Sam Tanenhaus writes here about Betsy DeVos and Erik Prince, the siblings intent on turning America into a business.
Their mission is religious in intensity.
They were born to fabulous wealth.
They are the Medicis of West Michigan, as Tanenhaus describes them.
They believe that God helps those who helps themselves, and they want to get the government out of the way of God’s plan to pick winners (people like them) and losers (who have to fend for themselves).
Their worldview does not seem to include empathy, compassion, or any sense of the common good.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
http://www.eclectablog.com/2016/12/privatize-monetize-weaponize-how-the-devoses-devoured-michigans-schools.html
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If only we could go back to Eisenhower era top marginal tax rates, 91%; that would nicely trim the sails of the plutocratic fleet of sailing yachts.
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Exactly right.
If 91% was good enough for Ike, it’s good enough for me!
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Currently. the top 1% pay 39% of all federal income taxes. Taxes follow the law of diminishing returns. A lower tax rate, results in higher revenues.
Confiscatory tax rates do not result in an economic windfall for the government.
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So you think that someone who receives $500 Million a year in income should not pay more that 36% in taxes?
President Eisenhower did not agree.
I trust him more than you.
We had a better America when income inequality was much less than now.
I was a child in the 1950s. It was a better world.
Read “The Spirit Level.”
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Charles, are you saying you feel sorry for the wealthiest 1-percent because they pay more tax? Charles, have you ever considered not getting your propaganda from Koch-Fox central?
“The richest 1 percent now owns more of the country’s wealth than at any time in the past 50 years
“Today, the top 1 percent of households own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent combined. That gap, between the ultrawealthy and everyone else, has only become wider in the past several decades.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/12/06/the-richest-1-percent-now-owns-more-of-the-countrys-wealth-than-at-any-time-in-the-past-50-years/?utm_term=.eb7287d7f43a
“What You Don’t Know About The Top One Percent”
“But the IRS data is fascinating because it does a thorough breakdown within that top One Percent. Imagine the top One Percent is represented by 1,000 people standing in a room. Of those 1,000 people, 100 people (the top 0.1% of all taxpayers), pay 19.5% of all taxes in the United States. So, of the 39% of all taxes paid by the top One Percent as a group, about 50% of that is paid by just one in ten of those people.
“And this trend repeats itself. If we again imagine that the top One Percent is represented by 1,000 people in a room, 10 people (the top 0.01% of all taxpayers), pay 8.75% of all taxes in the U.S. — almost 50% of the entire amount paid by the top 0.1%.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeldurkheimer/2018/03/01/0-001-percent-one-percent/#52b0f5e72cf2
Now, look at what they have left after they pay their taxes.
For instance, Forbes says, “The top One Percent in America earns at least $480,930 per year” (that’s an average) and “The top One Percent pay a much higher percentage of their income to the IRS: a 27.1% rate for the average One Percenter vs. a 14.34% rate for the average taxpayer.”
If what they actually paid after deductions was 27.1 percent (not 39%). What’s left?
$351.6K
Wow, I’d love to be in the top one percent and pay that 27.1- percent tax because having almost $352K annually to pay the bills and enough left over to explore the world would be so much better than what I have ever earned a year. My highest annual earnings was my last year of teaching in 2005 when I earned about $83k. After 14.34% in taxes, I had a lot less to spend. I think I had about $71k to pay my mortgage, make a car payment, buy insurance, food, water, trash, gasoline, dental … and this list is much longer.
Wait, WAIT — when I retired, I took a 40-percent pay cut and left without any medical coverage. The only reason I ended up with medical was because I was a combat vet and was eligible for the VA. Back in 2005, I went from earning $83k before taxes and had less than $50k and no medical care for the first two years until I learned I was eligible for VA medical coverage.
And, AND, I was still paying about 14.34% in taxes, meaning I ended up with about $43k vs that $351.6k the wealthy had after they paid a tax rate closer to 30-percent — NOT 39.
I really do not think Charles thinks on his own. He lets Koch central and Fox think for him.
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I do not know what a person in that income level “should” pay. I am not an economist. I do know, that taxes are necessary for a government to function. The function of taxes, is not to punish wealthy people, nor are taxes to be used for income redistribution.
