We need a fully functioning democratic system. We also don't have to reinvent the wheel. "The eighteenth-century government structure it created no longer serves most non-elite citizens. Instead, it now seriously obstructs political, economic, and social reforms that are badly needed to combat massive American economic and political inequality, the growing impacts of modernization, and to create a just and united society."
To move forward we must be ready to make truly radical changes. The core of all our problems is in ownership of means of production and capital concentrated in the hands of very few while our leaders are trying to solve social injustices without touching economic injustices pretending that those don't exist. The economic injustices breed social injustices and there's no way around it. To see more about my ideas how to solve that problem please read my book, MORNING AFTER with subtitle Dreaming of People's Interests Party. The book is political fiction with story set in 2036 election year when People's Interests Party is to win second term in WH and huge majority in the Congress...
Corbin, thank you for the work you have done and are doing. Like you, I have a working class background, coming from a family of mostly factory and food service workers. I grew up in the 1960s and 70s and was able to go to college (first in my family), and I ultimately got a PhD in economics. I saw changes in the profession that contributed to the mis-shaping of our economy and society, which we now are suffering from. I probably have only about a year until I retire, at which point I would like to do what I can to change our plight, if it is at all possible. Is there a way to contact you about how I might contribute, such as research or writing? Thanks. SJ Wise.
Please check out the Working Families Party too. Thank you for taking such initiative. What you write here dove tails well with the themes in Abundance the new book by Ezra Klein and Steven Kohler. Catherine Buntin
Thanks Corbin. Just joining and curious what you have to say. I do believe that right now is the time for our country to learn some lessons and make changes. Possibly before we slip into a lost long haul battle against oligarchs, white Christian nationalist, and the fascist rule. I’m not sure what this possibility of an improved government and leader may look like. Maybe we should be looking toward those with GEDs that have a less “educated” perspective. I’m hoping to gain some new insights. Thanks.
Thank you for your activism and analysis Corbin! Strengthening workers' rights and collective bargaining rights is also key to helping rebuild the middle class and leading to a better distribution of wealth. Musk and his billionaire friends, like Bezos are trying to erode workers' rights at home and internationally so they can keep an even bigger piece if the pie. In some countries, like Sweden, the Government actually sides with its workers instead of representing the interests of big businesses and billionaires. When workers and a facility in Quebec tried to organize to share some of Amazon's monopoly profits- Bezos moved all operations out of that province. New business models like the gig economy are further eroding workers rights and protections and need to be regulated to ensure a better distribution of wealth, address safety issues, and other societal ills.
I agree with your stated goals, but do not have any faith in the method(s) by which you hope to achieve them. It concerns me that you were associated with Bernie and AOC, both of which I view as socialists. Socialism is a desirable form of government -- on paper and in theory -- but EVERY attempt at it in the world has resulted in the deaths of millions and the impoverishment of millions more -- while the ruling class are sitting in high cotton as they ride the gravy train.
A communist is nothing more than a socialism in a hurry on horseback and carrying a gun.
The problem with socialism isn't the Nirvana promised, but the fact it ignores human nature.
So while capitalism has its problems, it is still the best method of government that has ever been tried as evidenced by the fact citizens of every country on earth want to come here.
We are well aware of the bastardization of what our founding fathers endeavored to lay out as a constitutional federal republic. Constitutional referring to the fact that our country was meant to be governed by laws -- not human nature.
In theory we are a representative democracy, which means our government is elected by the citizens. Ideally, these officials represent the citizens' ideas. However, what has happened is we have politicians who spend their entire life in government serving their selves and the corporations they serve. They no longer serve the will of the people.
Term limits are needed for both senators and representatives, just like the president is limited to two terms, so as not to become king.
It is my belief (and apparently the belief of a little more than half of the citizens) that the dismantling of government by the Trump administration is what is needed to get us back to the constitutional republic our founding fathers envisioned.
In short, Big Government, is not the answer to address the problem of human nature. Which is the reason we need to be a nation of laws as outlined in our Constitution.
