Category: Corruption

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Why sophrosyne, an ancient Greek virtue, matters more than ever in the age of AI

BY ROSS CHANNING REED, Missouri University of Science and Technology Texting while driving. Bullying people on social media. Buying into the latest conspiracy theory. Passing off AI-generated work as your own. That may seem like a random list of 21st-century vices. But I’d argue they’re all examples of the loss of one particular virtue: sophrosyne. An … Continue reading Why sophrosyne, an ancient Greek virtue, matters more than ever in the age of AI

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De-Americanization Strategy: De-Coupling from the USA in a Multipolar World

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR In discussions with senior executives across several industries, the following topic inevitably shows up: what can we do to reduce risks to our business due to geopolitical instability (which is code for Trump). This essay is an attempt to start this conversation, not just with businesses, but with countries as well. UPDATE: … Continue reading De-Americanization Strategy: De-Coupling from the USA in a Multipolar World

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Trump’s Institutional Destruction: Ending Democracy in the USA

BY PHILIP KOTLER and CHRISTIAN SARKAR Trump’s dismantling of America’s public institutions is not just about governance. It is about who we are as a people. Do we believe in a shared inheritance—our parks, our schools, our justice system, our history—or do we surrender them to power, profit, privatization, and propaganda? Trump’s second term is … Continue reading Trump’s Institutional Destruction: Ending Democracy in the USA

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Trump is the kinglike president many feared when arguing over the US Constitution in 1789 – and his address to Congress showed it

BY Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino If there are any limits to a president’s power, it wasn’t evident from Donald Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025. In that speech, the first before lawmakers of Trump’s second term, the president declared vast accomplishments during the brief six weeks of his presidency. … Continue reading Trump is the kinglike president many feared when arguing over the US Constitution in 1789 – and his address to Congress showed it

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How toxic leaders destroy people as well as organisations

BY THEO VELDSMAN, University of Johannesburg There is a growing incidence of toxic leadership in organisations across the world. This is clear from anecdotal evidence as well as research which suggests that one out of every five leaders is toxic. My own research shows that closer to three out of every ten leaders are toxic. This … Continue reading How toxic leaders destroy people as well as organisations

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The Kakistocracy: Exposing Trump’s Hypocrisy and the GOP’s War on DEI

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR Trump 2.0 can be described as a kakistocracy – a state or society governed by its least suitable or competent citizens. Let’s process that. Donald Trump and the Republican Party have made dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives a core part of their political platform, claiming these programs undermine merit and lower standards. Yet, … Continue reading The Kakistocracy: Exposing Trump’s Hypocrisy and the GOP’s War on DEI

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Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement. Here’s why that’s not such a bad thing

BY Rebekkah Markey-Towler, The University of Melbourne On his first day back in office as United States president, Donald Trump gave formal notice of his nation’s exit from the Paris Agreement – a vital global treaty seeking to rein in climate change. Before signing the order, Trump declared his reasons to an arena of cheering supporters, … Continue reading Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement. Here’s why that’s not such a bad thing

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Crapitalism and the Degenerative Enterprise

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR Is your business degenerative? Is it following the well-thumbed playbook of corporate crapitalism?   Here’s an undeniable truth: most businesses are degenerative. They exploit, extract, and destroy – decimating the Common Good. Let’s confront the ugly reality of how most companies operate: 1. You Can’t Kill Your Customer and Call It Value Creation … Continue reading Crapitalism and the Degenerative Enterprise

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As Trump touts plans for immigrant roundup, militias are standing back, but standing by

BY AMY COOTER President-elect Donald Trump has reaffirmed that once he takes office he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military on American streets to accomplish his promises to round up and deport millions of undocumented migrants. Many experts’ concerns about this program have included the facts that immigrants contribute enormous value … Continue reading As Trump touts plans for immigrant roundup, militias are standing back, but standing by

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Alarm as Trump Judge Sides With Company Claiming NLRB Is Unconstitutional

BY JULIA CONLEY The National Labor Relations Board was prevented on Tuesday from moving forward with an unfair labor practices case against the social services tech company Findhelp, after a Trump-appointed judge granted the Texas-based firm’s request for a temporary injunction. “This is yet another move by a Trump-appointed judge in favor of wealthy corporations.” … Continue reading Alarm as Trump Judge Sides With Company Claiming NLRB Is Unconstitutional

