A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Where were you on Nov. 4, 1980 ?
This is an election year and campaigns are starting to come to life, I hope you'll forgive me for going political this morning. November 4, 1980 is the date of the single most significant political event of my lifetime. If you were alive then, and live in the US, it was the most significant event in your lifetime as well. The election of Ronald Reagan as President of the United States meant much more than just a new face in the Oval Office. It was a sea change, a political and economic upheaval the effects of which are still with us to this day. What Reagan gave us was a new, and dangerous economic orthodoxy. I refer, of course, to the crack-pot "free market" economics of Milton Friedman. Simply put, 1980 marks the beginning of a class war waged by corporate power against the American people. Reagan's rhetoric notwithstanding, it was the end of we're all in this together and the beginning of f**k you John, I've got mine. What follows are some charts that illustrate this class war. Note that 1980 is an inflection point in each one.
Let's start with tax cuts. Reagan promised to cut our taxes, to defund the government. The benefits of the tax cuts would go mainly to the well-to-do. Here are the highest and lowest personal income tax rates.
Predictably, the tax cuts caused federal budget deficits. Of course, deficits only matter when Democrats are in power.
Reaganomics also meant financialization. Somewhere in the mid-80s profits from financial shenanigans began to pull away from profits earned in manufacturing.
And, since the compensation "earned" by financial wizards is so much greater than everybody else's ...
The income of the top 1% began to skyrocket.
This in turn began to drive up the Gini Index, the standard measure of Income Inequality.
The economy, like poker, a zero-sum game. In the words of Adam Smith:
“For every rich man there must be at least five hundred poor, and the affluence of the few supposes the indigence of the many.”
Reaganomics has made a few people really rich and a lot more really poor. A lot of the poor people have ended up in prison.
So where was I on Nov. 4, 1980 ? Voting of course, for the incumbent President, Democrat Jimmy Carter. I was actually fairly confident. I couldn't believe that a majority of my fellow Americans would be fooled by this B-movie actor, this ignorant buffoon. Boy was I wrong. The election was a disaster.
How to account for this tragedy ? I blame television. It has always puzzled me that in a country where politics is mostly about Corporate Power vs. The Average Joe, the Average Joe relies on corporate media for his information. When people ask me why I don't like TV I often say, "No TV no Reagan." He was, after all, a professional actor and it didn't seem to matter to people what he actually said, it was more in his delivery, his attitude, the character he played. In addition there was the Iranian hostage thing and a show called America Held Hostage that ran every single night during that year highlighting President Carter's supposed ineffectiveness. PBS did their part as well. Beginning in January of 1980 they ran series called Free to Choose which gave Uncle Milty a platform to popularize his toxic economic doctrine.
So there you have it. That's my screed for this morning. Don't let 'em tell you elections don't matter and be careful where you get your information. Sorry if it's too much too early in the day but this is a political site and it is that time of year again.
Where were you on Nov. 4, 1980 ?
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
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List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Saturday, March 22nd
Motor City Kossacks Welcome Dave in Northridge to Town
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: TBD
[Address] • Downtown Detroit
ORGANIZER: Send peregrine kate a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2. Dave in Northridge
3. provokingmeaning
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Maybees:
ChemBob
Amber6541
Amber6541's sister
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Latest diary: We're Getting Closer: Motor City Kossacks Meet-up, Sat 3/22, 6 PM, downtown Detroit
Thursday, March 20th
DC, VA and MD Kossacks Welcome Chaucounne to Town
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Center Cafe Restaurant
The Food Court in Union Station • Washington, DC
ORGANIZER: Send mimi a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. mimi
2. Chaucounne
3.
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Maybees:
teacherken
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Latest diary: Update I: DC Kossack Welcome Meeting for Chacouune
Friday, March 21st
Dallas Kossacks Inaugural Meet-up
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Cafe Brazil
2071 N. Central Expressway • Richardson
ORGANIZER: Send AndyT a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. AndyT
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Monday, March 24th
NYC Kossacks Welcome Chaucounne!
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Donburiya
137 East 47th Street (Lex-3rd) • NYC
ORGANIZER: Send sidnora a kosmail to RSVP
RSVPs:
1. sidnora
2. Chaucounne
3. thankgodforairamerica
4.
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Maybees:
Avilyn
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Latest diary: NEW EVENT: NYC Meetup 3/24– Dinner with Chacounne!
Saturday, March 29th
Houston Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Fadi's Mediterranean Grill
4738 Beechnut Street • Houston
ORGANIZER: Send Chrislove a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Chrislove
2. htowngenie
3. Libby Shaw
4. MarciaJ720
5. Bree Davis
6. krwheaton
7. Mary (Honorary Kossack)
8. Alan (Honorary Kossack) |
Maybees:
Mr. Libby Shaw
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Latest diary: Houston Area Kossacks: Meet-Up Scheduled for Saturday, March 29 (plus a note on future meet-ups)
Saturday, April 5th
Baja Arizona Kossacks 4th Annual Picnic
TIME: 4:00 PM
LOCATION: Home of Mr. & Mrs. sneakers563
Address by Kosmail to RSVPers • Tucson
ORGANIZER: Send Azazello a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Azazello
2. sneakers563
3. rasbobbo
4. DaNang65
5. ItsaMathJoke
6. Itzadryheat
7. pwoodford
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Maybees:
cosmic debris
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Latest diary: Baja Arizona Kossacks Open Thread
Saturday, April 5th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon - 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send EagleOfFreedom a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. EagleOfFreedom
2. Reetz
3. John Crapper
4. John Crapper's S.O.
5. WisePiper
6. bleeding blue
7. mlharges
8.
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Maybees:
Ojibwa
otto
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Latest diary: Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks April Meeting
Saturday, May 3rd
DKos Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. SteelerGrrl
6. SteelerGuy
7. GulfGal 98
8. Otteray Scribe
9. flwrightman
10. people power granny
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Maybees:
Audri
Mr Audri
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Tuesday, May 13th
SFKossacks Roll Out the Red Carpet for LeftOfYou & Expat Okie
TIME: 11:00 AM, Early lunch!
LOCATION: Yank Sing
Rincon Center, 101 Spear St. • San Francisco
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. navajo
2. LeftOfYou
3. Expat Okie
4. side pocket
5. Justice Putnam
6. dharmasyd
7. Lorikeet
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Maybees:
annieli
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navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.