I appreciate your thoughtful message, and I want to respond with the same level of care and respect. I think we actually agree on more than it might seem at first glance—we both see a government that’s failing to represent the people, and we both want to restore a system that’s accountable, limited by law, and rooted in democratic principles.
That said, I think there’s some confusion in how we talk about systems. Capitalism is an economic system, not a form of government. Our government is supposed to be a representative democracy, constrained by the Constitution. The economy is meant to serve that government and, through it, the people—not the other way around.
What I see today is the opposite: our government has been hollowed out and captured by private interests. In many ways, it’s no longer functioning as a government at all—it’s functioning as a service arm of global capital. Capitalism has begun to replace our government, and corporations now have far more influence over our lives than our elected officials do. That’s a dangerous inversion of what this country was founded on.
You mentioned that every attempt at socialism has led to disaster, but I’d respectfully push back on that. The Nordic countries, for instance, practice democratic socialism and consistently rank among the highest in quality of life, economic opportunity, education, and public trust. Meanwhile, under capitalism, we’ve seen millions die from preventable causes—lack of healthcare, poverty, environmental degradation. No system is without its flaws. Capitalism, too, ignores human nature when it assumes that unregulated greed will lead to good outcomes for all.
You’re absolutely right to say human nature must be constrained. That’s the whole point of constitutional government. But I don’t think the answer is smaller government—I think it’s a stronger, more accountable government—one that knows who it works for. One that we can replace if it stops serving us.
I want to build that kind of system. Not a utopia. Not a takeover. But a government that belongs to the people again.
Thanks again for commenting—and for being willing to have the conversation.
I stand corrected concerning capitalism being an economic system, not a form of government. I believe we both desire the same outcome, we just disagree on the best method of achieving that goal.
In many ways the Republicans and Democrats are simply the opposite sides of the same coin. My political beliefs make me Libertarian, but pragmatism leads me to choose the Republican Party which in my eyes is the lesser of the two evils.
When Republicans didn't like Budwiser's woke position, they simply stopped buying their beer. Democrats who don't like Elon Musk don't boycott Tesla by not buying their cars, but firebomb Tesla automobiles and dealerships. I can't respect them or their views because they are simply acting like spoiled adolescents. The bottom line is that I fear the Democrats more than the Republicans.
It has now become obvious that over half the voting citizens were not and are not satisfied with what has been the status quo for decades now. Therefore whenever Trump or those in his administration "burn down" some government agency I and millions of others cheer him/them on.
That said, I am interested in getting a bird's eye view of how you propose to right these wrongs. Is their a website that explains HOW you propose to make these changes without enslaving us the way Russia and China have done to their citizens? What is the cost of accessing this information?
Do most of Trump's supporters condone his narcissism or his lack of morals? Obviously not. We often cringe when he speaks. But the icons of the Democratic Party like Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, AOC, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama -- and many others -- scare me more than Donald Trump.
Good luck in your endeavors to bring government back under the control of American citizens.
My Substack americasundoing.com is getting there. I hear from a lot of folks that they want the prescription. I am going to get to specific recommendations, but there are a few key points that I want to make ahead of time. That said, you can see where I am headed at https://www.newconsensus.com/mfa. That's the closest thing out there to a detailed description of what we need to do to fix some of this mess. There is a lot of political tumult to get there, though.
I would say I reject libertarianism off the jump because I don't think it can provide a broad national plan to build infrastructure and make long-term investments. I would also add that I believe our companies are as inept as our government. They just kinda suck at what they do, by and large.
Jim, just because a few people are committing vandalism against Teslas doesn't mean all Democrats are expressing their discontent with Musk that way. Many, many people are boycotting Tesla, Amazon, Facebook, and other companies we feel are damaging the country without resorting to violence. It's unlikely that Republicans who were upset with Budweiser were going to go into liquor stores and bash bottles with baseball bats to show their disapproval. The two things are apples and oranges.
