“This is what oligarchy looks like: Today, the top one-tenth of 1 percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. The top one-hundredth of 1 percent makes more than 40 percent of all campaign contributions. The billionaire class owns the political system and reaps the benefits from it.” LooksTodayPoliticalWealthClassBenefitsPercentBottomCampaignsContributionReapBillionairePolitical SystemsOligarchyCampaign Contributions Author:Bernie Sanders
“If you are self-motivated, wow, this world is tailored for you. The boundaries are all gone. But if you're not self-motivated, this world will be a challenge because the walls, ceilings and floors that protected people are also disappearing. That is what I mean when I say "it is a 401(k) world." Government will do less for you. Companies will do less for you. Unions can do less for you. There will be fewer limits, but also fewer guarantees. Your specific contribution will define your specific benefits much more. Just showing up will not cut it.” PeopleIfsWorldMeanSelfGovernmentCan DoChallengesCompanyGoneCuttingThis WorldWallLimitsBenefitsUnionsDisappearBoundariesContributionGuaranteesMotivatedWowFewerProtectedCeilingsShowing UpWorld GovernmentTailoredSelf Motivated Author:Thomas Friedman
“My mother dedicated over fifty years of her life to the nursing profession, giving selflessly of her time, energy, and passion for the benefit of others. I always marvel at what an indelible and honorable contribution she has made and hope to be able to make a similar impact over the course of my life and career.” GivingYearsMadeAbleMotherPassionCoursesEnergyCareersBenefitsImpactProfessionContributionFiftyDedicatedHonorableNursingIndelible Author:Ian Anthony Dale
“The only way people can repay the debt is by cutting their living standards very drastically. It means agreeing to shift their pension plans from defined benefit plans - when you know what you're going to get - into just "defined contribution plans," where you put money in, like into a roach motel, and you don't know what's coming out.” PeopleKnowsWayMeanCuttingPlansBenefitsStandardsDebtDefinedContributionComing OutPensionRoachesMotelsPension Plans Author:Michael Hudson
“The primary source of waste in government is that legislators are often under heavy pressure to vote for projects that will benefit their campaign contributors, even when those projects fail a simple cost-benefit test. But with the Supreme Court showing little interest in permitting tighter rules on campaign contributions in recent years, there is little reason to be optimistic that we'll start curbing this kind of waste any time soon.” YearsKindLittlesReasonGovernmentInterestSimpleFailingSourceCostWasteBenefitsProjectsTestsVotePressureCourtHeavyCampaignsSupremeOptimisticPrimariesContributionSupreme CourtLegislatorsBeing OptimisticContributorsPrimary SourceCampaign Contributions Author:Robert H. Frank