Every so often we watch someone say something profound on Sunday morning news shows. Today that went to Princeton Professor Eddie Glaude Jr. who really spoke to the reality of the type of economy, the form of capitalism we practice in the United States.
Sometimes one can really get a point over using keywords that when analyzed, tells the story. Eddie Glaude Jr. was a master on slamming capitalism today. And he was so kind. Here is the actual video clip.
He first pointed out the disconnect between what is happening on the ground and what folks are talking about.
"I think part of what's happening is that the traditional spectrum of our politics has changed," Professor Glaude said. "Often times the categories, Progressive, Conservative, Centrist might not actually might on to what's happening on the ground. It's much more complicated, much more fluid."
The Professor then described not only the economic perception but the economic reality.
"I think the idea of expanding the pie and dividing the pie," the Professor continued. "... Most Progressives are thinking that the expansion of the pie involves the top one percent, the top one-tenth percent, taking all of the expansion. We have to address fundamentally that the economy is not working for everyday ordinary folk in a way that it should."
Finally, Professor Glaude nails the issue. He did not even have to mention the word capitalism in a negative manner that I would, especially given that earlier many were maligning Progressives as if they were wrong for criticizing it.
"Markets don't determine what we value," Dr. Glaude said. "The markets reflect what we value. And it is not about rejecting capitalism as such. It's about building a society that reflects the value of every everyday ordinary people in our society. And I think that argument has to be had."
Professor Glaude ends with the most prescient statement. And Progressives, Democrats, Republicans, and Conservatives alike better heed it.
"The age of Reagan is collapsing," Glaude said. "What will take its place? That is the question we are grappling with."
Progressives know based on policies Americans say they want, we form the coalition that has the people's back. We cannot allow false narratives, misinformation, and lies to confuse the real issues.