Omaha Steve's Labor Group

appalachiablue

(42,956 posts) Wed Jul 21, 2021, 12:56 PM Jul 2021

The Bill Jeff Bezos Doesn't Want You To Know About, R. Reich

- The bill Jeff Bezos doesn’t want you to know about. Robert Reich on how Amazon turns economic power into union-busting political power. *Video below. Salon, July 19, 2021.

Amazon is emblematic of the long-term decline of America's middle class and historical levels of economic inequality. Lousy pay and unsafe working conditions across the American economy have fueled anger and frustration, drug overdoses and deaths of despair, and tempted some working-class people to embrace messages of fear, hate, and division.

Amazon and other architects of inequality don't just wield enormous economic power. They now wield immense political power, allowing them to get away with egregious labor law violations. Even though public support for unions is as high as it's been in 50 years, when nearly 6,000 predominantly Black workers dared to try to unionize their Bessemer, Alabama warehouse, they were thwarted by Amazon's "shock and awe" union-busting campaign against them. The National Labor Relations Act makes it illegal for employers to fire workers for trying to organize a union. But the penalties for violating the Act are so laughably small that employers like Amazon routinely do it anyway.

Amazon may be the future of the American economy, but if that future is to have room for the kind of prosperous working families we saw fifty years ago, we need strong unions. Research shows high union membership boosts middle class incomes and reduces inequality. Rebuilding worker power is critical to restoring broad-based prosperity.

In March, the House of Representatives passed legislation designed to level the playing field, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. The PRO Act would end many of the practices Amazon used to defeat the union effort in Bessemer, and impose real penalties on companies who violate the National Labor Relations Act. Crucially, it would send a clear signal that ours is truly a government "of the people." Passing the PRO Act is a crucial. Let's make it happen...
More + Video,
https://www.salon.com/2021/07/19/the-bill-jeff-bezos-doesnt-want-you-to-know-about_partner/

- *Watch,* 4 mins.

15 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Bill Jeff Bezos Doesn't Want You To Know About, R. Reich (Original Post) appalachiablue Jul 2021 OP

Robert Reich 🙄 Budi Jul 2021 #1

Why don't you address the point of the post Doc Sportello Jul 2021 #5

Why don't you answer my question hmm? Budi Jul 2021 #9

Sorry can't accuse others of what you do Doc Sportello Jul 2021 #11

You never answered my question. Afraid to know the answer to adorable Reich's investments. Budi Jul 2021 #15

Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments DBoon Jul 2021 #6

Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments" Budi Jul 2021 #10

You have to answer the point of the original post before asking others to answer your ad hominem Doc Sportello Jul 2021 #12

"Reich & "good faith" cannot be answered as the same thing, tho. Budi Jul 2021 #13

Yours is not a legit question and does not deserve to be treated as such DBoon Jul 2021 #14

if he can become a faux astronaut XanaDUer2 Jul 2021 #2

If wages and working conditions were improved appalachiablue Jul 2021 #3

Yeah, but he really NEEEEEEEDS that next billion. He can't let his employees get their hands on it. Scrivener7 Jul 2021 #4

That & he needs to splurge and appalachiablue Jul 2021 #7

Robert Reich is one of my heroes. quaint Jul 2021 #8

Budi

(15,325 posts)

1. Robert Reich 🙄

Reply to appalachiablue (Original post)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 12:59 PM

Jul 2021

Wonder where he keeps his money invested?

Like his pal Ro, talk is easy as long s its not about themselves.

For instance, here's a question for Ro:

" Cool story bro. But don’t you have $7.5m invested in fossil fuel stocks?:

Link to tweet

Where's multi millionare Robert Reich's invested?

Just askin..

Doc Sportello

(7,962 posts)

5. Why don't you address the point of the post

Reply to Budi (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 01:34 PM

Jul 2021

Because you're butthurt about your hero being called out and have nothing to dispute it? How do you know where Reich's money is invested? Basically trying to smear him with nothing. Lame deflection. Try less hero worship and more rational arguments.

Budi

(15,325 posts)

9. Why don't you answer my question hmm?

Reply to Doc Sportello (Reply #5)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 02:40 PM

Jul 2021

Instead of hurling the predictable "butthurt" reply

Do better, K?
Low blow.
🙄

See Post #6
"Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments"

Doc Sportello

(7,962 posts)

11. Sorry can't accuse others of what you do

Reply to Budi (Reply #9)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 02:56 PM

Jul 2021

Instead of the predictable emotional, non-factual response try addressing the point instead of just more deflection. I think we know why.

Budi

(15,325 posts)

15. You never answered my question. Afraid to know the answer to adorable Reich's investments.

Reply to Doc Sportello (Reply #11)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 04:19 PM

Jul 2021

Like Ro's.

7 million in Fossil Fuels!! And he's lecturing on GND???

Wanna buy a bridge..?
🙄

DBoon

(23,083 posts)

6. Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments

Reply to Budi (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 01:38 PM

Jul 2021

In everyday language, the term ‘ad hominem argument’ is primarily used to refer to a fallacious personal attack against the source of an argument, that is unsound from a logical perspective.

https://effectiviology.com/ad-hominem-fallacy/

Robert Reich's investments have no bearing on the merits of this labor law reform, therefore you are using a fallacious ad-homien attack

Budi

(15,325 posts)

10. Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments"

Reply to DBoon (Reply #6)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 02:43 PM

Jul 2021

See post #5.

"When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments"

No one wants to answer my legit question? But resort to "Ad Hominem: When People Use Personal Attacks in Arguments".

Thanks for making my point!
Appreciate it

👍

Doc Sportello

(7,962 posts)

12. You have to answer the point of the original post before asking others to answer your ad hominem

Reply to Budi (Reply #10)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 02:59 PM

Jul 2021

That's how it works if you want to engage in good faith discussions.

Budi

(15,325 posts)

13. "Reich & "good faith" cannot be answered as the same thing, tho.

Reply to Doc Sportello (Reply #12)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 04:16 PM

Jul 2021

And no, I do not HAVE to answer anything, as you say.

No where is that in any rule book.
well...except...ya know.

DBoon

(23,083 posts)

14. Yours is not a legit question and does not deserve to be treated as such

Reply to Budi (Reply #10)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 04:16 PM

Jul 2021

It is a personal attack irrelevant to Robert Reich's point and is in addition a well known logical fallacy.

XanaDUer2

(14,125 posts)

2. if he can become a faux astronaut

Reply to appalachiablue (Original post)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 01:00 PM

Jul 2021

he can improve working conditions. I get it- he's given shitloads of money away. He's billionaire NASA. But why can't he make working for his company tolerable? That would be the first thing I'd be working on. But I'm a poor schlub

appalachiablue

(42,956 posts)

3. If wages and working conditions were improved

Reply to XanaDUer2 (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 21, 2021, 01:20 PM

Jul 2021

he could become an American hero. His choice. The poor treatment and work environment of employees are inexcusable, and could be changed. His choice.

If lawmakers allowed the same no tax status for regular folks, we too could donate money to the ACLU, Greenpeace, the DAR or NRA, whoever we choose.

That's not the way it works. We all must pay taxes to contribute to vital government services that are essential to a strong, stable American economy and society. With his wealth and power I hope he considers changing for our sake and his.