this post was submitted on 29 Apr 2025
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[–] TommySoda@lemmy.world 291 points 17 hours ago (6 children)

Yes, keep making enemies of the billionaires that got this administration into office and spent millions of dollars to do so. I'd very much love that for you.

[–] SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world 115 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Good thing this isn't a country that came about because a bunch of rich white dudes got tired of being taxed and started a revolution.

[–] ggppjj@lemmy.world 29 points 16 hours ago (5 children)

That possibly reframing "no taxation without representation" a bit but I don't entirely disagree with the sentiment.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

How are billionaires being taxed unfairly, and without "Representation," when they own our politicians?

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 15 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

They thought funding Trump would get them representation. They were wrong. Trump cares about no one but himself.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Why would they care about "Representation?"

They have more wealth than 1,000 people could ever spend in 1,000 lifetimes.

He backed down to keep profits from MAGA Cult Members flowing in.

Because being that greedy is a mental illness.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 7 hours ago

he was only ever representing putin, and MSB never the billionaires in the us.

[–] figjam@midwest.social 16 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

didn't washington own like the western 2/3 of Pennsylvania?

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 8 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

And Ohio. He was by far the wealthiest man in the Colonies during his lifetime.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

He was one of the richest Americans who ever lived. I don't if that is still true, but it was at one time.

[–] Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works 11 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (2 children)

So, he could have paid other guys to fight the war and stayed home? Instead of being in the middle of the battles, and going cold and hungry in Valley Forge?

There's a lot of bad things you can say about Washington but enough good to at least make him complicated. He chose to limit his own Presidency, the opposite of our wannabe Führer. for one.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago

Yes, he was filthy rich, not in liquidity, but in assets.

But yes, he was approached with the offer to be King of The Colonies, and he refused. We can admire that.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 5 points 9 hours ago

Well, his wealth wasn't exactly liquid, it was mostly tied up in wilderness land.

Fortunes in those days weren't in bank accounts, or stocks, or index funds, etc. They tended to be tied up in assets like land, slaves, crops, etc., and cold hard cash/gold, stored in a box somewhere, like under the floor.

[–] Asafum@feddit.nl 6 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

In the most literal sense we have representation, but it sure as hell doesn't seem like it in practice... :(

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Not anymore.

Watch the Republican Town Halls of the few who still have the courage, or narcissism, to hold, and even though they're being booed down, they still have the arrogance to try the lecture their constituents.

I think they're trying to instigate riots so they can declare Martial Law via The Insurrection Act.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Literal only in the terminological sense. We elect “representatives” but they don’t actually represent us in any meaningful way.

[–] Serinus@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

1/3 of us. 1/3 are in opposition. 1/3 is apathetic, thinking it doesn't matter.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 2 points 13 hours ago

When elections are fraudulent, its the same as no representation. Besides, pretty soon they'll be suspending elections altogether. It doesn't get more "no representation" than that.

[–] JDPoZ@lemmy.world 27 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

Insane that the rich hate taxes so much, that they're willing to put literal narcissist criminal idiots in charge thinking "I can definitely control and predict this guy's behavior and surely that will be good for my business rather than just not having a 37th yacht and paying taxes and making the world an objectively better place not only for the other 7 billion inhabitants but probably more stable for my own interests as well."

If we weren't all being tossed into the furnace with them, it would be something I'd never stop laughing at.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 3 points 4 hours ago

That level of greed is mental illness. A perpetual state of fear of losing what you have.

You have more than you can ever spend, ever, and you're in constant fear that someone will take it from you. Because that's would you do.

[–] Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 16 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

That's the crazy part, unless they're "outlawed" billionaires should try and improve people's lives since it means they would have more money to spend on the crap those billionaires are selling! It's hard to sell stuff on Amazon if everyone is struggling to afford housing and food.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 3 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

They truly believe in the Social Darwinist belief that no one is truly compassionate, empathetic, or altruistic. It's just an act to gain attention, or an advantage.

They literally can't understand it, and think it's a stupid delusion. Their narcissism can't comprehend that anyone would do anything without wanting something in return. And those who don't believe that are stupid, and deserve to be exploited.

Because winners are winners, and losers and losers. It's the natural order. EVERYONE is looking to take what's yours, and will abuse, rob, and kill you if they can. Because that's what they would do.