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Gaza, Campus Protest, and the Fierce Urgency of Now

BY FRAN SHORE As more campuses join the protests against Israel’s continuing engagement in war crimes in Gaza, one common thread runs through the student demands. It’s this: divest from supplying the Netanyahu government and the IDF with weapons of mass destruction. What compels many of these youthful demonstrators to occupy the public spaces and … Continue reading Gaza, Campus Protest, and the Fierce Urgency of Now

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Emissions inequality is getting worse – here’s how to end the reign of the ultra-polluters

BY NICHOLAS BEURET, University of Essex Climate change is overwhelmingly a problem of wealthy people. The wealthiest 1% of humanity produce over 1,000 times the emissions of the poorest 1%. In fact, these 77 million people are responsible for more climate-changing emissions than the poorest 66% (5 billion people) of humanity. Since 1990, the personal emissions … Continue reading Emissions inequality is getting worse – here’s how to end the reign of the ultra-polluters

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‘MAGA Mike Johnson’ Wants Commission to Cut Social Security Formed ‘Immediately’

BY JESSICA CORBETT When Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives elected Louisiana Congressman Mike Johnson as speaker last week, critics quickly sounded the alarm about his previous calls to cut trillions of dollars from Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid—and the GOP leader triggered a fresh wave of fears on Thursday with related comments to … Continue reading ‘MAGA Mike Johnson’ Wants Commission to Cut Social Security Formed ‘Immediately’

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Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises [Book Review]

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR Has capitalism taken us over the cliff? And why can’t we stop? Marjorie Kelly‘s most recent book, Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises is one of the most important explanations of how wealth and power have created an unlivable world and sacrificed the future for … Continue reading Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises [Book Review]

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‘We are gambling with the future of our planet for the sake of hamburgers’: Peter Singer on climate change

BY PETER SINGER I wasn’t aware of climate change until the 1980s — hardly anyone was — and even when we recognised the dire threat that burning fossil fuels posed, it took time for the role of animal production in warming the planet to be understood. Today, though, the fact that eating plants will reduce your … Continue reading ‘We are gambling with the future of our planet for the sake of hamburgers’: Peter Singer on climate change

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Why Billionaires Hate Social Security

BY RICHARD ESKOW The real goal of billionaire-funded Social Security rhetoric is to prevent the public from drawing a connection between Social Security’s finances, the working-class retirement crisis, and the ludicrous amounts of wealth held by America’s billionaires. Consider the billionaire. I’m not talking about people who were born into wealth; they have their own issues. … Continue reading Why Billionaires Hate Social Security

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Does Your Government Care? A Citizen’s Checklist for Regenerative Government

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR, PHILIP KOTLER, ENRICO FOGLIA In our book – REGENERATION: The Future of Community in a Permacrisis World, we point out that in the US today, we see that our politicians can’t even stand up to the NRA, let alone address climate collapse.  Instead, they distract us with culture wars and fake controversy – banning books, … Continue reading Does Your Government Care? A Citizen’s Checklist for Regenerative Government

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Salman Rushdie renews fight against book-banning – 3 essential articles on right-wing challenges to what schoolkids can read

BY HOWARD MANLY No one needs to tell Salman Rushdie about the cost of free speech. In 1989, Rushdie’s novel “The Satanic Verses” triggered the ire of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who called for the writer’s death. Protests against Rushdie’s novel ignited violent attacks against bookstores across the world, and the book was later … Continue reading Salman Rushdie renews fight against book-banning – 3 essential articles on right-wing challenges to what schoolkids can read

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‘This Must Be Stopped': House Republicans Plan to Gut Ethics Office

BY JESSICA CORBETT “The MAGA House is more interested in sweeping any corruption amongst their ranks under the rug and performing political stunts against the Biden administration than they are doing anything constructive,” said one critic. Government watchdog groups on Monday blasted plans by U.S. House Republicans to gut an independent, nonpartisan ethics office that was … Continue reading ‘This Must Be Stopped': House Republicans Plan to Gut Ethics Office

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“Ukraine: A War between the Past and the Future” – An interview with Iryna Tykhomyrova

