Has Our Democracy Come to an End...
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5fish
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Video is about Argentina's economic history, and they have a political system that is so unequal that the elite state capture it, just as Musk and the billionaires have done here... watch the last third of the video, by Argentina's history was interesting...
diane
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There's the old saying: Them that has, gets.Hoarding is killing America
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Bekijk je favoriete video's, luister naar de muziek die je leuk vindt, upload originele content en deel alles met vrienden, familie en anderen op YouTube.www.youtube.com
Silas Marner. Needs to be read more again! The acquisition of so much, isolates and that twists. Yes, Mr Gatsby, the rich are not like other people! Mr Potter substituted power for decency - that's why he had Napoleon busts around his office and a skull paperweight on his desk. (I'm not sure It's A Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie, by the way, but that's another thread!)
Interesting to look at the world's richest women and what they are like. Alice Walton, of Walmart fame, may be at the top. There are about a dozen men ahead of her and most of them are household names. It's still a bit of a mystery about the female view of extraordinary wealth. (And the assumption that all of them are heiresses! Most, but not all...) Women, even wealthy ones - and that seems to be even more inhibiting - use the power differently. But there aren't enough with enough to really study!
5fish
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Here is this on Hoarding Billionaires. This article is from 2022 only gotten worse...
asiatimes.com
The world’s 10 richest men now possess – and largely hoard – more wealth than the 3.1 billion poorest people
But the world’s roughly 2,700 billionaires make most of their money not through wages but through gains in the value of their stocks and other investments.
The rich tend to spend less of their money than the poor. As a result, the extreme concentration of wealth can slow the pace of economic growth.
Extreme inequality can also exacerbate political dysfunction and undermine faith in political and economic systems. It can also erode principles of fairness and democratic norms of sharing power and resources.
Hoarding billionaires stunting global growth - Asia Times
US income inequality grew in 2021 for the first time in a decade, according to data the Census Bureau released in September 2022. That might sound
asiatimes.com
The world’s 10 richest men now possess – and largely hoard – more wealth than the 3.1 billion poorest people
But the world’s roughly 2,700 billionaires make most of their money not through wages but through gains in the value of their stocks and other investments.
The rich tend to spend less of their money than the poor. As a result, the extreme concentration of wealth can slow the pace of economic growth.
Extreme inequality can also exacerbate political dysfunction and undermine faith in political and economic systems. It can also erode principles of fairness and democratic norms of sharing power and resources.
5fish
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It's the rich...
www.marketplace.org
If you are a frequent listener of “Marketplace” — or even an infrequent listener, for that matter — you are well aware that the American consumer is the beating heart of this economy, accounting for almost 70% of U.S. GDP.
Turns out though in recent years, all that spending has been increasingly driven by a relatively small group of people. Namely, pretty well-off people.
According to a recent analysis from Moody’s Analytics for the Wall Street Journal, households with the top 10% of incomes, making about $250,000 or more a year, now account for nearly half of all consumer spending — the highest share since they’ve been collecting data on this stuff.
Higher income Americans drive bigger share of consumer spending
It could make the economy more vulnerable.
If you are a frequent listener of “Marketplace” — or even an infrequent listener, for that matter — you are well aware that the American consumer is the beating heart of this economy, accounting for almost 70% of U.S. GDP.
Turns out though in recent years, all that spending has been increasingly driven by a relatively small group of people. Namely, pretty well-off people.
According to a recent analysis from Moody’s Analytics for the Wall Street Journal, households with the top 10% of incomes, making about $250,000 or more a year, now account for nearly half of all consumer spending — the highest share since they’ve been collecting data on this stuff.
5fish
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Here is a lesson from the Republic of Venice... They use the word doge first...
observatory.wiki
Over more than a thousand years, Venice transformed from a modest refuge into a dominant Mediterranean power. Despite various crises and encircling empires, the Venetian Republic avoided foreign rule, revolution, and collapse.
It developed an adaptable and efficient political system, building on its semi-independence from the 5th century until Napoleon’s conquest in 1797. In an international system dominated by self-proclaimed democratic republics, the longevity and eventual downfall of Venice’s oligarchic republican model provides insights for tailoring governance to contemporary challenges. Its unique political structure inspired founding fathers of the United States, like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, who looked to Venice’s early system when shaping the republic. By blending Roman legal principles, Byzantine refinements like the Justinian Code (a compilation of Roman laws shaped by Greek traditions that codified and systematized legal practices), and its original innovations, Venice became a symbol of stability, endurance, and independence.
www.italynotes.com
And thus, determined to make sense of it all, I put some effort into understanding Venice's state apparatus. In this post, I'll describe the separate layers of the Republic's government. Hopefully, this insight will help you appreciate the city's monuments — especially the Doge's Palace — even more.
The Venetian Republic Offers Powerful Lessons to an American One in Need of Repair
The Venetian Republic’s political system, emerging alongside those of other Italian city-states, was founded on collaboration and power distribution.
observatory.wiki
Over more than a thousand years, Venice transformed from a modest refuge into a dominant Mediterranean power. Despite various crises and encircling empires, the Venetian Republic avoided foreign rule, revolution, and collapse.
