Robert Reich – Powered by Inequality Media
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Racism and Unemployment in America: A Pandemic Within a Pandemic
Solana Rice of Liberation in a Generation Action joins former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich to discuss the horrific killings of unarmed Black people over the past three months — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade, and countless others who haven’t received media attention — which have ignited yet another outpouring of grief, anger, and frustration as Americans take to the streets to protest decades of harsh policing and unjust killings of Black Americans. Reich and Rice will also break down the May jobs report and examine the intersections between race and the economy, and how the racial wealth gap is as bad now as it was in 1968. -
The Power of White Fear feat. Chris Hayes
Chris Hayes explains the power of white fear and the great divide between the “Colony” and the “Nation.” From our country's founding to Selma, Ferguson, and more than 140 cities today, we have seen our two Americas laid bare. In one America, white people enjoy the freedom and privilege to go about their lives however they see fit. In the other, Black and brown people are terrorized and oppressed by the state, their freedom crushed by discriminatory and harsh policing.
This video is from 2017 — and more relevant than ever.
Watch More: Economic Inequality and Racism ►► https://youtu.be/V02Gl5eFxI8 -
It’s Time to Send Trump and McConnell Packing | Robert Reich
In this episode of The Common Good, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich discusses the horrific police killing of George Floyd, how white protesters with AR-15s and Confederate regalia were allowed to storm state capitols to demand reopening while black protesters advocating for racial justice were met with tear gas, how the temporary relief passed by Congress will soon expire even as the economic crisis continues, why Trump and McConnell refuse to lift a finger to intervene, and how Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is exploiting this pandemic to funnel money to private and religious schools. -
Robert Reich's Advice to the Class of 2020
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich shares one of his final classes, when him and his students were still all together in a classroom. The lessons still hold, especially in this pandemic and economic crisis — the importance of personal resilience, the inevitability of failure, the challenge of designing your own hoops to jump through, and the central importance of gaining wisdom about yourself. The Class of 2020 may be graduating into the worst economy in 80 years, but the multiple crises we're facing are also opportunities to remake this nation and the world into more just societies. -
Reich at Home: Trump Golfing as the U.S. Mourns 100,000 Dead
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich is discussing Trump's criminal negligence, as he takes to the golf course this Memorial Day weekend while Americans mourn 100,000 lives lost to coronavirus. So far his golf trips have cost taxpayers more than $134,000,000 — 335 years of presidential salary.
This November 3, we dump Trump. In the meantime, pray for America. -
Jared Kushner & Co. Just Got a $160 Billion Tax Windfall | Robert Reich
In this episode of The Common Good, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich takes a look at Republican priorities during the pandemic: tax breaks for the rich and corporate bailouts. Reich breaks down how two tax provisions that overwhelmingly benefit real estate investors (like Jared Kushner) and hedge funds made it in to the CARES Act: extensive lobbying done by a trade group in which Jared Kushner's family's company is a major player. He also answers another pressing question of the pandemic: Why won't Republicans in Congress fund federal aid for state and local governments? Reich explores how decades of Republican ideology of "starving the beast" and pushing for privatization are coming to a head in this crisis, as state and local governments are forced into draconian budget cuts for crucial public services. He also discusses the gap between Democrats' and Republicans' dedication to investing in the common good, and exposes the hypocrisy of Mitch McConnell dubbing relief for state and local governments as "blue state bailouts." -
A Tale of Two Pandemics with Robert Reich
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich debunks the notion that the coronavirus is "the great equalizer," and explains how systemic inequality in America has produced two very different pandemics.
The horrific truth is that Native Americans, Latinos, and African-Americans are dying at much higher rates than white people - and we don’t know the half of it because the CDC hasn’t released any racial data about the virus; we don’t know if they’re even collecting it.
But the picture emerging from cities, states, and reservations is that of an atrocity: people of color are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Decades of segregated housing, pollution, lack of access to medical care, and poverty have left communities of color vulnerable to the worst of this virus.
And the virus isn’t just discriminating by race, it’s also disproportionately affecting the working class and poor of every race.
36.5 million Americans are out of work and struggling to pay the bills as America's billionaires have grown their wealth by $308 billion in a little more than a month.
Any rush to “open the economy” is really about forcing working people back into harm’s way while the rich and affluent can safely work from home, continuing to profit from this crisis.
We are all weathering the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat. This is a tale of two pandemics.
