Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats
Politico ^ | July/August 2014 | Nick Hanauer

Posted on 12/10/2021 4:14:17 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

You probably don’t know me, but like you I am one of those .01%ers, a proud and unapologetic capitalist. I have founded, co-founded and funded more than 30 companies across a range of industries—from itsy-bitsy ones like the night club I started in my 20s to giant ones like Amazon.com, for which I was the first nonfamily investor. Then I founded aQuantive, an Internet advertising company that was sold to Microsoft in 2007 for $6.4 billion. In cash. My friends and I own a bank. I tell you all this to demonstrate that in many ways I’m no different from you. Like you, I have a broad perspective on business and capitalism. And also like you, I have been rewarded obscenely for my success, with a life that the other 99.99 percent of Americans can’t even imagine. Multiple homes, my own plane, etc., etc. You know what I’m talking about. In 1992, I was selling pillows made by my family’s business, Pacific Coast Feather Co., to retail stores across the country, and the Internet was a clunky novelty to which one hooked up with a loud squawk at 300 baud. But I saw pretty quickly, even back then, that many of my customers, the big department store chains, were already doomed. I knew that as soon as the Internet became fast and trustworthy enough—and that time wasn’t far off—people were going to shop online like crazy. Goodbye, Caldor. And Filene’s. And Borders. And on and on.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Conspiracy; History
KEYWORDS: minimumwage; plutocrats; revolution; wealth
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last
Interesting article from 2014.

While Trump's policies actually rectified this problem somewhat, it still exists. I don't necessarily see a minwage hike to $15 as the solution, since some companies will get hurt, but neither should we be riding the Dem-GOP-e Cheap Labor express.

1 posted on 12/10/2021 4:14:17 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Almost all the plutocrats are far left transnational communists.


2 posted on 12/10/2021 4:26:26 AM PST by Levy78
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Almost all the plutocrats are far left transnational communists.


3 posted on 12/10/2021 4:27:02 AM PST by Levy78
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Maybe am beating a dead horse but here is my opinion. We have not seen an actual marketplace since illegal labor began coming into the USA. Illegal labor suppresses the marketplace and true value of labor is not attained. I do not have the solution to stop the influx of illegal labor but until illegal labor is stopped a true marketplace for the Citizens does not exist. My apologies for only stating the obvious


4 posted on 12/10/2021 4:31:56 AM PST by no-to-illegals ( The enemy has US surrounded. May God have mercy on them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

In light of recent events I found this interesting (the author speaking about increasing inequality producing tsunami-like revolutions)

“And then there’s no time for us to get to the airport and jump on our Gulfstream Vs and fly to New Zealand.”


5 posted on 12/10/2021 4:32:26 AM PST by avenir
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The IRS agents may be devils, but they don’t use pitchforks.

The $30 trillion US national debt is best dealt with when asset values are high.


6 posted on 12/10/2021 4:46:29 AM PST by Brian Griffin ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Internet advertising is highly ineffective.

I buy things from a small set of vendors.

I’m amazed how much money google is able to rake in.


7 posted on 12/10/2021 4:49:47 AM PST by Brian Griffin ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Levy78

They are crony capitalists.

Leftist talk is cheap.


8 posted on 12/10/2021 4:51:44 AM PST by Brian Griffin ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

It’s not “inequality” that is making people upset.

It’s that 95% of young people see no hope of affording the most basic things even if they do everything right. They live with roommates in an apartment smaller than what the Soviets considered proper. They can’t imagine ever affording a family except for some extreme luck.

When I started on my American dream, I could afford my own home and college education working normal hours as a taxi driver or waiter. Everyone had hope nomatter their profession and did their job with a smile. There was a clear path to the dream and you didn’t need to kill yourself with multiple jobs to get somewhere.

Now you must get into a few rare jobs, work yourself nearly to death or create a successful startup just to survive. 95% of young people feel stuck in a dead end and the situation has been getting worse. Every year more are seeing greater hope in burning down the system than in hard work.

Something is clearly wrong and if something is not done to correct the situation soon, there will inevitably be pitchforks against the rich and powerful...


9 posted on 12/10/2021 4:56:43 AM PST by varyouga
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: avenir
“And then there’s no time for us to get to the airport and jump on our Gulfstream Vs and fly to New Zealand.”

wouldn't want to go there right now anyway. 🙂

10 posted on 12/10/2021 5:12:18 AM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: varyouga

BUMP


11 posted on 12/10/2021 5:16:49 AM PST by KC_Lion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Levy78

BUMP


12 posted on 12/10/2021 5:17:57 AM PST by KC_Lion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: no-to-illegals

There is only one solution to illegal immigration:

John Browning’s Ma-Deuce.


13 posted on 12/10/2021 5:27:49 AM PST by Uncle Miltie (Thieves, welfare cases, and drug users SHOULD be judged by the content of their character.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: varyouga

Something is clearly wrong and if something is not done to correct the situation soon, there will inevitably be pitchforks against the rich and powerful...

Rampant inflation will destroy the remaining middle class leaving a majority subsistence class with a tiny walled-off elite class. It is a 21st century version of serfdom.


14 posted on 12/10/2021 5:28:46 AM PST by Flick Lives
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

A little help please.....

Remind me

What exactly is a plutocrat?


15 posted on 12/10/2021 5:30:03 AM PST by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Free Republic has gone to hell is a Covid handbasket)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bert

A person whose power is derived from their wealth (I looked it up).


16 posted on 12/10/2021 5:31:54 AM PST by kosciusko51
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Uncle Miltie

At this point I’m afraid you’re right.

No one, not even President Trump in a second term, is going to be able to flush 30,000,000 illegal aliens out of the country almost no matter what he does.

He might be able to slow the influx to a trickle. But the vast majority of those who reside here illegally are never going to leave.

L


17 posted on 12/10/2021 5:33:13 AM PST by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: avenir

Inequality has not increased. Inequality is endemic and always present.

The perception has increased and is used as a political hammer to secure the votes of gullible and inequal black citizens

Political analysis


18 posted on 12/10/2021 5:33:19 AM PST by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Free Republic has gone to hell is a Covid handbasket)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: kosciusko51

Thanks....


19 posted on 12/10/2021 5:33:51 AM PST by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Free Republic has gone to hell is a Covid handbasket)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

“You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None.”

I don’t see an uprising (unfortunately) I see a police State coming. The sheeple take a jab, then two, now three, and a fourth is already being discussed. Then look at the “cruel & unusual punishment” being foisted on the Jan 6 participants and you see a nation ready to submit to a police State.
I sincerely hope that I’m wrong.


20 posted on 12/10/2021 5:42:58 AM PST by mistfree (Fear Destroys Freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-45 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson