Mammon category archive
The Crypto Con 0
Some of the shills have settled with the SEC.
The Privatization Scam 0
The Arizona Republic’s E. J. Montini conjugates the con.
The Mythbuster and the Fee Hand of the Market 0
Robert Reich exposes the three myths that the ultra-wealthy use to justify their bazillions. The myths he lists are
- The first is trickle-down economics.
- The second myth is the “free market.”
- The third myth is that they’re superior human beings — rugged individuals who “did it on their own” and therefore deserve their billions.
His detailed debunking of the bunk awaits you at the link.
This New Gilded Age, Little Timmy Gets a Job Dept. 0
Mike and Farron point out that Little Timmy gets to go back to the assembly line, thanks to today’s Republican Party.
Today’s Republican Party is a vile and loathsome thing.
Sugar Bombs 0
Mike Papantonio and Farron Cousins discuss cereal offenders.
I remember when I was a young ‘un, back in the olden days, when Coco Puffs first came on the market, my brother and I talked my mother into buying a box.
We found them–er–less than desirable.
This New Gilded Age 0
Focusing on a proposed law in Iowa, labor leader Tom Conway warns of the consequences of the return of child labor. Here’s a bit (emphasis added):
In some cases, it even would permit young teens to work mining and construction jobs and let them use power-driven meat slicers and food choppers.
Just three years ago, a 16-year-old in Tennessee fell 11 stories to his death while working construction on a hotel roof. Another 16-year-old lost an arm that same year while cleaning a meat grinder at a Tennessee supermarket,
But these preventable tragedies mean nothing to Iowa legislators bent on helping greedy employers pad their bottom lines at kids’ expense.
We are a society in regression.
The New Gilded Age 0
Michael in Norfolk argues that today’s Republican Party is quite happy to see the return of–nay, to usher in–the New Gilded Age. Here’s a bit from his post (emphasis added):
I cannot find a way with which to take issue with his remarks, he said convolutedly.
Misdirection Play, Responsible Fiscals Dept. 0
Sam and his crew look at the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank and at Republicans’ absolutely ridiculous contortions to somehow blame it on “wokeness,” while ignoring what really happened (including Donald Trump’s presiding over a gutting of Dodd-Frank).
The Money Trail 0
Rashmi Rangan and James Angus suggest that the IRS is doing a rather poor job of following the money. Here are a couple of bits from their article:
(snip)
The IRS follows a different strategy for the cash in the cabanas of the fortunate 700,000 club, those filers reporting total positive income of over $1,000,000. Last year for this group, about 687,000 rated nary a bother from the IRS. Apparently the use of multiple schedules for descriptions of enormous sums of money moving in myriad directions through various iterations triggers no corresponding curiosity on the part of the IRS. Too weedy, too slow, too complex.
Aside:
Methinks this disparity may shed some light on the Republican Party’s fervent opposition to President Biden’s desire to fund the IRS at a reasonable level.
A. Because It Had Wealthy, Influential Investors Maybe? 0
Q. Why is the failure of Silicon Valley Bank getting so much news coverage more than the failure of all the banks that went under in the late 2010s.
The New Gilded Age 0
Jim Hightower sees a similarity between then and now.
(snip)
“The Wreck of the Old 97” is a classic bluegrass song recounting a spectacular train crash in 1903, caused by the company’s demand that the engineer speed down a dangerous track to deliver cargo on time.
One hundred twenty years later we have the “Wreck of the Norfolk Southern” — a devastating crash caused by the corporate demand that it be allowed to run an ill-equipped, understaffed, largely unregulated, 1.7-mile train carrying flammable, cancer-causing toxics through communities, putting profit over people and public safety.
Twits Own Twitter 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Ronald Riggio argues forcefully that Elon Musk is something less than a role model for effective leadersip. Riggio makes three main points; follow the link for his discussion of each.
- While Elon Musk has been a successful entrepreneur, his dictatorial behavior suggests that he is not a “good” leader.
- Good leadership is about more than just success. Good leaders develop their followers, and treat them with respect and dignity.
- Successful leaders who misbehave and hurt rather than help those whom they lead should not be role models of leadership.
Aside:
As a corporate trainer for many years, I focused on teaching management, leadership, and communication skills.
When it comes to dealing with people, Musk checks all the boxes for the “don’ts.”