  What does Ukraine need for the future? We interviewed Dr. Iryna Tykhomyrova, President of MIM Business School in Kyiv, to get her views on rebuilding Ukraine. Dr. Tykhomyrova is the Head of Management and Economics Department, and supervisor of consulting projects for international and Ukrainian companies. As an expert on evaluation of business education needs for Central … Continue reading “Ukraine: A War between the Past and the Future” – An interview with Iryna Tykhomyrova

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GOP ‘message laundering’ turns violent, extremist reactions to search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago into acceptable political talking points

BY KARRIN VASBY ANDERSON, Colorado State University After the FBI completed a lawful search of former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, 2022, conservative politicians responded with one of three strategies: silence, circumspection and attack. Many responses echoed Trump’s own framing of the search. In his Aug. 8 message he claimed his residence was … Continue reading GOP ‘message laundering’ turns violent, extremist reactions to search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago into acceptable political talking points

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An antidemocratic philosophy called ‘neoreaction’ is creeping into GOP politics

BY GEORGE MICHAEL, Westfield State University President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election were brazenly antidemocratic. Yet Trump and his supporters nonetheless justified their actions under the dubious pretense of preserving American democracy – as a matter of getting the vote right, of reversing voter fraud. There’s a good reason they … Continue reading An antidemocratic philosophy called ‘neoreaction’ is creeping into GOP politics

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The U.S. Government’s Program Of Welfare For The Wealthy

BY – STANLEY F. STASCH From the late 1940s to the mid-1970s, ordinary people in the United States enjoyed a tremendous increase in their prosperity. It was the highest level of prosperity the world had ever experienced, and it resulted in the creation of the great American middle class. That period was immediately followed by the … Continue reading The U.S. Government’s Program Of Welfare For The Wealthy

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Humanity Subsidizing ‘Our Own Extinction,’ Warns Study

BY JULIA CONLEY Releasing a new study showing that world governments spend at least $1.8 trillion annually to subsidize activities which worsen the climate crisis, global subsidies experts on Thursday said leaders must eliminate or redirect the financial supports as part of an ambitious Global Biodiversity Framework at an upcoming summit in China. The B Team … Continue reading Humanity Subsidizing ‘Our Own Extinction,’ Warns Study

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The science everyone needs to know about climate change, in 6 charts

BY Betsy Weatherhead, University of Colorado Boulder With the United Nations’ climate conference in Scotland turning a spotlight on climate change policies and the impact of global warming, it’s useful to understand what the science shows. I’m an atmospheric scientist who has worked on global climate science and assessments for most of my career. Here are … Continue reading The science everyone needs to know about climate change, in 6 charts

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Pandora papers: media rage at billionaire tax cheats ignores Boris Johnson’s failure to reform tax havens

BY Matthew Shillito, University of Liverpool Many of the world’s richest and most powerful people are in the spotlight for the wrong reasons – again. The Pandora papers is the third and largest leak of documents in which the secret financial practices of the wealthy are exposed in the media. They highlight mass tax avoidance and … Continue reading Pandora papers: media rage at billionaire tax cheats ignores Boris Johnson’s failure to reform tax havens

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Why Tunisians are still out on the streets — a decade after the ‘Dignity Revolution’

BY Saerom Han, University of Aberdeen; Andrea Teti, University of Aberdeen, and Pamela Abbott, University of Aberdeen It has been 10 years since nation-wide protests in Tunisia led to the ousting of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his regime. Ben Ali led Tunisia for 23 years. Tunisia’s “Dignity Revolution” marked the first time … Continue reading Why Tunisians are still out on the streets — a decade after the ‘Dignity Revolution’

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Navalny returns to Russia and brings anti-Putin politics with him

BY REGINA SMYTH, Indiana University Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and his team have stunned the Russian government again, forcing President Vladimir Putin and his allies to confront significant protest led by a foe they hoped to first sideline and, more recently, eliminate. Navalny was nearly killed in August by the Novichok nerve agent in … Continue reading Navalny returns to Russia and brings anti-Putin politics with him

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How can America heal from the Trump era? Lessons from Germany’s transformation into a prosperous democracy after Nazi rule

BY SYLVIA TASCHKA, Wayne State University Comparisons between the United States under Trump and Germany during the Hitler era are once again being made following the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Even in the eyes of German history scholars like myself, who had earlier warned of the troubling nature of such analogies, Trump’s … Continue reading How can America heal from the Trump era? Lessons from Germany’s transformation into a prosperous democracy after Nazi rule

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Why Can’t Billionaires Advance the Common Good?

