James Madison’s blueprint for billionaires still runs the show, from part-time gigs at the sandwich shop to Trump’s NATO shrug and Elon Musk’s calls for dissolution of Parliament.
Excellent summary of the world political situation. The world is still SNAFU. Maybe humanity is getting smarter. More of us are aware. To me it means we can work together for an innovative solution. Thanks Mary for the excellent briefing.
The part-time job business: eeeyeh. I had two when I tried to keep things going for me and two kids. That was 30 years ago, so clearly employers haven't changed. Part-time is minimum wage, no sick pay, no holiday pay, no vacation. I was terrified I'd get sick. Thanks to their deadbeat dad, the kids and I lived on cereal for six months. Sad to say, if the government doesn't cover the cost of "compassion," there isn't any.
For a long time, I’ve suspected that Putin is blackmailing Trump. So Trump isn’t gonna do shit about Putin. But I suspect that the nasty truths will come out one way or another.
I was just posting about this today, myself. A minority of super rich and powerful have a vested interest in keeping the rest of us, the rabble, the unwashed masses, divided and at each others' throats. That way we don't notice how they continue to gouge us all and tilt further the playing fields to favor themselves and their spawn.
#HostLife - The people have been turned into "hosts" (a food source - rent payers) for the 1% parasites (leeches - rent collectors) by the re-establishment of the "West Virginia Coal Mine Experience"™ (circa 1900). See Earned Vs. Unearned income
By incrementally monopolizing necessities (food, water, shelter, utilities, medicine, even information), by debt expansion, and by wage suppression: we now work in their company "mines" (cube farms, whatever), live in their company housing (mortgage), shop in their company store (credit card debt), pay MONOPOLY prices for basic necessities.
Literally, cradle to grave slavery to a small collection of "Nanny" Transnational Corporations (all owned at the top by a handful of investors)
One thing I learned when studying the founding of this country and the men involved in it was that James Madison's writings were very nuanced and sometimes needed to be read several times in order to understand what he was saying. Jefferson is usually an easier read. I think that the quote that you used from Madison needs to be looked into further, as there is a mountain of his writings that kind of contradict your quick interpretation of this Madison quote. Here is Thom Hartman's take on Madison and the Federalist no. 10 that is related to what you posted here.https://hartmannreport.com/p/james-madison-warned-us-the-morbidly-ea8 So in Thom's reading of Madison, Madison is not such a protector of the wealthy landowners, and really did not write a "blueprint for billionaires".
The quote was from Madison’s own notes, not Federalist 10, but no argument that interpretation of long dead leaders is a bit like arguing over bible verses
It would seem as Mary suggests, we have come full circle viz a viz Madison. Not surprising, the Framers espoused an egalitarian society but one governed by the elite—educated, inherently virtuous (by their conceit), and landed (property). Go no further than “all men…” to understand that noble phrase was delimited by a view of “men.” Is seems to me they did not fully grasp was the empowerment given the ordinary. So today we again return to substance (wealth with its privilege) and full citizenship are co-dependent. Puzzle as I have to understand the MAGA strategic endpoint, it occurs the end-point is disorder. As such, it destroys the structure of institutions replacing with monarchical like loyalty. Go no further than Trump’s latest “only I can save them” (troops into cities). He offers such as remedy to the very chaos he creates by destroying our Constitutional order. It is a “utopia” repeatedly tried and repudiated in history.
Peter Theil is largely behind Trump. He’s the one, as I’m sure you remember, who is Bank rolling Vance. What they ultimately want is a white male theocracy. Check out Shannon Vavich on YouTube, under the flying kitchen. Also check out Opus Dei.
I often ponder what indeed is the desired MAGA (not really MAGA's but that of trump and the GOP) endpoint? I suppose "christian" white men as lords of all. Women pregnant and in the kitchen. But who will do all the grunt work - surely not them? Who will repopulate the country as white birthrates continue to crater.? Who will prevent the various factions of whiteness and or Christianity from warring with each other? Who will drive creativity and innovation? I'm not sure they have this whole thing worked out. Or, are they solely in it for the billionaires, and everyone else be damned??
