The Real Socialism in America is Not What You Think | Robert Reich

[@thorstenkoethe]

wins are private, losses are public - that´s real "socialism for the rich".

[@screenarts]

Its taught in business school. Also don't do business with someone who is "all in" and a loss of investment would cause them harm. So don't invest with poor people either.

[@rabbit251]

@@screenarts You invest in poor people by making sure they get a decent education and provide a safety net, especially for children, so that they will have a home and food.

[@reasonerenlightened2456]

we desperately need "dictatorship of the proletariat". The modern interpretation of the dictatorship of the proletariat is called Perpetual Limited Speed Purge Allowance (PLSPA). (One purge per person per year allowed no questions asked; the purge right is non-transferable; assistance to purge is a crime; purges can not be accumulated; nobody is excluded from being purged; all purge events must be logged in a public database; the purge can take place at any time and any place. ) After the first purge wave the society will become harmonious and peaceful. ... and it will cleanse itself. Those who want too much Power or Wealth will get purged for sure by those who don't want extreme Power or Wealth .... and the society will welcome it. The correct approach is a free market economy with corrective mechanisms working on the side to compensate for the market's inherent problems. Those mechanisms are The Real UBI and the Perpetual Limited Speed Purge Allowance (PLSPA) which, together, implement the true meaning of 'Dictatorship of the Proletariat'.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled 'For the People by the People' is Meaningless.

[@kingkoi6542]

​@@rabbit251 and if you do that you're rewarding shitty behavior. I bet your ass 80% will just go back to living beyond their means...

[@stephengibbs8342]

we need to stop calling it "Socialism for the Rich" it used to be called "Feudalism"

[@augustcoolidge2475]

No, it's just socialism, and socialism always fails. In Feudalism landlords could only give their land to one heir. It couldn't be divided or sold. A simple fair flat tax would help, along with much less regulation (it was sure working for Trump). But politicians like their socialist power. Democrats passed Dodd-Frank and the "too big to fail" banks only got bigger. Regulations ARE corruption.

[@Blake-Urizen]

@@augustcoolidge2475 ""In Feudalism landlords could only give their land to one heir."" You're describing primogeniture. In feudalism, the monarch owned the land, and parceled it out to lords, who parceled it out to lesser lords ... ultimately down to the tenants (free and unfree) who farmed the land in exchange for labor and military service obligations. Lords could and did bequeath land to the Church which ultimately owned about 25% of Britain (and charged an annual "tax" in the form of tithes -- 10% of a landholder's produce). Meanwhile, monarchs could not raise taxes without the consent of parliament.

[@jaybuck5818]

It's a gigantic rip off, is what it is!

[@xg5zm]

@@augustcoolidge2475 agree. Simple regulation also helps with corruption. Look at Estonia tax system.

[@captainclone1367]

Call it Byzantine Republicanism! The fleecing of America by the 1%, like the Romanov's and Bourbon's did!

[@stevechance150]

Thank you Robert, this was PERFECT. You show the HUGE Return On Investment that corporations get when they contribute a small amount of dollars to the campaigns of congressmen.

[@rabbit251]

@@Zach-ju5vi Back in the 70s and 80s my home state of Wisconsin had Senator Proxmire. In his last election he announced that he wouldn't take any campaign contributions and simply paid the filing fee out of his own pocket. He said that if the people liked him and wanted him, re-elect him. But back then we didn't have social media like today with fuels the divide we have today. And people were relatively educated and didn't believe in conspiracies being rampant everywhere. Sad how much we improve we fall apart at the same time.

[@namvet1968]

Hear, hear!

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People' is Meaningless.

[@IMPOTUSx2]

@@Zach-ju5vi yet somehow you still pretend to know everything. SMFH...

[@bobbafett1849]

@@mrnobody3161 you are precisely correct, thats why tge For The People Act must be codified into law. Otherwise this Democratic Republic will fall.

[@marisadallavalle393]

Ignorance will prevail unless the people are educated. It's disgusting.

[@stephengibbs8342]

didn't Socrates say that? maybe it was Diogenes

[@marisadallavalle393]

@@stephengibbs8342 Socrates probably thought it, but was too polite to say it. Diogenes, on the other hand, had no problem speaking HIS mind, not to mention his enlightened search for an honest man. Can't help but love both of them. 💕

[@mtn1793]

Yeah. People think corporations can pay for elections and not corrupt the politicians… nor visa versa.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People' , is Meaningless.

[@IMPOTUSx2]

@@Zach-ju5vi says the indoctrinated ignorant one!

