How Did America Become an Oligarchy? (Thom Hartmann Interview)

[@tylerhackner9731]

Thom is underrated. Glad you had him on.

[@bobheck7303]

He's great!

[@DAN-lo5db]

He's the best! So extremely knowledgeable

[@et34t34fdf]

Thanks for having Hartmann on, he is underrated.

[@DAN-lo5db]

Hartman is so educated about it all

[@d4mdcykey]

Always enjoy watching Thom, the dude has a wide swath of knowledge on what is dismantling this country.

[@melissaverduin3693]

I love Thom. He has taught me so much! He knows his history! He has alot of good people on his show too! And I love David also! He's Very smart and informative also! Thanks for having Thom on your show! I also love my new masks and thermometer!

[@michaelalford5565]

Can 70 million Americans understand this interview? No.

[@bobheck7303]

The comparisons make it easy to understand.

[@cherylwaldrep6174]

Lack of education is the larger problem. I am not blaming the teachers but education system, and voters.

[@michaelalford5565]

@@cherylwaldrep6174 Absolutely. NO critical thinking and media literacy being taught.

[@onalos1271]

@@stephanielewis5595 Oh, you think liberals are teaching the rural schools in Georgia?? The dummies that voted for Margie Qanoner?

[@RealChrisHatch]

i found hartmann first on local progressive talk on 620 KPOJ in oregon and then later on WHAV when he went nationally syndicated - that’s when i discovered pakman cause he was a show after thom’s on WHAV

[@williamparis744]

Its great to see two intelligent guys talking sense! Thanks, it makes a pleasant change from the garbage spouted by Trumpers and Trumpists.

[@intrepidy]

Thom Hartmann is such a clown. “Aggregate demand is just a fancy word for ‘wages’.” No sir, it isn’t. It’s an aggregation of demand for all goods and services. What an ignoramus.

[@polarbear4612]

@@intrepidy yah, he knows that. Whooooshhhh! He was pointing out the link between aggregate demand and wages.

[@intrepidy]

@@polarbear4612 Nothing he said indicated that he did actually know that. Wages are only one determinant of aggregate demand and in fact a wage increase is actually an adverse supply side shock. He was talking nothing but pure nonsense.

[@intrepidy]

@@polarbear4612 I’d suggest doing a little bit of reading on the subject. Aggregate demand is waaaay more than just “wages”. It’s like saying “gasoline is just a fancy word word for a car.” Absolutely asinine. It provides fuel for the car but is in no way synonymous with the car itself. He’s completely ignoring the investment, government spending, and net export components of aggregate demand which are NOT determined by wages. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggregate_demand

[@polarbear4612]

@@intrepidy Did you not read a word I wrote? You can just google “how are aggregate demand and wages linked” and you will see many many results and articles just on this topic with disagreements on the linkage. You don’t know anything that Hartman doesn’t know and all your replies are just attempts at making yourself look smart.

[@SoFkwHat80]

Having to be wealthy to be a politician is part of the problem.

[@rogerwilco2]

Exactly. There has been too much money in US politics for a very long time. I believe it is because of the influence of English culture on the founding of the country.

[@eniszita7353]

do you want a successful person to be involved in politics, or an unsuccessful one? most wealthy politicians had successful businesses before politics.

[@SoFkwHat80]

@@eniszita7353 That is a good point but i think people who care about other people tend not to go into careers that create wealth . My point really is the great amount of money that is needed to climb the political ladder.

[@bobbafett1849]

@@eniszita7353 i want someone who cares about the COUNTRY and not how rich they are. Most earned it the old fashioned way, they inherited it.

[@davegreene8588]

​@@eniszita7353 It's how some of them _became_ successful that poses problems.

[@reyalsregnava]

91% tax on billionairs sounds FANTASTIC. Think of all the god damn streets, dams, bridges and levies we could fix with those.

[@woodywood3388]

You don‘t need 91% marginal tax rates for this to improve the situation for the US economy. Simply wiping out the tax cuts Trump gave to the ultra rich he was trying to suck up to would go a long way to reducing the record deficit that Trump dumped on the country.

[@lukestrehlau2823]

I think every person should pay 91% taxes...to be fair.

[@reyalsregnava]

@@lukestrehlau2823 If there was actual food and shelter that came from it I'm with you.

[@lukestrehlau2823]

@@reyalsregnava we could have central committee make all the decisions on who gets which resources.

[@reyalsregnava]

@@lukestrehlau2823 No. There should be a vote by the public about which course of action or goal to work toward.

[@carsonwieker]

Great interview/ conversation, thank you, cheers.

[@lazersword6274]

Two of my favorite people to listen to in the same place! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@agees924]

What!? Thom and David together, what a great day!

