I still listen to Klein’s podcasts, but I haven’t felt the same about him since his whitewashing of Charlie Kirk. I know he can’t always be right, but he failed to acknowledge the hurt inflicted by Kirk on the most vulnerable among us. An OpEd writer who doesn’t stick up for the little guy doesn’t impress me.
I also think secret societies (cabals) should be off limits for the people whose first responsibility is to the reading and listening public. Secrecy is anathema to the profession.
Hmmmm, so, what about the other side of this same coin?
Over the past 45 years, we have seen policymakers deliberately entrench a permanent underclass. The dumbing down of America and increasingly unattainable middle class lifestyle go hand in hand with the loss of our democratic self-governance.
I know you care about democracy. It is imperiled by the billionaire class. The “buts” you uttered are only viable in a functioning democracy, which we don’t have.
I agree we don't have a functioning democracy, Laurie, and you are right: I'm worried sick about it. The capture of our government by the ultra wealthy over the last 40 years has been devastating: https://kategace.substack.com/p/please-look-at-this-one-chart
I imagine that we differ mainly on tactics not on goals. In my view, demonizing financial success is a weak political strategy, primarily because it drives away principled Republicans and Independents with whom Progressives like you and me might otherwise find common ground. To truly reverse the backsliding, versus just talk about it, we need: 1) to get money out of politics 2) to truly even the playing field and 3) to change who we--as a culture--idolize. Those are three practical steps that I believe a *very* broad coalition could get behind.
I wouldn’t “demonize the wealthy” if they weren’t such rotten human beings.
McKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates are exceptions. I wish we had more like them. But they aren’t power brokers.
The ones looking most likely to succeed are Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, et al. The newly minted trillionaire no longer feels any compunction to hide his racism (e.g., the eugenics espoused by Musk). None of them have qualms about flaunting their conspicuous consumption and lust for power.
Reading the revelations in “Wired” about Peter Thiel’s secret society, Dialog, confirms my worst fears. Seeing Ezra Klein, Wes Moore, and Cory Booker mentioned as members or attendees at Dialog’s lavish retreats is chilling.
The wrong people are lording over us. When they have enough money to buy our journalists, governors, and senators, why would we want them to have even more?
I agree that Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg are rotten human beings. An incomplete list of their issues: Musk is as callous (and yes: racist) a person as I have ever seen. Bezos took a national treasure--The Washington Post--and is systematically gutting it. Zuckerberg's decisions, year after year, have harmed the mental health of teenage girls (and others) in a way that I consider unforgivable. Thiel is a dangerous man harboring all sorts of supremacy convictions. I want all these people--and legions like them--as far away from our politics as possible. But we can't just wish for that.
To make even a dent in their (yes: vice-like) grip, we (i.e. everyone who is not a megalomaniacal gazillionaire) need to find common ground. In my view, part of that involves evaluating people not on the basis of their net worth but by how they conduct themselves, i.e. how (and whether) they contribute to the greater good. I've done the math! We *need* wildly successful individuals and businesses to help pay for the essential services that will create a more even playing field for everyone. For that reason alone (but also to champion risk-taking, hard work, and excellence), we should cheer on those who excel--*and* we should fix the tax code so that even those who are not inclined to support the greater good have to do their part anyway.
P.S. Re. Klein: I'm okay with writers going anywhere/everywhere and talking to anyone--as long as it's to learn and report out vs. for personal gain. Not sure what the deal was in the case you mentioned but would want to find out before judging him for it. Re. Moore and Booker--that's the thing. The system is rotten in a bipartisan way. We need a stricter ethics code (more limits, more disclosures) and we need to enforce the rules that already exist!
Thanks for flagging this, Laurie. I really appreciate how thoughtfully you engage. I have not read that piece but I will seek it out this weekend and read it carefully!
Well said, Kate!
I still listen to Klein’s podcasts, but I haven’t felt the same about him since his whitewashing of Charlie Kirk. I know he can’t always be right, but he failed to acknowledge the hurt inflicted by Kirk on the most vulnerable among us. An OpEd writer who doesn’t stick up for the little guy doesn’t impress me.