Presidents do not set tax rates. The congress set that top rate at 91%. Whether Ike thought that rate, was proper, I shall not speculate.
I was a child in the 1950’s too. Was the world better, with racial segregation, and the cold war? I will leave that to others.
I cannot believe that the congress would ever consider imposing such confiscatory tax rates again.
The liberal icon, John F. Kennedy assumed the presidency, in the midst of a recession. One of his first initiatives, was to push the congress, to enact a major tax cut, to stimulate the economy.
The congress must find tax rates, that will ensure appropriate revenue, and enable the government to pay its bills. AND- enable enough money to continue to circulate in private hands, to keep the economy growing. It is not an easy balance.
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Order and read “The Spirit Level.”
Our society is falling apart because of the rapaciousness of billionaires.
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Here’s the thing: even at a 91% rate, Betsy and her family could still have all the material things they have now and secure obscene financial security for generations to come.
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Betsy and Erik are shameless grifters that use their religion to justify their exploitation of others. I call it “applied Calvinism,” but it’s not that much different from neoliberalism. The only people they truly serve are themselves.
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They sure are EMPTY, “shameless” grifters. Betsy’s and Erik’s gods are $$$$$.
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Calvinism is an attempt to dress up evil (selfishness) as virtue.
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They certainly aren’t Christians, whatever they say.
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Matthew 25:37-40
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“Christian” is whatever the minister says it is. If he says it means murdering your neighbor, then it means murdering your neighbor. Most Christians read the Bible with utter incomprehension. It is mainly a fetish for them, like the Flag. It is Good. Its enemies are demons.
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DeVos and Prince are “Christian” religious extremists who are among the many reasons I support the following two organizations which fight to keep the wall of separation between religion and government intact:
Americans United for Separation of Church and State: https://www.au.org/
American Civil Liberties Union: https://www.aclu.org/
Please support them.
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Like!
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They are scary.
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In Detroit, Michigan (DeVos’ home state) a local charter uses the city’s decision to cut off lead-tainted water in city schools as a marketing pitch. The scams match- privatized schools and water to fleece Americans.
Big shout out to the wealth that destroys. Arnold and Enron, Gates and Common Core, Waltons and Walmart, Kochs and local community control and all of them destroying democracy.
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Teachers need to be building the foundation of a more sane world view. The way to do this is with robust knowledge about the world. Unfortunately they’re leaving knowledge acquisition largely to chance (which means it’s often not getting transmitted), while pushing Lumosity-style mental skill building curriculum that’s probably snake oil. We’re in trouble if our approach to education doesn’t change soon.
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The world view favored is really specific and has been sustained for many years: The article includes this summary:
“Evangelicals…combined free-market gospel with a counteroffensive against what seemed dangerous secularism: abortion, affirmative action, busing, and “the liberalization” of school curriculums.”
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The Common Core curriculum, alas, is palatable to both evangelicals and liberals because it is content-free. Content is the soul of education, yet somehow all the education authorities think it’s fine and dandy that we’ve abandoned it. Schools pretend to teach the unteachable –thinking skills — and things that don’t exist –like the skill fo finding the main idea –when in fact they are teaching almost nothing at all. Very sad. What we need is solid direct instruction of civics (this is a deceptively complex and extensive subject), science facts, great literature (humanizing), history, etc. Let’s ditch the mutant educationally null skills curriculum that has taken over our schools!
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So right, LCT!
We have lost sight of real education in the pursuit of higher test scores on pointless tests
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Mammon is their God, and He helps those who help themselves (to the wealth of others and the public at large).
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Diane’s blog is terrific and gets even better day by day.
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That sounds like a perfect description of the situation.
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Not to trounce on Betsy Devos here but this woman clearly has a scary frown to her face. The woman seems to be a person who can stand there and look you right in the eyes as you berate her with words telling her how zany of a human being she actually is. Betsy will not get flourished or red cheeked, rather she will stare at you right back and make it seem as though you are not even speaking.
I am christian but I will admit that I am ashamed of the Devos and their use of christianity. Christians are for people and the poor, preying for sinners and wanting all mankind to behave in a way to sustain life here on earth. Betsy is using christianity to influence people somehow in the sense that she knows whats best. Betsy is not a priest or the pope but she somehow thinks she is a spokes person for Jesus Christ. This is America is the 21st century 2018. Hang on folks not sure where we are going.
