“In societies that worship money and success, the losers become objects of scorn. Those who work the hardest for the least are called lazy. Those forced to live in substandard housing are thought to be the authors of substandard lives. Those who do not finish high school or cannot afford to go to college are considered deficient or inept. The guiding principle of ruling elites was–and still is: when change threatens to rule, then the rules are changed.”
Michael Parenti
“Over the last thirty years, the United States has been taken over by an amoral financial oligarchy, and the American dream of opportunity, education, and upward mobility is now largely confined to the top few percent of the population.
Federal policy is increasingly dictated by the wealthy, by the financial sector, and by powerful (though sometimes badly mismanaged) industries such as telecommunications, health care, automobiles, and energy. These policies are implemented and praised by these groups’ willing servants, namely the increasingly bought-and-paid-for leadership of America’s political parties, academia, and lobbying industry.
If allowed to continue, this process will turn the United States into a declining, unfair society with an impoverished, angry, uneducated population under the control of a small, ultrawealthy elite. Such a society would be not only immoral but also eventually unstable, dangerously ripe for religious and political extremism.”
Charles Ferguson, Predator Nation, 2012
Here ya go Admin…
Sears Holdings To Close Stores To Accelerate Its Transformation And Its Return To Profitability
Apr 21, 2016
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., April 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD) announced today that the company will close 68 Kmart and 10 Sears stores this summer.
http://searsholdings.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=16310&item=137430
I don’t know why Sears has all the sections that it does.
Tools, lawn stuff, appliances….and thats it. Maybe electronics too, though I don’t think they are really competitive in that arena.
Clothes, jewelry and furniture all can take a hike.
To quote the article: “the American dream of opportunity, education, and upward mobility is now largely confined to the top few percent of the population.”
I was an independent (self employed / small business) software developer – and I saw this emerging in the 90’s. At one time you could go out and get work, with references, resumes, etc.
That all changed. What changed was the management. Nobody had any trust. If you didn’t have the exact skills they wouldn’t even talk to you, they don’t want to work with you. American management was influenced – I’m not sure by what – but they fucked up the work place and jobs.
Ferguson and Parenti are both sayin’ something there.
And the store closings and layoffs will continue.