BY PHILIP KOTLER & CHRISTIAN SARKAR The cover of the May 20, 2020 issue of Forbes magazine carries a picture of Larry Ellison, billionaire founder of Oracle Corporation. On page 114, there’s a Billionaires Index that runs six more pages in very small print.  The following becomes clear: Almost every country has billionaires. Even Venezuela and … Continue reading Why Can’t Billionaires Advance the Common Good?

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The end of Golden Dawn: has Greece shown us how to deal with neo-Nazis?

BY Georgios Samaras, King’s College London When a wave of right-wing extremism hit Greece in 2012, few would have predicted that Golden Dawn, one of the groups involved, would grow to become the third largest party in the Greek parliament. This was the beginning of a long period of turmoil in Greek politics that saw a … Continue reading The end of Golden Dawn: has Greece shown us how to deal with neo-Nazis?

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Biden vs. Trump: A Tale of Two Narratives

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR and PHILIP KOTLER In our work on cultural narratives, we’ve proposed that cultural narratives create meaning for our place in the world, and provide a map for the journey ahead. The structure of a cultural narrative can be diagrammed as follows: In politics, the structure of a cultural narrative becomes an ideological framework for living … Continue reading Biden vs. Trump: A Tale of Two Narratives

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‘Friday Night Massacre’ at US Postal Service as Postmaster General—a Major Trump Donor—Ousts Top Officials

BY JON QUEALLY Government watchdogs, Democratic lawmakers, and pro-democracy advocates declared it a “Friday Night Massacre” for the U.S. Postal Service after news broke in a classic end-of-the-week dump that Louis DeJoy—a major GOP donor to President Donald Trump and the recently appointed Postmaster General—had issued a sweeping overhaul of the agency, including the ouster of … Continue reading ‘Friday Night Massacre’ at US Postal Service as Postmaster General—a Major Trump Donor—Ousts Top Officials

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Trump Doesn’t Believe in Democracy—Here’s His 25-Step Reelection Plan

BY ROBERT REICH Trump will do anything to be re-elected. His opponents are limited because they believe in democracy. Trump has no limits because he doesn’t. Here’s Trump’s re-election playbook, in 25 simple steps: 1. Declare yourself above the law. 2. Use racist fearmongering. Demand “law and order” and describe protesters as “thugs”, “lowlife” and … Continue reading Trump Doesn’t Believe in Democracy—Here’s His 25-Step Reelection Plan

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It can’t happen here – and then it did

BY JOE SALTZMAN, University of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism When Americans think of journalists attacked, arrested or imprisoned while doing their job, they think of it happening in distant lands – in places like Russia, Syria, Afghanistan, El Salvador and Mexico. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are so ingrained … Continue reading It can’t happen here – and then it did

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‘No Warming, No War': Report Details How US Militarism and Climate Crisis Are Deeply Interwoven

BY JESSICA CORBETT A new report examining the federal budget illuminates the deep connections between the climate emergency and the U.S. military, arguing that the shift to a green economy requires a just transition away from both fossil fuels and endless war.The report, entitled No Warming, No War: How Militarism Fuels the Climate Crisis—and Vice … Continue reading ‘No Warming, No War': Report Details How US Militarism and Climate Crisis Are Deeply Interwoven

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‘We Know This Script': Naomi Klein Warns of ‘Coronavirus Capitalism’ in New Video Detailing Battle Before Us

BY JESSICA CORBETT In a new video from The Intercept, author and activist Naomi Klein explains how the Trump administration and other governments across the globe are “exploiting” the coronavirus outbreak “to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks,” and urges working people worldwide to resist such efforts and demand real support from political … Continue reading ‘We Know This Script': Naomi Klein Warns of ‘Coronavirus Capitalism’ in New Video Detailing Battle Before Us

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“You’re Not a Dictator”: Lawmakers and Experts Inform Trump He Can’t Declare War via Tweet

BY Eoin Higgins Democratic lawmakers, anti-war advocates, and legal experts rebuked President Donald Trump after he announced on Twitter that he would be using the social media platform as the medium by which he would inform Congress of hypothetical, future military strikes against Iran. “The Constitution doesn’t allow presidents to declare war over social media,” tweeted … Continue reading “You’re Not a Dictator”: Lawmakers and Experts Inform Trump He Can’t Declare War via Tweet

