Americans are relearning the lesson we learned during the Gilded Age of the late 1890s, when robber barons ran the government and the economy for their own benefit: Oligarchy is incompatible with the common good.
I'm hopeful we'll respond with a new progressive movement.
I hope we don't have to wait until the entire global economy crashes and we're all speaking Chinese.
In this Golden Age for Pedophiles, they shut the down libraries instead of building them.
I woke up when Trump was nominated. I am now true blue, and tell anyone that will listen why. I'm going to work for Democrats to be elected!
We're learning more than that we're also learning what it's like to be in the civil war which came before that
Capitalism is incompatible with the common good.
I dont know if they are learning
I'm hopeful the % of Americans who are #TooLazyToVote will fall, even a little. Sadly, I highly doubt it.
Guillotines?
The Clintons were corporate Democrats. Have them apologize and have them put ALL of their political experiences and backing into electing young leaders serious about changing programs and policies to help the people. NOT CORPORATIONS!
Iโm not hopeful at all! Far too many Americans are complacent. We need all hands on deck.
โprogressiveโ isnโt enough. we need full blown socialism
Wise Up. Rise Up!
๐ช๐
I just want to see some guillotines. Is that so wrong?
Whereโs Teddy Roosevelt when you need him. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
I want a new government of progressives. AOC, Crockett, Maxwell Frost, Booker, and yes Bernie and Liz Warren to name a few. Iโm so done with polite Dems trying to maintain the status quo while the republicans are turning our country into a dystopian hellscape.
If it involved eating rich people, deal me in! Time to put THEM on the menu!
Or a civil war with such bloody retribution for gop corruption that nobody will vote republican for a century. Or, ever again if we're thorough enough.
#ConsiderGuillotines
You really think Americans are learning? Evidence?
Historyโs cruel symmetry reminds us that concentrated wealth bends law, policy, and morality toward private gain. A republic cannot serve both plutocrats and its people; one must prevail. The survival of democracy demands we choose the many over the monopolistsโbefore the choice is made for us.
The messed up thing is that if they gave more for the common good we would all be better off, them included... If we have more, we spend and make more then they can also make and profit more from that and no one would be bitching, we would just be living...
Not with this restrictive two party system.
And you still can't name capitalism as the fucking problem
Something has to happen because we are not going down a good path and there has to be a fundamental change for the US to survive
...Just Cruz'n... Donny2Dolls dance'n with The FBI...in his Eyes!... 40 years of Mob ties... History of Teflon Don.... youtu.be/DEseiA72yVM?...
I'm not convinced there's much relearning going on. I hope that's true. The MAGA followers are making the same grave mistake that the Germans made in the 1930s. They've surrendered their intellect and humanity to an immoral movement that would burn 500 tons of already paid for food aid.
Amen ๐๐ผ!
Super intelligent MAGA does not require any additional learning.
Lord Orange has become God Orange
๐คฃ๐
We & the rest of the world is hoping for this too.
Dump Trump
Universal Healthcare * PreK * Strengthen Public Schools * Free lunches at Public Schools * Affordable Public Housing * Free Community College * Codify Abortion *
ALL THIS SIMPLY BRINGS US UP TO OTHER DEVELOPED NATIONS!!!
Nothing short of a civil war is going to stop this
Eat the rich.
I'm down for a left, progressive agenda.
"The Gilded Age never ended. It just rebranded."
When monopolies run the economy and billionaires write the laws, itโs not capitalism โ itโs oligarchy. Americaโs last brush with this kind of corruption gave us the Progressive Era. Maybe it's time we remembered how to fight like that again.
I like your optimism Robert. I picture our Country right now like an indiscriminate forest fire. I am so hopeful that new growth will pop up everywhere, even in the darkest corners and our Country will shine bright again and be even better.
I would be surprised if there was any learning going on
The robber Barrons were allowed to get away with all they did, albeit with the governmentโs benign disregard until they completely wrecked the countryโs economy. They alone managed to keep their enormous wealth while everyone else suffered and stood in the bread lines. Itโs happening again.