[@bryanleovy2163]

43,000 of the richest working Americans received a 1.7 million dollar stimulus while the neediest of us received 1200 dollars. Does anybody see the insanity of this?

[@chuckkottke]

Trickle down with extra gold in the water. 🚿🌞💦 The yacht and luxury home builders are happy, isn't that everyone??

[@jasonlacroix6083]

Thats because They prefer to eat lobster and caviar, while we can get by on Mickey D's or Taco Bell.

[@Q_from_Star_Trek]

it's been like that for the last 40-50 years, that's not new :-)

[@dennisyoung4631]

@@jasonlacroix6083 or bulk-bought converted rice and house-brand frozen veggies. Fast food is (far) too costly, and makes (autoimmune) Chronic Pancreatitis *worse.*

[@advikdeshmukh805]

@@jasonlacroix6083 what’s wrong with McDonald’s 😰😰😰

[@hunglikeahorse---fly]

When their base doesn't even know the definition of socialism... I've heard them say that it's the same as communism!!

[@dannyspitzer1267]

Always

[@grmpEqweer]

And Joe Biden is a Socialist. 🤦

[@Blake-Urizen]

Their base votes according to fear --- hence pretty much everything to the left of extreme right is labeled as scary red "communism"

[@neilburnside398]

Their base doesn't understand the definition of fascism either. They think being an anti-fascist is a bad thing.

[@Blake-Urizen]

@@neilburnside398 How quickly your point was demonstrated.

[@jasonlacroix6083]

It gets tiring how any conversation is instantly dismissed with a few key buzz words. Socialism, cancel culture, woke, Venezuela, etc.. I miss being able to discuss, debate, argue, issues or such when differing views were merely part of it. Now, its a cliche and a few derogatory words and the discussion is over. Its really quite childish.

[@jkovert]

Venezuela LMAO

[@emptyvessel3054]

It gets even funnier when you realize how many people support the maga-con view on that entire dibacle, AND THEY CAUSED IT!

[@jkovert]

@@emptyvessel3054 MAGA cons caused Venezuela to collapse.

[@jkovert]

Get out of bed before noon, and your life will improve.

[@_annoyed4692]

Well, sure. It is actually quite hard to find arguments for _"Ok, here's the idea. We want to reward excellence, hard work, creative ideas and everything that helps society, so let's tax nurses and scientists and workers heavily and use that money to pay the gambling depts of banks and give tax exemptions to the 'hard working' heirs of billionairs",_ so als long as _"But Venezuelaaa!!1!"_ is working they will keep using it. Try _"right, and Denmark.."_ next time

[@briangarrow448]

I live in Washington state. In my state, if you want to buy a small general aviation airplane, like a Cessna, you must pay sales tax on that purchase. Which will be at least 6.5% but can be as much as 10.25% depending upon the location of your purchase. If you buy a commercial jetliner now Washington state, you pay NO SALES TAX!

[@Blake-Urizen]

Out of interest --- when the commercial airline sells its (tax free) planes to another airline, can it declare a capital loss?

[@JustMe-vk4fn]

The price of a personal private jet bought by the ultra-rich is 100% tax deductible so they can *further* reduce their own already reduced tax rate and perhaps get a tax *refund.*

[@jasonlacroix6083]

Some of my groceries dont get taxed.

[@annefitz7346]

Omg. That’s ridiculous. Who thought of that???

[@frankd.506]

@@Blake-Urizen That was part of the GW tax scam if memory serves.

[@TheEvertw]

"Corporate welfare" Excellent term! That is what these GQP marks voted for: their money going to the billionaires.

[@TD-np6ze]

Did anyone miss Clintonite-Corprocrats HANDS In the TILL??? How are we going to move forward When Governed by Ancient Kleptocrats Who ONLY CARE about Their STOCKS? GATES Foundation (& Others) Provide Billions in LOW-Interest Loans for International MICRO-Businesses -- while Underclass Working People in USA are IGNORED!!?!

[@philmanke7642]

That's the great circle that you're not supposed to see.!.!.!. A portion of that money comes right back to the politicians.!.!.!.!.

[@jesuschristpose896]

In other words," they want to help the poor and low income", we want to help the millionaires and billionaires because we all know they need the most help.