And then there's the competition with other psychopaths in their peer group...

[–] Flocklesscrow@lemm.ee 23 points 15 hours ago

UPS just laid off 20K workers on the expectation that Amazon deliveries will be way down.

Container ships are down 60%. More than any month during the pandemic.

Trump is imploding the entire economy.

[–] WoodScientist@sh.itjust.works 9 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Better to rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.

They could work to remove the destitution and desperation of working people. But if their workers weren't in such dire straits, then they wouldn't have so much power over them. Workers with good pay and a healthy work-life balance also have more time to pursue unionization and other political activities. Even if improving the lives of the people would objectively increase the wealth of the ultra-rich, it would still decrease their power. And ultimately, the only reason people ever obtain that level of wealth is because they desire power more than anything else. People who aren't power-hungry monsters cash out and retire early long before they reach billionaire status.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 4 points 13 hours ago

Workers with good pay and a healthy work-life balance are unlikely to pursue unions. That's the stuff unions are trying to achieve.

[–] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 36 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

The billionaires have thus far been too cheap to amass private armies to directly enforce their own will. Why, when you can lobby Congress for the price of a used Hyundai Sonata to get the Army to do what you want?

The government holds the power of violence and Trump holds the power of the government. The billionaires will be reminded of that if they get out of line. Coincidentally, this is the arrangement of modern Russia.

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 17 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

they have been too cheap thus far.

I'm pretty sure that Bezos had enough money to bribe moderate chunks of the army.

[–] Carmakazi@lemmy.world 13 points 16 hours ago (4 children)

Personnel is one thing.

Modern warfighting is outrageously expensive. Guided munitions can cost hundreds of thousands each. Armored vehicles cost millions. Combat aircraft, tens of millions. And it continues to cost tons of money just to keep them in a bunker ready to go.

They will balk at the cost of owning/operating even a single Arleigh-Burke destroyer.

There is a reason they're all too happy to keep letting you and me indirectly fund their military aspirations through taxes.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 7 hours ago

its mostly asymmetrical/cyberwarefare now anyways. russia and china are both are good at this, but not militarily.

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 8 points 15 hours ago

this is part of why it's important for everyone to pay attention to the asymmetric warfare being conducted in Ukraine. for one, it's a genocide, don't look away and speak for their liberation just like i hope everyone is speaking up for all colonized peoples, like Mayans, Darfurians, Congolese, Palestinians, and Uyghers. for another the skills demostrated may become necessary in the near future

[–] SaltSong@startrek.website 3 points 15 hours ago

They will balk at the cost of owning/operating even a single Arleigh-Burke destroyer.

They don't need one. They need a sniper.

[–] CitizenBrain@lemm.ee 3 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

You can have all the expensive equipment you want. They don't have the numbers. When your enemies are all around you and this military historically fucking sucks at combating insurgency, you're going to lose.

The military would be smart to tell this dude to pound sand before they, and a bunch of people die in a new civil war that they can't win against the most armed civilian population on the planet.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Tell that to the Vietnamese 50 years ago, who defeated a technologically superior foe.

[–] MutilationWave@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You are in agreement with the person you responded to.

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

I'm aware, I was stating my agreement...

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 7 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

He's brought down Tesla (bankrupt in 2 years, MMW), and now Amazon. We shpuld start a betting pool for who-s next. META? Google? Microsoft?

[–] Geetnerd@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

None of those Mega Corps are going anywhere.

They have virtually unlimited wealth. Amazon makes most of it's money off of their server business.

Tesla, on the other hand, has always been smoke and mirrors. Good riddance. If you have their stock, sell now.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 3 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

He’s trying to kill all those US companies.

[–] EarthShipTechIntern@lemm.ee 2 points 7 hours ago

Wouldn't that be wonderful? Those corporations are what helped this "voting" travesty into power.

Corporations don't have peoples' well being in their sights except as target practice.

Power to the people, not corporations.

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 10 points 14 hours ago

In the article, Amazon already back peddled and said it was just in the idea phase and they never really planned on implementing it.

[–] Bakkoda@sh.itjust.works 2 points 15 hours ago

That's the thing that was always gonna happen. They were always gonna bring themselves and subsequently society down. It's just the crit multi of Donald Trump a lot of people seemed not prepared for.