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Fascinatingly revealing article. Richard and Elisabeth are poisonous snakes.
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“They believe that God helps those who helps themselves,”
Yea, but they think helping themselves means lying and stealing from anyone they can that can’t fight back
like the bully that joins another bully and helps to beat people then rob them blind as they are unconscious.
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That the DeVos fortune was built on the religio-cultish Amway pyramid scam gives a creepy touch to the usual billionaire story, especially when you spike it w/ Calvinism.
I knew a few people caught up in it decades ago. The company seemed to be a bunch of snake-oilers lying to vulnerable people to hook them, then teaching them to do the same to their friends & neighbors – members imbued with a bizarre amalgam of virtuosity and greed. Is that still how Amway products are sold today?
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Amazing grace…
Your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (shed his grace on thee…)
You see god, is a nationalist, even though “he” came before nations existed.
God “plays” favorites:
” The Word of God” is used to divide people and legitimize discrimination and imperialistic plunder of those condemned as lesser.
Sport “champs” often thank god for the ability to deliver the “whoop-ass”
on the “lessers”.
God even has a favorite currency…the green-back, backed by “mutual trust”.
“He” knows everything…before, during, and after.
Lest you conclude “he” knew the outcome of Adam/Eve vs “fallen angel”,
enter the “free will” clause.
You better watch out. You better not cry.You better not pout.
I’m telling you why. Eli’s comming to town…
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Have you ever thought about God’s Psychological Profile based on what we know about God from the old and new testament. I just Googled it to see what I’d discover and here is one response.
“Narcissistic. God likes to be praised. If you don’t praise him, he will either kill you, send you to hell or excommunicate you.” …
“Sociopath / Psychopath. God is probably the greatest serial killer of all time. He kills without conscience. He kills children too young to have formed evil intent. He selects his victims on racial grounds or because they don’t worship and adore him. He kills animals and plants en masse. Again a sure sign of a serial killer who lacks empathy or a conscience. This is not an entity that should be used as a role model for morality or ethical behavior.”
” Exclusionary and corrupt. God has favourites. Far from all humans being created equal, god selected one tribe out of all of the millions on the planet and decide they were his pet humans. God used omnipotent powers to commit a genocide against people that were not of that select tribe, ethnically cleansed a piece of land for the exclusive use of one tribe, and then abandoned them shortly after to suffer a similar genocide in later history.” …
“Disorganized and slap dash. There is much evidence of overkill (great floods, fires, earthquakes, etc), signifying rage and frustration. There is no pattern to these events as well, usually because disorganized killers are guided by delusion.” …
“Poor attention to detail. As a creator, god’s science project, life in the universe and us, is a hodge podge of sticky tape and glue. The defects or poor design in life on earth are myriad and obvious.” …
https://www.richarddawkins.net/2014/03/gods-psychological-profile/
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Here is a related Guardian article titled “Billionaires v teachers: the Koch brothers’ plan to starve public education”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/07/arizona-fight-koch-brothers-school-vouchers
It’s interesting that voucher advocates cannot do better but repeat the same extremely weak argument:
Americans for Prosperity argues that the Arizona law isn’t draining money from public schools. Its officials note that the average ESA is about $4,500 – roughly the tuition at many private schools in Arizona – leaving public schools with extra money because the $4,500 is thousands of dollars less than the average those schools spend per student.
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Keep reading this blog. That’s a lie.
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Sure. What always needs to be calculated is how much of “her” tuition a voucher student takes away in his “backpack”.
What voucher advocates try to assert is that the costs of a public school decrease with each parting student. Which of course is not case: Even if 10% of the student population leaves a school, and if the voucher students take “only” half of their tuition with them, the school’s budget decreases by 5% while the school has to maintain the same number of teachers, janitors, books and computers in library, etc. I suspect the reality is even worse, since I doubt that the remaining part of a student’s tuition is given to the school the student left.
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The wife of Betsy DeVos’ brother-in-law has a clothing line, which with hope, will go the way of of Ivanka’s
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