Watch More: The Real Reason Trump Wants to Reopen the Economy ►►
https://youtu.be/lCE4FMv1-ho -
Reich at Home: Trump's Watchdog Firing Rampage
Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich is discussing Trump's firing of Inspector General Steve Linick for investigating Pompeo, the chilling effect of Trump's watchdog firing rampage, what it's like to to see a president speak in coherent sentences, why senators Burr and Loeffler must resign for insider trading during the pandemic, and what we can learn from Texas — which reported more coronavirus cases after reopening. -
Trump's Propaganda Reaches a Fever Pitch and Elon Musk's Most Selfish Week Ever | TCG w Robert Reich
In this episode of The Common Good, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich discusses how Elon Musk represents the worst of capitalism and what it's like to be called a "boring idiot" by the Tesla CEO; the two Supreme Court cases regarding Trump's tax returns, and Trump's belief that he's above the law; how Dr. Anthony Fauci's testimony before the Senate directly contradicts the Trump administration's determination to reopen the economy at all costs; and Trump's outrageous strategy to deflect attention from his disastrous response to the pandemic with outrageous conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama. -
Robert Reich: The Real Reason Trump Wants to Reopen the Economy
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich reveals the true motivations behind Trump's push to reopen the economy before it's safe.
Internal polls show Donald Trump losing in November unless the economy comes roaring back. So what is Trump’s reelection strategy? Ignore the warnings of public health experts and reopen the economy at all costs. Here's his lethal 4-part plan:
1) Remove income support, so people have no choice but to return to work.
2) Hide the facts.
3) Push a false narrative about “freedom” and “liberation.”
4) Shield businesses against lawsuits for spreading the infection.
The first responsibility of a president is to keep the public safe. But Donald Trump couldn’t care less.
He’s trying to force the economy to reopen to boost his electoral chances, and he’s selling out Americans’ health to seal the deal. No matter the cost, Donald Trump’s chief concern is and will always be himself.
Watch More: From Ukraine to Coronavirus: Trump's Abuse of Power Continues ►►
https://youtu.be/0c9iaM18r8Y -
Trump Muzzles Dr. Fauci & Fox News Goes All-In on Reopening | The Common Good with Robert Reich
In this episode of The Common Good, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich discusses Fox News' new strategy to push for reopening the economy at all costs; Tucker Carlson's dangerous lies that social distancing and quarantining don't prevent the spread of coronavirus; Trump ousting the vaccine director who filed a whistleblower complaint alleging coronavirus warnings were ignored; states pushing ahead with reopening despite the White House's new internal projections of 3,000 deaths per day by June; Trump's determination to keep the public in the dark by blocking Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying in front of the House and firing the Health and Human Services Inspector General for detailing shortages of testing and protective gear, and what needs to be in the next stimulus bill.
Inequality Media Civic Action with Robert Reich is a digital media organization aimed at debunking right-wing lies, educating the public about inequality and imbalance of power, and breaking down solutions to the economic and structural issues plaguing our country. We provide a platform for you to learn, share your ideas, and, hopefully, mobilize your communities to make change for the common good.
Please subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/rbreich. We release explainer videos every Tuesday and episodes of The Common Good every Thursday.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RBReich
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RBReich/ -
Corporations Will Not Save Us from the Coronavirus with Robert Reich
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich breaks down why "corporate social responsibility" is a total farce, and explains why corporations can never be trusted to do the right thing on their own.
Last August, the Business Roundtable – an association of CEOs of America’s biggest corporations– announced with great fanfare a “fundamental commitment to all of our stakeholders” and not just their shareholders. They said “investing in employees, delivering value to customers, and supporting outside communities“ is now at the forefront of their business goals — not maximizing profits.
The truth is, American corporations are sacrificing workers and communities as never before, in order to further boost runaway profits and unprecedented CEO pay.
This has never been more apparent during this pandemic, as corporations and their billionaire executives push to reopen the economy no matter the cost. Against the warnings of public health experts, companies are determined to force their employees back to work before it's safe — all to protect their bottom line.
The only way to make corporations socially responsible is through laws requiring them to be. As we've seen during this pandemic, corporations will not keep their workers safe, provide them with hazard pay and paid sick leave, or even keep them on the payroll unless they are forced to.
If the CEOs of the Business Roundtable and other corporations were truly socially responsible, they’d support such laws, not make phony promises they clearly have no intention of keeping.