[@wilhelmheinzerling5341]

Thom Hartman is an American treasure

[@RealChrisHatch]

is he bud

[@soniamerten4361]

agreed, coming from a millennial who watches his show almost daily

[@thathobbitlife]

Oregon in the HOUSE!!!! Thoms show is FANTASTIC as is TDPS 😎✌🏽😊🤗😀😁

[@Peopleofthesun386]

Thom Hartmann is great

[@infamousacidrain]

Two of my favorite hosts. Great to see two great minds together.

[@serversupport3523]

Bravo for shifting your focus on the broken system instead of individual politicians.

[@davegreene8588]

- Although both factors matter greatly.

[@UbeRNooB24]

If businesses can't afford to give their workers $15 hr (really it should be even more then that), then they shouldn't be in business. That's competition, and fairness. You shouldn't have to work full-time at minimum wage and still live in absolute poverty.

[@macbirdy9723]

If you can't see that the price of goods will go up and that 15$ h/r will mean nothing but a number you need glasses

[@hectorvega621]

@@macbirdy9723 The price of goods go up no matter what. There is no Correlation between them.

[@Vohlfied]

@@macbirdy9723 The cuts need to come from the executives at the top who are making 100x what it takes to subside in the US, instead of just raising the costs of goods and services. It sounds like you're convinced a livable minimum wage is bad because your counting on the people in power doing the wrong thing. Well, we unfettered capitolism, what we expected would happen happened, and now we need some regulation to help the system back to into a working model.

[@macbirdy9723]

@@Vohlfied I agree the executives taking more than should is an issue but not one for the government to fix. I run a small business in Michigan we are all history of we have to pay 15hr. Walmart and McDonald's will be the only thing left and a big Mac will be 10$.

[@Vohlfied]

@@macbirdy9723 The goal of a business is to make money. Most are not going to do anything they aren't being forced to do through regulation. I certainly don't think the government should control everything, but without tying taxes to income relative to the minimum wage/median comfort zone of American life, we will continue stagnant as an economy. The sooner we start playing catch-up, the less-drastic our measures need to be.

[@Mineav]

Great interview. Very enlightening.

[@MoonChild-nw6oy]

Been listening to Tomm Hartmann for years Very intelligent you can find him on KZbin live now Great choice having him on ..

[@user-em6ie2be7x]

Because at some point Americans thought unfettered Capitalism, & the need to be weathlier than anyone else became the norm. & The few people who actually had the ability to make that happen (Namely C.E.O's & Politicians) ultimately made sure others couldn't.

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

They were told by Red Scaremongers for years that Socialism = Nazism. They didn’t know that the Nazis were extreme capitalists too.

[@Vohlfied]

"The markets must remain free and unregulated!" "The poor people got a hold of the freedom! Turn it off! Turn it off!"

[@emofascist]

@@nuclearcatbaby1131 not quite true the germans were the first to privatize production but the state still dictated what went down

[@nuclearcatbaby1131]

@@emofascist Which makes them to the left of modern day Republicans

[@FMagl]

Well... the Reagan admin misdirected the public's alienation as to the problems in government, looted the government, and then wrapped their thieving incompetence in racism and machismo. Like "welfare queens". Or anti-choice, anti-LGBT (the response to AIDS, for example). They don't have to sell people on their abysmally shitty economics, and in the light of day they failed under Goldwater, but they sure can _lie_ and misdirect.

[@Peppinr]

Tom is great. I first saw him on RT TV and he just gets better.

[@momstableeveryday]

Thank you for the video. I know about America.💕

[@estefanymurillo22]

Thank you for this video ❤❤🥰🥰

[@Baliane22]

Thom is fantastic. When I lived in Chicago I used to listen to him and Stephanie Miller on Chicago’s Progressive talk all the time. The man is a living American encyclopedia. Haven’t been able to get him here in Oklahoma on radio.

[@marypritchett115]

This was a good episode, David. I learned a few things.

[@kathrynjarlov5166]

You will learn a ton from listening to Tom Hartman.

[@tanyaroberson9394]

Love Thom Hartmann being older he has a perspective as a progressive that you just can't get anywhere else.

[@hystrionic]

Great questions, David!

[@insaniumgirl5229]

Pakman x Hartmann = Man² (Serious though, have this guy on more often. He's great!)

[@darrenclarke4671]

What an awesome equation! 👌

[@paintboy776]

Tom - it has been a long time since I actually heard someone speak with such clarity and honesty. Thank you.

[@kathrynjarlov5166]

The Tom Hartman show is the best!!!

[@betsykroll6583]

A great, informative episode. Should be used by teachers.

