Reply #119: Your post is evidence that the plutocracy is succeeding as never before.

[No Elephants]

"Took my first paycut."

The resounding success of the plutocracy as a result of Republican policies from 1980 forward, no matter who was in office, is exactly why we must try to alter the rush rightward by the Democratic Party.

As just two examples, it was Clinton, not Reagan who signed NAFTA and demanded that repeal of Glass Steagall be on his desk ASAP. Those two things, IMO, are responsible for a very significant share of our current problems.

And Obama's decision to address the emergency more like Reagan would have than like FDR would have sure didn't help increase the demand for labor over the excess supply.

Labor has little enough bargaining power as it is. When the only available choice is paycut or nothing, labor loses all of its leverage, which is exactly what serves the plutonomy best, well, second best. (Slavery was their ideal.)