In his 1962 book, Capitalism and Freedom, Nobel Prize-winning (1976) economist Milton Friedman (1912-2006) expressed an optimistic vision of commercial exchange that emphasized the idea that both sides could win and that such exchanges were essentially civil. The possibility of co-ordination through voluntary co-operation, rests on the elementary—yet frequently denied—proposition that both parties to an … Read more
America today is characterized by outrageously high income inequality, a crumbling social safety net, financially struggling public schools, expensive or unavailable health care, the loss of employer retirement plans, and the privatizing of government services. What many don’t know is that this sad state of affairs is the result of a deliberate plan created 50 … Read more
2020 Presidential ElectionCertified Electoral College VoteJoseph R. Biden – 306Donald J. Trump – 232 Five States flipped from red to blue.Pennsylvania – 20 Electoral VotesMichigan – 16 Electoral VotesGeorgia – 16 Electoral VotesArizona – 11 Electoral VotesWisconsin – 10 Electoral VotesBiden also picked up one Electoral Vote out of Nebraska’s five.All other states voted the … Read more
Now that the Biden/Harris transition has begun, there is talk about what will or should happen to Donald Trump after his presidency. The conversation ranges from those who want Trump, his family, his supporters, (and half of Congress!) in prison as soon as possible, to those who advocate “reaching out,” to his supporters and “moving … Read more
If American democracy ceases to move forward as a living force, seeking day and night by peaceful means to better the lot of our citizens, fascism will grow in strength in our land. Franklin Roosevelt Umberto Eco (1932 – 2016) was an Italian philosopher, cultural critic, novelist, and political and social commentator. He grew up … Read more
One of the worst forms of human bondage is financial debt. Indeed, throughout most of history, debt could literally land one in prison. During the 1700’s and 1800’s in England, ten thousand people were imprisoned for debt each year. However, the prison term did not count as paying the debt. Instead, an inmate was typically … Read more
Let me tell you what I think you already know, but you have to say it out loud. Inequality is by design.From those who colonized us 400 years ago, systems were built around people in power, by people in power, to keep their power. And 400 years ago, who were those people in power? White, … Read more
We never hear the word “usury” anymore. The early Christian Fathers taught that usury was a sin for which one could be damned to Hell. It was considered to be equivalent to robbery. Usury, of course, is the lending of money for interest. The charging of interest is basic to modern capitalism. Capitalists refer to … Read more