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Susan Condon's avatar

Great article. But what can we DO?

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Maryjane Osa's avatar

I'm an analyst more than an activist so I'm reticent about suggesting action items. However, since you asked . . . 1) Do what you can to support Elizabeth Warren. She really understands this world and knows how to fix things. Sign up for her newsletter, give her money, contact our reps (Durbin has been disappointing in this area) and ask that they support her legislation. 2) Submit public comments that the feds take into account in rulemaking. Here's the FTC comments page: https://www.ftc.gov/policy/public-comments

Here's a good article on how public comments can affect implementation of regulation at federal agencies: https://donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-to-use-the-public-comment-process

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Susan Condon's avatar

I was a Warren supporter, but was turned off by her endorsement of Brandon J. for Mayor. IMO, she has no skin in the game when it comes Chicago, and was merely an overtly political and opportunistic sop to the CTU. Fly-in, attend photo-op-endorsemebt, Fly out.

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Maryjane Osa's avatar

PE is a creeping menace to society in all its domains. The only way to restrain it is through governmental regulation—and only the feds have the power to change the rules that allow this legalized destruction of our social seed corn. Thanks for your comment and for reading my articles!

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Joan Storey's avatar

The result (or cause?) of economic inequity. Unfortunately, this has been going unchecked since the Reagan presidency and why? Maybe because the average American has absolutely NO understanding of the private equity market, how the stock market actually works nor the amount of influence that these people have on local, state and federal government. These are the "Robber Barons" of the 20th and 21st century.

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Maryjane Osa's avatar

Do you think part of the problem is how government has allowed “home schooling” to proliferate? When we were kids there was something called “truancy.” Parents could be prosecuted for this, IIRC.

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Joan Storey's avatar

I think that RECENTLY that has added to the problem. Home “schooled “ kids are taught things that their parents believe or even know. There is no opportunity for discussion with those with differing opinions and many (if not most) of the people who home school don’t WANT their kids to be exposed to differing viewpoints. But I think one of the real downfalls was when the states got involved in K-12 curriculum development to set “standards “. That’s when civics went by the wayside and the Heritage Foundation became highly influential in textbook development and high-stakes testing. It’s also when the curriculum was dumbed down and pressure to get high test scores rather than actually TEACH became outsized.

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Tom Durkin's avatar

Great job focusing on the daily negative influences.

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