The problem with your corporatist viewpoint is it allows for greed to take precedence over the welfare of the individual. It's the exact same weakness that Reaganomics has. Pure capitalism is, whether you will admit or not, the root of every problem the average person faces now. Housing costs or outright homelessness, bought politicians, slashing social welfare, wages, unaffordable healthcare, rising insurance costs, exorbitant food prices...all driven by the greed of Corporate America. If that is what you think is the best we can do, thanks but no thanks.
I'm a little in the dark concerning your comment about my "corporatist viewpoint." To be clear, I believe corporations are evil. And to be just as clear, I am also opposed to "a hand out" as opposed to "a hand up." I know of too many situations were those on welfare want to stay on welfare their entire life. My belief is that if they are physically and mentally capable of working, the state should require them to work for their welfare benefits. Even if that work is "demeaning" like picking up trash along our streets, highways, and interstates.
As for the homeless, there are some who fall into that category due to circumstances beyond their control. Again, I personally know of too many instances where homeless men and women have been offered a way of earning money other than panhandling, but choose panhandling because it requires no personal responsibility.
I agree with the statement in the Declaration of Independence concerning the inherent human right to strive for a fulfilling and meaningful life. Too many take that to mean they have an inherent right to the same outcome that others have achieved.
As for affordable housing it was an achievable goal in the 50s and 60s, but around the late 80s too many thought it was their inherent right to live in a McMansion with oak floors, granite countertops and a swimming pool. That's fine -- if the person can afford it,-- but the government (me) does not owe its citizens that type of house -- much less those who are here illigally .
I totally agree with you about politicians who are bought and paid for by corporations. How else do those like AOC who are financially broke when they get elected, in a few short years become millionaires several times over. Obama is another example. I don't think its a stretch to say all politicians are crooks. It wasn't just Nixon.
You are right, corporation have ruined nearly everything. Insurance and the medical industry are in collusion. Example: I had to visit an emergency room last summer. Fortunately I had insurance. The bill I received from the hospital for a 20-hour stay (along with tests) was for over $22,000. The insurance company paid a little over $2,000 and the hospital wrote off $20,000. (If I would not have had insurance, the hospital would have wanted me to pay the full $22,000.)
I am a Libertarian. I believe in freedom, personal sovereignty and liberty. I neither need or want a "nanny government" to take care of me. The government's responsibility is to protect me from enemies both foreign and domestic (including criminals, regardless of where they were born). I believe in individual responsibility and oppose government bureaucracy and taxes, and promote private charity. I tolerate diverse lifestyles, support a free market, and defend civil liberties. I take care of my children and grandchildren, but no one else's.
So I am not clear on how you reached your conclusion.
Capitalism is the root of our societal rot. Capitalism is what needs to be attacked, first and foremost. Bernie and AOC are not socialists, they are corporate democrats playing their role in the party. Their job is to lure in progressives. They aren’t going to save anything!
What a comically bad argument in far too many words. To call it thoughtful is generous. Pure ignorance of history and political economic theory is how I would describe this.
Capitalism is not a method of government. It is an economic system designed to work in favor of the top few and crumbs for all those below them if, and only if, it can't be avoided. In capitalism the government is created by owners of means of production and capital to support and enhance their interests at the expense of the population that the government rules. On the other hand, yes, socialism as we know it from the last century did fail for many different reasons of which one can talk a lot. However, it was the first system in the history of mankind that was designed with the idea to work in favor of the majority. Future is in the system that works in favor of majority rather than just a few. FYI, I wrote a book MORNING AFTER that is available on authorhouse.com if you may be interested.
We need a fully functioning democratic system. We also don't have to reinvent the wheel. "The eighteenth-century government structure it created no longer serves most non-elite citizens. Instead, it now seriously obstructs political, economic, and social reforms that are badly needed to combat massive American economic and political inequality, the growing impacts of modernization, and to create a just and united society."
