did the hard work while the rest got the benefit.
That is the problem.
There is an alternative. It is democratic worker owned cooperative. There are many that exist.
Johnny bizaro l.
Do you follow Modern Money Theory?
2nd gilded age: Government sanctioned white collar crime. Bank bailouts w no accountability on what is done w the money, the Rich paying only 15% on their unearned income, middle class paying up to 37% on earned income, corporations paying little to nothing and sending jobs overseas and the rich w their overseas tax shelters. Student loan rates kept higher and minimum wage kept the same for years, not keeping up w inflation, while tax loopholes for millionaires and billionaires never stop improving. Prices of everything goes up, including property taxes, sales taxes, groceries, etc wages stay the same but workloads increased. Middle class falling over a cliff. Faceless Banks are shamelessly putting hands inside public coffers. There is going to be a revolution.
It will come to a head some day.
We can only hope that the next uprising will be as peaceful as the uprising of the mid-30s (i.e., a few hundred lives lost in separate strikes that turned violent). Either way, we are within 10 years of the next uprising, and I plan to play my part in it.
John L The late 19th Century and early 20th Century saw the deaths of thousands of people fighting for decent wages, limited working hours, child labor laws, etc. Major change has never happened in America without bloodshed and it won't happen in the future either.
11:00 "Fables of Freedom"
Was ???? Requires a period where it stoped beeing a puppet.. and it did not stop
Excellent interview, thank you.
I think you have the wrong guy possibly with that quote, or perhaps it's just taken out of context: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Townsend_Martin - "Martin's writings often criticized the extravagances of the rich - the very circles in which he traveled - and preached that '...where idleness and extravagance creep in decay begins. Nations as well as individuals have to be reminded of the dangers of these evils and they must be faced.'"
We're f*cked.
I wonder what this guy is thinking now that 7 months have passed... #FeelTheBern
Wow very revelant in 2016! And a pre Trump presidency.
Please vote for Jill Stein of the Green Party in November. Hillary, the limousine liberal, doesn't give a fuck about the working class, though she is good at mouthing Bernie's rhetoric in her campaign speeches.
how come youre saying what is currently happening, seems like nothing changes.
American System of Economy
@AmSysNow
"God knows how" lol, armed forces PAID MILITARY
I love the Moyers program but why do Liberals still believe in capitalism? Why are you not staunch commies and socialists? Why do you vote? Why do you not see that DEMOCRAT = REPUBLICAN?
CartoonMan!
Because REPUBLICANS = A whole other multi level party and they are not like the current Democrat.
When the total is controlled by the owner of the Federal Reserve and Media, and the 98% have no clue.
Most all have effects of long term "Reality Promotion" and would like to think it's all a bad dream.
how much does a guillotine cost to construct?