Progressive Billionaires?

Phil Polizatto,WWH – This past Sunday, I attended a meeting sponsored by Rebuild the Dream, a grassroots organization working under the auspices of MoveOn.org. It was one of 11 held around Seattle in homes, schools, and churches. At the same time tens of thousands of people were similarly gathering at more than 1,500 meetings nationwide to help shape a progressive vision for the immediate future.

My purpose in attending was in hopes of quelling my obstinate skepticism and to make sure my voice was heard should I hear any politician’s name mentioned, let alone a suggestion that they deserved my support. Have I become so jaded that I suspected these “grassroots” meetings to be a campaign in disguise for you know who? Much to my relief, no individual’s name or a party was mentioned and all discussion focused on issues and how to fix them, with emphasis on local and State activism.

There were 29 people at our meeting. Most were in their 50’s and 60’s. Where were the young people? The facilitator broke us up into groups occupying six tables. We had brought our agendas with us. The agenda was actually a compilation of many thousands of ideas that had been solicited from individuals across the nation over the previous weeks. Everyone had had an opportunity to “rate” them. These in turn were culled into 4 major categories, each with the top ten ideas for that issue. The major categories were “Creating Good Jobs and a Sustainable Future,” “Stopping Corporations and the Rich from Dodging Taxes,” “Ensuring Good Health Care, Quality Education, and a Dignified Retirement,” and “Making Sure the People Call the Shots.”

Under each category were the top ten ideas which we, in our smaller groups, were to rank 1-5 in importance and then, through the consensus of all at the meeting, decide which three were most important and effective.

Our group discovered we could not give any idea less than a 5 (a “great” idea) but since our “outcome” was to be the top three ideas of all 40, we had to rehash each idea, reluctantly giving some a 4. We were so like-minded; we reached unanimous agreement quickly and had time to converse. When one of our group asked aloud what I had been wondering… where were all the young people… we got an answer. High-schoolers were having a meeting of their own! I don’t have any numbers, but it felt good knowing that somewhere in the city, young people were also gathering. Our table also voiced its concern that each of us was speaking to the “choir” and the subsequent question, “How do we reach those that do not agree with us?” The answer: “You don’t!”

I flashed back to the evening before. I was watching Book TV. The forum had just begun. It consisted of Ralph Nader (moderator,) Peter Lewis, CEO of Progressive Insurance, and Ted Turner, environmentalist and media mogul. The very next day Lewis and Turner were attending a symposium of 50 progressive billionaires, including Pickens, Gates, Buffet, Soros, et al.

It was a repeat from May, 2011. Nader had just published his new book, “Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us,” and was asking some impressively pointed questions of his billionaire friends. Both Turner and Lewis felt obliged to point out the many philanthropic foundations they had started or supported. They both agreed with increasing revenues by taxing the rich and corporations. They both agreed that this whole idea of the “job creators,” whom the conservative right wing is hell-bent on protecting, is a bunch of phooey. “Give tax breaks to corporations and the rich, and they will not create jobs. They will merely pocket the money.” – Peter Lewis. But I did not realize there were 50 billionaires in this country who consider themselves “progressives.”

Nader’s primary argument was that though philanthropy was a noble act, it was still a form of charity, whereas “a society that has true justice requires little need for charity.” Peter Lewis said we all have been brought up to believe in short-term economic profit and not moral profit. “The concept of personal monetary gain is so ingrained in us it is very hard to overcome.”

Nader suggested that instead of philanthropy, progressive billionaires should spend their money changing the system into a more equitable one by bombarding the media with “high-end” truth-telling ads and supporting progressive “grassroots” organizations. If the Koch brothers can be “king-makers” for the Tea Party, why can’t progressive billionaires do the same for progressives? Turner just intimated that would be a topic for discussion at their symposium the next day. Lewis reminded everyone that though 50 progressive billionaires would show up, there were many times that number of billionaires who were in no way progressive, but the exact opposite; as long as they got theirs, to hell with the rest.