[@davidshelow5334]

Glad to see Thom on the show, and good questions, DP. Please have Mark Blyth on soon.

[@yeildme911]

Excellent interview. Very insightful

[@georgittesingbiel219]

Two of my favorite progressive hosts. Thom is absolutely brilliant here.

[@ginawhiteley8834]

David, you should have Thom on more often. He used to be on air America so I could listen to him daily. He's American treasure. I would love to hear both of you talk more often. :)

[@onalos1271]

Thom should have more subscribers

[@gunner678]

Excellent interview

[@Swlness]

Awesome interview, David

[@kingsmanonv37]

Brilliant way of using camptalism as an argument for progressive change. Great interview

[@julielevasseur7391]

This was very informative. Thanks.

[@podunk_woman]

Great combination of people to watch. I watch you both for your informed, logical perspectives without hyperbolic rhetoric. I don't have time to research every thing that comes up, but I have taken enough time to seriously evaluate who presents info, and the two of you are in the top of the list.

[@WilliamBenBrooks]

I love seeing you guys talk!

[@ryankibler7973]

Two of the most brilliant progressive broadcasters in one video. There aren't many.

[@bjrnerlingchristophersen1148]

Spot on. Velocity of money! More of this interviews David.

[@Mister_Portal_USMC]

I LOVE THOM!!!

[@imagem812]

Great show. Really really informative. The history of oligarchy is important and so reflective of these times. We need to be focused on and fighting oligarchy to preserve our democracy.

[@AbigailWrites]

Very interesting to hear it from a historical perspective, I learned a lot thank you.

[@sandollor]

I enjoyed this interview; I wish more were like it. Keep up the good work David.

[@alexus4life6969]

Thom Hartmann is great 👍

[@catel4781]

Clarified for me, how America got into this mess. The cancer of misinformation must be tackled as a priority for a start.

[@KarenErickson-lf3lm]

I think that’s what was being attempted this past election, but alas an uneducated society falls to a dictator wannabe instead. We don’t even know what hit us yet

[@micksoden7064]

Goodbye education, Goodbye america

[@curtissmith3196]

Informative interview Hartman is always honest and trustworthy.

[@silentd_6]

Thom doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves. Could listen to these 2 talk for hours

[@magnerash42069]

Love Thom!

[@anthonycesario4056]

Mr. Hartmann's assessment is correct. Americans must unite, and see the true enemy lives in opulent splendor.

[@winterlongmire501]

Ty this was so informative. This guy should be in Biden’s cabinet

[@ImKat46]

Appreciate Tom H. very much.

[@romeozulu4424]

You can’t let capitalism run wild.

[@JM1993951]

Capitalism always ends up destroying itself and the government has to come along and prop it up.

[@Sapheiorus]

Once it has, nothing will stop it. It can even prevent your government from intervening to curtail it effectively and decisively. And the threat returns every time, even if those things DO happen. Class warfare is always in session for the corporate owners, and, under capitalism, not everyone CAN be a corporate owner... most of us are laborers. Not fighting back means you always lose. Consider alternative structures to capital ownership to prevent anyone from being powerful enough to become an oligarch. Consider democratizing the workplace and letting laborers determine how the company runs, not that rich fuck who bought a building and some machines for someone else to make the money-making magic happen.

[@k-dogg9086]

This isn't capitalism, if so WE WOULD BE BENEFITTING FROM OUR WORK AND TAXES, AND THERE'D BE THE HEALTHY MIDDLE CLASS OF YESTERYEAR. BOTH ARE GONE! THIS IS OPPRESSION AND TYRANNY.. SEDITION AND TREASON. THE PLANTATION MENTALITY AND GLOBALIST BS FROM EUROPE! CORPORATISM.. OLIGARCHY; NOT CAPITALISM!

[@k-dogg9086]

​@@JM1993951thinking of themselves as wise, they became as fools.. do not do this, as you are with your comment!

[@k-dogg9086]

​how can the corporates hinder the politicians when both are in bed together illicitly.. illegally, and the D O Injustice itself turns a blind eye and oppresses The Ppl??? NONE Does What Is RIGHT!

[@RonDiggity_VR]

You two are very alike. I like you guys

[@dans4337]

Learning a lot from this. Thank you!

[@jasmineflower4809]

Love this dude. He hits the nail on the head. Demand side economics makes sense.

[@Mary-il6zz]

This is precisely why History needs to an important part of our education system!

[@eshqa]

Excellent!!! 💖

[@cozycomfy589]

Thom is quite the historian, I've learned a lot from him

[@jeremydunn3976]

Just bought the book. Hopefully more people do.