“Boating inconvenience” is hilarious ..rhyming with voting impedance ..how many did not vote in ‘24? ..because they couldn’t? wouldn’t ?
With speculation mounting it was rigged? And still yet!!!
I’m so tired of us playing dumbfounded ..I was savvy in 2015 what was going on, in fact, made my move in early 70’s seeing this coming…it took longer than expected and goes to the letter undoing the laws.
Decency is “Old Fashion” . Intentional. The issues of focus are petty , involve 2% of any given population ( I am guessing ) but the elephants in the room are ‘the spin’..taking principle out for a one way walk . It’s fascist fashion on steroids and a nation in trouble.
The history you mention has changed very little from James Madison's era. Madison was, indeed, a man of his time who was brought up in an elite environment that most definitely put him in the circle of wealthy property owners and thus his personal beliefs mirrored just that. He was a slave owner all his life. In my estimation, today we would call him an exploitative employer and not a champion of the people . We have veered very little from that description in present society. Our choice of candidates are categorically representatives of wealth and status with a sprinkling of work-a-day- people. We have interfered in the elections of too many countries yet always manage to cry fowl whenever "our side" in this country loses. We have been careless both as individuals and as a nation and now, we reap what we have sown. If there is a way out, it will be through thoroughly changing the time-honored ways we have always conducted our democracy. This is no time for sissies! We must stand together as one to defend our beliefs , our sense of equality, and our ethics against this tide of insanity that currently grips our nation. This is a time for "just do it" and "Just say No" if ever there was in my lifetime. Thanks, Mary, for blending a little history into our present day situation.
TACO rump moved the goal posts again on Ukraine and NATO. No sanctions on Russia unless blah blah blah…
Excellent summary of the world political situation. The world is still SNAFU. Maybe humanity is getting smarter. More of us are aware. To me it means we can work together for an innovative solution. Thanks Mary for the excellent briefing.
The part-time job business: eeeyeh. I had two when I tried to keep things going for me and two kids. That was 30 years ago, so clearly employers haven't changed. Part-time is minimum wage, no sick pay, no holiday pay, no vacation. I was terrified I'd get sick. Thanks to their deadbeat dad, the kids and I lived on cereal for six months. Sad to say, if the government doesn't cover the cost of "compassion," there isn't any.
I feel terrible for the young job seekers who are trying to navigate this mess. And if they have college debt on top of that….. 😡😡
For a long time, I’ve suspected that Putin is blackmailing Trump. So Trump isn’t gonna do shit about Putin. But I suspect that the nasty truths will come out one way or another.
Agreed. Same with the Epstein files.
I was just posting about this today, myself. A minority of super rich and powerful have a vested interest in keeping the rest of us, the rabble, the unwashed masses, divided and at each others' throats. That way we don't notice how they continue to gouge us all and tilt further the playing fields to favor themselves and their spawn.
My point as well, yours is more succinct. 👍
#HostLife - The people have been turned into "hosts" (a food source - rent payers) for the 1% parasites (leeches - rent collectors) by the re-establishment of the "West Virginia Coal Mine Experience"™ (circa 1900). See Earned Vs. Unearned income
By incrementally monopolizing necessities (food, water, shelter, utilities, medicine, even information), by debt expansion, and by wage suppression: we now work in their company "mines" (cube farms, whatever), live in their company housing (mortgage), shop in their company store (credit card debt), pay MONOPOLY prices for basic necessities.