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peaceful-political-revolution-in-america/id1592429626?i=1000571137797
Thanks Corbin, you rock
To move forward we must be ready to make truly radical changes. The core of all our problems is in ownership of means of production and capital concentrated in the hands of very few while our leaders are trying to solve social injustices without touching economic injustices pretending that those don't exist. The economic injustices breed social injustices and there's no way around it. To see more about my ideas how to solve that problem please read my book, MORNING AFTER with subtitle Dreaming of People's Interests Party. The book is political fiction with story set in 2036 election year when People's Interests Party is to win second term in WH and huge majority in the Congress...
Corbin, thank you for the work you have done and are doing. Like you, I have a working class background, coming from a family of mostly factory and food service workers. I grew up in the 1960s and 70s and was able to go to college (first in my family), and I ultimately got a PhD in economics. I saw changes in the profession that contributed to the mis-shaping of our economy and society, which we now are suffering from. I probably have only about a year until I retire, at which point I would like to do what I can to change our plight, if it is at all possible. Is there a way to contact you about how I might contribute, such as research or writing? Thanks. SJ Wise.
Absolutely l would love to connect. You can email me at corbin@americasundoing.com
Will do!
Please check out the Working Families Party too. Thank you for taking such initiative. What you write here dove tails well with the themes in Abundance the new book by Ezra Klein and Steven Kohler. Catherine Buntin
It’s on my reading list for sure. I’m hearing a lot about it.
Thanks Corbin. Just joining and curious what you have to say. I do believe that right now is the time for our country to learn some lessons and make changes. Possibly before we slip into a lost long haul battle against oligarchs, white Christian nationalist, and the fascist rule. I’m not sure what this possibility of an improved government and leader may look like. Maybe we should be looking toward those with GEDs that have a less “educated” perspective. I’m hoping to gain some new insights. Thanks.
Thank you for your activism and analysis Corbin! Strengthening workers' rights and collective bargaining rights is also key to helping rebuild the middle class and leading to a better distribution of wealth. Musk and his billionaire friends, like Bezos are trying to erode workers' rights at home and internationally so they can keep an even bigger piece if the pie. In some countries, like Sweden, the Government actually sides with its workers instead of representing the interests of big businesses and billionaires. When workers and a facility in Quebec tried to organize to share some of Amazon's monopoly profits- Bezos moved all operations out of that province. New business models like the gig economy are further eroding workers rights and protections and need to be regulated to ensure a better distribution of wealth, address safety issues, and other societal ills.
Get the Repugnicans and Drump on supposed Christian and Family values, please. No one is discussing this glaring fact.
Corbin,
I agree with your stated goals, but do not have any faith in the method(s) by which you hope to achieve them. It concerns me that you were associated with Bernie and AOC, both of which I view as socialists. Socialism is a desirable form of government -- on paper and in theory -- but EVERY attempt at it in the world has resulted in the deaths of millions and the impoverishment of millions more -- while the ruling class are sitting in high cotton as they ride the gravy train.
A communist is nothing more than a socialism in a hurry on horseback and carrying a gun.
The problem with socialism isn't the Nirvana promised, but the fact it ignores human nature.
So while capitalism has its problems, it is still the best method of government that has ever been tried as evidenced by the fact citizens of every country on earth want to come here.
We are well aware of the bastardization of what our founding fathers endeavored to lay out as a constitutional federal republic. Constitutional referring to the fact that our country was meant to be governed by laws -- not human nature.
In theory we are a representative democracy, which means our government is elected by the citizens. Ideally, these officials represent the citizens' ideas. However, what has happened is we have politicians who spend their entire life in government serving their selves and the corporations they serve. They no longer serve the will of the people.
Term limits are needed for both senators and representatives, just like the president is limited to two terms, so as not to become king.
It is my belief (and apparently the belief of a little more than half of the citizens) that the dismantling of government by the Trump administration is what is needed to get us back to the constitutional republic our founding fathers envisioned.