Watch More: How CEOs are Ruining America ►► https://youtu.be/PI2phM7eCVU
RepresentUs
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What is Vote by Mail?
COVID-19 shouldn’t force people to choose between their health and their right to vote. That's why we support Vote by Mail. It gives people the option to cast a ballot safely and securely without leaving the house.
Here’s how it works:
1) You get mailed a ballot.
2) You can take your time with it, do your research, at your kitchen table, with your family.
3) Mail it back postage free before election day, or, drop it off at a secure “lock box” or polling station.
4) Or completely lose it and go to the polls anyway.
But this way, it’s your choice.
No waiting. No rushing. No hackable electronic voting machines. Just you and your ballot.
It’s more secure, because there’s a literal paper trail, and all ballots are counted in one centralized secure location overseen by judges.It fights fraud with barcodes and duplicates.
And just like our military serving overseas, you can mark your second and third choice, so your ballot isn’t wasted if your first choice drops out (this is called Ranked Choice Voting, btw).
And the states that have implemented this? They see a higher turnout every year. Meaning more votes cast, more people heard from, and a more representative process.
At RepresentUs, we’re bringing conservatives and progressives together to fight corruption, and make our government listen to us. The People.
If you want your city or state to enact measures like this, go to https://represent.us to find out how you can help.
#votebymail #election2020 #representus -
How Immigration Detention is a For-Profit Business
The immigration crisis isn't a crisis. It's an industry. And politicians, private prisons, and lobbyists are the ones profiting. Here’s a story about how the for-profit prison industry has screwed over Americans on the right, left, and center through corruption, cronyism, and former KKK leaders.
http://represent.us/private-prisons
To for-profit prison executives, immigrants are like… corn. A commodity that needs to stay stocked to keep prisons – and the executives’ wallets – full. So when immigrant detention starts to decline, industry lobbyists jump into action.
Between 2008 and 2014, during which immigration was indeed declining, that action amounted to $13 million in lobbying from one of the largest private prison groups, Core Civic.
In 2009, Senate Democrat and former “Exalted Cyclops” KKK member Robert Byrd invented just the thing to help out his industry lobbyist BFFs: a bed quota. With a bed quota, American taxpayers are forced to pay for 33,400 immigrant detention center beds at all times – regardless of whether the beds are used or needed.
Enter Rep. John Culberson (TX), former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director, and recipient of more than $89,000 from for-profit prison lobbyists throughout his career. Culberson embraced the lobbyists' demands and encouraged America to make use of all the beds, regardless of the ebb and flow of actual immigration.
Let’s detain people just for fun! And while we’re at it, we’ll pay for their beds, their healthcare, housing, food, and anything else we can think of to put on the taxpayer’s bill. That’s right. By unnecessarily locking up immigrants, Congress has created a soup-to-nuts nanny state, funneling your tax dollars away from your healthcare, and giving it to immigrants.
Through campaign cash, lobbying money, and other super-legal donations, the private prison industry has placed profits over human lives and over American interests.
They’re not keeping us safer – in fact, when we try to detain enough immigrants in order to meet an arbitrary bed quota, we suck up resources that could have been used to go after dangerous criminals.
Plus, it’s not even solving the problem of illegal immigration. If these industry-backed strategies were working, we’d see illegal immigration declining, but a study in the Stanford Law Review found the opposite.
And while the private prison industry keeps taxpayer money flowing into their pockets to pay for empty beds, immigrant healthcare, food, and housing, many American citizens go without food, housing, or healthcare.
Even on seemingly divisive, partisan issues, corruption invades our government and takes resources and rights away from all Americans. Whether it’s taxes, immigration detention centers, or the opioid crisis, corruption impacts every issue and person you care about.
So here’s how we end it.
We’re going around Congress to pass common-sense, bipartisan reforms at the state and local level to break this cycle and unrig our political system. Things like: closing the revolving door so that lobbyists can't use future job offers to bribe politicians, making it illegal for lawmakers to accept money from lobbyists, and other popular reforms.