Yes. Itโs what โMake America Great Againโ meant! The uneducated voters did not care to vote educate and inform themselves and so, they voted for the rollback to the 1890s when black people and women could not vote, etc., etc. a terrible electoral outcome in 2024!
Because our red state education system is severely broken. Allowing complete dolts to graduate that canโt read, write, add, critical thinking is what got us here
At least Carnegie left behind a great university and libraries all over the country.
What the fuck are tech-bros gonna leave? A bunch of holes in Tennessee?
two problems: (which are actually related)
first is time. i think itโs gonna take a couple of decades to work out from under this bc it took us 30-50 years to get here.
second is also time: how much will climate change interrupt all this? do we have time to fix this?
Progressives are our Only hope.
Can you please tell the story at a third-grade level so the stupid among us can understand history and why it matters?
I think we will. The pendulum has to swing the other way. The oligarchs don't even try to hide their evil these days, they flaunt it.
Trump won't last forever.
the last Guilded Age lasted 40 years with another 25 for economic recovery after the big Crash. let's see how this one works out. raise your hand if you're hopeful.
Me too!
๐
Absolutely agree. History has shown us time and again that when too much power is concentrated in the hands of a few, the broader public suffers. The rise of inequality, corporate influence over policy, and the erosion of democratic institutions are warning signs we canโt ignore.
I see no indication that those currently in power give a hang about the "common good." They are avatars of greed and avarice. They care only about what they can grab. They can only be made to care by outside forcesโor involuntarily yeeted to irrelevant outcast status.
One that includes BIPOC this time would be nice.
The Democrat Party is dead. Long Live the Democrat Party!
My question: why are we, as rational people, allowing a small group of unqualified & incompetent individuals to ruin our country & lives? If we had a โCuban Missile Crisisโ would they be able to stop a nuclear war? I think not. We gave a 5 yr old a missile launcher. We all arenโt safe now!
Personally, I was hoping to skip the yellow fever epidemic.
Oligarchs gonna Oligarch.
But please stop pushing the Progressive angle. It didn't work. It went way way WAY to far. Trump is completely a result of beyond stupid Progressive policy.
Elections, rigged, fraudulent or otherwise, have consequences, and now we all get to pay for them with our lives.๐คฌ๐คฏ๐คฌ
The Trump administration canceled about $500 million for research into mRNA vaccines. The move slows progress in using the technology to prevent a future pandemic or treat disease, experts say.
Be part of the new progressive movement. Get on the phone or e-mail and tell your reps in DC what you want and what you think instead of waiting to hear what they think. It only takes a few minutes and it doesn't cost any money. We don't need money in politics. www.nationalfinancialplan.com
Billionaires are the problem. This is the number one problem.
Iโm to The Point where it Feels Like We Must All Demand from Our Representatives on a Daily Basis that We, the People, want Him
Until it actually happens.
Except: Carnegie libraries, other grand public buildings.
Our peaceful options are getting slimmer and slimmer.
Remember how they prevented King Louis XVI from taking back the throne.
Vilifying boomers will not help. Politics is additive. Shunning an entire generation is just wrong and stupid.
We are working on it now.
Me too.
Tell us how.
The only successful response is revolution. Any other response will put us back on the path to fascism.
#EndFascists #EndOligarchs #EndNeoliberals
One of the problems is the left has been screaming about oligarchs, โthe eliteโ, billionaires, โฆ etc. for so long, now that fascism is actually rearing its head, no one is listening to them.
I donโt think we will see a response until the majority of the public gets angry enough to act. We need to reach the, โHave them eat cake,โ moment. When we hit that point of disconnect and answering public outrage at the system then we might have change. I worry it will result in violence.
Lochner 2.0
Yes: progressive (Democratic)...not repressive (Republican).
so we can do the whole cycle again? nah this time we destroying plutocracy forever. fuck capitalism.
I have a bad feeling they'll win, this time. ๐
It's going to take more than a movement this time, since the nation as a whole waited until after the oligarchy dismantled democracy with the help of Biden's doj and bought the country.