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“Justice through Music” – An Interview with David Hinds from Steel Pulse

Musician David Hinds is the founder and front-man for Steel Pulse, the world’s leading reggae band.  For over forty years, Hinds and the band has brought conscious music and a message of equality to fans all around the world.  Now, with the timely release of Mass Manipulation, their first album in over fifteen years, Hinds is back with a message of … Continue reading “Justice through Music” – An Interview with David Hinds from Steel Pulse

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New Analysis Details ‘Aggressive’ Tax Dodging of Six Silicon Valley Giants—Totaling Over $100 Billion

BY JESSICA CORBETT Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Netflix have collectively dodged over $100 billion in global taxes so far this decade, according to an analysis released Monday by a U.K.-based tax transparency campaign group. Later this week, the Fair Tax Mark plans to publish its full report on the tax conduct of the companies, … Continue reading New Analysis Details ‘Aggressive’ Tax Dodging of Six Silicon Valley Giants—Totaling Over $100 Billion

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Humanity and nature are not separate – we must see them as one to fix the climate crisis

BY HEATHER ALBERRO, Nottingham Trent University From transport and housing to food production and fashion, our civilisation is driving climate and ecological breakdown. It’s no coincidence that almost every single sector of industry is contributing to the planet’s downfall, either. A deeper issue underlies each one’s part in the malaise enveloping the planet’s ecosystems – and … Continue reading Humanity and nature are not separate – we must see them as one to fix the climate crisis

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“Now that CEOs found purpose, what are they going to do with it?”

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR and PHILIP KOTLER Maybe they’ve been spooked by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.  Or maybe they decided that it’s time to reclaim the political conversation before America turns full-fascist.  Whatever the reason, the CEOs of this  great nation published their own manifesto under the august umbrella of the Business Roundtable.  In it, they finally … Continue reading “Now that CEOs found purpose, what are they going to do with it?”

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How Uber and other digital platforms could trick us using behavioral science – unless we act fast”

BY ABBEY STEMLER, Indiana University; JOSHUA E. PERRY, Indiana University, and TODD HAUGH, Indiana University  Uber’s business model is incredibly simple: It’s a platform that facilitates exchanges between people. And Uber’s been incredibly successful at it, almost eliminating the transaction costs of doing business in everything from shuttling people around town to delivering food. This is … Continue reading How Uber and other digital platforms could trick us using behavioral science – unless we act fast”

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Can Billionaires Save America?

BY PHILIP KOTLER – A recent news item mentioned that a group of 18 ultra-wealthy Americans including George Soros and Abigail Disney and members of the Pritzker and Gund families published an open letter asking presidential candidates to support a moderate wealth tax of 1 percent.  The wealth tax revenue would be used to fund environmental initiatives, fuel economic growth, and … Continue reading Can Billionaires Save America?

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What To Do About The Growing U.S. Income Gap Between The Rich And Everyone Else

by PHILIP KOTLER – Revolutions occur when the income and wealth gap between the rich, the middle class and the poor reaches a boiling point.  We may be near the boiling point.  This gap launched the Russian Revolution of 1917.  Social injustice led to Castro’s takeover of Cuba and Mao Tse Tung’s takeover of China. The picture … Continue reading What To Do About The Growing U.S. Income Gap Between The Rich And Everyone Else

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The Flywheel of Corruption: Why Our Democracy Isn’t Working

by PHILIP KOTLER and CHRISTIAN SARKAR – For some time now we’ve been saying that the wheels have fallen off our democracy. Things aren’t looking good around the world.  The Guardian reports the world’s 26 richest billionaires own as many assets as half the planet. 26 plutocrats own as much wealth as 3.8 billion people.  Welcome to serfdom. And … Continue reading The Flywheel of Corruption: Why Our Democracy Isn’t Working

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“I’m a Capitalist,” Says Warren…But Why?

Let’s drop the dead-end debate of capitalism versus socialism and focus on choosing terms that capture what we really mean—an open, fair, and accountable market essential to real democracy. by FRANCESS MOORE LAPPE My headline poses a question I struggle with. “Capitalism” refers to an economy driven by owners of private capital, typically with the aim … Continue reading “I’m a Capitalist,” Says Warren…But Why?