[@chuckkottke]

Trickle down with golden showers! 🚿🌞💦

[@dennisyoung4631]

What trickles down is their *leavings,* cf. “horse and sparrow economics,” circa 1896. Only one problem, which carries over to the present day: the supposition was that a grain-glutted horse, er, corporation, would be *unthrifty,* i.e. a significant amount of grain/wealth would pass through intact in their *leavings,* er, *dung.* In truth, that rarely happens in real life. What usually happens is the horse/Corporation gets ever fatter, and the sparrows/workers “eat dung and succumb to starvation (and poisoning) in the midst of their hard labor.”

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

Music to my ears to hear about how unfair this society has been to me. I helps me understand why it has been so hard for me to feel successful as a respected worker.

[@reubenmorris487]

They don't respect (us) workers.

[@bikerhighmiler8998]

Workers are considered a necessary evil..a liability in the way of profits. A source of labor to be oppressed,cheated,misused,belittled and subjugated..all for the almighty dollar.

[@davidwu3939]

you feel it's unfair becaues you have no skills or value to add to society and your skillset is easily replaced by millions of americans lmao

[@spacemanmattscifi]

Any government kickbacks that these companies get should be based solely on the number of employees they have and how well their employees are paid and nothing else.

[@jessicabixler1658]

They already get for number of employees.

[@spacemanmattscifi]

@@jessicabixler1658 I won't pretend to know anything about corporate tax law, I know if companies were taxed at a higher rate and the only way to bring it down was to hire more American citizens and pay them a living wage, they would be hiring left and right and salaries would go way up.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People', is Meaningless.

[@pamil1923]

Right on Robert! Ralph Nader has been saying this for decades; social welfare is minuscule compared to corporate welfare.👍🏼☮️

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

He's a liar takeing less of ones money in taxes is not welfare receiving something from the government at someone else's expense is

[@evanstrong8866]

Having "too big to fail" industries is a sign that they're way out of balance and are more than likely to operate at the detriment of everyone else. Socialism is the cure for capitalism. Not that capitalism was always the worst thing, but it did its job and continued until it became bloated. Like someone malnourished who eats to the point of morbid obesity.

[@mtn1793]

This really isn’t capitalism, they just appropriate the term for their brain washing, the big Lies that fuel a swindle. True capitalism has very specific features which we are long past. I’d guess this is closer to a fascist state, which is the partnership of corporations and government, (with or without a dictatorship).

[@timjohnson1199]

Socialism = Power FROM the People.

[@RedHeart64]

Correction - obesity is often not the result of overeating, but a sign of malnourishment itself. Beware the ubiquitous American blame game - "morbid obesity" is much more likely to be due to environmental factors or medical issues (NOT caused by the person, but possibly by their situation).

[@philmanke7642]

Capitalism "can" work effectively, IF there are checks and laws enforced on it.!.!. When elected officials were allowed to partake in corporate greed with making of stilted tax laws, and set their own pay and entitlements, there is NO accountability for them, and corruption is inevitable.!.!.!.!. There is also no oversight on official practices.!.!. This is all part of the circle of money that defies Democracy.!.!.!... Official pay and entitlements should be approved by National Referendum voted upon by the people who elected (hired) them.!.!.!. HOW is anything less that that equitable.?.?.?. Social Security payments must have a higher floor and a lower top level payout, with no limit on pay-ins.!.!.!. BUT, NONE of these things will happen because they are no concern to the richest "takers" in our country, and only THEY GET WHAT THEY WANT.!.!.!..!.!.!.

[@mtn1793]

@@philmanke7642 We’re being slowly depleted by the parasitic, free market electoral bribery system. Elections are a first order of business when it comes to regulating our failing empire.

[@dulynoted2427]

Why can't the American people take congress to court for getting money for giving contracts? How is this any better than what Blagojevich did?

[@kettymobed7793]

One big solution, divest out of the stock market, and invest in community organizations and collective/cooperative enterprises. They are our future. THANK YOU Robert!

[@screenarts]

You have stock?

[@kettymobed7793]

@@screenarts No! Cashed in all of my 401K 15 yrs ago and invested it all in a community org.

[@screenarts]

@@kettymobed7793 I was being sarcastic, but right on, good on you!

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People', is Meaningless.

[@GreenLarsen]

pls share with everyone, people need to learn about this

[@Aristocratic_Utensil]

Why, Reich is an absolute idiot who knows nothing about politics or economics, I can debunk him.. in fact, I have.

[@IMPOTUSx2]

@@Aristocratic_Utensil the only debunking you do is fight over some schmuck over who gets the top bunk!