And since around 2/3 of the country hasn't figured out what's happening yet...
Not as long as the Democratic Party can continue to misdirect progressives into dead ends and thus continue to deny its left flank the resources the left needs.
The "centrist" faction needs to be suppressed somehow.
No, they're reliving the age of the Bolsheviks by reading your ๐ฉ. Your promises of overthrowing capitalism in favor of a from-each-according-to-their-abilities and to-each-according-to-their-abilities communism. Where a small group of oligarchs eventually takes over and decides what's good.
Wouldnt that just split the vote even more? I believe what is truly needed is a truthful education for all! or in this society, a bunch of mini series?๐
I do have a few questions on new ideas, there are so many wasted lives and I honestly see that as the true horror we are forced into. if you would
I hope "we" are learning the lesson. I am uncertain about this, but hoping for the best.
Itโs Boardwalk Empire.
The DINO Party won't allow that. We need alternatives.
Tax the rich so that more than half of the wealth ends up in the middle class!
Some Americans are...
You're a great human. XO
You guys will need to respond with a new aggressive movement. Words are not going to cut it with this lot....
Here you are:
Liberty Equality Fraternity
โThe soothsayers came, but none of them all / Could interpret the writing of fire on the wall.โ
Better kick our current โleadingโ Dems to the curb then. Useless fucks.
...that's assuming we're able to get out of this about-to-become quandary. A lot of the guardrails have been removed through sheer willpower by those in authority to deliberately turn a blind eye to the Constitution and other laws.
The @usprogressives.bsky.social are the only way forward, and the only way out of this nightmare.
A fractioned progressive movement is worthless. Progressives must set aside cosmetic differences & unite under 1 umbrella. Not of 1 person (Bernie Sanders was kneecapped by the DNC & his love for his war-criminal buddy), but of 1 third-party. This would be the patriotic thing to do in this moment.
Hopefully, we can skip the monumentally brutal Depression
This time without Bloody Ludlow or the Homestead Strike or the Haymarket Bombing.
So in about 25 years we may emerge from these dark ages, yes?
Whoโs Theodore Roosevelt for this gilded ageโฆ
Kapitalism is incompatible with democrac. At the end these two systems have to fight each other..
We seem to be stuck in a cycle, don't we? It's like history is repeating itself. I wonder what the new progressive movement will look like.
Progressive is just as bad as oligarchy. Typically itโs oligarchy in disguise. The oligarchs were all there during Obama and Biden also.
We need to get back to fundamental liberal policies, focused on the working class.
The change was WWII, when the world came together to fight fascism. This time around the US is the fascists the rest of the world will be fighting.
My worry is I feel it will take a lot suffering pressure and time before someone with enough resources and magnanimity will become elected and change laws for the benefit of the many rather than the few, I genuinely and sincerely hope Iโm wrong
Boiled frogs rise up!!!!
Donโt be naive, Mr. Reich. This isnโt 1890s America, itโs 1850s America mixed with 1990s Russia and a heavy dose of 1930s Germany.
When Teddy Roosevelt taxed the barons at 90%. America experience its greatest expansion ever.
They are blamin biden ,trump , obama , clintons , the trees, the snails but WHAT ABOUT RESULTS ? not important? Where is the fckin final delivery to show system not corrupted ? No ?
In America i am more progessive than independents , non partisan , free agents or whatever crap it's called ...I AM FCKIN PRAMATIST LOL
Back to basics , Prof , IF IT DOESN'T WORK FCK IT , TALK IS CHEAP ...RESULTS MATTER and results all ya need , fck ideaologies
All the philosophies in the world โ left, right, libertarian, anarchist, unicorn socialist utopias โ donโt mean jack if the plumbingโs leaking, the trains ainโt running, and your grandma canโt get her insulin.
philosophies, all these grand theories about how society should work - and NONE of them matter if the basic machinery of government can't deliver simple, measurable results to actual people.
Forget ideology โ just build a damn bridge that doesnโt collapse, and file the report before the next fiscal year.
