Category: Politics

Posted on

How to change the world and solve global problems – with cash prizes

BY TRIS DYSON, Nesta and PIOTR GIERSZEWSKI, Nesta Challenge prizes – which offer a cash incentive to those working to solve a particular problem – are becoming a force for change by allowing entrepreneurs and innovators, often overlooked by existing grant and procurement systems, to develop solutions to the world’s greatest problems. They have a … Continue reading How to change the world and solve global problems – with cash prizes

Posted on

Demise of Totnes pound won’t stop this English town pushing back against austerity

BY BRENDAN BARRETT, Osaka University Walking down the high street of a place described as one of the UK’s most ethical towns, the first thing you notice is the absence of national chain stores and fast food outlets. Instead, you find a diverse mix of independent shops selling organic food, clothes, art, antiques and furniture, as … Continue reading Demise of Totnes pound won’t stop this English town pushing back against austerity

Posted on

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?

Posted on

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

Posted on

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

Posted on

“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?

Posted on

Will You Help Artist Ron English Build a “Welcome Wall”?

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR – Renowned U.S. Artist Ron English has started a protest wall project down at the border with Mexico.  In response to Trump’s push for a border barrier, he’s decided to build his own wall – a “Welcome Wall.” The Mexican American “Welcome Wall” will be a 2000 ft long physical wall along the US/Mexico … Continue reading Will You Help Artist Ron English Build a “Welcome Wall”?

Posted on

“Let Us Fix American Democracy”

BY PHILIP KOTLER – No democracy is perfect.  Some democracies work better than others.  Swiss democracy works well.  Canada’s democracy works pretty well.  American democracy has fallen on hard times. In 2016, I published Democracy in Decline in which I cite many problems and solutions.  We have voter suppression and low voter turnout.  We let politicians choose their … Continue reading “Let Us Fix American Democracy”

Posted on

Historian’s Advice to Davos Elite Worried About Pitchforks: ‘Stop Talking About Philanthropy’ and Start Paying Higher Taxes

BY JON QUEALLY – “I mean we can talk for a very long time about all these stupid philanthropy schemes… But we’ve got to be talking about taxes. That’s it. Taxes, taxes, taxes. All the rest is bullshit in my opinion.” While the private jets have mostly left the airport outside of Davos, Switzerland following the … Continue reading Historian’s Advice to Davos Elite Worried About Pitchforks: ‘Stop Talking About Philanthropy’ and Start Paying Higher Taxes

Posted on

Open Letter by Over 70 Scholars and Experts Condemns US-Backed Coup Attempt in Venezuela

By COMMON DREAMS staff – “For the sake of the Venezuelan people, the region, and for the principle of national sovereignty, these international actors should instead support negotiations between the Venezuelan government and its opponents.” As many American lawmakers, pundits, and advocacy groups remain conspicuously silent in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to formally … Continue reading Open Letter by Over 70 Scholars and Experts Condemns US-Backed Coup Attempt in Venezuela

Posted on

In Bid to ‘Get Big Money Out of Politics,’ House Lawmakers Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

BY JAKE JOHNSON – In a bid to loosen the stranglehold corporate money has on the political process and “restore democratic power to the American people,” a bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Thursday introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s deeply unpopular 2010 Citizens United decision. “Let’s not mince words here—for too long, … Continue reading In Bid to ‘Get Big Money Out of Politics,’ House Lawmakers Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

Posted on

The Suffering Working Class – What Can Be Done?

BY PHILIP KOTLER – The low-income working class is one of the largest groups in America.  You can spot its members working at Wal-Mart or McDonalds, in large or small factories, in clerical jobs, and toiling in agricultural areas. This group includes single individuals, unmarried co-habitors, married childless couples, and families.  The common denominator is that they … Continue reading The Suffering Working Class – What Can Be Done?

Posted on

‘This Is a Scam”: ExxonMobil-Backed Carbon Tax Will Not Save the Planet

BY JESSICA CORBETT “It comes as no surprise that ExxonMobil and other oil companies are calling for anything and everything short of moving off fossil fuels entirely—most notably, the unwieldy and unproven concept of carbon taxes.” Amid warnings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that there’s a closing window to act to prevent a … Continue reading ‘This Is a Scam”: ExxonMobil-Backed Carbon Tax Will Not Save the Planet

Posted on

Trump craves good press from the ‘fake news’ media – just look at his White House newsletter

BY JOSEPH GRAF, American University School of Communication Mainstream press coverage of President Trump has been unfavorable. Thomas Patterson of Harvard’s Shorenstein Center found that 80 percent of stories in the first 100 days of the administration were negative in tone. The president has attacked the media as “fake news” and journalists as “the enemy of the … Continue reading Trump craves good press from the ‘fake news’ media – just look at his White House newsletter

Posted on

Will China’s State-Directed Capitalism Outperform the U.S.’s Unguided Democracy?