[@wandaprock1015]

But they can't reform social security that hasn't been updated in 47 years ! That pisses me off while I'm in the food Bank line 🤦

[@Saintnix69]

It's not that they can't.... They DON'T WANT to.

[@bikerhighmiler8998]

The Republican trend is to PRIVATIZE social security. They've been trying for decades..if that happens.....well,you know🥶🥴😵😡

[@Saintnix69]

@@bikerhighmiler8998 Yeah... We're 🔩ed....

[@ericbartol]

Ever since Bernie Sanders entered the presidential race in 2019, the rear window of my car has had this on it: "WE NEED A LIVING WAGE, WE NEED MEDICARE FOR ALL, LET'S END CORPORATE WELFARE."

[@justinfowler2857]

Let me guess, you've been called a communist a lot. Watching people shoot themselves in the foot might seem amusing until you realize that you're also getting hit with stray shrapnel.

[@jkovert]

Enjoy life at the bottom!

[@namvet1968]

Excellent!

[@jkovert]

@Janeway DrJ_llmarriedata_le_bon Only a poor, low-ambition bottom-feeder would deface is own vehicle like that.

[@ericbartol]

@Janeway DrJ_llmarriedata_le_bon The people love it, actually!

[@jaynerdrum3546]

Thank you, Professor Reich. You didn't mention farm subsidies. Many, many farmers consistently vote a GOP ticket. But, if you mention to them that the govt. subsidies that the receive in a slow season is basically welfare and that they are in fact welfare recipients, they have a cow(pun intended).

[@bikerhighmiler8998]

Sadly,that's true..and,to add insult to injury,the huge corporate farms often with absentee owners,are the first in line to shovel those subsidies into their portfolios..smaller family farms are left with scraps..many go bankrupt,they cant compete with those behemoth corporate agribusiness entities!!

[@lindachancellor7538]

Then they have their hands in the stock market adding more to their pockets.

[@Leprechaunproduction]

The older I get, the more I believe that greed is humanity's greatest flaw. If we are ever to take a huge step towards a truly sane, harmonious, and sustainable world, we will all have to value helping others more than being the richest billionaire with the most toys.

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

To define it more precisely, in my opinion, is to see it as a major rise in narcissistic individuals, and having them able to rise to positions of power.

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

It's you who are greedy if you live till your eighty and draw fifteen hundred dollars a month in ss that's over two hundred thousand dollars and the average person draws out three dollars for every dollar paid in medicare taxes who do you think picks up the difference pay your fair share

[@TTTzzzz]

US citizens can also pay lobbyists to lobby on their behalf. 100.000.000 people x $1,- is a lot of lobby money and more than enough to bribe all politicians. All we have to do is to pay more than the corporations.

[@hirumbiffidum9145]

I donated 15 machzor high holiday books to the Synagogue/Shul/Temple I attend and I asked them to dedicate them to you Mr. Reich along with Michael Schwerner and my highschool English composition teacher. I want to be like you, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Mr Schwerner more than anything 🤗🤗🤗-😊😊😊

[@guru47pi]

Exactly! We live in a Kleptocracy. There is no reason oil, defense, banks, healthcare companies can't compete, and they know it. As a result, you can easily tell which companies have the worst business models by measuring their lobbying expenses. Help small businesses innovate and people by breaking up monopolies: stop favoring companies who change the rules to stay on top, and start rewarding innovation!

[@lilacdoe7945]

"Radical" Socialism: fair taxes and supporting vulnerable citizens Conservative Socialism: regressive taxes and supporting the least vulnerable citizens

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

Shouldn't the poor take skilled jobs of which there is a shortage of skilled labor instead of living off others

[@mladyriad]

The word sends shock waves and really riles ppl 🙄

[@williamwebber3730]

SAD I PAIDED MORE IN TAX THAN ANY MILLIONAIRES OR BILLIONAIRES !! RETIRED POSTAL WORKER!

[@williamwebber3730]

LOOK AT JEFF BEZOS, Walton FAMILY, ELON MUSK, WARREN BUFFET HOLD 65% OF AMERICA WEALTHY! SO 35% PAY ALL AMERICA TAXS!!

[@SuperToughnut]

It's almost like the citizens need a union in between us and our own representatives just to get into the room with the lobbyists.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People' is Meaningless.

[@mamatrain100]

Powell in 1970. I remember the debate question in hs. "Free enterprise, the corner stone of our republic" 1971 straight from the chamber, Kochs, and fuels our extinction.

[@Aristocratic_Utensil]

Ok please explain go me how giving more money to unaccountable politicians, is somehow going to help that, I'll wait.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People', is Meaningless.