We’ve already won over 100 victories, but we’ve got a lot more to do and we need your help. Join the movement at http://represent.us
#immigration #privateprisons #corruption
Sources:
http://grassrootsleadership.org/reports/payoff-how-congress-ensures-private-prison-profit-immigrant-detention-quota#5
https://immigrantjustice.org/sites/default/files/content-type/commentary-item/documents/2017-01/Immigration%20Detention%20Bed%20Quota%20Timeline%202017_01_05.pdf
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary.php?ind=G7000&recipdetail=H&sortorder=A&cycle=All
https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/02/politics/ice-immigration-deportations/index.html
https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/detention-statistics
https://immigrationforum.org/article/math-immigration-detention-2018-update-costs-continue-mulitply/
https://www.stanfordlawreview.org/online/detention-as-deterrence/
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/opinion/sunday/bruni-america-the-clueless.html
https://oig.justice.gov/reports/2016/e1606.pdf
https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2017/06/lawsuit-accuses-private-prison-company-of-illegally-funding-a-trump-super-pac/
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/01/companies-that-funded-trumps-inauguration/ -
Why Colorado is the gold standard for Vote by Mail
www.represent.us/votesafely
America has one of the worst voter turnout rates of all developed countries. But by passing Vote by Mail in every state, we can make it easier for everyone to vote, and still prioritize security and accuracy.
Here's how Vote by Mail works in Colorado, known as the gold standard for this policy:
-All registered voters are automatically mailed a ballot before every election.
-All signatures on mail ballots are compared to on-file signatures. Any discrepancies are examined by a bipartisan team of judges, and then further investigated if needed.
-Voters can submit ballots at secure 24/7 drop boxes or voting centers.
-It’s required that all votes are cast on paper ballots, to ensure there’s a paper trail that can be verified.
-Voters can still go vote in person, both during an extended early voting period and on Election Day.
-Post-election audits are mandatory after every election to ensure accuracy
Voters like this policy: In Colorado, 95% of those who used mail-in ballots were satisfied with the experience.
And turnout increased in Colorado among younger voters, Republican voters, and independents.
Now, as we face a pandemic, we need secure Vote by Mail more than ever.
Go to represent.us/votesafely to see the vote by mail options in your state.
Sources:
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/05/21/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries/
https://www.fairvote.org/voter_turnout#voter_turnout_101
https://www.voteathome.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ColoradoVotingReport_WEB2.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/letting-people-vote-at-home-increases-voter-turnout-heres-proof/2018/01/26/d637b9d2-017a-11e8-bb03-722769454f82_story.html -
How Congress Became America's Biggest Drug Dealer
Every 11 minutes, an American dies from an opioid overdose. And the reason it's happening isn’t bureaucratic, scientific, or economic. Here’s why you can blame corruption, politicians, and the pharmaceutical industry for this reality: Congress has become America's biggest drug dealer. http://represent.us/opioids
It started when the FDA – the people who are supposed to make sure our food and drugs are safe — approved Oxycontin for market, despite the fact that it's glorified heroin. Over the next few years, opioid addiction and deaths skyrocketed. Pharmacies were filling enough opioid prescriptions to dose everyone and then some, fueling the black market drug trade. A single county in West Virginia with a population of 25,000 received 11 million doses of opioids.
And the distribution of these prescription painkillers seemed a bit sketchy… But don’t worry, we have a government agency for that! Thankfully, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) stepped in, stopped these obviously illegal drug distributions, and that was that!
Psych. Instead, the DEA actually stopped intervening in these cases. In 2011, there were 65 “immediate suspension orders” to stop drug companies from filling these suspiciously high orders. By 2016, there were only 11.
And they didn't just stop intervening – they actually switched sides. The same report found that between 2001-2010, an astonishing 58% of FDA drug assessors left their jobs at the FDA to go work for pharmaceutical companies. And since 2000, at least 56 DEA and Justice Department officials left the fight against opioids and joined pharmaceutical companies and the law firms representing them.
That’s right. During the nation’s largest drug epidemic in decades, the people in charge of overseeing pharmaceuticals and protecting our health and safety… went to work for the companies destroying American lives for profit.
Why did the FDA and DEA fail Americans so badly? Because our politicians have their own crippling addiction – to money.
In 2016, Congress passed a law making it nearly impossible for the DEA to deploy its most powerful weapon in the fight against the #opioidepidemic – stopping those massive, suspicious prescription orders from flooding our streets with narcotics.
Why? Well, it's a little technical and complicated, so I’ll let Joe Rannazzisi, the former head of the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control, explain it:
“The drug industry, the manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and chain drugstores, have an influence over Congress that has never been seen before.”
Turns out it's actually as simple as a few greased palms and a couple million dollars. Or to be more accurate, hundreds of greased palms and hundreds of millions of dollars. Nine out of ten members of Congress take money from pharmaceutical lobbyists. Pharmaceutical companies and drug manufacturers have spent a quarter billion dollars lobbying lawmakers since 1990.