BY PHILIP KOTLER – China and the U.S. represent two opposing systems for running an economy.  We will know in twenty years which system performs better in GDP growth, product quality, and innovation.  We will also have a clearer understanding of the economic and non-economic gains and losses with each system. The Chinese government is highly … Continue reading Will China’s State-Directed Capitalism Outperform the U.S.’s Unguided Democracy?

Posted on

Amid #DeleteFacebook Fervor, Experts Say Time to Tackle Big Data Profiteers

BY JAKE JOHNSON – A social media platform like this “is the ultimate surveillance tool: an addictive product that’s optimized to collect and analyze the intimate details of our lives.” While the pro-Trump data firm Cambridge Analytica has received a flood of media attention in recent days following reports that it harvested the personal information of … Continue reading Amid #DeleteFacebook Fervor, Experts Say Time to Tackle Big Data Profiteers

Posted on

11 Mayors Applauded for Refusing to Do Business With Companies That Don’t Support Net Neutrality

BY JAKE JOHNSON – “Town by town, city by city, local leaders are taking back everyone’s right to connect and communicate.” As advocacy groups and open internet defenders in Congress continue their efforts to repeal the Republican-controlled FCC’s attack on net neutrality, the mayors of 11 cities have signed a new pledge vowing to refuse to … Continue reading 11 Mayors Applauded for Refusing to Do Business With Companies That Don’t Support Net Neutrality

Posted on

Lamentations: Disaster-Capitalism, Puerto Rico, and the Art of Patrick McGrath Muñiz

BY CHRISTIAN SARKAR Alba’s Dream (2017) The public has not forgotten Puerto Rico, and neither has Patrick McGrath Muñiz. After experiencing Harvey in Houston, and witnessing Hurricane Maria passing over Puerto Rico and Irma in Florida, where most of his family and friends live, the issue of climate change has become even more personal for the … Continue reading Lamentations: Disaster-Capitalism, Puerto Rico, and the Art of Patrick McGrath Muñiz

Posted on

Consumption, Economic Growth And The Future Of Marketing

BY DIMITAR SABEV – From its very beginning marketing enhanced economic growth by provoking and channelling consumption, and in many cases this has been socially beneficial. There is growing evidence that the social and economic system based on the premise of constant and rapid growth has breached its limits. Consumption has to decouple from economic growth … Continue reading Consumption, Economic Growth And The Future Of Marketing

Posted on

Should Government Put a Tax on ‘Sin’ Products and Services?

BY PHILIP KOTLER – Among the millions of products and services produced each year, there is a group loosely called ‘sin’ products. Think of “alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana” as major sin products. Think of “prostitution services” as a ‘sin’ service type. Think of recent efforts to discourage the consumption of soft drinks, candy, and packaged … Continue reading Should Government Put a Tax on ‘Sin’ Products and Services?

Posted on

Brand Confusion: What Do Our Political Parties Stand For?

BY PHILIP KOTLER and CHRISTIAN SARKAR – For many years, Americans held a clear idea of the differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. The Republicans were a party on the right, the Democrats a party on the left. But now the distinctions aren’t so clear. What went wrong? Neither party today is answering or … Continue reading Brand Confusion: What Do Our Political Parties Stand For?

Posted on

Progressive Taxes: Needed to Offset Income Inequality?

BY MARK BLESSINGTON – True or false: Are America’s wealthy few growing their wealth at the expense of everyone else? The question is not whether the rich are getting richer. The question is whether they are gaining wealth at the expense of everyone else. The Congressional Budget Office provides a comprehensive report on wealth every three … Continue reading Progressive Taxes: Needed to Offset Income Inequality?

