Just before Labor Day, FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan kicked off a momentous antitrust lawsuit, challenging the $24 billion monopolistic plan by grocery giant Kroger to take over the Albertson supermarket chain.
That corporate disease has been seen in nearly every major business in the USA. It is a cancer in our country that has gone on for so long that many people are unaware of how damaging it is and how much strife it brings. It has now affected all of us and I'm not sure we have the desire or ability to address it with any form of resolve. If we don't I'm afraid that this experiment in democracy is on its deathbed. Voting for Democrats will ease some of this, but the big money is really in control. We have the power to change it only if our candidates are aware that we want, no, DEMAND, some anti-trust action that would make Woodrow Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt proud. It's a huge task.
Now these billionaires, their scam corporations and crypto currencies are buying politicians but worse?
All health groups. Like our 10
Minute doctor visits for everything. Also elder care facilities, understaffed and undertrained caregivers, etc etc. what a total scheme from our legislators to our daily world Trish Dayan
That is the story of Steward hospitals. Several hospitals in MA ( many more around the country) were bought by equity companies that sold the buildings, minus the land, & doubled their investment. The equity companies charged each hospital &100,000/year rent. Voila! Catastrophe. NO medical system or educational system should ever be privatized! ( Nor our USPS, which is another story.)
Kudos to the millions of people like Ruth who have fallen victim to great American Capitalism, i.e. robber barons. Yet another reason why we must vote Blue.
Roosevelt arrogated to himself the undeserved title of "trust buster." He had about as much right to that reputation as he did the Medal of Honor for his "heroism" at San Juan Hill.
People seem to forget, or not understand, that the growing wealth inequality in the US is probably the driving force behind the rise of faux leaders such as DJT, who manifest, in a weird back-handed way, the anger many Americans feel at finding themselves running as hard as possible and just barely staying even, if that. We can lay the rising cultural conflict in the US on this as well. Jim Hightower, along with insightful politicians such as Bernie Sanders, "get it" about this. Historically, in the absence of more explicit remedies, only wars and natural disasters will bring this back into some semblance of balance.
Whoever wins power in the next election, the divide in this country won't be healed unless and until this wealth disparity is addressed. If it's not explicitly addressed, then eventually circumstances will do so, to the detriment of all of us.
A perfect point for Labor Day. Pointing out the greed and disrespect of the manipulators who buy the congressional votes of both parties is so foundational in understanding the importance for each of us to vote for ethics above party, charisma, or other meaningless traits to assure equity for all.
Water resources are not mentioned in the articles about Hydraulic Fracturing, mostly mentioned is energy security and millions and billions of dollars invested over budget and how much the natural gas will sell for once transported to market. Occasionally the climate changing tonnage of pollution the burning thereof would Dump into our atmosphere is included
Biden at first vetoed the Mountain Valley Pipeline but then Senator Manchin (I-WV) forced the completion by threatening to shut down the government back when he was the swing vote Democrat and the Fourth Circuit District Court decision was over ruled by SCOTUS Judge Roberts
The proposed merger will close two out three grocery stores in my rural WA county (2 out of the 126 proposed closures in WA). They say the wholesale firm that will purchase the closed stores will not fire employees, and will honor the union contract, but for how long is a mystery. So is the wholesale firm; it is not known in my county. This is already a county with many at "just making it" levels, layoffs will add to those depending on the food banks and likely to the homeless population. Further, the Kroeger stores do to some extent support local farmers (many organic) and fishermen, but will an unknown wholesale firm? Unlikely. Our Attorney General is fighting it. Luckily we have a Coop and a Farm Stand from which to buy seasonal and local produce. They of course are limited in what they can offer in other goods. So people will drive the 30+ miles to the Costco or other stores. The merger is a disaster for people and the environment.
Mr. Hightower....send this one to the DNC!!! Not that it will do any good.
And certainly send to the Harris-Walz Campaign. Maybe Gov. Walz can explain to VP Harris the importance of REAL middle-American progressive-ism ala Bob LaFollette / FDR style.
Perhaps it is time to hit them in their egos. A major artist, like perhaps Paul McCarthy, would have the clout to do a major installation in the Kravis Wing at MOMA. Perhaps a very large pile of flattened armadillo flying saucers over a wide yellow double line. His studio can pop them out looking like you just peeeled them from the pavement. Explicit comentary on middle of the roading of keeping both sides against Labor.
I wish I could say this was not every day "normal" in America, but unfortunately for American workers, that's how the cards are "stacked". Support Lina Khan! dickg
That corporate disease has been seen in nearly every major business in the USA. It is a cancer in our country that has gone on for so long that many people are unaware of how damaging it is and how much strife it brings. It has now affected all of us and I'm not sure we have the desire or ability to address it with any form of resolve. If we don't I'm afraid that this experiment in democracy is on its deathbed. Voting for Democrats will ease some of this, but the big money is really in control. We have the power to change it only if our candidates are aware that we want, no, DEMAND, some anti-trust action that would make Woodrow Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt proud. It's a huge task.