Corruption is legal for progressive and conservatives both are fckin fund raisin over it
Ya dun need a progressive movement , ya need a fckin system that rolled up their sleeves , incorruptible and fckin delivers fckin result , the progressive movement now pivotin on fckin failed system IT STILL FCKIN DOESN'T DELIVER RESULTS
Ah The square deal
Future legislation should decree triple penalties for any elected official/judge/cops
The only way out of this is a new Progressive Era. It's progressive reforms like universal basic income and healthcare and more, or it's violence. It's more democracy and less money in politics or it's fascism. Our call to action is clear. It's us or the billionaires.
The new movement will have to be revolutionary in nature. The oligarchy controls enough of the current system that they can deny elective office to any candidate in either party who tries running on reform of any kind. This is what theyโve always done, it has worked, and it will continue.
The progression will be incredible!
We Better!
A really loud, unyielding progressive movement.
Unfortunately, nobody seems to have figured out the capitalist neoliberalism-to-fascism feedback loop, because I still see so many people praising the centrist status quo scaffolding that made Trump possible. Anyone still glazing Clinton/Obama is not helping.
A positive fourth turning? Perhaps? It's possible? This is the United States of America. I was born August 4th, 1945. I've been through the past three. We MUST respond with a new movement for Progress. We really have no choice, I cannot imagine my grandchildren growing up in this fascist nonsense.
First, you need to be on the same page, have a plan and have a group of leaders, with more than one spokesman. Careful they don't disappear, fall down stairs or get assassinated. Seriously, a revolution is required to over throw the Billionaire criminals. It must be on the DL to get established.
Either that, or USA will suffer the same fate Russia has from rampant kleptocracy.
USA has no allies anymore. 40% want racist, nationalist, fascism.
You have to be an idiot to think that someone who hates you when inside the US, likes you when you are at home.
Tbh we need to go a lot further than the New Deal era progressives, otherwise weโre just a few short decades away from all our work being undone by rich assholes. We need to make sure ALL of the power lies with the people, the government and the economy alike
Thereโs no going back now. Itโs either revolution or dictatorship.
This why he wants a ballroom! How can you have a Gilded Age without a ballroom people?
We'll see. Americans have a dismal knowledge of history and an even worse ability to apply its context to current events.
Authoritarianism and exploitation are old problems. It's been difficult to rise above that at all in history, and it almost never lasts.
I wonder how many $billions of tax payer dollars trump, his admin and the GOP have stolen/pocketed so far?
Who will be the Teddy Roosevelt of our time?
would be nice, weโve been in the downward slide my entire life, not a fan
Americans arenโt learning anything. Theyโre stuck watching
They'll need new figures rather than tired political faces in order to recoup the Democratic Party. They need people coming out of the military and from civilian life in order to present a new non "progressive" perspective. No more career politicians!!
Iโve been watching โThe Gilded Ageโ recently on HBOโฆ.ummm no
This time these people must be crushed and demonized
in 20 years sigh
I hope to too. We need a MASS MOVEMENT before any of that.
It will difficult to do,the first gilded age didnโt have the internet, with AI &the Russian bots itโs difficult to see the truth no matter how much you read real news weโre all in for a rude awakening,sadly proj. 2025 is already 48% implemented in only 6 mo,even Vought is surprised by itโs success
Great Colbert appearance! ๐๐ผ
The problem, and I'm not joking about this, is that because we've already allowed the robber barons and fascists to seize control of the government, there will be no way to get progressives into power because elections 100% will not be legitimate.
Excessive wealth and restriction of private property to the elites are why we study the French and Russian Revolutions, this is why there is instability in authoritarian governments. It always ends badly for both the workers and the oligarchs and elites.
Something brand new?! That would be amazing!
I'm hoping for star trek
The good news, Teddy Roosevelt showed up and cornered the robber barons. If only we had some politicians anywhere near the policies of FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson.
I'm seeing more and more people speaking out against capitalism, the economic system that allows, incentivises, and protects oligarchs, so perhaps that's happening. It's a good sign.
Is anyone out there who has read the 1890s history when the ultra-rich claimed the government?
