Unfortunately, the US has always been a plutocratic oligarchy. Let's not forget that the numerical majority of Americans were barred from voting for the majority of this country's existence. Only in the '60s did we achieve universal voting rights. This country has always had minority rule -- the rule of the fifty white male tyrants. Now, it's just gone digital. I don't know if it's possible to do anything about it. We'd basically have to overhaul the entire government and rewrite the constitution. The bad news is it seems the people about to do that aren't pro-democracy liberals but Christian Nationalist theocrats.
Never forget that once the franchise was opened (in practice, not in theory) in the 1960's, one set of politicians have focused immense efforts and pressure to remove that franchise, or to effectively prevent them exercising their voting rights.
In all my darkest imaginings of the dystopian future that awaits us, I hadn’t really thought we’d be slipping back into the chaos of late medieval Italy.
Since the consequences of ’it’s a lone gunman’ can include ’okay, time to get handguns away from mentally unhinged people’… eh, who am I kidding? That would cost tax money that should go to the capitalist class. They’ll just pay for more security and increase the price of goods.
On Putin mentioning need for better security for top politicians:
I kind of buy what prof Snyder is saying. That Donald Oathbreaker’s thing isn’t turning America into a lawless non-state, or even a fascist dictatorship. (my paraphrasing of his argument) Oathbreaker’s thing is telling stories and selling dreams and terror, bluster, posing, enjoying the fruits of living in a modern, thriving, democracy and disregarding The Law.
If things get to a point where, like in Russia in the 1990s, you can do a hostile takeover with the help of commandos with SMGs, D. Oathbreaker has to tolerate even more security measures and it gets harder to enjoy the good things in life with his rich buddies.
I think prof Snyder is right, and the idea isn’t to wreck the state, the idea is to ransack the state.
In other words, robbing the American people of your national wealth.
An aside: I never understood why you chose to, e.g., let robber barons own the local drinking water and despoil those aquefiers. Why not keep them as public property and guard them jealously, imposing pre-emptive safety measures on industrial activity, instead of retroactive punitive damages? Dollars won’t make water in Flint, Michigan potable again.
I agree with prof Snyder's assessment, but unfortunately, to use the presidency for his personal profits, Trump must remove the guardrails of democracy...which puts Americans in the same authoritarian state shithole. In other words, to ransack the state, he must first wreck the state.
However much the family grieves for his loss, Brian Thomson directed and authorized every action that robbed people of their life savings and health.
We are told that the 'C' suite members earn big money because they take big risks...and this article posits that this was a 'Money' hit rather than some pissed off low level person who was angry about poor insurance coverage.
What did he deserve? We know that JUSTICE is a process and not a result; he deserved to he tried for malfeasance, weather or not it was considered legal. He deserved to be treated as he treated others...did he deserve to be gunned down? I think so.
WE have allowed insurance companies to dictate how, when and where we get health care: Premiums, Deductibles, CoPays, In-Network, and the Medical Necessity clause all are designed to limit the amount of care we are entitled to. And that is the immoral act that we should be outraged by, not the death of a greedy slick huckster who has gamed the system for years!
Wow I had never thought of this. It shows that I'm naive too. (Well, I'm a Hong Kong born Canadian, not an American, but still.) Vigilante justice feels so appealing, but I don't believe violence is the answer, and as you said, it can actually be a move by other billionaires to eradicate their enemy. And an enemy of my enemy is not a friend. :(
Afternoon CB - after your first post suggesting all power elements were creating the perfect assassin. I bought into it. Didnt believe Polosi would pull the trigger but i consider the posibility that some olli was protecting their $ which the future dead exec wished to place in ? by cleaning up his on mess.
But it seems our guy wasn't an ops guy following orders. Just don't know why he hadn't used a high end mask which was w/i his means.
Seems the fall out is a sad day for the common man. But could be a start. I can imagine lots of corrupt execs in false food conglamerets & RealEstate thieves & others looking for. protetion.