In short, Big Government, is not the answer to address the problem of human nature. Which is the reason we need to be a nation of laws as outlined in our Constitution.
Jim
Jim,
I appreciate your thoughtful message, and I want to respond with the same level of care and respect. I think we actually agree on more than it might seem at first glance—we both see a government that’s failing to represent the people, and we both want to restore a system that’s accountable, limited by law, and rooted in democratic principles.
That said, I think there’s some confusion in how we talk about systems. Capitalism is an economic system, not a form of government. Our government is supposed to be a representative democracy, constrained by the Constitution. The economy is meant to serve that government and, through it, the people—not the other way around.
What I see today is the opposite: our government has been hollowed out and captured by private interests. In many ways, it’s no longer functioning as a government at all—it’s functioning as a service arm of global capital. Capitalism has begun to replace our government, and corporations now have far more influence over our lives than our elected officials do. That’s a dangerous inversion of what this country was founded on.
You mentioned that every attempt at socialism has led to disaster, but I’d respectfully push back on that. The Nordic countries, for instance, practice democratic socialism and consistently rank among the highest in quality of life, economic opportunity, education, and public trust. Meanwhile, under capitalism, we’ve seen millions die from preventable causes—lack of healthcare, poverty, environmental degradation. No system is without its flaws. Capitalism, too, ignores human nature when it assumes that unregulated greed will lead to good outcomes for all.
You’re absolutely right to say human nature must be constrained. That’s the whole point of constitutional government. But I don’t think the answer is smaller government—I think it’s a stronger, more accountable government—one that knows who it works for. One that we can replace if it stops serving us.
I want to build that kind of system. Not a utopia. Not a takeover. But a government that belongs to the people again.
Thanks again for commenting—and for being willing to have the conversation.
Corbin
I stand corrected concerning capitalism being an economic system, not a form of government. I believe we both desire the same outcome, we just disagree on the best method of achieving that goal.
In many ways the Republicans and Democrats are simply the opposite sides of the same coin. My political beliefs make me Libertarian, but pragmatism leads me to choose the Republican Party which in my eyes is the lesser of the two evils.
When Republicans didn't like Budwiser's woke position, they simply stopped buying their beer. Democrats who don't like Elon Musk don't boycott Tesla by not buying their cars, but firebomb Tesla automobiles and dealerships. I can't respect them or their views because they are simply acting like spoiled adolescents. The bottom line is that I fear the Democrats more than the Republicans.
It has now become obvious that over half the voting citizens were not and are not satisfied with what has been the status quo for decades now. Therefore whenever Trump or those in his administration "burn down" some government agency I and millions of others cheer him/them on.
That said, I am interested in getting a bird's eye view of how you propose to right these wrongs. Is their a website that explains HOW you propose to make these changes without enslaving us the way Russia and China have done to their citizens? What is the cost of accessing this information?
Do most of Trump's supporters condone his narcissism or his lack of morals? Obviously not. We often cringe when he speaks. But the icons of the Democratic Party like Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, AOC, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama -- and many others -- scare me more than Donald Trump.
Good luck in your endeavors to bring government back under the control of American citizens.
Jim
My Substack americasundoing.com is getting there. I hear from a lot of folks that they want the prescription. I am going to get to specific recommendations, but there are a few key points that I want to make ahead of time. That said, you can see where I am headed at https://www.newconsensus.com/mfa. That's the closest thing out there to a detailed description of what we need to do to fix some of this mess. There is a lot of political tumult to get there, though.
I would say I reject libertarianism off the jump because I don't think it can provide a broad national plan to build infrastructure and make long-term investments. I would also add that I believe our companies are as inept as our government. They just kinda suck at what they do, by and large.
lol! You’re definitely a paid troll or a bot.
Jim, just because a few people are committing vandalism against Teslas doesn't mean all Democrats are expressing their discontent with Musk that way. Many, many people are boycotting Tesla, Amazon, Facebook, and other companies we feel are damaging the country without resorting to violence. It's unlikely that Republicans who were upset with Budweiser were going to go into liquor stores and bash bottles with baseball bats to show their disapproval. The two things are apples and oranges.
