Boycott Disney! They are the traitors owning ABC that just paid Trump for something that they did that was not illegal. Why Americans are so in love with the form of capitalism practiced in the US is beyond me. More government protections should be welcome.
I can describe what they are in Germany because I live there more of the time now than in the US. Here is an example. Here is me discussing the German health care system.
My Democrats Abroad reading group, which read Project 2025, are now reading about Democracy and thinking that one thing we can do to help in the US from Abroad besides supporting democratic causes in the States, is to inform how things can be different and better and are elsewhere. We are taking on health care and I we will be putting together more comprehensive information on many countries which I will share. We are worried that we cannot spread the news on these differences without getting a backlash response of "that's socialism."
The Republicans have key words that they use to manipulate the messages and calling health care for all socialism is something that should be taken head on. It is the kind of social welfare that is not "socialism," with a Capital S, but tempers capitalism so that the society can still work for the people. These things are taken for granted in most European countries and Canada.
Linda, I applaud your constructive suggestions. Unfortunately, all of our teaching/explaining/communicating will fall on deaf ears until we neuter the right wing propaganda machine. Suggestions for how to do that are welcome.
Dan, my friends and I have been reading about and discussing and we are going to jump in and try. I really thought that Michael Steele (former Republican National Committee Chairman) and Brian Tyler Cohen (Left leaning Youtube influencer) hit the nail on the head about what the Dems need to do in this podcast. It starts off fluffy, but gets into the meat of things. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-must-learn-from-republicans
So,
1) we should be putting money into left leaning influencers and all the time
2) We should be organizing big conferences like (CPAC) and cultivating our young left leaning politicians and grooming them for future leadership, as well as funding influencers to get the message out regularly each year. Not in Hungary, but perhaps nearby Czech Republic, or in Blue States.
3) We have to pick words that are simple and can be used to broadly represent a concept, or even 2 words, but then we can get these words connected in people's minds to the concepts.
Then, what they do not say but I am saying, is people need to get VPNs so that you can access media if Misters Trump and Musk decided to cut off your access to media you like. And 2 media you like should be going to platforms that are outside the USA. We have to be savvy like Russians and East Germans when they wanted to share information that was illicit, or access it.
In fact, I live in Germany most of the time now, and I have again been watching series that are set during the DDR times, which cleaved my family. When I got together with relatives after the wall came down, they were like shells of people. It was shocking and frightening. Remember all those orphans we saw in Romanian orphanages who had no stimulus and they were shocking. I felt some of that on getting together with these relatives. One of them went off the deep edge not long after that and started using strange remedies to cure his ailments like ingesting piss.
The socialism, communism, Marxist fear mongering never went away. It’s only grown in recent years. It is a favorite tool of DeSantis to grow support in the Latino community. He’s infused his campaigns with it. After getting into office DeSantis carefully fed and fertilized the theme. FL schools are mandated to teach about the ‘evils of communism’ in specific ways, at specific times. There is a Victims Memorial Day & plans for a museum. It is picked up in the local news; by TV and radio talks shows.
What begins in FL doesn’t stay in FL. It’s no coincidence Latino social media was full of “Commie-La” memes or that trump used such monikers for VP Harris. It is especially effective with Cuban, Venezuelan and other members of communities whose families fled oppressive regimes.
Ann, I was just discussing with a friend today how that trope works with the Cubans, Venezualans, and also the Eastern European immigrants who were part of the Soviet Union. They don't even understand the difference between Socialist and Communist, or from Fascist. What they are responding to is the fascism in the regimes, and for that, they have voted a fascist into power without recognizing it. It is sad. DeSantis is another person whose money should be attacked. What these people need to learn is what fascist means.
Bob Dylan asked where have all the flowers gone; should've asked where have all the ethics have gone. It's been nothing but thievery on the part of corporations like Disney for so many years we are almost immune. Thank you PI for trying to keep us informed and aware; now if we could do something about the corruption in government, maybe they can make ethical behavior important.
Meanwhile, we must vote with our wallets, which is becoming increasingly hard to do as these corporate monsters grow and take over more consumer options. What a mess we have become.
The “ethics” in business never existed in the first place, so they never went anywhere. There may have been some in the days of sole proprietorship, when a person’s own reputation was attached to his business, but the rise of the corporation removed any human element.
You're right! The version I was actually thinking about when I posted was the one by Peter, Paul & Mary. Your point is taken, however, and I thank you for the clarification. Now I have a hankering to rewatch his Power of Song bio!
Disney's obviously a villain here, but wow, has the city of Anaheim enabled them. I'm glad the settlement provided workers some restitution, though the larger point about how widespread the fight is for fair wages and better working conditions. Really solid reporting, as usual.
Unionize as many workers from as many types of employment as possible. Organizing large amounts of workers is necessary to counter the evil intentions of corporations backed by the belief that they now have control of the White House. And maybe they do. We can not rely on politicians and political parties to do the hard work of countering this return to low wages and long hours and unsafe working conditions. We can not rely on the courts or the NLRB. Unionize to gain power. Historically strikes have been effective even when they were squashed and did not get immediate results. Strong unions and large amounts of unionization are needed to counter the well organized and well funded corporations. Corporations have become even more soulless and heartless
I think Disney parks are little more than institutions designed to suck you dry financially. WHen you factor in their cowardice in the ABC suit, their avarice in stealing wages from employees, their brazen attempt to thin the ranks by moving the creatives from California to the People's Republic of DsSantistan, Disney is an evil, malign force in America. Skip the parks, cancel Disney+, bury Iger in letters and emails calling him out for his malign presence in the company. Make the company feel the consequences of its behavior.
I think the wide difference in income creates a familiar apathy — class difference would then put lower workers out of his consciousness, except as expenses.
This article is right in line with Matthew Desmond’s book Poverty, by America which I recently read. I am more pro-union than I’ve ever been precisely for situations like this. I find it absolutely amazing how so many corporations work to keep employees in relative poverty while making their executives richer. And it’s even MORE amazing that the majority of people in this country just voted for a president who will do even more of the same. At least in this instance, the workers won!
Ignoring for second the personal hardships that low wages create, just imagine the boost to the economy if as much as $50bn a year was put back into people's pockets. People who would SPEND that money rather than hoarding it in the Cayman Islands etc. Hurting workers financially hurts the whole economy.
Just imagine if more than 25% of US adults could read above an elementary school level. Low literacy rates (21% are not literate) are estimated on the low end to reduce the US GDP by $1.4 Trillion. On the high end just over $2 Trillion. That is per year.
The more money these CEOs have the greedier they become and the more they steal from the workers. Bon Iger is a disgusting pig. Just like the rest of the billionaire class
I can't boycott Disney because I have never bought a princess for my daughter, never been to any Disneylands then or now and rarely, rarely have gone to a Disney movie. But I can trash talk them.
Disney, like most greedy corporations, are a conglomerate of pigs dressed in suits. Oink oink. All Disney executives should receive a greed punishment by having to wear one of those full costumes for a year. Or two. For minimum wage. And survive on boxed, processed food for that time feeding their piglets.
Again this space is legend for what so few people can do... Thank you thank you... Maybe Disney deserves Florida ... but Florida certainly doesn't deserve vacationers.. boycott
Boycott Disney! They are the traitors owning ABC that just paid Trump for something that they did that was not illegal. Why Americans are so in love with the form of capitalism practiced in the US is beyond me. More government protections should be welcome.
How many of us were educated about alternative models to the US version of extreme and pervasive capitalism?
Can you describe to friends and relatives some of the more equitable economics in Sweden, Japan, or the Netherlands?
Me neither.
I can describe what they are in Germany because I live there more of the time now than in the US. Here is an example. Here is me discussing the German health care system.
https://lindaweide.substack.com/p/us-health-care-is-like-rotten-eggs?r=f0qfn
My Democrats Abroad reading group, which read Project 2025, are now reading about Democracy and thinking that one thing we can do to help in the US from Abroad besides supporting democratic causes in the States, is to inform how things can be different and better and are elsewhere. We are taking on health care and I we will be putting together more comprehensive information on many countries which I will share. We are worried that we cannot spread the news on these differences without getting a backlash response of "that's socialism."
The Republicans have key words that they use to manipulate the messages and calling health care for all socialism is something that should be taken head on. It is the kind of social welfare that is not "socialism," with a Capital S, but tempers capitalism so that the society can still work for the people. These things are taken for granted in most European countries and Canada.
Here is a comparison on health care across 10 wealthy countries and claims that the US ranks last. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2024/sep/mirror-mirror-2024
If this is socialism, socialism must be doing something right if it delivers good health care to the people.
Keep up this good and important work. Thank you.
Linda, I applaud your constructive suggestions. Unfortunately, all of our teaching/explaining/communicating will fall on deaf ears until we neuter the right wing propaganda machine. Suggestions for how to do that are welcome.
You damn right. The RW Noise Machine has to be neutralized or better yet, silenced!
Dan, my friends and I have been reading about and discussing and we are going to jump in and try. I really thought that Michael Steele (former Republican National Committee Chairman) and Brian Tyler Cohen (Left leaning Youtube influencer) hit the nail on the head about what the Dems need to do in this podcast. It starts off fluffy, but gets into the meat of things. https://www.thebulwark.com/p/democrats-must-learn-from-republicans
So,
1) we should be putting money into left leaning influencers and all the time
2) We should be organizing big conferences like (CPAC) and cultivating our young left leaning politicians and grooming them for future leadership, as well as funding influencers to get the message out regularly each year. Not in Hungary, but perhaps nearby Czech Republic, or in Blue States.
3) We have to pick words that are simple and can be used to broadly represent a concept, or even 2 words, but then we can get these words connected in people's minds to the concepts.
Then, what they do not say but I am saying, is people need to get VPNs so that you can access media if Misters Trump and Musk decided to cut off your access to media you like. And 2 media you like should be going to platforms that are outside the USA. We have to be savvy like Russians and East Germans when they wanted to share information that was illicit, or access it.
In fact, I live in Germany most of the time now, and I have again been watching series that are set during the DDR times, which cleaved my family. When I got together with relatives after the wall came down, they were like shells of people. It was shocking and frightening. Remember all those orphans we saw in Romanian orphanages who had no stimulus and they were shocking. I felt some of that on getting together with these relatives. One of them went off the deep edge not long after that and started using strange remedies to cure his ailments like ingesting piss.
I don't want to see Americans get like that if shut off from anything other than the Right wing mediascape, so Ideally, one would deplatform where you can. Get an email account outside the US, get a VPN not platformed in the USA, get a messaging system not platformed in the USA. While so many see Nazi Germany as what things will be like under Trump, I am imagining the the DDR could serve as a good model of what things will be like too. Or look at this article from a guy who went to Russia. I should say, Stupidly went to Russia. This was in Meduza yesterday. Meduza being a rebel Russian publication publishing out of Estonia. https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/12/17/american-youtuber-visits-russia-searching-for-nation-s-hidden-majesty-and-learns-firsthand-that-you-go-to-jail-for-calling-the-ukraine-war-an-invasion?utm_source=email&utm_medium=briefly&utm_campaign=2024-12-17
The rest of the series about this trip, 2 more videos if you are curious are to be found on Youtube.
The socialism, communism, Marxist fear mongering never went away. It’s only grown in recent years. It is a favorite tool of DeSantis to grow support in the Latino community. He’s infused his campaigns with it. After getting into office DeSantis carefully fed and fertilized the theme. FL schools are mandated to teach about the ‘evils of communism’ in specific ways, at specific times. There is a Victims Memorial Day & plans for a museum. It is picked up in the local news; by TV and radio talks shows.
What begins in FL doesn’t stay in FL. It’s no coincidence Latino social media was full of “Commie-La” memes or that trump used such monikers for VP Harris. It is especially effective with Cuban, Venezuelan and other members of communities whose families fled oppressive regimes.
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/fabiola-santiago/article261298217.html
Ann, I was just discussing with a friend today how that trope works with the Cubans, Venezualans, and also the Eastern European immigrants who were part of the Soviet Union. They don't even understand the difference between Socialist and Communist, or from Fascist. What they are responding to is the fascism in the regimes, and for that, they have voted a fascist into power without recognizing it. It is sad. DeSantis is another person whose money should be attacked. What these people need to learn is what fascist means.
Bob Dylan asked where have all the flowers gone; should've asked where have all the ethics have gone. It's been nothing but thievery on the part of corporations like Disney for so many years we are almost immune. Thank you PI for trying to keep us informed and aware; now if we could do something about the corruption in government, maybe they can make ethical behavior important.
Meanwhile, we must vote with our wallets, which is becoming increasingly hard to do as these corporate monsters grow and take over more consumer options. What a mess we have become.
The “ethics” in business never existed in the first place, so they never went anywhere. There may have been some in the days of sole proprietorship, when a person’s own reputation was attached to his business, but the rise of the corporation removed any human element.
Good point that reinforces the need for strong regulations, disbanding monopolies, and requiring standards of ethics for those we elect to govern.
That was Pete Seeger's song.
Yes, and many, many others have sung it.
You're right! The version I was actually thinking about when I posted was the one by Peter, Paul & Mary. Your point is taken, however, and I thank you for the clarification. Now I have a hankering to rewatch his Power of Song bio!
I think that was Peter, Paul, & Mary who sang about the flowers.
Theirs is the version I had in mind, but for some reason had Dylan in my head. Thanks for setting me straight!
Disney's obviously a villain here, but wow, has the city of Anaheim enabled them. I'm glad the settlement provided workers some restitution, though the larger point about how widespread the fight is for fair wages and better working conditions. Really solid reporting, as usual.
Unionize as many workers from as many types of employment as possible. Organizing large amounts of workers is necessary to counter the evil intentions of corporations backed by the belief that they now have control of the White House. And maybe they do. We can not rely on politicians and political parties to do the hard work of countering this return to low wages and long hours and unsafe working conditions. We can not rely on the courts or the NLRB. Unionize to gain power. Historically strikes have been effective even when they were squashed and did not get immediate results. Strong unions and large amounts of unionization are needed to counter the well organized and well funded corporations. Corporations have become even more soulless and heartless
Amazon, take note!
I think Disney parks are little more than institutions designed to suck you dry financially. WHen you factor in their cowardice in the ABC suit, their avarice in stealing wages from employees, their brazen attempt to thin the ranks by moving the creatives from California to the People's Republic of DsSantistan, Disney is an evil, malign force in America. Skip the parks, cancel Disney+, bury Iger in letters and emails calling him out for his malign presence in the company. Make the company feel the consequences of its behavior.
I simply don’t understand executives like Bob Iger who take pride in the poverty of their employees.
I think the wide difference in income creates a familiar apathy — class difference would then put lower workers out of his consciousness, except as expenses.
And all expenses are targets for minimization.
I doubt he knows any of the lower wage workers.
This article is right in line with Matthew Desmond’s book Poverty, by America which I recently read. I am more pro-union than I’ve ever been precisely for situations like this. I find it absolutely amazing how so many corporations work to keep employees in relative poverty while making their executives richer. And it’s even MORE amazing that the majority of people in this country just voted for a president who will do even more of the same. At least in this instance, the workers won!
Ignoring for second the personal hardships that low wages create, just imagine the boost to the economy if as much as $50bn a year was put back into people's pockets. People who would SPEND that money rather than hoarding it in the Cayman Islands etc. Hurting workers financially hurts the whole economy.
Just imagine if more than 25% of US adults could read above an elementary school level. Low literacy rates (21% are not literate) are estimated on the low end to reduce the US GDP by $1.4 Trillion. On the high end just over $2 Trillion. That is per year.
Incredible figures. So many people are being left behind, and dragging the rest of us down with them.
It is not a coincidence that money, is always the major factor for in the "abusive corruption formula". Wonder why?
The more money these CEOs have the greedier they become and the more they steal from the workers. Bon Iger is a disgusting pig. Just like the rest of the billionaire class
For further evidence of this attempt to return to the age of the Robber Barons, see Heather Cox Richardson's latest letter. https://open.substack.com/pub/heathercoxrichardson/p/december-17-2024?r=8fcly&utm_medium=ios
Oh boy, we are in for a rough ride in the coming Trumptopia!
Lying, cheating, and stealing. Sound familiar?
Oh my?
I can't boycott Disney because I have never bought a princess for my daughter, never been to any Disneylands then or now and rarely, rarely have gone to a Disney movie. But I can trash talk them.
Disney, like most greedy corporations, are a conglomerate of pigs dressed in suits. Oink oink. All Disney executives should receive a greed punishment by having to wear one of those full costumes for a year. Or two. For minimum wage. And survive on boxed, processed food for that time feeding their piglets.
This was an especially info-packed article. Thank you.
Again this space is legend for what so few people can do... Thank you thank you... Maybe Disney deserves Florida ... but Florida certainly doesn't deserve vacationers.. boycott