Harvard Business Review asks if Karl Marx was right

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Wednesday September 07, 2011 · 1:18 PM PDT

2011/09/07 · 13:18

Check out the headline from this comment in the Harvard Business Review:

WAS MARX RIGHT?
In case you've been on Mars (or even just on vacation), here's a surprising idea that's been making the rounds lately: there might have been something to Marx's critiques of capitalism after all.

Before the McCarthyists jump out... the article does not advocate communism. It focuses more on Marx's diagnosis rather than Marx's prescription. And the diagnosis is eerily accurate:

Crisis
As workers were paid less and less, capitalism would be prone to chronic, perpetual crises of overproduction — for they wouldn't have the means to purchase or invest in enough goods to keep the economy humming.

As Marx put it, there was likely to be "poverty in the midst of plenty." How's Marx doing on this score? Not bad, I'd say: the last three decades have in fact been characterized by global crises of what you might crudely call overproduction (think: too little demand chasing too many disposable widgets, resulting in a massive global debt crisis, as vanishing middle classes took on more and more debt to compensate for stagnant real wages).

More analysis and predictions below the fold.

Poll

58 votes Show Results

The Economy is currently getting:

58 votes Vote Now!

The Economy is currently getting:

Better

2 votes

Worse

35 votes

Nowhere

21 votes

Some Bad News About Blanche Lincoln

danthrax

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Friday August 05, 2011 · 2:10 PM PDT

2011/08/05 · 14:10

[UPDATE: I hope this point isn't lost in my sarcasm. Individual candidates have a hard time beating a wave election, whether by being more progressive, or more conservative. A wave is a wave. This diary digs passed the BS, and asks where those big changes in voter sentiment come from.]

Remember former Democratic Senator Lincoln from Arkansas?

She was instrumental in shaping the Health Reform Bill of 2009. As you remember, the bill was far too Liberal and Progressive for America, and Ms. Lincoln worked hard to water down any result that might improve the lives of average Americans, so that the bill could win "bipartisan" and "free market" approval.

Which brings me to some bad news about Blanche Lincoln.

She lost.

[corny slide whistle sound]

danthrax

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Friday March 12, 2010 · 11:51 AM PST

2010/03/12 · 11:51

Glen Greenwald is warning us to have our wits about us in the fight for the best health care reform possible.

Dick Durbin's office told us today that the Senate Leadership will be aggressively whipping FOR the public option ... if it is included in the reconciliation bill the House sends over.

Of course, Nancy Pelosi told us the final bill will not include a public option. And just the other day, Durbin suggested that he would start asking senators to oppose a public option to ensure a smooth ride for the bill.

Greenwald is telling us not to trust Durbin. While I wouldn't go that far, I do have another piece of advice: keep pushing the senate for an up or down vote.

danthrax

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Tuesday December 01, 2009 · 6:49 PM PST

2009/12/01 · 18:49

I hear a lot of people arguing about the 30,000 troop surge.

Obama is continuing the Bush policy. No, Obama is finishing the job like an adult. No, Obama is wasting our financial and political resources. No, Obama has a responsibility to the Afghanistan people.

Did anyone miss the big part?

In 19 months, we are gone. No Iraq. No Afghanistan. No more wars.

Poll

96 votes Show Results

I think we should

96 votes Vote Now!

I think we should

withdraw in 17 months, like Iraq.

13 votes

win in 19 months, like Obama announced.

45 votes

weigh the costs and the benefits of withdrawal versus occup... fuck, i can't fit this in one line.

13 votes

pie. 18 months.

25 votes

Gallup: O 48, M 42 - The Bounce Begins!

danthrax

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Thursday August 28, 2008 · 10:16 AM PDT

2008/08/28 · 10:16

From: http://www.gallup.com/...

And that's just the bounce on the basis of what happened Monday.

The voters are only STARTING to process the reaction to Hillary's fantastic speech Tuesday.

Wait until they see what happens after people were introduced to Biden, with the support of Bill Clinton and John Kerry!

And our nominee hasn't even made made his case yet!

danthrax

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Wednesday August 27, 2008 · 6:48 PM PDT

2008/08/27 · 18:48

I'm speechless.

John Kerry just explained not only why I'm a Democrat, but why I don't trust Republicans on ANYTHING -- including their so-called strength: "national security".

danthrax

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Thursday May 22, 2008 · 1:27 PM PDT

2008/05/22 · 13:27

Hold onto your seats people, because I have some shocking and terrible news.

The good news: we are outdrawing the Republicans in the vast majority of the country. Even if you confine your gaze to hotly contested states by both parties, Democrats still had massive turnouts in South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Colorado. Fuck, we even had bigger turnouts than the Republicans in Oklahoma and Georgia.

But I'm not trying to make any predictions about how these states will vote in November. I'm really just trying to understand what made the turnout work... because... well... I don't want to alarm people... but I think there's something wrong with the Florida and Michigan Democratic primaries!!!

Poll

294 votes Show Results

Why did 1/2 - 1 million Democratic voters not vote for us in MI and FL?

294 votes Vote Now!

Why did 1/2 - 1 million Democratic voters not vote for us in MI and FL?

"It's clear, this election they're having is not going to count for anything" - TM Hillary Clinton

212 votes

Hanging Chad. I hate that guy.

7 votes

Diebold. Again.

7 votes

Alien abductions.

8 votes

Superbowl Pre-Game / Hangover.

2 votes

MI FL is an anagram for MILF. Think about it.

23 votes

Kucinich is from Ohio. Ohio is next to Michigan. And the anti-elf voting bloc is a strong GOP base.

5 votes

Pie.

9 votes

I farted.

