A BILLIONAIRE FLIRTS with a run for president and gets grossly disproportionate free airtime. We all know the punchline. Howard Schultz, the running-but-not-yet-running former CEO of Starbucks, has attracted intense media interest over the past two and a half weeks, sitting for a string of newspaper and broadcast interviews, including a profile on 60 Minutes.
From the article:
“…it’s the media’s responsibility to conserve a level political playing field, organized around substantive issues of concern to the voting public.”
Well, that’s what we’re told, but in practice that formulation serves as a figleaf to cover up what’s really going on—making as much money as possible for the officers and majority stockholders, just like any other supposedly less “public-spirited” enterprise. In this case, whatever draws the most eyeballs wins—relevance and good taste be damned.
Why shouldn’t another totally unqualified, sh*theel billionaire run for “president?”
Didn’t stop The Don (nor his party).
A coffee billionaire. A frozen pizza billionaire (Herman Cain). Makes no difference at all.
We’re 2 years into a “wealthy billionaire” as president and it’s obvious to all—except Trump Cult-members–that this is a FAILED experiment. Schultz appears to have better manners than Don The Con–but, was NOT appreciably less IGNORANT of issues & policies as Trump. To be blunt, many activists I know (who are almost all members of the WORKING CLASS–meaning they earn $35,000 or less) are FAR MORE INFORMED and ABLE TO COMMUNICATE than Schultz. As the article makes clear, the ONLY reason Howard Schultz is getting all this attention is he’s a RICH GUY. That’s it. But, surely most Americans have learned that’s no qualification for being given the most powerful political office on Earth. So far, the candidates I’m MOST interested in are Senators Elizabeth Warren and (possibly) Sen. Bernie Sanders. I’m certainly open to some of the “new faces”–but, it’s going to make more than “identity politics” as fig-leaf for CORPORATE Dems or “unknowns with charisma” like Beto. As for Howard Schultz, he should be met at every public appearance by someone who echoes the HECKLER at his first event, " Don’t help re-elect Trump, you egotical billionaire asshole!" We need to drive any “independent” rich guy OUT of the race long BEFORE the campaign gets serious (that goes for Bloomberg, too–his recent IMPERIOUS attitude about people wanting Medicare For All is NAUSEATING).
I think that part of the problem is that we (and/or The Owners) worship and aspire to wealth. Anyone who demonstrably possesses it is automatically given credence.
Just a suggestion, you might want to check out Tulsi Gabbard’s platform. Much like Sanders, she left the DNC in 2016 to support him, and unlike Sanders she’s ex-military and wants to end all of our wars. One other positive note (IMO), the media hates her because she stands up to their BS.
CNN, " the mosted trusted name in news " just spent an hour covering " the most milguetoast bullshitter and hoodwinker " who can fog a mirror and is considering running for POTUS in 2020.
Thanks for nothing Howard and CNN. And now Howard, go away, far far away.