It developed an adaptable and efficient political system, building on its semi-independence from the 5th century until Napoleon’s conquest in 1797. In an international system dominated by self-proclaimed democratic republics, the longevity and eventual downfall of Venice’s oligarchic republican model provides insights for tailoring governance to contemporary challenges. Its unique political structure inspired founding fathers of the United States, like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, who looked to Venice’s early system when shaping the republic. By blending Roman legal principles, Byzantine refinements like the Justinian Code (a compilation of Roman laws shaped by Greek traditions that codified and systematized legal practices), and its original innovations, Venice became a symbol of stability, endurance, and independence.
Venetian politics: everything you need to know about the state apparatus
Find out more about medieval Venetian politics, where power was spread across various institutions. The Doge, a symbolic figurehead, had limited authority, while real power rested with councils like the Senate, the Great Council, and the Council of Ten. These bodies collectively made key decisions,
www.italynotes.com
And thus, determined to make sense of it all, I put some effort into understanding Venice's state apparatus. In this post, I'll describe the separate layers of the Republic's government. Hopefully, this insight will help you appreciate the city's monuments — especially the Doge's Palace — even more.
5fish
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5fish
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Inequality is what is ending our Republic... Here is another warning sign about our economy before the tariffs... Spending... A.I. generated summary...
Yes, the top 10% of earners in the US now account for nearly half of all consumer spending, a record high since at least 1989, according to an analysis by Moody's Analytics.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Yes, the top 10% of earners in the US now account for nearly half of all consumer spending, a record high since at least 1989, according to an analysis by Moody's Analytics.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
- Top 10% Spending Power:
The wealthiest 10% of American households, those making roughly $250,000 or more a year, are responsible for 49.7% of all consumer spending.
- Record High Spending:
This represents the highest share of spending by the top 10% since at least 1989, according to the analysis.
- Economic Impact:
This means that the U.S. economy is increasingly dependent on the spending habits of the richest.
- Data Source:
The analysis was conducted by Moody's Analytics, with the findings published by the Wall Street Journal.
- Other Findings:
According to Bloomberg, the top 10% of earners account for nearly a third of the country's gross domestic product.
- Context:
According to the Wall Street Journal, many Americans are struggling with high prices and inflation, while the well-off are spending more, buoyed by gains in assets.
5fish
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5fish
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Trump's attack on Federal Judges may end Democracy...
The power of a single judge to issue a nationwide injunction has become pivotal in the question of whether Trump can quickly implement his aggressive agenda, pushing the limits of presidential power. Several cases either already awaiting action by the Supreme Court or heading toward nine justices involve such a judicial order.
"No president likes them, whether that's a Democratic president or Republican president, because they're really a method of cabining executive power," said University of Virginia law professor Amanda Frost, who has studied these judicial remedies.
The power of a single judge to issue a nationwide injunction has become pivotal in the question of whether Trump can quickly implement his aggressive agenda, pushing the limits of presidential power. Several cases either already awaiting action by the Supreme Court or heading toward nine justices involve such a judicial order.
"No president likes them, whether that's a Democratic president or Republican president, because they're really a method of cabining executive power," said University of Virginia law professor Amanda Frost, who has studied these judicial remedies.
5fish
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Here is a good article about the end of liberal democracy. The only superpower will not be a Democracy anymore. Scary?
In the future, the decades between 1946 and 2025 and the era of liberal institutionalism we experienced after the Second World War might be looked back upon as an anomaly.
This brings us back to my contention about US ‘political culture’. Many types of US elites no longer seem to value democracy. Or never had high value for democracy to begin with.
What Trump has done so far makes me believe we are well on the way to sham ‘illiberal democracy’, or ‘electoral autocracy.
The strongest advocates among the major powers for liberal democratic principles in international affairs would likely be the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan.
The end of US democracy and what this means for international relations
Once the pillar of democracy, the US now flirts with authoritarianism. ANU expert Ben Goldsmith unpacks what this means.
reporter.anu.edu.au
In the future, the decades between 1946 and 2025 and the era of liberal institutionalism we experienced after the Second World War might be looked back upon as an anomaly.
This brings us back to my contention about US ‘political culture’. Many types of US elites no longer seem to value democracy. Or never had high value for democracy to begin with.
What Trump has done so far makes me believe we are well on the way to sham ‘illiberal democracy’, or ‘electoral autocracy.
The strongest advocates among the major powers for liberal democratic principles in international affairs would likely be the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan.
5fish
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Amazingly, Britain is economically melting down, but immigrants must go... It is obvious that racism is more important than your economic survival... Britain is short of bodies to do the work, but immigrants must be stopped. It seems white democracies like America and Britain worry more about skin color than humanity and prosperity. I think the rest of Western White democracies will follow the same path... @jgoodguy , @rittmeister ... Democracy end where one's skin color changes to darker tones in white western eyes...
Britain and immigration...
Britain and immigration...