The problem with your corporatist viewpoint is it allows for greed to take precedence over the welfare of the individual. It's the exact same weakness that Reaganomics has. Pure capitalism is, whether you will admit or not, the root of every problem the average person faces now. Housing costs or outright homelessness, bought politicians, slashing social welfare, wages, unaffordable healthcare, rising insurance costs, exorbitant food prices...all driven by the greed of Corporate America. If that is what you think is the best we can do, thanks but no thanks.
Hi Jody,
I'm a little in the dark concerning your comment about my "corporatist viewpoint." To be clear, I believe corporations are evil. And to be just as clear, I am also opposed to "a hand out" as opposed to "a hand up." I know of too many situations were those on welfare want to stay on welfare their entire life. My belief is that if they are physically and mentally capable of working, the state should require them to work for their welfare benefits. Even if that work is "demeaning" like picking up trash along our streets, highways, and interstates.
As for the homeless, there are some who fall into that category due to circumstances beyond their control. Again, I personally know of too many instances where homeless men and women have been offered a way of earning money other than panhandling, but choose panhandling because it requires no personal responsibility.
I agree with the statement in the Declaration of Independence concerning the inherent human right to strive for a fulfilling and meaningful life. Too many take that to mean they have an inherent right to the same outcome that others have achieved.
As for affordable housing it was an achievable goal in the 50s and 60s, but around the late 80s too many thought it was their inherent right to live in a McMansion with oak floors, granite countertops and a swimming pool. That's fine -- if the person can afford it,-- but the government (me) does not owe its citizens that type of house -- much less those who are here illigally .
I totally agree with you about politicians who are bought and paid for by corporations. How else do those like AOC who are financially broke when they get elected, in a few short years become millionaires several times over. Obama is another example. I don't think its a stretch to say all politicians are crooks. It wasn't just Nixon.
You are right, corporation have ruined nearly everything. Insurance and the medical industry are in collusion. Example: I had to visit an emergency room last summer. Fortunately I had insurance. The bill I received from the hospital for a 20-hour stay (along with tests) was for over $22,000. The insurance company paid a little over $2,000 and the hospital wrote off $20,000. (If I would not have had insurance, the hospital would have wanted me to pay the full $22,000.)
I am a Libertarian. I believe in freedom, personal sovereignty and liberty. I neither need or want a "nanny government" to take care of me. The government's responsibility is to protect me from enemies both foreign and domestic (including criminals, regardless of where they were born). I believe in individual responsibility and oppose government bureaucracy and taxes, and promote private charity. I tolerate diverse lifestyles, support a free market, and defend civil liberties. I take care of my children and grandchildren, but no one else's.
So I am not clear on how you reached your conclusion.
Jim
Capitalism is the root of our societal rot. Capitalism is what needs to be attacked, first and foremost. Bernie and AOC are not socialists, they are corporate democrats playing their role in the party. Their job is to lure in progressives. They aren’t going to save anything!
I hear good things about a little socialist country going by the name of China! 😃
What a comically bad argument in far too many words. To call it thoughtful is generous. Pure ignorance of history and political economic theory is how I would describe this.
Capitalism is not a method of government. It is an economic system designed to work in favor of the top few and crumbs for all those below them if, and only if, it can't be avoided. In capitalism the government is created by owners of means of production and capital to support and enhance their interests at the expense of the population that the government rules. On the other hand, yes, socialism as we know it from the last century did fail for many different reasons of which one can talk a lot. However, it was the first system in the history of mankind that was designed with the idea to work in favor of the majority. Future is in the system that works in favor of majority rather than just a few. FYI, I wrote a book MORNING AFTER that is available on authorhouse.com if you may be interested.
What are your thoughts on calapse? Is all our work to change things really going to matter if calapse is happening. Best chance may be to slow it.
I have not.