[@jeffbishop5381]

How did corporations get more rights than individuals when corporations aren't even mentioned in the constitution?

[@boltstrike2787]

This should be required viewing for every American.

[@tlgoody]

Thanks for beating this drum. I'm guessing the reason this is rarely discussed in the media is because they are also beneficiaries of this corrupt system.

[@4623620]

First it was anti fascists, now it's socialists, when will they start accusing each other and themselves. Wasn't it Bob Dylan wrote "Now I'm at home, investigating myself . . ." in his Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues.

[@petethomas1765]

Corporations run the country through lobbyists and the entire government benefits. I agree with whoever said those running should wear their sponsors on their shirt like racecar drivers so we can see who we are actually voting for like it actually matters.

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled 'For the People by the People' is Meaningless.

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

In publicly owned corporations with shareholders, there should be a limit on the range of pay, say 10 times. If a CEO wants a million dollars a year, he needs the company to pay the lowest paid employee $100,000. If he can do that, he's earned his million.

[@TagGeorge]

Some of the most prosperous times for the USA it was closer to 30 times. Unfortunately it is way beyond that now. It is currently about 299 times. Sorry no one earns that amount of money . They may get paid it but they don't earn it. Should the big wigs make more than us peons yes. That much more. NO!

[@mrnobody3161]

Until Citizens United is Dismantled, 'For the People, By the People', is Meaningless.

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

Why

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

When was that because it's not true

[@kaynickerson6138]

If there was no profit in war there would be no war

[@DaMoli]

Income tax was never to tax labor or wages or salary for that is compensation, but the income tax was originally formed to tax corporate gains and profits, but corporate monopolies/corruption/soft money turned the tax tables around on the common people.

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

No democrats did they had to tax everyone to pay for democrat handouts

[@sheilabeacriticalthinker]

My husband and I have been saying this for years. Socialized liabilities privatized profits for corporations.

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

The stimulus checks added eight hundred billion dollars to our debt our children will have to pay for why did you take free money at our childrens expense

[@hiltonian_1260]

If I could let the Law Genie out of its bottle and it granted me one law, I’d wish for this: The political contribution limit lowered to a day’s wages at minimum wage. $58 right now. That way Jeff Bezos and an Amazon warehouse worker would have the same political clout. Candidates, parties, PACs, lobbying groups, all limited to $58 from any entity in any year. Until that happens we are trying to convince people who have been carefully selected to disagree with us.

[@vigilstudios3010]

End corporate welfare, unless the government requires the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund, which sees profits from those benefiting from corporate welfare required to contribute to the fund, with the profits going back into tax payers pockets.

[@JoseLopez-tk4tq]

So this is why the mainstream media channels will never feature a segment called " A Day in the Life of a K Street Lobbyist."

[@samiislam3886]

Safety net for the rich (to big to fail they say ) But nothing for the poor ...

[@CynthiaSchoenbauer]

Careful. We don't want to cause a narcissistic injury, so we guard our corporations.

[@younglee4879]

This greedy is the hidden culture of rich people.

[@howardkerr8174]

BTW, Amazon is an extremely diversified corporation, with retail sales NO LONGER the biggest profit maker for them. Data Management/Cloud Services is the corporation's biggest profit generator, and will continue to remain so, INDEFINITELY.

[@wtf_usa5597]

Thank you for your service Robert.. PLEASE keep it up. We desperately need you and others like you to continue speaking up!! 👏 👏 👏 👏

[@wtf_usa5597]

@@Zach-ju5vi Shut up and go and get vaccinated.

[@wtf_usa5597]

@@Zach-ju5vi "Recently we've seen people losing their collective minds that America spent trillions of dollars trying to supposedly defend freedom and democracy in Afghanistan, which is hilarious because there is neither freedom nor democracy in the United States so how are we supposed to bring it to another country?!" ~ Matthew Hoh, Fmr State Dept. Official

[@elizabethellis9062]

Right again. Thank you Robert.

[@joshlouie]

What can we do about it? Masses are still getting poorer.

[@TerryTurner]

Corporate Welfare 101

[@crimsonspice72]

TRUTH

[@joeycarpenter3773]

My pleasure to be signed up, for all notifications. I remember you when I was 15, now 25 Army Captain Middle East. So I have grown up. My question is: what is so wrong with corporate tax being increased from 21 percent, to 28 percent? Why must we be threatend, and held hostage: bc they are talking about moving their company, out of the country? Or, maybe hiding their money in an offshore account! Thank you sir, Joey

[@lawyer1165]

Professor, what you said is true. However, you failed to mention the Fed’s QE policies, which are giving a huge benefit to corporations, billionaires, Wall Street, etc. It’s time to get the Fed’s knee off the neck of average Americans.

