The Story of Broke

The United States isn't broke; we're the richest country on the planet and a country in which the richest among us are doing exceptionally well. But the truth is, our economy is broken, producing more pollution, greenhouse gasses and garbage than any other country. In these and so many other ways, it just isn't working. But rather than invest in something better, we continue to keep this 'dinosaur economy' on life support with hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax money.
The Story of Broke calls for a shift in government spending toward investments in clean, green solutions-renewable energy, safer chemicals and materials, zero waste and more-that can deliver jobs AND a healthier environment. It's time to rebuild the American Dream; but this time, let's build it better.
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[@StoryofStuff]

♻️ The plastic crisis gets a lot of attention as pollution, but the environmental impact of plastic’s life cycle starts long before it ends up in our waterways and ecosystems. Watch our latest animation, The Story of Plastic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n4CWhHRqjt54j7c

[@Sam-black]

It might be interesting and enlightening if you look into the amount of fossil fuel to make windmills and solar panels, Plus how they dispose of the hundreds of tons of windmill blades.

[@algoenespanol]

"Dinosaur Economy" is such an accurate term, since so much of it relies on fossil fuels, is unnecessarily large and may cause our extinction.

[@dreaming570]

90% of the people can't think outside the box. The 1% know this very well. Thus I agree with who said "if vote changed anything it would be illegal" (by the 1%).

[@cahivx]

Ahhh this has aged really well. I’ll check back in another decade.

[@StoryofStuff]

What could go wrong if profit-driven corporations gained control your city's public water systems? Watch our latest animation, The Story of Water! 👉🏽 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmXNhZ-bi5WagZI

[@maciej.ratajczak]

Stop demonizing nuclear energy- it's the solution to the energy crisis and more efficient, effective, greener and safer than any other 'renewable' energy source.

[@duggydugg3937]

water is depleting.. Ogallala is shrinking

[@duggydugg3937]

4 things threaten our way of life the zionazi/rot schild debt is the Godzilla in the room...if not stopped we will strangle.. #2 the plastic/microplastics tsunami #3 water shortage.... Ogallala shrinking #4 loss of honey bees.. less pollination

[@Zhonguoria]

6:03 Voting ≠ democracy! Voting is manipulated so incumbent-members of Congress can never be defeated. US needs a Constitutional Amendment where federal elected officials have TERM-LIMITS, and bribes are illegal.

[@ruihanzeng3645]

I do agree with you that incumbent win too much of the time (~94% of the time for house members and ~80% for senators), but neither term limits nor campaign fiance laws are going to do anything (Since donations are bribes; no rational person or corporation is going to give money to a politician without getting something they want in return). First of all if you don't eliminate gerrymandering (even though it is illegal, it is almost impossible to prove in court), the same people, or people with the same ideology are going to get elected year after year. Nothing changes. Second of all, campaign are expensive to run, on average House rep spends several hundred thousand during campaigns; Senators spend millions. Without campaign donations, the only people that could afford to run for office are the super rich. You have good intentions, but the results of the two policies you suggested will probably make government even less accountable to the people.

[@solecito123]

549 555 views!! I'm in shock!! These videos should have millions of views!!

[@reversal_of_expectation1457]

+Solecito Resplandeciente share this video to your surrounding then

[@solecito123]

+RRK93 RRK93 I did! :D

[@nickbantolo]

This is the Story of Built. Because the system was never broken. It was built

[@Dave-yl8rf]

She should be a president

[@brockskyman]

Morpheus said : You can feel it when you pay your taxes.

[@Corvicula1979]

Annie, you rock my world. I discovered your series last week, watched all the eps, and was waiting impatiently for this one to get released. Even up here in what some people like to call "Canuckistan" with our socialized heathcare and other such, this is a problem: the government can consider spending billions of dollars on new fighter planes (even more ridiculous with our relatively small military), but our social services are constantly squeezed or facing cutbacks).

[@TheTrueabundance]

not only talking about USA, but also Spain, Germany, France, UK, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Ireland among others

[@gutzbramah]

And why are there oil and GMO agriculture subsidies...? Because those people 'own' the government with their own legislators. How do we get around that...?

[@thecarpy]

I doubt they own tree-hugger parties, vote responsibly.

[@101mariogonzalez]

I'm not even American, but I agree with this, no more waste, more recycle, more jobs! I've seen tons of people complaining about no jobs on the news channels for far too long, and this lady knows what she's talking about.