Literally, cradle to grave slavery to a small collection of "Nanny" Transnational Corporations (all owned at the top by a handful of investors)
One thing I learned when studying the founding of this country and the men involved in it was that James Madison's writings were very nuanced and sometimes needed to be read several times in order to understand what he was saying. Jefferson is usually an easier read. I think that the quote that you used from Madison needs to be looked into further, as there is a mountain of his writings that kind of contradict your quick interpretation of this Madison quote. Here is Thom Hartman's take on Madison and the Federalist no. 10 that is related to what you posted here.https://hartmannreport.com/p/james-madison-warned-us-the-morbidly-ea8 So in Thom's reading of Madison, Madison is not such a protector of the wealthy landowners, and really did not write a "blueprint for billionaires".
The quote was from Madison’s own notes, not Federalist 10, but no argument that interpretation of long dead leaders is a bit like arguing over bible verses
It would seem as Mary suggests, we have come full circle viz a viz Madison. Not surprising, the Framers espoused an egalitarian society but one governed by the elite—educated, inherently virtuous (by their conceit), and landed (property). Go no further than “all men…” to understand that noble phrase was delimited by a view of “men.” Is seems to me they did not fully grasp was the empowerment given the ordinary. So today we again return to substance (wealth with its privilege) and full citizenship are co-dependent. Puzzle as I have to understand the MAGA strategic endpoint, it occurs the end-point is disorder. As such, it destroys the structure of institutions replacing with monarchical like loyalty. Go no further than Trump’s latest “only I can save them” (troops into cities). He offers such as remedy to the very chaos he creates by destroying our Constitutional order. It is a “utopia” repeatedly tried and repudiated in history.
Peter Theil is largely behind Trump. He’s the one, as I’m sure you remember, who is Bank rolling Vance. What they ultimately want is a white male theocracy. Check out Shannon Vavich on YouTube, under the flying kitchen. Also check out Opus Dei.
They are Trump’s base. All transactional. All greed. They understand each other well. The rest of us, a distraction to their purpose.
I often ponder what indeed is the desired MAGA (not really MAGA's but that of trump and the GOP) endpoint? I suppose "christian" white men as lords of all. Women pregnant and in the kitchen. But who will do all the grunt work - surely not them? Who will repopulate the country as white birthrates continue to crater.? Who will prevent the various factions of whiteness and or Christianity from warring with each other? Who will drive creativity and innovation? I'm not sure they have this whole thing worked out. Or, are they solely in it for the billionaires, and everyone else be damned??
Definitely has a let them eat cake quality.
“Boating inconvenience” is hilarious ..rhyming with voting impedance ..how many did not vote in ‘24? ..because they couldn’t? wouldn’t ?
With speculation mounting it was rigged? And still yet!!!
I’m so tired of us playing dumbfounded ..I was savvy in 2015 what was going on, in fact, made my move in early 70’s seeing this coming…it took longer than expected and goes to the letter undoing the laws.
Decency is “Old Fashion” . Intentional. The issues of focus are petty , involve 2% of any given population ( I am guessing ) but the elephants in the room are ‘the spin’..taking principle out for a one way walk . It’s fascist fashion on steroids and a nation in trouble.
Thank you, Mary. Stay safe.
The history you mention has changed very little from James Madison's era. Madison was, indeed, a man of his time who was brought up in an elite environment that most definitely put him in the circle of wealthy property owners and thus his personal beliefs mirrored just that. He was a slave owner all his life. In my estimation, today we would call him an exploitative employer and not a champion of the people . We have veered very little from that description in present society. Our choice of candidates are categorically representatives of wealth and status with a sprinkling of work-a-day- people. We have interfered in the elections of too many countries yet always manage to cry fowl whenever "our side" in this country loses. We have been careless both as individuals and as a nation and now, we reap what we have sown. If there is a way out, it will be through thoroughly changing the time-honored ways we have always conducted our democracy. This is no time for sissies! We must stand together as one to defend our beliefs , our sense of equality, and our ethics against this tide of insanity that currently grips our nation. This is a time for "just do it" and "Just say No" if ever there was in my lifetime. Thanks, Mary, for blending a little history into our present day situation.