[@gene8447]

I am lower class. I make about 14k a year. I am paying 10% in taxes. I, the LOWEST bracket. am paying more in taxes than the HIGHEST bracket and the corporate. I watch others around me in my small town work hard labor just to barely scrape by with families. And yet our roads look no better. What do they work on? Well of course, they work on building more brick and mortar big box stores and factories to supply the middle class and up. Thank god I don't have kids because I wouldn't be able to hack it. I watch them work 16 hour days 6-7 days a week. And then drown their sorrows in ales and cheap breads all week before going to church to tithe away what little they have left while a priest gets them high on thurible fumes so they feel some sort of spiritual connec- ....no, no sorry. Sorry. Must have been looking through my DM notes. I have a session next week. sorry. Ah! Here it is: Drown their sorrows in light beer and snack cakes, gaining hundreds of pounds, then wobbling off to whatever street-corner church will have them and their pocket change, telling them whatever they want to hear (It's usually just the bread and butter "change bad." but it may as well be raw meat to them) so they can bring themselves to do it all again next week for these snakes in human clothing telling them they don't deserve better and anyone who says they do are "liberal fools". Are you getting it yet folks? Do you see it? We're back to FEUDALISM. America has failed to escape Britain and worse, Britain got better.

[@danihesslinger7968]

The mentioning of "ale" gave you away quite early on 😃

[@gene8447]

@@danihesslinger7968 I wasn't going for subtlety.

[@danihesslinger7968]

@@gene8447 Oh, my comment was not a criticism, more a friendly greeting from Germany. I fully agree with you! And I like the touch of irony.

[@lorenherrigstad8576]

Given that definitions of socialism focus around the government or communal ownership of the economic means of production, not government benefits like low taxes, little regulation or generous subsidies; isn't what is being referred to in this video really corporate aristocracy rather than any form of corporate socialism (which by definition should be an oxymoron), or at least aristocracy of and for the rich? Let's please get the definitions and uses of terms correct, and stop misusing socialism much the same way conservatives on the other side to blindly as simply a loaded term to draw attention. Americans seem to be already confused as to what socialism is and isn't in comparison with the rest of the world.

[@oceanside88]

Corporate Welfare

[@glennjarvis2672]

@@Zach-ju5vi Your response is the standard conservative ideology. Another form of protectionism for the red carpet they receive from tax credits, tax cuts, bail outs, loopholes, tax shelters, tax avoidance, and the list is almost endless.

[@i_am_a_freespirit]

Amen!

[@SimpleEnglishHub-]

You are great Sir! May God bless you!

[@gusgreen3104]

All government branches are PWNED by the mega rich.

[@normalizedaudio2481]

Look a 3 Min. video! Stadiums are the worst Corp. welfare.

[@gwillis01]

In my experience, American politicians never know the textbook definition of socialism. What they really mean when they say [ socialist idea ] is: Your idea is repulsive and unrealistic to me

[@zeezee1851]

It's not "a form of corruption" it's "corruption." Why can't you just take out the extra words, stop distancing yourself. I don't think of my IRA as a government benefit, but I'm on benefits. My employer paid insurance is a government benefit, because they deduct it, my flexible spending account is a government benefit. I got this from an article in the Atlantic about the Time Tax. the people who can afford it least pay it most, in the form of time to fill out cumbersome applications to get precious "benefits". The people who can afford it most, don't even think they are, as you say, "on benefits." And I'm not anywhere near in the same league as the companies you are talking about.

[@MarkoKraguljac]

Stick for the poor, carrot for the rich.

[@bootstrapjesse]

Yes. I wish more people were talking about corporate welfare. Well put Mr Reich. Please keep 'em coming!

[@JohnnyPeacenic]

the worst socialism is socialism that Republicans agree with and have helped put in place. but the majority of socialism is bipartisan and it is state and local and related to the manipulation of jobs and housing

[@Shari466]

This is why we need to get rid of lobbyist and have campaign finance laws redone. The working class has been making the rich richer for years. While we get less and less for our money.

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

The top five percent pay over half the federal taxes

[@albertpeckham8708]

I've been asking that question for 80 years...at least from the Ronald Reagan years! Corporate America has been the sweethearts of the Republican party for decades!!!! Sadly...these same greedy corporations have put the "blame" on the lower class!