[@thetypewrited3448]

My teacher showed me your first film... I was so inspired.

[@dominiquebreighton5396]

the typewrited and that’s exactly why they claim they „have no money” for schools :/

[@microproductions6]

How does this not get over 1 million views???

[@Ramiromasters]

1000 dislikes? I mean even if you have disagreements with some points you have to agree with the main premise... Unless your IQ its below room temperature during winter...

[@Ramiromasters]

***** This is 2013 and we have automated cars, airplanes, astronauts, and even farmers... we have the power of oil which each gallon has 32,000 Calories of energy compared to a person who uses 2,000-2,300 daily most of it to keep the body warm. Yet we work from sunrise till sundown like our ancestors and their ancestors before them... See, people are for the most part dumb and gullible, so we could have Hitlers every day of the week because people would believe anything a leader tells them "drink the coolaid". Because of this chaotic reality, the elite have always keep control of the masses by keeping people busy. You can read old English literature and see this is not new or just watch some history channel. So today many jobs, if not most, are unnecessary and the government in fact creates laws like "mandatory car insurance" to create markets and keep people busy. So this is the sad world we live in and the lady here is just offering a solution acceptable to the leaders of the world.

[@dieabigail]

There are still to many people profiting from Dinosaur-Industries, Military spends etc.

[@carlikwashington8407]

Schools, the EPA, Social Security and Medicare made this country great??? How about liberty?

[@Ramiromasters]

Carlik Washington It just occur to me: When you say this is or was a free country, to what liberty you are talking about? I mean for a good chunk of history there was slavery in USA, the poor then or now are very limited in what they can do, women were oppressed, even the pinnacle of liberty according to feminist "the white male" had to follow society's rules in order to make it. I think the tuxedo and tie outfit we still use are testimonies that freedom its a very loosely used term. If you compare USA to other countries is about the same amount of freedom, in fact I would say that in Latin America there is way much more freedom than in USA ever was. I think what made any country great was that everyone had enough and non too little, and we never that situation broke so did society.

[@carlikwashington8407]

My only point is that attributing the greatness of a nation to government programs for redistribution is fallacious.

[@Charlesperalo]

Did anyone hear one plan to reduce the budget deficit? Also she basically said revert everything we're spending on she doesn't like and put it in things she likes. So she's saying spend the same. This should have been titled "Story of Annie Leonard's Shopping List".

[@thankukorea]

I think the problem is waste creates more jobs and free energy ultimately creates less jobs. We are stuck in the idea that a 5 day work week is normal so we need more jobs for people. If we learned to share the few jobs a healthy future would have we would all be happier but selfishness of people probably will destroy this idea. We could create a much less wasteful society except as of right now too many people are working so hard just for basic rent and food which justifies the rest to be wasteful to create jobs. We need a new way of thinking about economy and life. The current point system (aka money) is unbalanced with what amazing future we could create. Money needs a rebalancing.

[@regsoftridgeinc275]

+Keith Haddad on point...

[@andread.r.8007]

NO!Free energy is for ALL PPL.TESLA MADE that and invent.BUT America stole that and hide ta*da.Why you ppl.don't get it WE HAVE TO PAY to live on OUR planet?Are you so stupid to get it.?!WE pay to LIVE,to brethe,to have LIFE! SO sick

[@Shmimbleton]

In the past 30 years hundreds of millions of chinese have been lifted out of poverty, roads, trains and powerlines have been built, people now have access to sanitation. The benefits have been huge, while the USA has gone downhill if anything. China may have a few ghost cities but it also has more than 160 cities with a population over one million. I would hardly call this growth artificial

[@cringefest2698]

Greece be like: "Not enough money to pay tax? Gosh thats a shame, I guess we'll have to borow another 10 millions or so..."

[@roberthydreson7031]

Why the hell do we have close to 7 trillion dollars in debt, and we spend our efforts fighting in a meaningless war overseas, when that money could be used for the good of the people!!!

[@lucianomattecassietto8006]

you (USA) are not broke because all the countries you are exploiting are paying for those things you mentioned.

[@chriskimmel4287]

What good are natural resources not being put to use? We could suspend all pumping operations and preserve our oil supplies. But that supply trapped underground is useless. And thank you. It's conversations like these that make me adore KZbin.

