Ronald Reagan launched an attack on the middle class. We must reverse it to save our democracy
By Thom Hartmann A...
The destruction of the middle class is destroying democracies and paving the way for authoritarian rule. In 2016, Roberto Stefan Foa and Yascha Mounk published a paper in the Journal of Democracy showing how, in the era since Reagan led America out of classical economic policy and into neoliberalism (aka "trickle-down" and "supply-side" economics), many Americans have ceased to value democracy. "In the United States," they write, "among all age cohorts, the share of citizens who believe that it would be better to have a 'strong leader' who does not have to 'bother with parliament and elections' has also risen over time: In 1995, 24 percent of respondents held this view; by 2011, that figure had increased to 32 percent." By the time the paper came out in 2016, fully 49 percent of Americans thought elites should make decisions, rather than "government." And the growing disillusionment with democracy as a way to protect the interests of average voters doesn't just push them toward solutions hatched by the Heritage Foundation or the Cato Institute; increasingly, Americans would even consider a military junta ruling America, something that would shock the founders.Read more here.
-Thom
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Never one to shy away from the truth, Thom Hartmann’s collected works are inspiring, wise, and compelling. His work lights the way to a better America."
From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Hartmann combines a remarkable piece of historical research with a brilliant literary style to tell the grand story of corporate corruption and its consequences for society with the force and readability of a great novel."
From Screwed:
"Once again, Thom Hartmann hits the bull’s eye with a much needed exposé of the so-called ‘free market.’ Anyone concerned about the future of our nation needs to read Screwed now."
A must-read history lesson -- and perfect timing! Thanks again, Thom.
This is a poignant reminder of the deep-seated dichotomy in our collective human mindset as it has evolved down through the ages: the desire to be free of tyrants versus the fear of insecurity, which the tyrant deliberately both fans and calms. ("Only I can fix it!" --the Orange King)
Greedy, self-centered powermongers have always found ways to manipulate basic human instincts -- forever preying on the resources of the lowly serfs and unwashed masses as the high lords and ladies, hiding behind thick castle walls, consolidate their stolen wealth and power through all means necessary, which usually means violence and cruelty built upon absolute lies.
From time immemorial, kings and queens and armies have filled our history books with glorious tales of blood and treasure ...and mindless atrocities! Nothing much has changed except the critical level at which we now find ourselves on this pale blue dot.