Fascinating history.
What about a revolution? It is the only choice to rescue your sad country and restore freedom.
The reality is that the American constitution was built on oligarchy and religion. It has never changed in 250 years and just gotten worse to the point where the USA is in now. What you see now is just the USA being what it has always been. Just fully exposed for all to see. So nothing to see here
Good luck. Calling themselves progressives or socialists is seen as bad as calling themselves communists since the majority of Americans don't know the difference. To be successful they need a new adjective.
The need is to put the billionaire class and their millionaire minions on notice, especially those in government service and Congress. Currently, identity theft is a huge issue. Stealing the title of someone's home. The private prison industry, private healthcare, and private contracts
same
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We only have 3 choices working class complete and massive work strike All or nothing Civil war! Sit back and become like the citizens of North Korea!
Yes itโs that simple! Personally I vote for the first choice! But I donโt have faith the Americans could jeopardize their careers / credit
And we got to repeat this experiment all bc dumb conservatives bought the fear of trans and immigrants. Bunch of suckers who were stuck on a lifeboat with.
Zandi blamed the economic struggles on increasing โU.S. tariffs and restrictive immigration policies.โ
Yes we need progressive voices at the front, stop hiding to keep your cushy job, stand for something, maybe the people you represent ..
Hopeful?
Really?
What's that like?
Yeah, I also read a history book once. The majority have not. And here we are โฆ again.
This is UK-centric but the message โ we need immediate action to improve ordinary peopleโs lives โ possible at US State level now, is relevant. Please read George Evans's "Outflanking Populism - a Manifesto to Inspire Trust, to Create Hope, and Demand Immediate Change" โ available now on Amazon.
What will Trumpedo do next to deflect attention from his engagement with Epstein and the Epstein files which should perhaps be called the Trumpedo Files? Actually we donโt need those files, we have the victimsโ testimony.
We have some wonderful young people, AOC, Buttige๐๐๐,etc.. They give me hope
Haven't yet, Robert!
& a serious real progressive! institutional reconstructive & reconstitutional revolution!๐
Relearning? It's literally how AmeriKKKa's way of running things. Plus, AmeriKKKa, never abolished slavery.
We need another protest to protect the dems that left Tx I agree with Newsom that we should retaliate with same altertactics. Thugs only understand thug language. You are correct get rid of citizens united and money out of politics.
I hope the progressive movement you mention punishes government bureaucrats who facilitated the Golden Age II by not doing what they should have done.
Well known quote. โThose that donโt study history are doomed to repeat it.โ Quote applicable to present day. โThose that did study history must suffer along with the ignorant fools who didnโt.โ
I think we will. It's going to be bloody. Civil War I bloody. Then it was the cult of slavery and white supremacy. We'll be fighting the same enemy in CWII.
Progressives - and Iโm one, going back to McGovern - have failed miserably at putting together a cohesive, effective national movement over my entire lifetime. No reason to hope theyโve learned anything.
Resist!!!
Yes, we do, sir
I'm not hopeful of anything. The racism is baked in and the anti-intellectualism is another nail in the US coffin.
Our collective wringing of hands must morph into the wringing of fascist necks.
We will not legislate nor 'vote' our way out of this.
"Greed is destroyer of all Nations" We have a Republican Criminal Administration that goes about proving exactly that every day! Government needs Oligarch Monopoly Greed Legislation. This would cap individual income at $500,000 a year. Any income above that, is returned to State infrastructure.
I just said that yesterday.
GMTA.
Yes, eventually the ICE age will be over and the dictatorship will be overthrown. History tends to repeat itself every 100 years.
Something like this?: www.fredwilliams.ca/thesecretofm...
And stat! b/c the heart and soul of this country will โExodusโ in masses. The sciences & arts will find other homelands to flourish, nurturing creative minds to strengthen thru decency and love, not hate/anger; joy and freedom, not fear. And historically hasnโt MAGA manure always been noxious?
I am hopeful, if not for me, then my children.
I hope it isn't too late.
Literally my timeline!