In particular, the two cosponsors of the 2016 bill to hamstring the DEA, Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania and Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, are some of Big Pharma’s best friends. So close, in fact, the drug dealers companies literally helped write the 2016 law that got the pesky DEA off their backs. The same year, pharmaceutical companies were some of the Congressmen’s top donors.
The story of the Opioid Crisis is really a tale as old as time: Lobbyists give their friends a few million dollars and a trip to the Bahamas, and in exchange, these lawmakers turn around and sell out the taxpayers — whether that’s in healthcare, education, or the economy. This is not a partisan issue; it's a societal rot that is sinking the entire country.
But we have a plan to end this corrupt cycle.
We’re going around Congress to pass common-sense, bipartisan reforms at the state and local level to break this cycle and unrig our political system. Things like: closing the revolving door that lets lobbyists use future job offers to bribe politicians, making it illegal for lawmakers to accept money from lobbyists, and other common sense, popular reforms.
We’ve already won over 100 victories, but we’ve got a lot more to do and we need your help. Join the movement by visiting http://Represent.Us
RepresentUs is a non-partisan, grassroots campaign to end the #corruption caused by money in politics. -
Lobbyist Gold Rush during the Coronavirus Epidemic
Congress just passed the largest stimulus package in history. The bill offers workers and businesses critical relief during the coronavirus epidemic. The problem: Lobbyists played a major role in writing this bill.
Some aides have compared the lobbying frenzy around the stimulus bill to a gold rush. The new bill gives $500 billion to major industries across America. As Congress deliberated the bill, their phones rang off the hook and their inboxes were flooded with emails from lobbyists. Some politicians even got personal calls from CEOs of major companies.
From the candy industry to alcohol beverage producers, sneaker companies, and more, every industry wanted a piece of the stimulus pie. Aggressive lobbying came from groups directly impacted by the crisis, like the restaurant and airline industries, as well as industries trying to sneak in unrelated policies..
All of this points to the desperate need for tougher lobbying restrictions and strong anti-corruption laws to protect the American people, so that special interests can’t use a national emergency to push their own agendas.
Congress needs to focus on the needs and demands of the American people during this crisis.
Join the movement to end political corruption: http://represent.us
Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/12/coronavirus-lobbyists-flooded-with-calls-from-worried-corporate-clients.html
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lobbyists-pile-on-to-get-wins-for-clients-into-coronavirus-stimulus-package-11584792000
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/politics/coronavirus-stimulus-lobbying.html
https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/488762-coronavirus-sets-off-industry-scramble-for-aid-from
#lobbyists #bailouts #corruption -
Jennifer Lawrence: We Need Vote at Home During COVID-19
A message from our board member Jennifer Lawrence:
We need to be able to vote without getting sick or infecting others.
This post is part of a plan to make sure every registered voter can cast their ballot. I’m asking you to do what I did and follow these 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Go to http://Represent.Us/VoteAtHome and follow the instructions to request your mail-in or absentee ballot.
Step 2: Some states won’t let you mail in without an ‘excuse’ but a bill in Congress right now could fix this. Go to Represent.Us/VoteAtHome for instructions on how to call them — Republicans and Democrats alike — in support of Vote at Home.
Step 3: Share this post on social media and tag at least three of your friends to also make calls and share to keep this chain going until every single voter knows how to get their ballot. Use hashtag #VoteAtHome.
RepresentUs is a non-partisan, grassroots campaign to end the corruption caused by money in politics.
Follow us!
FB: https://facebook.com/RepresentUs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/representus
Instagram: https://instagram.com/representus/
#jenniferlawrence #voteathome #representus -
Filing Your Taxes Sucks: Here's the Truth About Why
Besides corruption, what’s the number one thing Americans of all political stripes agree on? That's right... Doing your taxes sucks.
But why does filing your taxes have to be so bad? We're here to break down the reasons why (spoiler alert: corruption IS involved) but before we dive in, consider joining the movement to fix our broken political system by visiting us at https://represent.us/taxes2
Back in the ‘90’s, the internet became the cool new way to file taxes, and everybody — you, me, and the IRS — breathed a sigh of relief. We can save time, money, and trees by filing our taxes online, instead of on paper.
