There is A Tipping Point, Prof. Richard Wolff

[mother earth]

Published on Mar 1, 2013 (And completely relevant today, perhaps moreso as the worst economic crisis in our lifetime continues to play out.)

Julianna Forlano talks with Economist Dr. Richard Wolff about the American economic system and the civil unrest on the horizon. "People (in the government) are preparing for fascism."

Bio: Richard D. Wolff is a Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and currently a Visiting Professor of the Graduate Program in International Affairs at the New School University in New York. He is the author of many books, including Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism, and Imagine: Living in a Socialist USA.
Wolff hosts the weekly hour-long radio program Economic Update on WBAI, 99.5 FM, New York City (Pacifica Radio).
More: http://rdwolff.com/content/about

http://www.rdwolff.com

For more info or donations: http://www.democracyatwork.info/

Note: Used by permission of Prof. R.D. Wolff. (TY and much appreciation, Prof. Wolff!)

[daleanime]

1. K&R.....

[truth2power]

2. Yes, as you said, this interview from 2013 is completely relevant today...

A couple of points:

Using Greece as an example, Prof. Wolff said that many individuals have said to the two major political parties, "We're done!" and elected Sireza (sp?). There are many in the US who are saying the same thing. Like it or not. And the old arguments, i.e., "if you don't vote Democratic..." aren't working anymore. I've heard a number of people say, "A pox on both their houses." Don't shoot the messenger.

Re: fascism: Chris Hedges, echoing Prof. Wolff, recently said, (paraphrased) Fascist movements channel legitimate rage. But instead of directing it at centers of power, they direct it to the most vunerable of the population. Hmm, where is legitimate rage being directed toward African Americans these days?

Prof Wolff says, "the PTB say the threat is from outside because they can't face what it would mean if you're actually planning for that at home." Yeah, anyone who posts on DU that the govt. is planning on massive civil disobedience here at home is called a conspiracy theorist. Shhh....just go back to sleep, citizen.

I recently watched an interview with Dr. Paul Craig Roberts where he articulated exactly what those with more, shall we say, gravitas, here on DU are saying. Well, it doesn't matter who's saying it. We need to start listening.

Thanks for posting this, mother earth. You should be commended for trying to get the word out.

[mother earth]

3. Yes, indeed the rage is being aimed at the black community, that is of course quite evident by

current events. It seems our new normal is frighteningly taking on Orwellian vibes.

Economists are all sounding the alarm...it is not just Prof. Wolff, he's in good company, like you said he is part of a growing consensus including Hedges & Roberts. Krugman, Reich, Stiglitz, Hudson, Varoufakis...and others are all sounding the alarm, the same issues are playing out globally...inequality and poverty are growing at staggering rates, and it is predicted to escalate. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jan/19/global-wealth-oxfam-inequality-davos-economic-summit-switzerland

Income inequality is being imposed globally by the same oligarchs. Yes, we certainly do need to start paying attention & heed the warnings.

You can't have oligarchy and claim to be a democracy. It doesn't take a conspiracy theorist to realize that with no end in sight to squeezing a middle class and the poor, coupled with the lack of good jobs and living wages and a deteriorating social net, there comes a point in time where the tipping point is reached.

The tactics used against Occupy and the growing militarization of the police force tells us this is our new normal. It is not conspiracy theory, but reality...the Baltimore Police Dept. had its training in Israel. The tactics used, the surveillance powers being utilized and the militarization of our police force in this country speak volumes.

Who needs conspiracy theory? We see the reality in all that is playing out around us.

Change will only happen when we stop acting as though it is business as usual. It is going to take a social movement. Our republic, our democracy has been hijacked.

TY for your response, truth2power, with all the sometimes opposing views here at DU (and we've all felt the brunt of it at times), some do choose to shoot the messenger. However, there seems to be a growing consensus of what's playing out, how we react is going to dictate our future.

[drynberg]

4. I WATCHED THIS LAST NIGHT AND FIRST THING THIS MORNING

Why? I believe that Wolff has hit the mark with this interview. The vast tinder box called America is ripe for an explosion that can't be exactly predicted, like Occupy Wall Street. The difference is that #OWS was just the initial "squirm" of our Nation, and the next movement will be much more profound. I don't see a grouping of Occupiers and Tea Party Folk...I do see violence, especially from those paid to serve and protect (a harsh joke) and government over reacting...however, I have a large cloud over my crystal ball due to the Silent Majority of Americans working harder and harder and losing ground against the 1% who are getting richer and richer at the expense of the other 99%. Will these hard workers risk it all to throw off their chains? What is the role of those who have graduated from college in the last say ten years? These young Americans have few jobs that they are qualified for, and are either living in their parents home or working a "crappy" pay job just skimping by with their large Student Loans that are threatening to crush them. I think these are the key Americans to watch and see how they handle current events. So, even though I don't pretend to know the future, I see us in the last half of the last quarter of the Big Game.

[mother earth]

5. It really is about people, en masse, deciding this is enough. I cannot stomach the marginalization

of all of our progressive ideals, (for those of us who still hold onto them,) esp. by our very own party. It is completely shameful when you see those ordinarily united in cause going against their own principles. We see how the one left-leaning candidate is marginalized, the country has swung so far right, using completely divisive issues that never deal with the organized dismantling of our democracy, and the safeguards that were once in place. All levels of gov't have increasingly been taken over & laws are now written to suit the l% that seek global oligarchy, hell corporations are dictating law. The revolving door of politics is winning. They planned on it.

Quantitative easing enriched the already wealthy, Wall St. is doing better than ever. Beggar Thy Neighbor has worked well for Germany, not so much for the EU's working class, or those struggling and starving under austerity. Sacrifice has been born on the backs of the working class.

This was once something we screamed about during the Bush years, united in dissent, we could see positions filled by those with direct conflict of interest and we understood the consequences. Now, some happily & blindly acquiesce and promote it, with a win at all costs mentality, even 18 mos. out from the election.

Do we win when we enable our own demise, when we sell out all we hold dear in the process? There are consequences to our choices. We give energy to what we value by all of the choices we make, collectively we matter, what we give our energy to grows. We need to be of one mind and stop settling for less, because THAT is what we will get if we don't wake up.

We deserve better, Occupy embodied what we hold dear. dixiegrrrl posted a picture of the Occupy protester with the sign, "You Know Damn Well Why I'm Here"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017264282 You know, drynberg, they do. There is a dysfunctionality playing out in the big arena. We need to stop pretending all is well. We are in crisis. It is going to take ALL that we have to fight this.