I worked for a mortgage bank that changed hands three times while I worked there, which shows that you can't fire slaves, you can only sell them. 🤣
I still have my union federal, community first, old Kent, fifth third account but the 100 year old s&l single branch pays 50 times the interest
Thank you Ronald Reagan!
Totally cool!!!
G R E E D well defined by reThuglicans and the probable death of what once was a 'democracy' of world renown and respect.
Now these billionaires, their scam corporations and crypto currencies are buying politicians but worse?
All health groups. Like our 10
Minute doctor visits for everything. Also elder care facilities, understaffed and undertrained caregivers, etc etc. what a total scheme from our legislators to our daily world Trish Dayan
That is the story of Steward hospitals. Several hospitals in MA ( many more around the country) were bought by equity companies that sold the buildings, minus the land, & doubled their investment. The equity companies charged each hospital &100,000/year rent. Voila! Catastrophe. NO medical system or educational system should ever be privatized! ( Nor our USPS, which is another story.)
Rat bastards.
Kudos to the millions of people like Ruth who have fallen victim to great American Capitalism, i.e. robber barons. Yet another reason why we must vote Blue.
Well that tells it all!!
Jim stop drinking Coors they, as you no doubt know are big funders of anti union agenda of Project 2025!!
That's not the only reason to drink Coors, but yes.
Did NOT know & used to live in their home base, Colorado)….
Needed: Another Teddy Roosevelt trust buster. FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan is a start.
Roosevelt arrogated to himself the undeserved title of "trust buster." He had about as much right to that reputation as he did the Medal of Honor for his "heroism" at San Juan Hill.
Thank you, Jim for bringing the truth of this country’s greed, though this is sad but it is a very true story.
People seem to forget, or not understand, that the growing wealth inequality in the US is probably the driving force behind the rise of faux leaders such as DJT, who manifest, in a weird back-handed way, the anger many Americans feel at finding themselves running as hard as possible and just barely staying even, if that. We can lay the rising cultural conflict in the US on this as well. Jim Hightower, along with insightful politicians such as Bernie Sanders, "get it" about this. Historically, in the absence of more explicit remedies, only wars and natural disasters will bring this back into some semblance of balance.
Whoever wins power in the next election, the divide in this country won't be healed unless and until this wealth disparity is addressed. If it's not explicitly addressed, then eventually circumstances will do so, to the detriment of all of us.
YES! YES!! YES! Biden has addressed it but who knows?
(Child tax credit, increased taxes on rich, Civilian Conservation Corps for young , etc. Why Democrats so poor at bragging??!!
A perfect point for Labor Day. Pointing out the greed and disrespect of the manipulators who buy the congressional votes of both parties is so foundational in understanding the importance for each of us to vote for ethics above party, charisma, or other meaningless traits to assure equity for all.
Yes, & now Kamala Harris is backing down from her admirable
“NO” to fracking. West has been raped by fracking wells everywhere…& ? impact on water sources??!!!
Water resources are not mentioned in the articles about Hydraulic Fracturing, mostly mentioned is energy security and millions and billions of dollars invested over budget and how much the natural gas will sell for once transported to market. Occasionally the climate changing tonnage of pollution the burning thereof would Dump into our atmosphere is included
Biden at first vetoed the Mountain Valley Pipeline but then Senator Manchin (I-WV) forced the completion by threatening to shut down the government back when he was the swing vote Democrat and the Fourth Circuit District Court decision was over ruled by SCOTUS Judge Roberts
The proposed merger will close two out three grocery stores in my rural WA county (2 out of the 126 proposed closures in WA). They say the wholesale firm that will purchase the closed stores will not fire employees, and will honor the union contract, but for how long is a mystery. So is the wholesale firm; it is not known in my county. This is already a county with many at "just making it" levels, layoffs will add to those depending on the food banks and likely to the homeless population. Further, the Kroeger stores do to some extent support local farmers (many organic) and fishermen, but will an unknown wholesale firm? Unlikely. Our Attorney General is fighting it. Luckily we have a Coop and a Farm Stand from which to buy seasonal and local produce. They of course are limited in what they can offer in other goods. So people will drive the 30+ miles to the Costco or other stores. The merger is a disaster for people and the environment.
Mr. Hightower....send this one to the DNC!!! Not that it will do any good.
And certainly send to the Harris-Walz Campaign. Maybe Gov. Walz can explain to VP Harris the importance of REAL middle-American progressive-ism ala Bob LaFollette / FDR style.
Perhaps it is time to hit them in their egos. A major artist, like perhaps Paul McCarthy, would have the clout to do a major installation in the Kravis Wing at MOMA. Perhaps a very large pile of flattened armadillo flying saucers over a wide yellow double line. His studio can pop them out looking like you just peeeled them from the pavement. Explicit comentary on middle of the roading of keeping both sides against Labor.
Why does our society lionize these a-holes?
Thanks, Jim.
I wish I could say this was not every day "normal" in America, but unfortunately for American workers, that's how the cards are "stacked". Support Lina Khan! dickg