And then we thought: While we’re at it, why not modernize how we do our taxes? What if we just file directly on the IRS website? Hell, what if the IRS just… told us how much we owed them? Other countries do it, Ronald Reagan was down for it, it would save taxpayers time and money — what’s not to love?
For tax filing services, a lot. When we make paying taxes easier on taxpayers, we cut out the middle man: the H&R Blocks and Turbo Taxes that charge Americans to help them navigate the gazillion forms, boxes, questions, and deductibles.
Like any good idea, the easy and cheap methods we could institute to file taxes were quickly shot down in Congress, in favor of helping out the lawmakers' BFFs: corporate lobbyists.
Keep watching to find out more about corporate lobbyists' role in our tax system and how they (and congress) are responsible for trapping us in an endless, idiotic cycle we like to call The Stupidity Paradox™.
RepresentUs is a non-partisan, grassroots campaign to end the corruption caused by money in politics.
Follow us!
FB: https://facebook.com/RepresentUs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/representus
Instagram: https://instagram.com/representus/
#corruption #taxes #lobbyist -
Demand Vote At Home During Coronavirus
The coronavirus is a public health crisis, but the Senate can pass a new bill that protects voters and our elections. Head to https://Represent.Us/VAH to send a message to your Senators today.
America is in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic and voting in-person at the polls could put people at risk. But we can hold elections without voting in person. There’s a bill in the Senate right now that would allow Americans to vote at home during a public health emergency -- like coronavirus without anyone having to risk their health at crowded polling locations.If passed, the bill would:
1. Allow all voters to request a mailed ballot,
2. Protect election security.
3. And ensure states protect the right to vote in case of an emergency.
It’s safe, secure, and protects voter participation. Every state needs Vote at Home during this crisis.
RepresentUs is a non-partisan, grassroots campaign to end the corruption caused by money in politics.
Join the movement to fix our broken political system at https://Represent.Us
#voteathome #coronavirus #representus -
Tucker Carlson on How Corruption is Destroying America
In under 5 minutes, Tucker Carlson makes a compelling case for how corruption is destroying America. Wealthy donors and corporations have outsized influence over our political process - and Americans are falling behind. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or Democrat - this is an issue that affects EVERYONE.
Video Editor: Hannah Collins -
Corruption is becoming a buzz word
https://represent.us/2020-scorecard/
Increasingly, more and more politicians are starting to admit the obvious: we have a LEGAL corruption crisis in America and a rigged political system. In the last Democratic debate, we were glad to see multiple candidates bring up our broken political system.
From gerrymandering, to big money in politics, to outlandish campaign finance spending, our elected leaders need to implement serious anti-corruption reform and make sure our government works for the American people, not lobbyists and special interests.
Join the movement: www.unrigsummit.com
Credit:
Video Editor - Hannah Collins -
Politicians Reap Unlimited Lobbyist Gifts
Sign the petition: https://act.represent.us/sign/pa-gift-ban/
Join our national day of action: https://volunteer.represent.us/vpb_121619
Pennsylvania is one of only eight states where lobbyists can give unlimited gifts to politicians. Tickets to a Beyoncé concert. A trip to Key West. Boxing lessons. These are just some of the gifts lobbyists have given to politicians. And it's how special interests across America use their deep pockets to influence politicians and serve their interests, instead of the will of the people.
We will only beat them by fighting back state by state until we win federal reform.
This bill is only here because of years of pressure campaigns from RepresentUs members and a statewide coalition. We've joined marches, been arrested, and even sent plungers to the capitol to demand a lobbyist gift ban. Now it's up to our movement to increase the pressure and show that the entire country is watching them.
Sign the petition or join our national day of action to tell politicians: pass the gift ban before the session ends on December 18th. We need to end political corruption. -
Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall
Find out how you can get involved at http://represent.us
Our government is broken, and we have to fix it. In this short film, Michael Douglas and RepresentUs Co-Founder Joshua Graham Lynn break down how our political system has been hijacked, why it encourages division and vilifies bipartisan cooperation, and why it’s made Congress so dysfunctional that they can’t even pass the most basic laws to improve the lives of Americans.