[@glarstout1]

Good for you Annie. (I don't know how you manage to turn what you find into a positive and get people to focus on the positive. That was always a huge challenge for me, because I would get so indignant with the reality of what it is, but we need to harness that passion and just become one and change it peacably and through the direction of our money. If you want to level those in govt. who make those choices for us perhaps letting those Giga-Corps go broke by us not buying from them or getting insurance and not using the Dr. ing community so they all face plant, but what burns me up is how Sallie Mae is directing huge dividends to investors to exploit our children just because they want an education- the only country on the planet who sends their future society to the loan shark, our govt. It is disgusting. Dismantle that one for me, will you?

[@chinarut]

sounds like finding alternatives to the market economy is what is at stake!

[@monicadixon100]

I love this video because they are expressing their opinions and solutions to some economic problems in a way that is positive and they are not bashing anyone by name or endorsing hatred. She is very enthusiastic as well lol

[@MrSharko12]

or mabey giving the money back to the taxpayers and letting them decide what to do with it?

[@boblord9765]

MrSharko12 I shudder to contemplate! Self interest?

[@MrSharko12]

bob lord yep

[@Syndie702]

MrSharko12 Well, most of the GDP is corporate or owned by the very rich, and while they would lose their subsidies they'd carry on toxic dumping and generally just trashing the place and there'd be nothing we could do about it. At least if the Government mismanages money we can theoretically vote them out (even if we don't)

[@DiaboloMootopia]

The most important word there is "has" - it did work well in the past, but that doesn't mean it's the best thing forever.

[@Animalcrossing35]

Okay, you need to become a US representative.

[@HyperSpify]

It won't work. They will just shove a whole lot of money in her face and she will change to become like every other politician. Anyone can be bought for enough money. Or they'll just rig the election. The corporations make the voting machines too, so they can do whatever they want with them.

[@MattFitzgibbons]

"There is money and it's ours".... What you really mean is someone elses' money and it should be stolen to fund your plans. Sounds exactly like what's gotten us into this mess.

[@Dikkker]

Ma'am - you so totally rock. Down to the point. Thank you.

[@ManosOceano]

A new monetary system must be created and those who have robbed the world for so long be brought to justice. That is the beginning.

[@dandelionxx1929]

Im trying to understand why is this woman not a political figure that actually makes change in the world? She is absolutely amazing and yes she does inform people but people always carry on with their days and forget. I just want to understand has she even tried being a politican:)

[@gOVcHRISTIEhELPus]

Source: You think before you speak, and with logic. Two ideals many idiots have forgotten are pretty solid foundations of any argument.

[@CellLord01]

And we spend trillions on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and welfare. Around 60%. Go look it up.

[@badpanda84]

+CellLord01 Depends if you are talking about mandatory or discretionary spending

[@Randomhiliariousness]

This is why I say trust, and take care of YOURSELF.

[@kokopelli314]

"Yes we can!",... sooo, how'd that work out? Just sayin'

[@LOUDsigh]

Ken Bell hahahaha

[@badpanda84]

+Ken Bell Probalby will work as well as any other slogan.. ""make Amercia great again" is probably just as effective

[@maytons]

The entire video is predicated upon statism and fiat currency, both faulty logic.

[@SiKiKNiNjA420]

+Dave Mayton unfortunately that is the logic this country is functioning on... so its predictions may sound faulty but stranger things have happened

[@kissmyasthma3155]

Replace fiat currency with energy backed currency. Problem solved

[@spijkerpoes]

wow great story, real solutions, solid idea's.. ..but won't you be needing a democracy for all of that?

[@comborye]

We are not broke. there is money. It's ours, and it's time to keep your hands off!

[@kapusteksalatek7261]

good luck with that

[@maskedprepper5702]

I would love to see this amazingly awesome woman become President of the United States as she would do the best job and create a far better today and tomorrow

[@schwad06]

If your radar didn't go off at 3:16 when she said the government subsidizing to pick winners isn't a bad thing... you're doing it wrong.

[@kyoo92]

damn shame this channel doesnt have millions of views for each video

[@kendoWTL]

Not to mention the fact that our entire unpaid budget is higher than the annual GDP of the entire world combined and that just the unpaid medicare / medicaid expenses alone are as high as both china & Japan's GDP's were in 2011.

[@filmili]

I didn't say not to import important stuff. I just said "prioritise". We could easily prioritise bamboo-based products in India, etc etc. More sustainable. Simple.

[@crazypants88]

If a company is actually providing value to people they don't need subsidies.