I also think secret societies (cabals) should be off limits for the people whose first responsibility is to the reading and listening public. Secrecy is anathema to the profession.
Hmmmm, so, what about the other side of this same coin?
Over the past 45 years, we have seen policymakers deliberately entrench a permanent underclass. The dumbing down of America and increasingly unattainable middle class lifestyle go hand in hand with the loss of our democratic self-governance.
I know you care about democracy. It is imperiled by the billionaire class. The “buts” you uttered are only viable in a functioning democracy, which we don’t have.
I agree we don't have a functioning democracy, Laurie, and you are right: I'm worried sick about it. The capture of our government by the ultra wealthy over the last 40 years has been devastating: https://kategace.substack.com/p/please-look-at-this-one-chart
I imagine that we differ mainly on tactics not on goals. In my view, demonizing financial success is a weak political strategy, primarily because it drives away principled Republicans and Independents with whom Progressives like you and me might otherwise find common ground. To truly reverse the backsliding, versus just talk about it, we need: 1) to get money out of politics 2) to truly even the playing field and 3) to change who we--as a culture--idolize. Those are three practical steps that I believe a *very* broad coalition could get behind.
I wouldn’t “demonize the wealthy” if they weren’t such rotten human beings.
McKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates are exceptions. I wish we had more like them. But they aren’t power brokers.
The ones looking most likely to succeed are Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, et al. The newly minted trillionaire no longer feels any compunction to hide his racism (e.g., the eugenics espoused by Musk). None of them have qualms about flaunting their conspicuous consumption and lust for power.
Reading the revelations in “Wired” about Peter Thiel’s secret society, Dialog, confirms my worst fears. Seeing Ezra Klein, Wes Moore, and Cory Booker mentioned as members or attendees at Dialog’s lavish retreats is chilling.
The wrong people are lording over us. When they have enough money to buy our journalists, governors, and senators, why would we want them to have even more?
I agree that Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg are rotten human beings. An incomplete list of their issues: Musk is as callous (and yes: racist) a person as I have ever seen. Bezos took a national treasure--The Washington Post--and is systematically gutting it. Zuckerberg's decisions, year after year, have harmed the mental health of teenage girls (and others) in a way that I consider unforgivable. Thiel is a dangerous man harboring all sorts of supremacy convictions. I want all these people--and legions like them--as far away from our politics as possible. But we can't just wish for that.
To make even a dent in their (yes: vice-like) grip, we (i.e. everyone who is not a megalomaniacal gazillionaire) need to find common ground. In my view, part of that involves evaluating people not on the basis of their net worth but by how they conduct themselves, i.e. how (and whether) they contribute to the greater good. I've done the math! We *need* wildly successful individuals and businesses to help pay for the essential services that will create a more even playing field for everyone. For that reason alone (but also to champion risk-taking, hard work, and excellence), we should cheer on those who excel--*and* we should fix the tax code so that even those who are not inclined to support the greater good have to do their part anyway.
P.S. Re. Klein: I'm okay with writers going anywhere/everywhere and talking to anyone--as long as it's to learn and report out vs. for personal gain. Not sure what the deal was in the case you mentioned but would want to find out before judging him for it. Re. Moore and Booker--that's the thing. The system is rotten in a bipartisan way. We need a stricter ethics code (more limits, more disclosures) and we need to enforce the rules that already exist!
Seen on Musk Twitter: “Ezra Klein’s article on being a member of Dialog is going to be so … nuanced. He collaborated with tech fascism the right way.”
Thanks for flagging this, Laurie. I really appreciate how thoughtfully you engage. I have not read that piece but I will seek it out this weekend and read it carefully!
His name is included in a leak of Dialog documents. The “Wired” article didn’t mention these people by name.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/18/what-we-know-about-billionaire-peter-thiels-secret-dialog-society-including-whos-involved/?fbclid=IwZnRzaASjn4pleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeh0Bf36pg8Z_pEWOGw8pzS_9rfknvG_WxXlaevbuod3lcLp9VvC_2MicqCM_aem_R2dbcLPYdS27YPjYzV-L1A