Have fun, i'll be in the garden or relaxing with my avian friends.
Very true. But from the moment I saw the full video of this carnage (it got taken down after the first few hours) I immediately thought...that's not a crime of passion. That's a crime of someone reporting for work. As someone who almost died because of these fucklords, I really hope I am wrong. (Not celebrating anyone's death!) But the deed is now done, and an angry citizen shoving it to the big guy is a much better ending to this story.
I think the United States has been run by oligarchs for quite a long time. This was the premise of Ferdinand Lundberg's "The Rich and the Super-Rich" back in the 1960's.
Thanks for that background. Our move toward oligarchy is already trending up, even before Trump's inauguration. It could get worse, much worse, during his presidency, if that is even possible. I appreciate this wake-up call. As a somewhat isolated aside, I have United Healthcare from a large insurance pool for the State of Texas employment. It has been good for me, but thanks for a new look at this company. Again, as always (I did not get around to responding to recent posts, but I noticed), your breadth of topics and writing are superb.
The elderly have a rude awakening especially if they don’t have advocates to help them navigate the onslaught of denials coming in the next four years….
Our military involvement in Vietnam was a work in progress when LBJ announced his support for military invasion of Cuba in the executive committee meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Kennedy Administration on 27 October 1962. The President wasn’t present when his death warrant was served. (‘Counselor’ by Ted Sorensen, pp 304)
Unfortunately, the US has always been a plutocratic oligarchy. Let's not forget that the numerical majority of Americans were barred from voting for the majority of this country's existence. Only in the '60s did we achieve universal voting rights. This country has always had minority rule -- the rule of the fifty white male tyrants. Now, it's just gone digital. I don't know if it's possible to do anything about it. We'd basically have to overhaul the entire government and rewrite the constitution. The bad news is it seems the people about to do that aren't pro-democracy liberals but Christian Nationalist theocrats.
Never forget that once the franchise was opened (in practice, not in theory) in the 1960's, one set of politicians have focused immense efforts and pressure to remove that franchise, or to effectively prevent them exercising their voting rights.
Same as it ever was
In all my darkest imaginings of the dystopian future that awaits us, I hadn’t really thought we’d be slipping back into the chaos of late medieval Italy.
But, let me add, if it’s open season on Insurance Executives, I’m all for it!
Since the consequences of ’it’s a lone gunman’ can include ’okay, time to get handguns away from mentally unhinged people’… eh, who am I kidding? That would cost tax money that should go to the capitalist class. They’ll just pay for more security and increase the price of goods.
On Putin mentioning need for better security for top politicians:
I kind of buy what prof Snyder is saying. That Donald Oathbreaker’s thing isn’t turning America into a lawless non-state, or even a fascist dictatorship. (my paraphrasing of his argument) Oathbreaker’s thing is telling stories and selling dreams and terror, bluster, posing, enjoying the fruits of living in a modern, thriving, democracy and disregarding The Law.
If things get to a point where, like in Russia in the 1990s, you can do a hostile takeover with the help of commandos with SMGs, D. Oathbreaker has to tolerate even more security measures and it gets harder to enjoy the good things in life with his rich buddies.
I think prof Snyder is right, and the idea isn’t to wreck the state, the idea is to ransack the state.
In other words, robbing the American people of your national wealth.
An aside: I never understood why you chose to, e.g., let robber barons own the local drinking water and despoil those aquefiers. Why not keep them as public property and guard them jealously, imposing pre-emptive safety measures on industrial activity, instead of retroactive punitive damages? Dollars won’t make water in Flint, Michigan potable again.
I agree with prof Snyder's assessment, but unfortunately, to use the presidency for his personal profits, Trump must remove the guardrails of democracy...which puts Americans in the same authoritarian state shithole. In other words, to ransack the state, he must first wreck the state.