[@gratefuljuggler]

Don't you realize she is trying to tell you that the government already does give taxpayer money to whatever corporations they want to, and that is why we are in this mess. She is calling for a government that grows with the times instead of keeping every old law ever, which creates loop holes and breaks for the people that need them the least.

[@RandallReynoldsOne]

Corporations + the Super Rich must pay their FAIR SHARE!

[@istraight1]

"Whereby suppy creates demand" Incorrect demand creates it own supply.

[@SeeShelby]

The problem with citizens like this is that they think they vote once a year. When I vote a couple times a day.

[@BigMathis]

Don't listen to this lady. She doesn't know anything. Almost everything she says is a fallacy or a lie. Look up Thomas Sowell. He is someone who knows what he is talking about - Ph.D in economy, 82 years old, has written 35 books, has written a syndicated column for 20 years and a lot more.

[@CabalInvest]

Where are the numbers? This is a qualitative analysis and doesn't explain how entitlements alone are larger than our current tax bill.

[@migoolah]

Paying taxes doesn't create jobs. It destroys them. Because I got taxed so much last year I couldn't afford to tile my kitchen and now the tile installer is out of work.

[@jsteel89]

i know private property rights is hard for you to understand but please give it a shot. IF YOUR NEIGHBOR DESTROYS YOUR LAND YOU HOLD HIM RESPONSIBLE.

[@frederiknielsen7295]

what the world needs is a Green and sustainable Revulution

[@AgeOfReclamation]

I like how these comments have both "i agree with X" and "i disagree with Y"

[@esesolox3_EM3TEK]

have you guys seen the response as ad to this video? I found it alarming that they use the ad to respond to a video thus making us unable to respond to it.

[@SpaceCowboy1218]

you mean "there"? Assuming you have a service to provide and can maintain your health long enough to provide that service. God forbid you get injured or an illness providing that service.

[@SpaceCowboy1218]

That is your responsibility as a citizen, make other citizens aware, use your "state" given right of freedom of speech.

[@elleobi]

The problem is that this solution still relies on the political system & that's just a dead end. We have to wake up and face that fact

[@LMoe1213]

i dont remember the last time i met a good person.

[@JTrizzleFizzle]

Did a bit more research and you're right. The federal government spends ~20% of its budget on defense, but it spends ~50% of discretionary funds on defense. Sorry for the gross overestimation.

[@sivakeshpaladugu6054]

the only problem is we dont know which companies

[@b5thomas7]

This assumes our taxes actually go to funding our government which is mostly not true. If interest rates rise to historically normal levels again, all our taxes will go solely to paying the interest on our national debt.

[@AmberLynne1996]

One tiny group of people can and will destroy millions of families just for themselves.

[@mrcool9191]

I dont see how this is more useful than a mad man in the streets screaming "the end is coming!" Prove it or GTFO

[@timlebsack]

Hey, You've given me a great solution to the problem of government making stupid decisions - Make government BIGGER and more intrusive !!

[@MrBigBEARHUNTER]

There was deflation: Standard Statistics Co.'s index of 60 high grade bonds yielded from 4.98% in 1923 to 4.47% in 1927.

[@meletdufromage]

but i think what people actually believe is that the profits from the oil industry are enough that they could easily stand to go without the tax write-offs and still pay their employees, while providing the country with much needed tax money

[@kerrywsmyth]

over half of Americans watching this are NOT paying their fair share of taxes.

[@Killerwalrus234]

The idea was created with good will, it was elected into power because they saw how much money they could get. Much like the quote, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." And while it would last longer there would be a point where it would burst.

[@rickten722]

I have a question without the dinosaur economy, how do you make these videos? I mean, if you're building a better future, and the dinosaur economy allowed you to present these ideas, then shouldn't the dinosaur economy be technically building a better future? Also, why not check how much pollution green energy costs?

[@Ks33n]

Because it isn't a government of WE THE PEOPLE, it's a government of the CORPS.

[@MrBigBEARHUNTER]

in 1928, all money had to be represented by physical goods. This policy, forcing a 30% deflation of the dollar that inevitably damaged the US economy.

[@Pankzer]

Well, the real problem is that the whole system is an oilbased production and the entire economy, yes, global economy is built on this base. That's why Oil companies are so powerful. I believe in this project, but it's really hard to imagine a different world. Greetings from Ecuador!

