Reclaiming our Power Against Corporate Greed: Why Kamala Harris’s Economic Plan Feels Like a Lifeline
by Annette Dion
When I hear Kamala Harris talk about her plan for the American economy I find myself automatically thinking every single time, this one thing, from the get-go: “Yes, that makes total sense. Let’s do that.”
One point of many excellent points that Mrs. Harris made again yesterday in North Carolina was the absolute need for Americans to stop being powerless victims of corporate price gouging. Conglomerate corporate establishments have been pushing up the cost of living, deliberately, to the point of absolute struggle for the average American.
For one, they have been, and continue to be creating housing monopolies. It is out and out thievery that has been going on unchecked, and it absolutely must be stopped.
I know first hand that it’s true. Other regular Americans know that it is true. We are more than fed up with feeling powerless in the face of across-the-board financial abuse we are subjected to on a regular basis by the most obscenely wealthy companies in world history. They have been forming monopolies to line their bottomless own pockets. From my view it is apparent that they must be getting some kind of sick satisfaction knowing full well they are leaving consumers to struggle and suffer with no relief or any semblance of caring.
In the dark ages; the days of lords and serfs and widespread slavery, this was the norm. When Harris started saying “We are NOT going back!” she was parroting an age-old message that resonates deeply with people. Price gouging is something all of us, except the obscenely wealthy (…btw, how many private jets and luxury yachts does one person really need?) have been furious and have felt powerless in the face of, for some time now.
The last time I checked how much a late fee would be on a Citibank card, on a balance of two thousand dollars, it was FORTY-ONE dollars. This is not including interest fees.
Thus, for example, if a customer does not happen to have auto-pay set up, and at 12 midnight on the due date realizes, “Oh dear, where has the time gone? I forgot to pay my credit card and today was the due date!” Boing. Sorry, sucker. You not only have to make your payment but because you allowed time to slip away from you, WE get to GOUGE you, in a huge way. Unchecked!!
Airlines do it. “Oh, sorry ma’am, that bag just doesn’t seem like it will fit in the carry-on luggage bin, that will be fifty extra dollars please.” “What?” you think, “It fit every time before!”. And you stand there, utterly powerless and vulnerable because you are traveling for God’s sake and you just want as little hassle as possible. Yep, it’s a tactic. Hit you in your already-slightly-weakened position. MAKE you have no choice but to pay the absolutely senseless and unjustifiable extra fees. Corporate gets away with it because they started it in earnest during the Trump era. They got used to getting away with it. They live in the philosophy that no one is going to put their greedy corporate conglomerate’s feet-to-the-fire. Sorry, sucker. Consumers lose. Every time.
Unfortunately, more people (i.e. victims) tend to go along and not say anything. Most people are not practiced in making “good trouble;” the kind of “good trouble” that the late great John Lewis was well-versed in, the “good trouble” that our democracy was birthed from.
No, most people unfortunately and sadly are followers, too “nice” to go back and send in their complaints to corporate offices, and call them out for being the abusive “you-know-whats”. And so, the deviant practice continues…
And we wonder why everyone so often seems so agitated and angry.. hmmm
We need a government that represents we-the-people. We have not been getting that. At least not even close to the degree that it is needed.
And now.. to housing. The last time I looked for an new apartment this Spring, in the 2024 apartment listings I read the stat that rents in my area, in a ONE YEAR time frame, had increased not by 10% , not even 100%. No, eight hundred and sixty percent.
I remember the moment I noticed the amount of that increase. I sat there and thought “surely, I must be reading that wrong. Surely that must be a typo.” Nope. 860%. It was correct.
Panic set in. Of course it did. I am self-employed, damnit. Not only had rent amounts for a one bedroom apartment shot up to the $3,000 a-month range, it is not as though they are luxury dwellings. We’re talking simple places to live in.
Property owners charge what the overall residential market is able to withstand. I live in a desirable area that happens to be my hometown. I just wanted to stay here. But to stay, I have to pay. Out the “wazoo”.
We are ALL going through this. The Trump years gave multi-billionaires the dream of a lifetime; have a government that leans heavily into an oligarchy. An oligarchy/kleptocracy is what they are after. And with Project 2025, they are throwing in their promise for out-and-out fascism.
Take ALL of the peoples’ checks and balances away. Pay them as little as possible. Stick with this BS “trickle-down” crazy theory that when they have more they will throw bigger bread crumbs at us, and give them corporate tax breaks to the tune of 8% of their total income while the rest of the minions pay exponentially more. THEN, blame it on the immigrants. THAT is their game plan. THAT is exactly what they are doing, and what they are planning to amp up to maximum levels.
I close this with recounting a video I had seen a few years ago that made me cry and still sticks in my head. Prior to the passage of the ACA, aka “Obama Care,” I heard a woman telling about her experience working for a medical insurance company. The employee reported she was on the phone one day with an elderly and poor couple who were trying to get their very expensive, life-saving prescription covered by their medical insurance. As this insurance consultant was on the phone, attempting to reassure the sweet couple that she would look into it as much as she possibly could to see if she would be able find a way to get the prescription paid for, she had a feeling in the pit of her gut that she would not be able to do it.
She had exhausted all possibilities and had to tell them the very bad and devastating news, that the insurance would not cover the prescription. At that point she lost it. It was so upsetting to her to have to do this that right afterwards she had to quit the job.
Most Americans would reach out and help the sweet elderly couple; good and well-meaning fellow neighbors; people that just needed a little help. This is the kind of America that Harris and Walz are standing for.
THIS is the America that I know and love. It is the America where we want to help each another.
Not only that, we DO.
Together we can. We are NOT going back to pain and suffering; literally the definition of what Project 2025 is, a plan to inflict unspeakable pain and suffering on the American people.
I, for one, have dedicated this entire year to stopping the fascist takeover attempt. I hope and wish and pray every day that YOU are, too. We have the power. It’s time to use it.
If you are wondering what YOU can do, each Saturday from 430-6p ET, our group meets online to take action to save our democracy. I invite you to join us. Don't know what to work on? No problem ! We will help you! Email grassrootsofdemocracy@gmail.com to express your interest in joining us and to receive the Zoom information.