How can America have BROADLY SHARED prosperity once again?

[Politruk]

Dumb.

You won't find anything dumb on that site.

 

[UltraChad]

You won't find anything dumb on that site.

Everything you've ever linked there? Dumb.

 

[Politruk]

Everything you've ever linked there? Dumb.

That is a damned lie.

 

[Politruk]

We walked everywhere, saving money on gas or car repairs.

That is now impossible for most Americans. How many places you might need to go in a day are within walking distance of your front door?

 

[YDB95]

Never advocated for shitting on the 99%.

You do that constantly. You just don't realize it's what you're doing.

Now, how can we have broadly-shared prosperity once again? More progressive taxation, living wage laws, and growing a culture of mutual respect for one another instead of caring only about oneself. Hey, I didn't say it would be easy.

 

[JohnEngelman]

How does shitting on the 1% help the middle class?

How does Trump defecating in a solid gold toilet in his penthouse in Trump Tower help the middle class?

 

[Politruk]

You do that constantly. You just don't realize it's what you're doing.

Now, how can we have broadly-shared prosperity once again? More progressive taxation, living wage laws, and growing a culture of mutual respect for one another instead of caring only about oneself. Hey, I didn't say it would be easy.

None of that can happen until we have a political party to the left of the Democrats that is at least as politically relevant here as the New Democrats are in Canada. (The New Democrats never rule, but their presence does make a real difference.) Or else, until left-progressives take over the Democrats like the Tea Party took over the GOP. But neither party in its present formation would do anything like what you're describing.

 

[JohnEngelman]

The mid-1940s through the mid-1970s was a time when the difference between the American working class and the middle class faded, because it was possible for a white man, at least, with only a high-school education to earn a middle-class income through manual labor. That will not happen again in our lifetime. Between them, automation, offshoring, and the decline of organized labor have eliminated too many of the high-wage, low-skill manufacturing jobs.

Trump got elected by playing on working-class resentment of this situation -- but he never had any clue as to a solution.

Is there one? Can anything be done about this?

Trump never had any intention to solving the problem. His first concern is himself. His second concern is his family. His third concern is his rich friends. His fourth concern is the rich in general.

 

[LargoKitt]

Here's an idea that isn't communism: Employee ownership and employee democracy. If you work for a public corporation start an employees organization that includes everyone, top to bottom. Take polls of the membership on new ideas. Begin to take polls on company decisions. Intro the idea that every employee should be paid in stocks or stock options. Some members of the rank and file on the board of directors. Amass enough employee stock votes to influence decisions. Bottom line: If towns and cities should be run by the votes of their citizens shouldn't public companies?

 

[Dearelliot]

That is now impossible for most Americans. How many places you might need to go in a day are within walking distance of your front door?

Right most areas where I lived in the 40s had a small grocery store on a corner.. there were many,.

 

[UltraChad]

How does Trump defecating in a solid gold toilet in his penthouse in Trump Tower help the middle class?

Nobody claimed it did.

Unlike leftist with basic chimp rage at anyone with 50 cents more than they got and think shitting on everyone with more than they have (IF I can't be rich NODOBY WILL!!" LOL) will somehow bring more prosperity to the American people.

 

[UltraChad]

Here's an idea that isn't communism: Employee ownership and employee democracy.

Liberal socialism.

Problem is not everyone want to do that, because it's not very good.

Turns out Janitors are bad at running Fortune 500 companies.

Amass enough employee stock votes to influence decisions.

Good way to destroy a company.

Bottom line: If towns and cities should be run by the votes of their citizens shouldn't public companies?

Because democracy is bad at running corporations.

 

[LargoKitt]

Liberal socialism.

Problem is not everyone want to do that, because it's not very good.

Turns out Janitors are bad at running Fortune 500 companies.



Good way to destroy a company.



Because democracy is bad at running corporations.

I agree. Democracy is bad at running corporations for the benefit of a rich few. But CEOs always need the help of everyone else. National socialism (Nazi) is evil. Democratic socialism can be pretty cool. The idea that the best comes from everyone competing to get their own goodies is bogus. "Sorry, Little Chad, you don't get to eat because your big brother got to the toast first. Remember to stab him in the hand with your fork next time." Cooperation is as important a tool as competition in capitalism.

 

[UltraChad]

You do that constantly.

Not ever. You can't name a single example.

You just don't realize it's what you're doing.

Your fantasies and delusions, that not shitting on the 1% is somehow shitting on the 99% aren't anything I can realize.

It's just lefty stupidity.

Now, how can we have broadly-shared prosperity once again? More progressive taxation, living wage laws, and growing a culture of mutual respect for one another instead of caring only about oneself. Hey, I didn't say it would be easy.

LOL just destroy anyone with more than me and "teach" them to respect it!!

Nothing but envy and spite, typical lefty.