[@tjbricker8327]

We cannot just print more money. Our money is a representation of a portion of gold reserved by the nation. We only have so much to represent.

[@Meade556]

Yeah we all indirectly pay for corporate tax, second they get to write off dividends as a business expense and none of these taxes, even when they have been higher has ever prevented the United States from having high economic growth.

[@lily14130]

They aren't actually using the real money to physically do it, the doodle is just showing that the system is in ruin and they're using a lot of money to deal with it. Sheesh.

[@novalinnhe]

This video was fantastic - and though the problem probably isn't as easy to solve as Annie makes out, you definitely stop and think about where everybody's taxes goes. :) The only thing I don't like about cool videos like these is that everybody just FIGHTS in the comments! :( It does make watching videos like this really intimidating to people who aren't as vocal. :( I mean... aren't we all here to make the world a better place for our friends and family and stuff? Not argue... ! ^^;;

[@xXJEashXx]

If you taxed the oil companies, wouldn't oil and energy prices go up for everyone?

[@wheatonna]

There is no shortage of money. There is no shortage of work.

[@JamieLannyster]

Japan has tried that. Subsidized companies that were "good for the nation." And look at their economy today.

[@wesleywildcat84]

Get rid of ALL subsidies, create a consumption tax system. Now THAT isn't that hard.

[@LuciusC]

Exactly what it sounds like. He's saying a politician makes peanuts compared to, say, a corporate executive, while still using the same decision-making skills. That said, we don't hang criminals anymore. I guess he didn't get the memo.

[@jpazda21]

Funny thing is the "1%" actually pay a majority of taxes so what is the "fair share". Oh, and before people jump to conclusions, I am certainly not in the 1% percent or even rich

[@TheQuantumSeven]

Thanks for looking at it from only one side of the story. Don't forget, our number one priority should be to get rid of our deficit and debt first. You know why? Because giving subsides to any corporations good or bad is SERIOUSLY not possible. We legitimately have no money left for that.

[@repme]

The main problem with this video is it blames the problems on "bad choices", mistakes if you will, by the politicians. The real problem is corruption and greed, not some silly choices. There are DELIBERATE efforts made AGAINST people every day. Taxes nowadays (and since their inception) have been little more than robbery.

[@DiaboloMootopia]

The government spends money often directly in the private sector, by providing services that private businesses need, providing services that private citizens use and need, and paying its staff, who then spend the money mostly in the private sector. Government spending is part of the money cycle, not a black hole. It's not the countries which have the least government that are the richest ones.

[@theclatesiq]

OMG!!! I thought mainly in my country, Brazil, the taxes has been used in a wrong way, but in USA it´s the same. We are lost guys, the world is lost!!!!

[@Shmimbleton]

Im not talking about good or evil, im talking about efficient allocation of finite resources. A bad use of a subsidy would be to lower the price of a product which is going to escalate in price anyway, like oil. It will only cause benefits in the short term before needing more subsidies. A good use of a subsidy would include paying for research that could lead to renewable products that replace oil. Its a one-time payment with huge future benefits.

[@smokinghollywoods]

I don't care if there's money, I just don't want my money going to the government

[@bosebucks375]

fundamental law: money cannot be created nor destroyed except by war and subsidies i.e payments that don't guarantee a return in profit

[@Cbrown892002]

there are so many things I find wrong with the points made in this video I can't even begin...

[@36ronjon]

BTW there is nothing in the constitution that says you have to pay taxes

[@toyotaprius79]

The Moral is, keep Religion far, far away from Government!

[@edwardmiles2]

3:32 : Helps reduce food costs and fluctuations in price, helps America as a whole. 3:39 : Misinterpreted, whilst reducing product costs and ensures environmental wellbeing. 3:50 : How else to ensure successful waste disposal? 4:01 : Reduces energy prices, which relates to growth, jobs, transport, business costs, household costs and consumption. 5:08 : America is in fact reducing pollution fast than the EU with their PPP (polluter pays princible) new initatives.

[@Shmimbleton]

Also, unregulated capitalism does not lead to equality. It is possibly the least equal economic system we have ever created. Capital creates money, which creates capital. This is why the money in the USA is concentrating at the very top. Without regulation, people with lots of money can invest in getting more money, while people without anything cannot and stay poor.

[@JTrizzleFizzle]

When more than 50% of the US budget goes to 'Defense' spending, you know something is going on.

[@kobkob333]

This is why I vote for the Green Party, and every other American should too.