It’s not all doom and gloom. They also layout the plan to fix our broken political system, and the best part: It’s already working. RepresentUs members have already helped win more than 100 victories nationwide, but to bring about lasting systemic change, we need more people to join this movement. Join us: http://represent.us
Sources: https://act.represent.us/sign/Unbreaking-America-Divided-Sources/
Credits:
Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall
Michael Douglas
Joshua Graham Lynn
Director
Michael Marantz
Written by
Joshua Graham Lynn
Ryan Kleier
Michael Marantz
Composer
Garth Stevenson
Animator
Chris Fitzgerald
Illustrator
Adom Balcom
Director of Photography
Kristian Zuniga
Producer
Phillip Sheridan
AP/Post producer
Zach Macdonald
Camera Assistant
Haley Wutherington
DIT/Data Utility
Riley Price
Gaffer
Phil Yu
Best Buy Electric
Chris Jara
Lighting Board Operator
Jeff Carr
Key Grip
Travis Ulmer
Best Boy Grip
Josh Scheniderman
Script Supervisor
Andrea Ulrich
Sound Mixer
Max Phillips
Boom Operator
Adam Soltis
Telepropter
Jonathan Bell
Video Playback
Thomas Servidone
Motion Tracking
Stephen Walsh
Assistant Editor
Koby Leff
Mix Engineer
Brandon Hickey
Hair and Makeup
Alexandra Baranoff
Wardrobe Stylist
Hannah Lacava
Production Manager
Logan Luchsinger
Production Coordinator
TJ Tamayo
Production Assistants:
Ximena Prieto
John Taylor
Milly Kennedy
Julianne Selemy
Noah Schifrin
Security
Mega, Moving On Up
Catering
My Kitchen Witch,
Mangai
Craft Service
Gabriela Alvarado
Camera
CPT
Production Trucking
CC Rentals
VTR
Colorspace Digital
Teleprompter
American Movie Co.
Stage
Highline Stages
Production Supplies
Wits End
Learn more at
www.represent.us
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
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Composting at Home: An Introduction to the Basics
Are you sheltering-in-place at home? Looking for a way to recycle your food scraps? Interested in producing your own “black gold” for your yard or garden? Need an activity to do with your children? Want to avoid greenhouse gases from landfills and incinerators and store carbon in local soils?
Learn how to home compost!
Webinar led by Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Rhonda Sherman of North Carolina State University. -
Amazon's Growing Political Influence
ILSR's Stacy Mitchell explains Amazon's growing power in DC in this clip from PBS Frontline's "Amazon Empire" documentary. -
Amazon Wants to be Our Commerce Infrastructure
ILSR's Stacy Mitchell explains how Amazon is making itself part of our commerce infrastructure in this clip from PBS Frontline's "Amazon Empire" documentary. -
Amazon's Long Term Monopoly Strategy
ILSR's Stacy Mitchell talks about Amazon's long term plans to gain market power in this clip from PBS Frontline's "Amazon Empire" documentary. -
Webinar: Equitable Community Solar
A discussion about establishing community solar programs that center marginalized communities and those disenfranchised by racial, economic, and social inequity.
For more information, see our recent report: https://ilsr.org/report-designing-community-solar-programs-that-promote-racial-and-economic-equity/ -
Community Choice Energy: Enabling Communities to Center People and Planet
In this webinar, ILSR's John Farrell explains where, how, and why community choice energy policies are gaining popularity, and the many benefits they offer, including the accelerated adoption of renewable energy. For more information, check out ILSR's recent report: https://ilsr.org/report-community-choice-energy/ -
Compost Climate Connections Webinar Series: Carbon Farming Trials in Colorado
Our Compost Climate Connections webinar series features the crucial role of compost to protect the climate.
Compost is an essential ingredient in carbon farming as it provides soil both organic matter and beneficial microbes. For the fifth webinar of the series, we are joined by Dan Matsch of Eco-Cycle and Mark Easter of Colorado State University’s Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory (NREL). In Boulder County, Colorado, Eco-Cycle and NREL have established carbon farming pilot projects to adapt the science used in the Marin Carbon Project in California for the Rocky Mountain climate. This webinar will explore two of the pilot projects now underway in Boulder County and City of Boulder agricultural open space. In both projects, compost application is one of five treatments being measured. -
Webinar: Using Compost for Ecological Sanitation in Haiti to Mitigate & Adapt to Climate Change
Our Compost Climate Connections webinar series features the crucial role of compost in mitigating and building resilience to climate change.
