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“Tax the rich” isn’t just about the money. It is more to the power that comes with a handful of people having insane amounts of money. Money is power, whether w

by akudha 2y ago

“Tax the rich” isn’t just about the money. It is more to the power that comes with a handful of people having insane amounts of money. Money is power, whether we like it or not. Why else an unelected private citizen (Elon) is able to bully congress? He is going to pour 100 million plus dollars to mess with British elections. More than 60% of the money raised by the GOP this year came from ultra wealthy people. Striking Amazon workers are getting beaten up by cops for using their right to protest. And so on

roenxi 2y ago
> Why else an unelected private citizen (Elon) is able to bully congress? In China their Elon Musk equivalent can't bully congress. That is Jack Ma, he disappeared for a bit, reappeared and then ... a cynic would say he fled to Japan and has spent the last year or two cowering. Xi Jinping stands unbullied! The question here is who do you want to hold it and why are they qualified? Should Trump have free reign? Should Congress be all-powerful (noting that the likely outcome of that is that power then effectively goes to the whips). I like the idea of no individual having too much power, but outsiders being able to bully congress seems like a great idea. The US Congress is a disgrace to basic principles of competence, honesty and good governance. The US would be well served by more entities that can challenge and bully them, not less. Private citizens being able to loom over them represents a strength of the US system. Better to have someone transient but competent who is powerful than a known-bad institution.
- akudha 2y ago
  Your logic seems to boil to “Person A is a bully, so let’s bring a bigger bully, aka Person B, to bully A”. Nobody (other than billionaires) is happy with congress, their approval rating is the lowest it has ever been. That doesn’t mean we want one man to bully them, especially one as dumb and vile as Musk. The right way to fight back is by peaceful protests, voting corrupt officials out etc.
  - the_optimist 2y ago
    Can you tell us about the multi-generational involvement of George Soros? David Geffen? We’ve been here a long time, and I’m curious if you’ve developed a longer-term perspective.
  - roenxi 2y ago
    I'm the first to advocate learning from China's economic policies which are a modern miracle of the first degree, but in this instance a fairly cursory comparison between their system and the US system makes things like Musk v. Congress look really good. There is no way that would be allowed in China and that is because of how both systems are designed. > The right way to fight back is by peaceful protests, voting corrupt officials out etc. Go try that in Hong Kong. If the most powerful man in a country is no threat to the politicians, a group of the smallest certainly aren't and will be lucky to get away just being ignored. Seriously, the US is better off if Musk can stare down Congress. For all you don't like him, he's better than a group of politicians that looks to the likes of Mitch McConnell for leadership.
- jhp123 2y ago
  > The US Congress is a disgrace to basic principles of competence, honesty and good governance. In historic or global terms, no. Congress is squeaky-clean compared to your average oligarch. > Better to have someone transient but competent who is powerful than a known-bad institution. "transient"? Once an oligarch puts themselves above the government, who is going to take away that power?

by akudha 2y ago

roenxi 2y ago

> Why else an unelected private citizen (Elon) is able to bully congress? In China their Elon Musk equivalent can't bully congress. That is Jack Ma, he disappeared for a bit, reappeared and then ... a cynic would say he fled to Japan and has spent the last year or two cowering. Xi Jinping stands unbullied! The question here is who do you want to hold it and why are they qualified? Should Trump have free reign? Should Congress be all-powerful (noting that the likely outcome of that is that power then effectively goes to the whips). I like the idea of no individual having too much power, but outsiders being able to bully congress seems like a great idea. The US Congress is a disgrace to basic principles of competence, honesty and good governance. The US would be well served by more entities that can challenge and bully them, not less. Private citizens being able to loom over them represents a strength of the US system. Better to have someone transient but competent who is powerful than a known-bad institution.

akudha 2y ago
Your logic seems to boil to “Person A is a bully, so let’s bring a bigger bully, aka Person B, to bully A”. Nobody (other than billionaires) is happy with congress, their approval rating is the lowest it has ever been. That doesn’t mean we want one man to bully them, especially one as dumb and vile as Musk. The right way to fight back is by peaceful protests, voting corrupt officials out etc.
- the_optimist 2y ago
  Can you tell us about the multi-generational involvement of George Soros? David Geffen? We’ve been here a long time, and I’m curious if you’ve developed a longer-term perspective.
- roenxi 2y ago
  I'm the first to advocate learning from China's economic policies which are a modern miracle of the first degree, but in this instance a fairly cursory comparison between their system and the US system makes things like Musk v. Congress look really good. There is no way that would be allowed in China and that is because of how both systems are designed. > The right way to fight back is by peaceful protests, voting corrupt officials out etc. Go try that in Hong Kong. If the most powerful man in a country is no threat to the politicians, a group of the smallest certainly aren't and will be lucky to get away just being ignored. Seriously, the US is better off if Musk can stare down Congress. For all you don't like him, he's better than a group of politicians that looks to the likes of Mitch McConnell for leadership.
jhp123 2y ago
> The US Congress is a disgrace to basic principles of competence, honesty and good governance. In historic or global terms, no. Congress is squeaky-clean compared to your average oligarch. > Better to have someone transient but competent who is powerful than a known-bad institution. "transient"? Once an oligarch puts themselves above the government, who is going to take away that power?