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

The lower class is primarily uneducated and take low skilled jobs why should unskilled workers make what high skilled workers do

[@harryseaword]

Robert is spot one as always.

[@GNARLOUSE]

GENERAL STRIKE NOW!

[@oceanside88]

Not the first time.

[@GNARLOUSE]

@@enterprisestobart it has worked and it will work again. Likely to afford participating in what? They can't afford not to strike.

[@GNARLOUSE]

@@enterprisestobart thats your example of why it shouldn't happen?

[@GNARLOUSE]

@@enterprisestobart maybe you are too upper class? Have you ever worked in a labor position? No fck that mine if its continuation meant that workers should suffer.

[@GNARLOUSE]

@@enterprisestobart would you strike so your fellow Americans can thrive?

[@dennisyoung4631]

Perhaps refer to this stuff in *Feudal* terms, as is appropriate for the current *Gilded Age,* e.g. “Largesse for the Wealthy, and… … for the poor.”

[@flintycustard8406]

100% CORRECT !!

[@erwinb3412]

It is legal discrimination . If compagnies get tax-cuts , or advantages or subsidies of some kind , then every citizen and everybody else should get the same benefits to the same proportion .

[@Rock2005Star]

#RealTruth

[@katrand5357]

Are we afraid the companies will go to other countries and hire cheap labor? Here was our big mistake when that happened, we still bought their products and services. We have the almighty dollar and we have the power that goes with it. When corporations see a Grassroots movement where Americans stopped buying any products or services from companies who abandoned American workers, they will have no choice but to listen to the people

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

Then prices would rise and Reich would blame the rich for that instead of the fact American labor cost a lot more

[@katrand5357]

@@fritzforsthoefel8031 that’s a possibility. But what I am talking about is a grassroots movement that would actually scare the powers that be enough to change the structure over time think about the insane bonuses company directors get under circumstances that harm the people that work for the company at all levels. that’s a structural change that needs to happen. It needs a major grassroots movement and then vision of government leaders to create the architecture to make America stronger. America is not strong by having books band, having working people and food stamps in the government dole, having corporations on the government dole, getting military grade guns into the hands of people with no background checks, taking over the lives, and bodies of women, I could go on.

[@earthcat]

This country is a club--and you ain't in it.

[@josephthomasjr.6551]

In my (not so humble!) opinion, our only way out of this unending nonsense is to form a Labor Party. National in scope. Superbly organized. Well funded. And acutely competitive. Such a thing, of course, will not happen overnight. But happen it MUST! Because if "We The People" fail to get our collective act together, the future for the vast majority of us will NOT be pretty. Thank you Robert Reich for yet again speaking the truth. Would that we had 10,000 of your like!!!

[@Stuart68505]

Bernie Sanders would agree with you. Who can stop this control by the super wealthy & how?

[@philmanke7642]

I would agree, IF you include every senator and congressman in our government, along with Governors and state level.!.!.

[@vitus1549]

Can we all just stop with the whole "Socialism=Welfare"?

[@d33j4ybf]

@@Zach-ju5vi Dissembling nonsense; as per your imbecilic usual.

[@d33j4ybf]

@@Zach-ju5vi No matter how many times you convince yourself of that, you'll never convince those whom actually know better.

[@MondoLeStraka]

Professor, socialism is where the "workers own the means of production." How do I know this? I used to be one in the early 70s. :) :)

[@andrejansen3281]

Was one? That's gangsta. I'm sure Mr. Reich knows what socialism is, but I guess he uses the term here to point out the hypocrisy in republican socialism fearmongering

[@timjohnson1199]

Reich is STILL sucking on the government teat. Standing on the backs of the taxpayers.

[@kaydenpeterson9942]

Real conservatives do not believe in this, I for one hand don’t. I advocate for the free market and only the free market, therefore subsidies, certain regulations, and protectionism is what I oppose strongly

[@_annoyed4692]

The problem with the so called free market is that they can't exist without a strong state. The mere fact that you can sell something without me just taking it away from you, even though I am stronger than you is only possible because the laws made by the state and the police maintained by the state protect you. Oh, you think the same job could be done by corporate security? Well, yes. But then the market would not be free, but controlled by exactly the company that pays the security. Competition to that company would face difficulties. Ah.. and you might call yourself a libertarian, but you are clearly not a conservative. Conservative, or rightwing politics are defined as politics that welcome, support and defend (existing) privilege. White privilege over black, rich privilege over poor, employer privilege over employees, male privilege over women. The origin of conservative, right politics is the defense of the privileges of nobility over the common people. Progressive, leftwing politics are best described by the french "Liberté, égalité, fraternité". Personal freedom, equal chances, international solidarity. Libertarians are more like anarchists, but more often than not unfortunately tools of the oligarchs to promote deregulation, dedemocratisation, tax-cuts and privatisation.