18 votes

Republican policies help Florida and Michigan <-- (sorry, I had to include one joke answer)

3 votes

Edwards Supporters: Obama Will Fight For Us

danthrax

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Monday February 04, 2008 · 3:19 PM PST

2008/02/04 · 15:19

Today I endorse Barack Obama.

I'm not a Kennedy. I don't have a record of accomplishment that makes my endorsement meaningful. But I'd like to think that my endorsement is meaningful because of my past criticisms of Obama.

I guess you could say my doubts came from how Obama handled McClurkin, Reagan, and Krugman. But more than anything, it was Obama's silence that irked me. Okay, reach out to conservatives. Okay, you understand how Reagan sold conservatism. When are you gonna sell progressivism?

Well, Obama shut down my criticism on Thursday:

"... we can afford to pay a little bit more so that that child in east Los Angeles who is in a crumbling school, with teachers that are having to dig into their own pockets for school supplies, that they are having a chance at the American dream, as well."

(APPLAUSE)

"I'm happy to have that argument."

Not only did Obama just advocate to raise taxes. He fought for the most unpalatable part of progressivism. And made the crowd cheer.

That's the kind of candidate I want fighting for me.

danthrax

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Wednesday January 30, 2008 · 10:37 AM PST

2008/01/30 · 10:37

John Edwards has withdrawn from the race. You might be thinking a dozen different things, depending on who you support and why you support them.

But whether you're thrilled or depressed, I only have one thing to say:

This is a movement, not a campaign.

That goes double for his supporters. Repeat that again to yourself.

The reason I've supported John Edwards is because he embodies what he often repeats: "this is not about us, the candidates. This is about you." Especially the people who haven't had a voice. This is not about him. This is about the cause of his life. And it should be the cause of all of our lives.

This is a movement. And it ain't over.

Poll

87 votes Show Results

Will you stand up?

87 votes Vote Now!

Will you stand up?

Yes.

80 votes

No.

7 votes

FDR, LBJ, Reagan: How Obama is missing the chance to re-align America

danthrax

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Friday January 18, 2008 · 11:40 AM PST

2008/01/18 · 11:40

DISCLAIMER: This is not a hit diary. Obama is a great, liberal senator. This is a diary about strategy.

I frequently hear that 2008 has the potential to be a re-aligning election. Re-alignment occurs when one party moves towards a policy, and the other party is forced to go in the same direction or face extinction.

For example, the arc from FDR to Johnson represented a wave of change that forced Nixon to follow. Democrats gave us the New Deal and the Great Society. Nixon knew there was no turning back, so he could only slow things down. Nixon continued school integration and gave us the Environmental Protection Agency.

Richard Nixon also offered America this:

The time is at hand this year to bring comprehensive, high quality health care within the reach of every American. I shall propose a sweeping new program that will assure comprehensive health insurance protection to millions of Americans who cannot now obtain it or afford it, with vastly improved protection against catastrophic illnesses.

Yes. A republican insuring everybody. You HAVE to read this.

(Go ahead and click.)

danthrax

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Friday January 04, 2008 · 1:02 PM PST

2008/01/04 · 13:02

http://news.yahoo.com/...

Saturday's prime-time presidential debates from New Hampshire will be less crowded because ABC News is eliminating ... Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel.

The candidates failed to meet benchmarks for their support that were outlined prior to Thursday's Iowa caucus, the network said Friday.

With Biden and Dodd dropping out, that leaves four candidates to share 90 minutes of fame:

(1) Barack Obama
(2) John Edwards
(3) Hillary Clinton
(4) Bill Richardson

Iowa has already made its impact. It says a lot that the #1 and #2 slots are already defined. Kudos to the other candidates, and I wish the media could have given us more of a choice earlier on. But now that the field has been narrowed, it will be refreshing to take a closer look at the choices we have.

I've also got more good news about the debate:

Poll

125 votes Show Results

Will this Saturday's debate have an impact?

125 votes Vote Now!

Will this Saturday's debate have an impact?

Absolutely. Everyone's watching, and there will be more time to go in depth.

34 votes

It's important to NH. Which is important to America. So yes, indirectly.

37 votes

If someone can make a power move, then yes. There's more time for that now.

26 votes

Debates don't have much of an impact.

14 votes

In fact, Iowa doesn't have much impact either.

0 votes

Whatever happened to a simple yes or no?

2 votes

Screw you guys.

10 votes

Mike Huckabee revolution. Because there's no such thing as evolution.

2 votes

Karl Rove Helps Obama Fight Hillary

danthrax

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Monday December 03, 2007 · 1:29 PM PST

2007/12/03 · 13:29

(Disclaimer: I'm pointing this out not because I think it should be news. But to pre-empt the spin that will likely come from all kinds of democrats.)

Last week, Karl Rove offered advice for Republicans on how to beat Hillary. In doing so, he calls her hard to beat.

Now, yesterday, Karl Rove offered similar advice to Barack Obama. A memo entitled, once again, "How to beat Hillary (unofficial sequel)".

What the heck does it mean?

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Harvard Business Review asks if Karl Marx was right

Some Bad News About Blanche Lincoln

Greenwald: Durbin scamming us on public option

Did We Watch the Same Speech? Begin withdrawal in 1.5 yrs

Gallup: O 48, M 42 - The Bounce Begins!

I just watched John Kerry kick McCain in the teeth (with transcript/video)

"BREAKING": 1/2 - 1 Million Dem Voters Missing in MI and FL!

Edwards Supporters: Obama Will Fight For Us

Edwards: a movement, not a campaign

FDR, LBJ, Reagan: How Obama is missing the chance to re-align America

Saturday's NH debate: Now down to a trim 4 people!

Karl Rove Helps Obama Fight Hillary