 

[Rightguide]

The mid-1940s through the mid-1970s was a time when the difference between the American working class and the middle class faded, because it was possible for a white man, at least, with only a high-school education to earn a middle-class income through manual labor. That will not happen again in our lifetime.

As for the claim that "this will never happen again in our lifetime," that assumes the economy is some immutable force of nature rather than a system shaped by policies and priorities. If wages are stagnant and jobs are gutted, it’s not because of fate—it’s because of decisions made by the same class of people now lamenting a past they never fully understood.

 

[Bn2f]

Not ever.

As for the claim that "this will never happen again in our lifetime,"

These 2 dipshits bought hook line and sinker that a corporatist known for bankrupting even a freakin casino was suited to run the world’s greatest bureaucracy.
He then proceeded to leave America with a tag of 3 trillion in more debt, established no treaty of note, and golfed his time away.
trump is good only for breaking things a real ceo would build ties, create laws, and find a way to bring jobs in. It’s our tax dollars he’s shitted away upwards to his cronie friends. Socialist acquired dollars enriching the rich. Of course to the stupid trump appears smart.

 

[LargoKitt]

There are a bunch of people who believe that, "No one would dare touch me. I would SO kick their ass" is a position of security. I know how to kick ass. But living in a world where I get respect through fear is, to me, pathetic. There's bigger, better strength in real community. And life isn't a 'zero sum' game. You don't have to lose for me to win, and visa versa.

 

[LargoKitt]

The mid-1940s through the mid-1970s was a time when the difference between the American working class and the middle class faded, because it was possible for a white man, at least, with only a high-school education to earn a middle-class income through manual labor. That will not happen again in our lifetime. Between them, automation, offshoring, and the decline of organized labor have eliminated too many of the high-wage, low-skill manufacturing jobs.

Trump got elected by playing on working-class resentment of this situation -- but he never had any clue as to a solution.

Is there one? Can anything be done about this?

You don't have to be the boss to own the company. Is there any movement to encourage line employees to buy enough company stock to sway some decisions?

 

[LargoKitt]

Productivity requires people to work every hour of every day.


Get to work comrade.

Traditional capitalist productivity asks that workers be treated as expendable resources who get less in pay than the value they add to the company no matter how 'hard' they work. So to really encourage productivity give every employee what the C-suite gets 'productivity bonuses' often paid in stock options that make them owners. (C-suite gets bonuses for laying people off and making the rest work harder for the same money.) Are those eight people at the top of the company working harder than everyone else? Nope. Is a CFOs work more important than say a mid-level product designer who came up with the best-selling product? Nope. Everybody's work is valuable. Give all a piece of the pie.

 

[Politruk]

Here's an idea that isn't communism: Employee ownership and employee democracy. If you work for a public corporation start an employees organization that includes everyone, top to bottom. Take polls of the membership on new ideas. Begin to take polls on company decisions. Intro the idea that every employee should be paid in stocks or stock options. Some members of the rank and file on the board of directors. Amass enough employee stock votes to influence decisions. Bottom line: If towns and cities should be run by the votes of their citizens shouldn't public companies?

You know that MAGAts will call that Communism.

 

[Politruk]

As for the claim that "this will never happen again in our lifetime," that assumes the economy is some immutable force of nature rather than a system shaped by policies and priorities. If wages are stagnant and jobs are gutted, it’s not because of fate—it’s because of decisions made by the same class of people now lamenting a past they never fully understood.

It is because of systemic changes in the economy since 1980, caused by decisions made by corporate executives, not workers. who had no say at all. They're the ones who decided to put in automation. They're the ones who decided to relocate their factories to countries where the labor is cheaper. They're the ones who decided to kill the labor unions. See The Work of Nations, by Robert Reich.

 

[Politruk]

You don't have to be the boss to own the company. Is there any movement to encourage line employees to buy enough company stock to sway some decisions?

I never heard of a movement, but there are employee-owned companies.

 

[UltraChad]

I agree. Democracy is bad at running corporations for the benefit of a rich few.

No, it's just bad.

That's why so very few companies of any note operate like this.

Democratic socialism can be pretty cool.

LMFAO!!!! I've never seen a single example.

The idea that the best comes from everyone competing to get their own goodies is bogus.

Then why has the best come from competition??

Why is USSR dead for 35 years now and not making the entire planet it's economic bitch???

Socialism is a big fat fail.

"Sorry, Little Chad, you don't get to eat because your big brother got to the toast first. Remember to stab him in the hand with your fork next time." Cooperation is as important a tool as competition in capitalism.

Cooperation yes....but FORCED EQUITY by the state, no.

People should be free to work how they like, not forced to work how leftist FEEL they should.

And when they are allowed to? The egalitarian collectivist don't do very well.

 

[UltraChad]

You know that MAGAts will call that Communism.

It is socialism.

And at the end of the day, like all socialism, is pointed at the communist end goal.

 

[Politruk]

No, it's just bad.

That's why so very few companies of any note operate like this.

See post #47.