[@geoben1810]

It's interesting how when you listen to this it sounds logical and just plain makes sense. When repuglicons talk about economics it just sounds like a lot of gibberish and makes no sense at all. As Spock would say; "it's illogical". 🤔

[@stayinalive9434]

The repubs have perfected their messaging to sound kind of plausible to the undereducated to get them to pay attention, then they say feign intelligence superiority while spewing nonsense aimed at keeping their followers spightly bewildered and beholden to them. Not a unique strategy but has proven effective for them.

[@yovogo]

GREAT interview! Thank you!

[@paulofreire9174]

Very late but this is an amazing interview!

[@matthewmendoza7417]

You should have him on soon. Way before anyone else who has ever been on your program.

[@car7412]

This was 17 minutes of Thom not writing a book. My guy is slacking.

[@chancerobinson5112]

Good Interview for any College Freshman.... Step 1.) Gut Unions Step 2.) Eliminate jobs and stagnate wages to starvation levels. Step 3.) Trash education. Bake on low for 40 years so nobody fights back. All done!

[@Notalloldpeople]

The same happened in the UK starting with Thatcher. Not a coincidence that she and Reagan were big buddies

[@yurei8]

Not sure how "trash education" works?

[@garrybarry4286]

Probably the best and most informative interview yet, Thankyou DPS

[@zahreel3103]

This was incredibly interesting and informative. Thank you

[@yvonneplant9434]

I really wish David would invite Beau(of the 5th Column ). That would be an interesting conversation.

[@gsprmssr2011]

We are heavily taxed, the oligarchs are the only ones represented. In order for this to change, all the funds for campaigns should only come from the constituents. One way to do that is with voucher sent to all the tax paying citizens to be used to support the candidate of choice. Candidates should be picked raffle style and never "appointed", (specially screened and picked by the elites). Eligible candidates could apply for the civic job and screened as if they would apply for any sensitive position. Pay should be the same as teacher's pay. This should apply federally, state or local and judges as well. Only then we will have a chance of being honestly represented.

[@geminirat60]

tax cuts and loopholes for the rich

[@onandonitgoes5957]

The look of robber barons and indeed Roman emperors hasn't changed in thousands of years. If you put togas purple robes and laurel wreaths on the men in the thumbnail you wouldn't be able to tell they weren't Roman emperors

[@helensmith7357]

This is so important and should be widely disseminated. Thank you so much, both David Parkman and Thom Hartmann.

[@aclearlight]

Thom gets it at a level which very few do.

[@woodwired1]

Tom Hartmann is a genius.

[@stefan1713]

Thom is so great

[@TheStevehuff]

America has always been an oligarchy.

[@josejaquez4100]

Thom Hartman is the shit!

[@marcodebrabander5751]

we don't learn from history is the conclusion... Love Thom for trying to teach us tirelessly for decades!

[@olumuyiwaasunmo]

Good education frees us from the antics of demagogues who often appeal to banal and emotional issues like race and religion to sway people from reason. The state must devise the means to permanently neutralise such people.

[@dreadinajeep]

David interviews his future self

[@Jcewazhere]

Yay Thom. He's right about most things, save nuclear power. David should have him on more often and should go on Thom's show.

[@bdnelss8442]

2024 here: Well, youre not gonna believe this, but in a few years your party is gonna appoint someone as a presidential nominee, not nominate them, but appoint them. GG Oligarchs

[@mitchellkrouth5083]

Thank you

[@ronrendon]

This is EXACTLY why $ needs to be kept OUT of Government.

[@totallynottrademarked5279]

Low taxation on megacorps and the ultrawealthy combined with two failed wars with absurd pricing from defense contractors. There done.

[@schooloftonyhumphries2647]

This conversation is helping me understand the results of the 2024 election and where we're headed in 2025

[@dblocker3145]

The thing that vexes me, is how successful the oligarchy is at convincing so many people to not only support, but actually embrace them. People who clearly won't directly benefit from their ascension to political power.

[@kimberlyalbert9232]

I just joined your channel, it's not much but I hope it helps. You do a great job with your videos, I can absolutely see you on TV someday! Keep up the great work!

[@attillamcgillacuddy6676]

Oligarchs generally make their money by GAMING THE SUPPLY SIDE.

[@Rick-wx4md]

Thank you Tom. American politics has become a charity for the powerful.

[@docadams7099]

Politics is so expensive that only the filthy rich can get into high office. That's one problem. Another problem is that the Democratic Party is completely out of touch with decency, so that leaves the door wide open for a Donald Trump to gather an unfortunately large following. Another problem is that graciousness seems to be lacking in our body politic. And these "leaders" set an example for the youth.

[@rake483]

Very intersting! You should invite your dad more often.

[@muadhib001]

By electing ronald reagan

[@marteenee88]

This video is years old BUT MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER