Nick Hanauer: Beware, fellow plutocrats, the pitchforks are coming

Nick Hanauer is a rich guy, an unrepentant capitalist — and he has something to say to his fellow plutocrats: Wake up! Growing inequality is about to push our societies into conditions resembling pre-revolutionary France. Hear his argument about why a dramatic increase in minimum wage could grow the middle class, deliver economic prosperity ... and prevent a revolution.

Trickle down economics is a failure, when a person makes 1000 times the average worker it doesn't mean they will by 1000 cars or washing machines, or shirts or even houses. Purchases drive the economy, cars, clothes, household appliances people buying products and using services create jobs, and profit for corporations.

Washington state has the highest minimum wage in the country and Seattle is even higher than the states minimum wage. Do they have the highest unemployment in the country? No they do not. Seattle is the fastest growing city in the country, Washington state is creating small business jobs faster than any other state in the country. Higher wages drive job creation and grow the economy.

Capitalism proves when workers have more money business sell more and create both profit and job growth.

Trickle down economic create inequality and a police state and will eventually will lead to revolution, look around you this is where we are at.

He's said it before:
Nick Hanauer Warns The Rich

Looking at Europe, the countries with the strongest economies are those that allow anyone to study at university, while still maintaining educational standards (Germany, Sweden, Norway) as well as preserving and advancing their manufacturing base, providing everyone with a home and high-speed internet. Even if you are unemployed, then you can spend time learning new skills and working freelance without worrying about being homeless.

But if you are trapped in a wage that barely covers the rent and food, then you are trapped with no way of advancement.

Viva La Revelucion!

a reply to: stormcell

Some of the things European countries are doing are awesome, but many in America bash them for some reason. The gains in education should spread here, the fact that the federal government is making a profit and burdening students with high dept seems to be a way to hinder our future growth. We have no future unless you invest in it, but too many will call it entitlements but Europe is proving if you eliminate the worry of shelter and food growth happens along with innovation and creativity.

a reply to: LDragonFire

For some reason? It's because they've been brainwashed/indoctrinated. "Socialism" is evil even though people don't even know what socialism actually is.

a reply to: LDragonFire


Sounds all nice, but this will never happen. The Greeder will ALWAYS uproot the crop and take everything and leave U with nothing. It is the status. We are the status, you are the quo. We don't mix with your kind. We are better than U. Get Over it, and be use to it already.

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: LDragonFire

For some reason? It's because they've been brainwashed/indoctrinated. "Socialism" is evil even though people don't even know what socialism actually is.

You realize that modern humanity basically owes it's success to socialist/collective ideology right?

Public Transit is socialist.
The creation of the rail roads were socialist.
ALL major infrastructure projects created in the last 200 years were socialist.

Social Security
Medicare
Medic-Aide

Public School

And basically anything that uses taxpayer money to operate is a form of socialism.

America is failing, precisely because it refuses to adopt any kind of system other than hardline capitalism, unless of course, those capitalists need a bail out.

Oh yeah, and that was socialist too.

~Tenth

a reply to: LDragonFire



It's not "Trickle-down" economics.

Its' Keynesian Economics.

It hasn't been trickle-down for over a decade, at least!

a reply to: cloaked4u

What's your definition of better? Kids beat me at games all the time when they make up the rules as they go and cheat constantly. They win far less often when the rules are standardized before the game starts and they can't cheat

a reply to: tothetenthpower

You're preaching to the choir. As my Brazilian friend who runs a small business always says. "America is far more socialist than Americans think"

In my opinion we are a fascist country with enough socialist policies to keep the plebs in line. We are Rome 2.0.

a reply to: LDragonFire

This isn't news... and also the reason the Government and the Top 5% are completely against guns...


IT is starting now people... It use to be car Jackings in the ghetto... then in suburbia... Now home invasions are starting. It will get ugly soon I promise you. Im not a fanatic or a conspiracy guy. But I like almost all of you at ATS as I have read for years. I hope you all start arming yourselves.

Great thread. S&F in hopes it makes home page and this is read.

a reply to: tavi45

We are a fascist country.

We fought in the total sham of WWII to defeat fascism then ended up being just as restrictive. Our ancestors would turn their backs on us.

a reply to: ArmyOfNobunaga

Sadly it's a bit too late for me and my family to arm ourselves. It takes years and a lot of money to get a gun here. I'm also not the type for violence anyways so it's all moot.

You're right with the ramping up thing. I live in an extremely safe, rich, homogenous suburb on the border of a city and we've started getting home invasions in broad daylight.

We've had people rummaging through unlocked cars in my town for years to the point that the police plastered their cars with reminders to lock up.

I even foiled a robbery of my mother's car last at night a few months ago. The light in her car turned on and my first thought was "GHOST!!!!!". It was just a young black kid in a hoodie. So boring

originally posted by: beezzer
a reply to: LDragonFire



It's not "Trickle-down" economics.

Its' Keynesian Economics.

It hasn't been trickle-down for over a decade, at least!

Yes it has, just stick out your tongue.
Taste that? That's right, it's
Urine la Perrier

Hanauer is correct. The rich are strangling their own golden goose.
They are so disconnected from the rest of society they feel an entirely different species.
Their contempt for the poor is a hatred so deep they will try to pitch us all against each other to the death to retain their wealth and status.

They have exempted themselves from society at large and may one day suffer the results.

The problem the rich have is that they are hoarders, plain and simple. And what do they hoard... cash. And when they
suck the dollars out of the system to sit in a useless vault, the rest have to deal with fewer dollars going around. Taxes are meant to claw back some of that useless cash, but the system is hopelessly broken in that regard as it serves those with the most dollars and punishes everybody else.

Greed is a hoarding mentality, and ultimately a psychological defect. If left alone to do as they please, they will push the rest to go after them when they've finally broken the system.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

What do you classify as "rich"?

originally posted by: tavi45
a reply to: ArmyOfNobunaga

Sadly it's a bit too late for me and my family to arm ourselves. It takes years and a lot of money to get a gun here. I'm also not the type for violence anyways so it's all moot.

You're right with the ramping up thing. I live in an extremely safe, rich, homogenous suburb on the border of a city and we've started getting home invasions in broad daylight.

We've had people rummaging through unlocked cars in my town for years to the point that the police plastered their cars with reminders to lock up.

I even foiled a robbery of my mother's car last at night a few months ago. The light in her car turned on and my first thought was "GHOST!!!!!". It was just a young black kid in a hoodie. So boring

Visit the darkweb with a few bitcoins. You can spend years getting a gun, and then having it registered so they know and can take it away when needed or you can quietly have something no one knows about but you, just incase.

With the apathy of American's what are we talking about, 5 people with pichforks?

2nd

a reply to: Aazadan

Eh I'm not a warrior. I have no interest in a gun. They rarely solve problems anyways, as history has shown.