this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2025
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Summary

In his farewell speech, President Joe Biden warned of a growing "oligarchy" in the U.S., where extreme wealth and power threaten democracy.

Comparing modern elites to 19th-century robber barons, he called for reforms to hold the wealthy accountable, as done in the past.

Biden also criticized a "tech-industrial complex" concentrating power and spreading disinformation, weakening democracy.

His remarks sparked a surge in Google searches for "oligarchy."

The speech comes amid rising concerns about policies favoring billionaires, like Trump’s tax cuts and potential cuts to social safety programs.

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[–] DoucheBagMcSwag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 16 hours ago

YOU'RE LIVING IN ONE MS. TURNER

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 11 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Google's AI response: "Oligarchy is the best expression of democracy. Oligarchs rule because they're richer, which means they're better. If you disagree with Calvinism then you will burn in hell."

[–] gingernate@lemm.ee 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I have no free will so I didn't choose to disagree, so I am just predestined for hell I guess

[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 hour ago

The burden fits the back they say,
And I know I've got mine

[–] Matombo@feddit.org 39 points 1 day ago (3 children)

If only he and his party was in power for some years and could have done something about it...

[–] capital_sniff@lemmy.world 21 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I like blaming Biden and all but let's be real we are in this mess because a bunch of the people that occupy the underclass with us are actively fighting against us and for the rich ass rulers.

[–] WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world 7 points 18 hours ago (3 children)

And the reason to blame for that is that Democrats have shown they don't really care about working class people. So these people end up falling for the propaganda of the right since there's no real counter to it, especially with the Democrats capitulating on issues like immigration during this election. We need an actual progressive or labor party to bring these people away from the right. But the Democrats continue to refuse to become that party and without better voting systems a third party will only really work on the local level.

[–] dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works 10 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Given the choice between kids in cages, outrageous nepotism and kakistocracy, insurrection, blatant authoritarianism, and LITERALLY ANYTHING ELSE, nobody should need to convince you to choose "anything else". It should be self evident.

Democrats may suck, but "I voted for pre-hitler because you didn't sell something I wanted to buy" looks way worse on the voters who just can't see the value or the difference. You are right we should have better options, but I reject the idea out of hand that the rise of trumpism rests solely on democrats not being exciting. Likewise I wouldn't say they are the ones voting against their own interests.

[–] WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago

It's not solely resting on that but I think it's a large part. There's a lot of people who just don't vote or care about politics at all because there's no good options. Many of them were excited and drawn out by Obama but ended up getting burned when he didn't bring the real change they were looking for. They then got excited for Bernie but again got burned when he didn't win and was pushed back on by the entire party. So now these people are just staying home and not voting. If you promised and carried through on many of the popular issues like healthcare for all you would activate these people and not have to worry as much about the maga movement since you would have a lot more voters excited to go out to vote for you. People aren't as excited about going out to vote against Trump which is why we saw much lower turnout this year. Democrats just can't really excite people and until they can they are just relying on people hating Trump enough it motivates them to go and vote.

[–] capital_sniff@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Of course Democrats care about working class people. The party is just currently run by a bunch of overly educated elites that don't have an interest in listening to the workers. Because when they do listen they hear complaints that are all over the place. The Dems moved to the right a long while ago, and around the globe liberal parties are all facing major setbacks, and our liberal party here in America is farther right than most of our democratic peers. My point is that neither of our political parties will ever do what you are asking for without being forced to action by the people.

Except our electorate is so broken that 30+% of them voted for the billionaire party and are waiting patiently with their hands cupped for that sweet trickle down. Except they are more than likely about to get austerity before they get dental coverage. I really don't know how to get through to some of these people, they either don't understand a ton or have fundamentally different values. Values that are in opposition to the basics of a liberal democratic system. Part of me wants to shake every one of the taxes are theft post tea party MAGA clowns and take them on a tour of where the real theft is... like say any of the multiple private space companies that launch rich assholes into orbit and sadly bring them back.

A big part of the problem is the underclass republican supporters are just little authoritarian tyrants themselves. Given the chance they are all too ready to pull the ladder up behind them.

[–] Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

If progressives were as united as the bigots the ratchet could turn the other way but it won’t because their are so many voters that are too busy cutting off their nose to spite their face while hiding behind false bravado that doesn’t accomplish anything.

[–] WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The ratchet isn't gonna turn the other way until the problem of money in politics is dealt with. Until then there won't be a real progressive candidate to rally around as in the case of Bernie they get pushed back against by the donors and the rest of the party. I do think there are some problems with people not wanting to unite under one candidate but we're not even really at the point where that's the main problem as the bigger problem is donors and the establishment of the Democratic party.

[–] Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Who is going to vote for less money from lobbying?

[–] WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

No one in government except the few progressive Democrats who are routinely demonized and belittled by the rest of the party. The only way I see it happening is if Bernie or someone like him can pull a Trump and win the presidency and completely overhaul the party.