For over a decade, SOIL (Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods) has been incubating climate-positive sanitation solutions in frontline communities across Haiti that have been intentionally designed to mitigate the environmental impacts of poor waste management and offer a restorative alternative to traditional sanitation practices. By harvesting the nutrients in human waste, SOIL is protecting vulnerable aquatic ecosystems and groundwater sources while simultaneously restoring soil fertility, improving the viability of reforestation efforts, helping farmers grow more food, and sequestering carbon. -
From Crops to Co-ops: Small Towns Want Better Internet (Episode 5)
From Crops to Co-ops follows the story of one small town, like many others, where residents are working to improve Internet access for everyone. In the fifth and final episode of the silly animated series put on by ILSR's Community Broadband Networks team, the residents of Villageville finally find a solution!
Share this resource with others who are interested in exploring options for improving connectivity in their local communities.
Learn more:
ILSR.org
MuniNetworks.org -
From Crops to Co-ops: Small Towns Want Better Internet (Episode 4)
The frustrated residents of Villageville are airing their grievances about poor quality Internet access. Is there anything they can do to change things? What will does CenturyLink have to say about all this? Find out in episode four!
Small towns across the country need better Internet access, but low population density means large companies often won’t invest in the infrastructure needed to get them connected. We wanted to tell their story, so the Community Broadband Networks team at ILSR dusted off our acting and animation skills to bring the residents of Villageville to life!
Share this resource with others who are interested in exploring options for improving connectivity in their local communities. -
From Crops to Co-ops: Small Towns Want Better Internet (Episode 3)
What are all these kids doing on Grumpy Gary's lawn?! The students of Villageville are struggling to get homework done via satellite Internet access. Will their parents take action to get them connected to broadband?
We wanted to tell the story of small towns working to improve local Internet access, so the Community Broadband Networks team at ILSR dusted off our acting and animation skills to bring the residents of Villageville to life in the From Crops to Co-ops series!
Share this resource with others who are interested in exploring options for improving connectivity in their local communities.
Learn more:
ILSR.org
MuniNetworks.org -
Webinar: How Compost and Cover Crops Sequester Soil Carbon
Our Compost Climate Connections webinar series features the crucial role of compost in mitigating and building resilience to climate change. Jessica Chiartas a Ph.D. student with the University of California, Davis Land, Air and Water Resources Department, joined us for our third webinar in the series. Jessica shared results from a recently published 19-year study which showed that compost plays a key role in soil carbon storage in semi-arid croplands; significantly offsetting CO2 emissions (21.8 Mg/ha).
More info: https://ilsr.org/webinar-sequester-soil-carbon-october-2019/
Rideshare Professor
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Black Lives Matter ! All Lives Matter ! Gig Workers Lives Matter !
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All Driver Call with John Zimmer. Join at 1PM PST. Leave your comments
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Uber & Lyft Drivers. Do not be a partner in crime. Say NO to LOOTERS.
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Once again we opt out of Uber's June 1st Terms of Service. Wording & email optout-schleuder@uber.com
Here is the language letting you know that you have the right to opt-out. To do so, you must opt-out within 30 days of accepting the agreement.
(Keep in mind that this does not opt you out of previous agreements.)
You can opt out by emailing optout@uber.com and optout-schleuder@uber.com, include the following:
A statement making clear your intent to opt out of this Arbitration Provision
Your full name
The phone number associated with your Uber account
The email address associated with your Uber account
The city/state in which you reside
The email MUST come from the email address associated with your Uber account.
Uber states that you cannot have anyone else opt-out on your behalf. That includes legal counsel. -
Lyft send out this email during these tragic times, but again fails to address drivers.
#Lyft -
Pathetic pay by Doordash. No thanks, decline. Pass
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Welcome to OUR HOUSE Mondays. Are you driving Uber or Lyft during the Protests?
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June 1st at Lyft Headquarters 185 Berry Street. Taking place right now
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Protest Free Zone. Malibu California. Chillin
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Silence of the Masks (Uber and Lyft)
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Tires Buy Mark. Best tire place and deals in Los Angeles. Nobody comes close. 5 stars.
Tires Buy Mark. The Los Angeles tire and wheel specialist. -
Drivers should be worried about ZOOX.com. Amazon may buy it.
#Zoox #Amazon
Civic Economics
Prime Numbers: Amazon and American Communities
New study reveals explosive growth of third-party sales, sales tax avoidance (Published on: https://civiceconomics.wordpress.com/2018/04/04/prime-numbers-amazon-and-american-communities/) A …
DLBN Podcast – Hosted by Al Norman & Steve Anthony
- The Ripple Effect Podcast 36 (Al Norman)(1) 56:31