However much the family grieves for his loss, Brian Thomson directed and authorized every action that robbed people of their life savings and health.
We are told that the 'C' suite members earn big money because they take big risks...and this article posits that this was a 'Money' hit rather than some pissed off low level person who was angry about poor insurance coverage.
What did he deserve? We know that JUSTICE is a process and not a result; he deserved to he tried for malfeasance, weather or not it was considered legal. He deserved to be treated as he treated others...did he deserve to be gunned down? I think so.
WE have allowed insurance companies to dictate how, when and where we get health care: Premiums, Deductibles, CoPays, In-Network, and the Medical Necessity clause all are designed to limit the amount of care we are entitled to. And that is the immoral act that we should be outraged by, not the death of a greedy slick huckster who has gamed the system for years!
Excellent piece very good writing this should appear in the New Yorker or the Atlantic. It's far too logical to be in the Washington Post.
I worked for UHC and constantly tell my husband I’ll NEVER have them as my insurer. Vigilante or hired hit he knew what he was going
This pisses me off even more, MOTHERFUCKERS!!
DELETE THE RICH!!
Wow I had never thought of this. It shows that I'm naive too. (Well, I'm a Hong Kong born Canadian, not an American, but still.) Vigilante justice feels so appealing, but I don't believe violence is the answer, and as you said, it can actually be a move by other billionaires to eradicate their enemy. And an enemy of my enemy is not a friend. :(
You get a pass not growing up here ;)
Afternoon CB - after your first post suggesting all power elements were creating the perfect assassin. I bought into it. Didnt believe Polosi would pull the trigger but i consider the posibility that some olli was protecting their $ which the future dead exec wished to place in ? by cleaning up his on mess.
But it seems our guy wasn't an ops guy following orders. Just don't know why he hadn't used a high end mask which was w/i his means.
Seems the fall out is a sad day for the common man. But could be a start. I can imagine lots of corrupt execs in false food conglamerets & RealEstate thieves & others looking for. protetion.
Have fun, i'll be in the garden or relaxing with my avian friends.
Best
C&Milo (woof)
& a Merry Cristmas to All
So sorry for your illness. Glad you have the means, support & did not go RIP before making the scammers succomb.
Do i side w/the angels, absolutly.
I'm too old to pick up a weapon but i sure reject the Oli' empowering themselves daily w/ compound interest.
Thanks for jumping on this story.
All the Best
C
“Depose” also means to remove from office by force. If it WAS a hit by a disgruntled citizen, he deposed the CEO from his position of power by force.
Very true. But from the moment I saw the full video of this carnage (it got taken down after the first few hours) I immediately thought...that's not a crime of passion. That's a crime of someone reporting for work. As someone who almost died because of these fucklords, I really hope I am wrong. (Not celebrating anyone's death!) But the deed is now done, and an angry citizen shoving it to the big guy is a much better ending to this story.
I think the United States has been run by oligarchs for quite a long time. This was the premise of Ferdinand Lundberg's "The Rich and the Super-Rich" back in the 1960's.
Spot on. We have allowed this slowly, but surely.
Thanks for that background. Our move toward oligarchy is already trending up, even before Trump's inauguration. It could get worse, much worse, during his presidency, if that is even possible. I appreciate this wake-up call. As a somewhat isolated aside, I have United Healthcare from a large insurance pool for the State of Texas employment. It has been good for me, but thanks for a new look at this company. Again, as always (I did not get around to responding to recent posts, but I noticed), your breadth of topics and writing are superb.
The elderly have a rude awakening especially if they don’t have advocates to help them navigate the onslaught of denials coming in the next four years….
Best explanation I've seen so far. I'll be surprised if you're proven wrong.
Our military involvement in Vietnam was a work in progress when LBJ announced his support for military invasion of Cuba in the executive committee meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Kennedy Administration on 27 October 1962. The President wasn’t present when his death warrant was served. (‘Counselor’ by Ted Sorensen, pp 304)