[@batsman2755]

Amen! Couldn't have said it better.

[@pauleohl]

How about this: Make dividends paid to individuals a corporate deduction and increase the nominal corporate income tax rate to 80%. The tax can be avoided by paying out the profits as dividends and individuals would pay tax on the dividends received as ordinary income.

[@MegaSquiff]

3700 likes, 39 dislikes. I’m one of the likes. Thanks for your insight. Subscribing now..

[@altapedroza3604]

Too bad very few people get it. This is because we've been brainwashed forever. I remember being just a little kid probably in 3rd grade and already hearing about how bad being on welfare was, how communism was so terrible, how " you don't ever want to be there", and all kinds of scare tactics that stayed with me all my life. One to find out, most of this was bull. I'm now past 70 years old and still hearing the same song. But now I call tell anyone who listens, "turn that shit off, let me tell you the real deal!"

[@fritzforsthoefel8031]

Name one country where communist policy's work

[@glenncurry3041]

Until just now I have agreed with the idea of calling it "Corporate Socialism". But it just dawned on me that we are then painting "Socialism" with the negative aspect of giving tax money to corporations! That is Corporate "Welfare". "Socialism" started being exchanged I think to try to remove some of the stigma attached to the word "Socialism", by interjecting it into more discourse in a lighter way they were less likely to demonize. That might have had some success. But it might be time to disassociate the word "Socialism" from Corporate Welfare so we don't keep promoting "Socialism" as negative.

[@robertp9297]

Great explanation, Robert! .... thank you. If I may, I'd like to suggest you adding visual demonstrations, for those who don't see the huge distinction from 18.7 million (lobbying) to 23 billion (contracts). rice grains or pennies (representing 1 million each, would show a clear difference. ie- 19 pennies (investment) next to a pile of 1,210 pennies (profit from that 19 penny investment). Just an idea. Love your videos... Thanks for keeping us informed.

[@KapuAdam]

The distinguishing feature of Communism is not the abolition of property generally, but the abolition of bourgeois property.

[@manipetty99]

How do i like a video more than once?? Great video

[@richardgreen7225]

- Armed forces should be funded by a tax on individual and business capital. This is the same principle we apply to funding police and fire protection at the local level. (i.e. TAX WEALTH to fund DoD, CIA, NSA, VA, FBI, SS, Coast Guard, customs, border patrol, DEA, ATF, federal marshals, ...). - Federal business services (DoA, DoC, DoD(R&D), DoE, DoJ, DoL, ..., DoT, ...) should be funded with a tax on revenue, not a tax on profit. Revenue is proportional to the benefits received. Making a profit is not a sin and government has almost no role in profitability. - Personal income should only be taxed to fund federal services that directly affect our citizens' quality of life. Aside: Debt should only be used to finance durable infrastructure. It should hardly ever be used to finance operations.

[@devonscott1702]

There is socialism for the rich,and rugged individualism for the poor

[@kimkain]

This is exactly what i have been saying this for years

[@michaeld4861]

Absolutely!

[@tonymcdonnly6492]

You are so correct.

[@tarentinobg]

Thank you Robert, from someone who lives 10 to 12 miles further west in the outer Rich. :-)

[@tarentinobg]

Hit me up if you need anything out here in fog land.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

They do it we could scramble system to.. this is why I'm Punk.. to screw the system..

[@quesadilla79]

Here in north California chevron(richmond)shell(Vallejo)refinery paying its "fines" with grant money 😡 and the amounts are almost equal

[@terrymofmich]

How does it make you feel that the CEO makes more by lunch on January 2nd than you make all year ? It pisses me off.

[@romankacin8365]

Absolutely. All socialism is bad; corporate, individual, interest group… Please do a video on how socialism is bad in general, Bob.

[@johnguilfoyle3073]

I don't see the other side of the equation being considered. Welfare is a handout with no return. Benefits and tax breaks to corporations usually provide jobs to the community and return taxes from employment. It would be naive to believe that Increasing taxes on corporations would decrease their profits and not be simply passed on to consumers and restrictions in hiring.