Elizabeth Warren thinks the filibuster's end is nigh
the.ink
A conversation with the senator from Massachusetts about her new wealth tax plan, capitalism versus socialism, and how to solve the Democrats' Joe Manchin problem (plus: a bonus audio version!)
This was encouraging. The biggest issue I struggle with was her statement around your question about Bill Gates.
He should not be seen as the pandemic expert or environmentalist expert. And he certainly shouldn't be seen as the education expert.
He has done more damage to public schools in the last 10 years.
I should have much more input on public school policy than him as I am a professional educator and my children are in the public schools. When I called the department of ed yesterday stating that Biden promised to stop standardized testing and he needs to uphold his promise.
Instead his Gate's guy sent a letter stating states are required to administer these horrible antilearning tests. I told the dept of ed that Mr Rosenblum no longer works for Gates but for the American people.
The Gates foundation funds and thus influences way too many organizations.
Gates is hosting an event today around how to create equity in our school system.
How can a rich white guy even think he can do this?
He just needs to pay his taxes so we can have expert scientists, environmentalists and educators inform the public. Not him.
I'm looking forward to listening to the whole audio - (I actually like rough cuts better in general, it gives a better sense of the conversation as a whole, the contextual subtext and vibe come through better). :0) I really like Elizabeth, but I did think that she dodged the question about the power of the ultra-wealthy in American life and politics (e.g. Bill Gates). And I think that the she also avoided point that was raised about capitalism overall, Yes, the market does "produce a lot of value" - but this elides a very fundamental issue, that many of the problems that we now face result from the fact that money is the single inherent value that drives all decisions and institutions in the market society that results. It is a question of the damage that it does - the absence of other social values in its mechanisms. It almost seems to an problem of perception, one that is perceived very differently by the rising generations now that face a very different future (and I think, see the situation more clearly) than the generations preceding . Ultimately a modification of markets, a different model is needed, but things need to be called for what they are for this to have any chance to come about. Again, I like Elizabeth, she along with a handful of others is about as good as it gets in that world, but maybe she ought to have let you finish your question and given it due consideration.
We need a progressive tax code, but the wealth tax approach is an unnecessary nightmare. There are simpler methods. First, phase out all the current tax shields like Annuities, Life insurance policies, offshore tax havens, Top Hat plans and the like. Second, increase the top tier tax rates and the ridiculously low capital gains tax rates. Once the legal machinery to hide wealth is gone, tax payments from the wealthy will increase. There is no need to create bureaucratic machinery to calculate wealth if there are simpler means to achieve it. The current tax code is so egregiously unfair that even Warren Buffett has bemoaned that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than him. If only his rank and file employees voted more for Dems, we might have a shot a reforming this travesty.
Apropos of this discussion regarding taxation and the purpose of taxes, would be a discussion with Stephanie Kelton author of "The Deficit Myth". Taxes do not fund government spending, government spending funds taxes. We can afford those programs without taxes. Taxes do reduce income and wealth inequality, control inflation and produce demand for the sovereign
This was encouraging. The biggest issue I struggle with was her statement around your question about Bill Gates.
He should not be seen as the pandemic expert or environmentalist expert. And he certainly shouldn't be seen as the education expert.
He has done more damage to public schools in the last 10 years.
I should have much more input on public school policy than him as I am a professional educator and my children are in the public schools. When I called the department of ed yesterday stating that Biden promised to stop standardized testing and he needs to uphold his promise.
Instead his Gate's guy sent a letter stating states are required to administer these horrible antilearning tests. I told the dept of ed that Mr Rosenblum no longer works for Gates but for the American people.
The Gates foundation funds and thus influences way too many organizations.
Gates is hosting an event today around how to create equity in our school system.
How can a rich white guy even think he can do this?
He just needs to pay his taxes so we can have expert scientists, environmentalists and educators inform the public. Not him.
I'm looking forward to listening to the whole audio - (I actually like rough cuts better in general, it gives a better sense of the conversation as a whole, the contextual subtext and vibe come through better). :0) I really like Elizabeth, but I did think that she dodged the question about the power of the ultra-wealthy in American life and politics (e.g. Bill Gates). And I think that the she also avoided point that was raised about capitalism overall, Yes, the market does "produce a lot of value" - but this elides a very fundamental issue, that many of the problems that we now face result from the fact that money is the single inherent value that drives all decisions and institutions in the market society that results. It is a question of the damage that it does - the absence of other social values in its mechanisms. It almost seems to an problem of perception, one that is perceived very differently by the rising generations now that face a very different future (and I think, see the situation more clearly) than the generations preceding . Ultimately a modification of markets, a different model is needed, but things need to be called for what they are for this to have any chance to come about. Again, I like Elizabeth, she along with a handful of others is about as good as it gets in that world, but maybe she ought to have let you finish your question and given it due consideration.
We need a progressive tax code, but the wealth tax approach is an unnecessary nightmare. There are simpler methods. First, phase out all the current tax shields like Annuities, Life insurance policies, offshore tax havens, Top Hat plans and the like. Second, increase the top tier tax rates and the ridiculously low capital gains tax rates. Once the legal machinery to hide wealth is gone, tax payments from the wealthy will increase. There is no need to create bureaucratic machinery to calculate wealth if there are simpler means to achieve it. The current tax code is so egregiously unfair that even Warren Buffett has bemoaned that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than him. If only his rank and file employees voted more for Dems, we might have a shot a reforming this travesty.
Apropos of this discussion regarding taxation and the purpose of taxes, would be a discussion with Stephanie Kelton author of "The Deficit Myth". Taxes do not fund government spending, government spending funds taxes. We can afford those programs without taxes. Taxes do reduce income and wealth inequality, control inflation and produce demand for the sovereign
currency.
Just a small example of Bill Gates' influence on our public schools. Scroll down to see who his money is influencing. https://dianeravitch.net/2021/03/05/who-signed-the-pro-testing-appeals/
Excellent!!