Posted on

It’s Time For A Single-Payer Healthcare System

By PHILIP KOTLER – We have had “Obamacare” and now the Republicans have fallen short in replacing it with “Ryancare” (a.k.a. “Trumpcare”). Both plans have their unforgiving and deep critics and enemies. I think that it is time to adopt the healthcare system that Canada and most other nations have: a single-payer healthcare system. A single-payer … Continue reading It’s Time For A Single-Payer Healthcare System

Posted on

Why We Worship False Idols, Always Have, And Always Will

 [Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Global Imperial Plutocratic/Kleptocratic Brave New Fantasyworld of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump] BY SCOTT DEWEY – As long as humans worship the trappings and display of power and wealth—as with celebrity, political power, military power, economic power—and they obviously do—there can be no democracy; democracy cannot … Continue reading Why We Worship False Idols, Always Have, And Always Will

Posted on

The ‘Terrorist’ in the White House

BY PHILIP KOTLER  The US has been downgraded in The Economist’s Democracy Index. It is now in the “flawed democracy” category. Donald Trump got elected as U.S. President on a platform that included a lot of changes that appealed to many people. Trump promised to “Make America Great Again” by bringing back the high paying jobs that had moved overseas … Continue reading The ‘Terrorist’ in the White House

Posted on

Lobbying: The Scourge of Good Government

BY PHILP KOTLER Lobbying describes the effort of lobbyists to influence decisions made by government officials such as legislators, regulators or judges.  The term came from the fact that “influence peddlers” would appear in the lobby of legislative buildings to buttonhole legislators and influence their voting on behalf of the legislators’ clients.  Most of the … Continue reading Lobbying: The Scourge of Good Government

Posted on

China steps up as US steps back from global leadership

FLYNT L. LEVERETT, Pennsylvania State University and ROBERT SPRINKLE, University of Maryland Chinese President Xi Jinping’s appearance at last week’s World Economic Forum shows global leadership is shifting, not drifting, toward Beijing. The most vigorous defense of globalization and multilateral cooperation was mounted not by an American statesman, but by the president of the People’s … Continue reading China steps up as US steps back from global leadership

Posted on

The Real Value of Government Support for the Arts in the U.S.

BY JOANNE BERNSTEIN “May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.” —President John Adams, upon moving into the new White House. All of us who are passionate about the arts are repelled by our new administration’s promise to eliminate the NEA, the NEH, and government funding for PBS.  We know that cutting … Continue reading The Real Value of Government Support for the Arts in the U.S.

Posted on

Are We Kissing Democracy Goodbye?

BY PHILIP KOTLER & CHRISTIAN SARKAR – As President-Elect Trump and his “Corporate Cabinet” take over Washington – the American public will witness radical changes taking place in our institutions, policies, and regulations. These changes might undermine America’s position as the world’s leader over the past century. The billionaires and generals who make up Trump’s cabinet bring … Continue reading Are We Kissing Democracy Goodbye?

Posted on

What would Make America Great Again? The Battle Between Two Definitions of Greatness

BY PHILIP KOTLER – America’s greatness was recently challenged by Donald Trump who asserted that the U.S. had lost its greatness. His campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again.” He claimed that only he and his party could restore the country’s greatness. This raises the question: How can we define where a country ranks in its “greatness?”  I have long … Continue reading What would Make America Great Again? The Battle Between Two Definitions of Greatness

Posted on

What Populism? Trump’s America Is Party Time for the Corporate Elite

By ROBERT WEISSMAN “Trump has converted the GOP into a populist working-class party,” Trump advisor and far-right economist Stephen Moore told Republican members of Congress at a caucus meeting. Well, advisor Moore, meet the Trump transition team. The leader of the would-be populist working-class party has invited rogues’ gallery of insiders—corporate lawyers, investment fund managers, … Continue reading What Populism? Trump’s America Is Party Time for the Corporate Elite

Posted on

Democracy in Decline: An Interview with Phil Kotler

Philip Kotler’s upcoming book – Democracy in Decline: Rebuilding its Future describes 14 symptoms of a sick democracy: #1. Voter Literacy & Turnout  #2. Quality of Political Leadership  #3. Exceptionalism  #4. Public Trust  #5. Gridlock  #6. Money in Politics  #7. Gerrymandering  #8. Extremist Primaries  #9. The President vs. Congress  #10. Federal vs. State Governments  #11. Supreme Court vs. … Continue reading Democracy in Decline: An Interview with Phil Kotler

Posted on

Third Wave Capitalism – An Interview with John Ehrenreich

Where did the wheels come off our Democracy? by Christian Sarkar John Ehrenreich is an American author, academic, and clinical psychologist who has published books on health policy, US social policy, and US history. He is the author of Third Wave Capitalism: How Money, Power, and the Pursuit of Self-Interest have Imperiled the American Dream … Continue reading Third Wave Capitalism – An Interview with John Ehrenreich