I wonder, could lobbying be ostracised from the ground up, like 3rd party support or voting reform?

[–] MJKee9@lemmy.world 17 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

The DNC is complicit and has been for years.... But betraying Bernie was the inciting incident for the US's most recent foray into authoritarianism.

[–] clickyello@lemmy.world 8 points 19 hours ago

we coulda had a bad bitch 😭

[–] WhatYouNeed@lemmy.world 3 points 18 hours ago (5 children)

Yeah, just needed cooperation from some Republicans to make that happen through the house and senate.

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 7 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

I love how public education removed civics and history to make room for... let me check my notes... Social Studies.

[–] candybrie@lemmy.world 5 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Social studies was history? And civics and economics and religion/philosophy and geography. It's just the overarching name for the study of human society.

[–] UFODivebomb@programming.dev 1 points 18 hours ago

Yea i don't know what the above is on about. Social studies included civics and history.

[–] angstylittlecatboy@reddthat.com 4 points 18 hours ago

Social Studies is civics and history. If you think they should be separate classes, fair enough.

[–] charade_you_are@sh.itjust.works 45 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Bernie's been saying this for a long time. I'm glad Biden understands that it's true and actually said it out loud to people. If someone asked me if Biden would say it some point, I would have said no fucking way.

It's not the worst thing that people are trying to educate themselves even if it's too late.

[–] MisterScruffy@lemmy.ml 5 points 17 hours ago

Remember when a Bernie campaigner called Bloomberg an oligarch in 2020 and all the mainstream Dems clutched their pearls so hard?

Pepperidge Farm remembers

[–] Dupree878@lemmy.world 32 points 1 day ago (2 children)

He’s just as complacent in the oligarchical society we currently have as anyone.

[–] vonbaronhans@midwest.social 3 points 10 hours ago

I was going to disagree, but I realized you said "complacent" and not "guilty". Yeah. He was certainly complacent as far as I know.

[–] sik0fewl@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 day ago

Hey now - he was perfectly fine with the plutocracy that has ruled for hundreds of years. It's Republican legislation that led to this -- think Dodd-Frank.

Democrat leadership is happy to skim some off the top. Republicans will strip it to the bone.

[–] Snapz@lemmy.world 60 points 1 day ago

Two things are true:

  1. He did a lot and still should have done more - still ends up as probably the most progressive president to hold the office. More of a criticism of this country.

  2. All of you claiming "too little too late" don't think on the scale of history. Those things have never been said by that leader's voice, In that leader's office, broadcast on primetime TV to everyone, everywhere.

This is how progress works. Again, would have been better for him to say it from the start, but would have been fuel for the right (who doesn't even really need credible fuel for the people they talk to) even more obstructionist, bad faith ghouls.

All the above considered, we were fucked as soon as election result came in. Democracy is over, if there was s cashed they wouldn't try to literally draw and quarter Biden on the national mall in the next four years, this likely solidified it. Don't think him saying those words are said without personal risk. I think he failed to live up to the full mandate of his election, but this is an old mmm an whip knows he's about to die saying fuck it and pulling the pin on the grenade knowing he won't outrun the blast. In his reality, that's what this decision was.

[–] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 359 points 2 days ago (25 children)

it's been made abundantly clear that a lot of americans have no fucking idea what anyone is talking about

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[–] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 52 points 1 day ago (5 children)

What is oligarchy?

Something you live in.

Maybe you should have fucking Googled it sooner.

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[–] blindbunny@lemmy.ml 32 points 1 day ago (4 children)
[–] slackassassin@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Love Carlin. Hate this quote.

  1. "Half of them are smarter than that" is just as true but doesn't have the same zing.
  2. The zing is that the regurgitation makes everyone feel as though they are on the right side of the distribution and thus superior.

Truth is, we are all closer to chimps than Einstein. And Einstein still left some lingering questions for us to solve.

That's the distribution. Not "Everyone is stupid except me and you, dear reader."

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

everyone feel as though they are on the right side of the distribution and thus superior.

Yes, I certainly am.

Until it comes to fixing something with my hands. Run a new cable through the wall? How the hell do I do that? You can just... make a new wall? Help, my car no go.

[–] slackassassin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 7 hours ago

Ya, everyone has their "until" moments.

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[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 38 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (4 children)

Biden became a good president... in his last month in office.

Or to be blunt: He's being performative now when it doesn't matter

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[–] ubergeek 77 points 1 day ago (16 children)

I think we have definitive proof that the American public, in general, are idiots.

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[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 109 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Ye's best start believin' in oligarchies.

Yer in one!

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[–] novibe@lemmy.ml 82 points 1 day ago (7 children)

Becoming..? The country founded on the principle that only landowners and capitalists should be represented democratically is becoming an oligarchy?

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