Under his breath, Turner said, “America is going to hell in a hand basket.” When Nader asked him sarcastically to tell us what he “really” thought, Turner replied, “If I told you what I really thought I’d…” (He put his hand over his mouth and mumbled behind it)… then ended with, “I do the best I can.” Lewis remarked there would come a time when the people would take no more. As the disparity between rich and poor widens it will become more and more difficult to bring about substantial systemic changes in a civilized way. Neither of them sounded very optimistic.

(If anyone finds any information about what occurred at that progressive billionaire powwow, let us know!)

It felt strange knowing I was meeting with plebeian progressives on the day after watching this interview. I don’t begrudge them the likely comfort of their meeting place nor the gourmet meals they were probably served. I hope they were as like-minded as we were. In my meeting, there was not one display of ego. Not one person tried to dominate a discussion. No one argued. All were there to discuss solutions to help the common good. I fear that billionaires, though perhaps individually well-intentioned, are all egotists. Will they relinquish their desire to “be in control” for the sake of reaching a consensus on actions that will benefit all and return the country to one of, for and by the people? Will they support progressive grassroots organizations? Will they take to heart the solutions and action items which the grassroots generates?

I know I am asking more questions than offering answers. Here’s another. What happened to the hippie whose only desire was that for enlightenment? The problem: the desire for enlightenment is, in itself, a desire. In the absence of that desire there seems to be nothing left except yoga. Yoga is “skill in action,” or the process of using selfless action as a means to enlightenment. We cannot help but act. It is our nature. We must learn to act in accordance with what we know to be true: that we are all one. Our actions and those of billionaires must not serve our own egos, which are nothing more than destructive illusions. The corporate oligarchy wants to separate us through fear and lies at a time when we need to be in solidarity; a solidarity that includes progressive billionaires.

This exercise of a grassroots effort to “rebuild the dream” had at its core, the underlying message of bringing about a critical consciousness; to get connected and stay connected. To me that was the primary purpose. Hopefully the symposium of progressive billionaires had the same underlying goals.

Though the tabulations for the actions which are most important in solving our many problems are still underway, I will share the three our meeting agreed upon. They will not come as a surprise.

1.End the Bush-era tax cuts for ALL citizens.
2.End the Personhood of Corporations.
3.Invest in Education.

The group at my table agreed on an idea that didn’t make the final three: The Robin Hood tax. Impose a tiny tax on every Wall Street trade. A tax of just 1/20th of a penny on every trade could raise more than $100 billion annually with little impact on actual investment. I thought this idea was clever and concrete. It honed in on all those who make their money by speculating and day-trading. It is one way to make sure we all pay our share. It’s time Wall Street paid for programs that Main Street needs.

This meeting was not made up of liberals. These people were true progressives. As the meeting neared its end, I felt I had done my karmic yoga for the day, but still felt incomplete. Then the moderator told us that the total results from all the meetings, once tabulated, would be delivered, in person, to our Congressional reps. This would be our “contract” we wanted them to “sign.” At the next meeting in August, we pledged to try to bring five new people with us. And at the meeting after that, each person is to bring another five, geometrically increasing our numbers until they have an impact.

One person asked, “And if after all that, we still see no progress? What then?” From a table at the back of the room, an unassuming middle aged man stood up and said, “Then we hit the streets!” I hope the high school kids and the billionaires said the same thing!

For more info: http://contract.rebuildthedream.com/

To contact Phil or find out more: check out his website and blog For a copy of HUNGA DUNGA
Phil Polizatto – Worldwide Hippies Bureau Chief – West Coast USA, is a graduate of The School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. He was a feature writer for the overseas division of UPI, a copywriter for CBS, and an award-winning corporate film producer. Mr. Polizatto is a published poet and a regular contributor to Worldwide Hippies as well as a variety of other arts and literary journals. Hunga Dunga is his first published novel. He resides in the Pacific Northwest.