874
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] Zacryon@feddit.org 2 points 6 hours ago

I think a society should be judged by its "lowest" members. If those are living well, everyone else will likely live a good life as well.

Might get there faster if politicians would have to live on minimum wage alone.

[-] bdb@lemmy.4d2.org 5 points 10 hours ago

But still votes to arm Israel

[-] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 5 points 12 hours ago

I certainly hope AOC continues to work for the people and not turn into a greedy bastard.

[-] Avicenna@programming.dev 4 points 12 hours ago

Actually some idiot previously made fun of her for just this. Some people really deserve to be fiddled by daddy Trump all their life

[-] LavenderBreton@lemmy.zip 1 points 10 hours ago

You don't mean the sexual way, right? No one deserves that, regardless of political views.

[-] Avicenna@programming.dev 1 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

We are not talking about just voting for Trump though this is someone who made fun of a politician for not being rich. I won't have any sympathy for such a person. Nevertheless my original intention was the British slang usage of the word, i.e trick someone to get money. But I am also ok if Trump groped by him occasionally.

[-] nonentity@sh.itjust.works 52 points 1 day ago

Financial obesity is an existential threat to any society that tolerates it, and needs to cease being celebrated, rewarded, and positioned as an aspirational goal.

Corporations are the only ‘persons’ which should be subjected to capital punishment, but trillionaires should be forced to transition into billionaires, and billionaires should be euthanised through taxation.

[-] Stonewyvvern@lemmy.world 27 points 1 day ago

"Financial Obesity" should be more of a common term when talking about those who should have a date with a guillotine.

I approve

[-] nonentity@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 day ago

A blunt edge with guardrails at 9.8m•s^-2^.

[-] rayyy@piefed.social 71 points 1 day ago

The Republican and Democratic parties have placed targets on AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Mamdani because they aren't on the oligarchs side.

[-] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 3 points 12 hours ago

Indeed and there are plenty of ill informed dumbshits that will vote against her.

[-] leavemealone@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

"That these dead shall have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom to oppress the people—and that government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, for the oligarchs, shall not perish from the earth."

[-] tanisnikana@lemmy.world 69 points 1 day ago

I wish I had $66k. Could squash my wife’s student loans with that.

[-] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 81 points 1 day ago

AOC has argued for student loan cancellation for all and free college education for all. She and Bernie Sanders have put forth proposals to do just that. They're just fighting an uphill battle.

[-] Mac@mander.xyz 19 points 1 day ago

Didn't Biden start implememting that? Or am i misremembering

[-] brandon@piefed.social 45 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The Biden administration eventually lost in court. A major campaign promise was to forgive $10k in student loan debt (for those making less than X dollars in income, iirc). Congress couldn't get a bill for that through, so he tried to use an executive action to order the Department of Education to do it, but a number of (red) states fought it and won in the Supreme Court.

[-] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 day ago

He also tried to restructure existing loan forgiveness programs, like the public service loan forgiveness program that I am in, to make them have shorter terms. This also lost in court eventually. My loans are still in forbearance due that that litigation, but only for a few more weeks.

I still don’t understand why the paycheck loans could be forgiven but not student loans.

[-] anton 1 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

I still don’t understand why the paycheck loans could be forgiven but not student loans

Let me try to steel man it:
You can reposes physical assets, but not the knowledge that it supposedly worth tens of thousands.
If I was possible everyone would default the day after they leave collage.

The first one is stupid because you can't reposes an eaten meal and burned petrol.
On the second isn't realistic either, because not every American defaults after a medical emergency either, because they want to be credit worthy later on.

[-] Funkt4st1c@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Mohela. Missouri argued theyd disproportionately lose out on profits

[-] onlyhalfminotaur@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

That case was so fucking dumb and proved the SCOTUS majority is completely partisan. Missouri had zero standing to sue. The loan forgiveness order was probably illegal but they didn't even wait for a case that made sense.

[-] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 8 points 1 day ago

Another commenter explained how it was stopped, but he was only going to forgive some for people below a threshold. AOC and Sanders are trying to forgive all for everyone and make it free moving forward. AOC was very vocal about Biden not taking it far enough

[-] FudgyMcTubbs@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

She's right -- He didn't take it far enough. By him saying he would forgive $10k for those earning less than blank, meant he believed he had the power to forgive student debt. With that power, he was like, "nah fuck most of 'em. Drown in your debt." I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Biden was a huge disappointment.

[-] pdxfed@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Biden also was the one who made loan non-forgiveness his signature piece of legislation in the 2000s. Maybe realized the folly of his ways but his offset was a drop in the fucking ocean.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] BillyClark@piefed.social 19 points 1 day ago

I seem to recall this was from a few years ago. At this point, I wouldn't hold it against her if she's made more money. Big name politicians can make extra money through things like speaking fees and book deals. Honestly, I'd be surprised if any famous politicians aren't taking speaking fees. Plus, her salary is $174,000/year according to Wikipedia.

I like to at least pretend in my head that I'd be an ethical politician were I ever elected (a job I would never actually want), and if somebody offered me a speaking fee that was sort of the average amount a politician might get, I think I'd still be able to convince myself it wasn't a bribe.

[-] The_v@lemmy.world 18 points 1 day ago

Most elected positions don't pay enough in the U.S. today. This is expecially true in state legislature where most politicians start before attempting a national run. The only people who can afford to run for underpaid positions are either independently wealthy or corrupt. For example let's look at some of the most corrupt states in the U.S.

Texas - state senators & representatives $7,200 salary and $221/per diem when in session.

Louisiana- senator and representatives $16,800 + $178/per diem and $6000 slush fund.

Utah - state senators and representatives $0 salary and $301/per diem.

Nevada - State senators and representatives $0 salary and $130/per diem.

This lack of pay for positions is deliberate to keep "working class" out of government. It lead to open corruption and conflict of interest being normalized.

[-] Eldritch@piefed.world 12 points 1 day ago

Initially politician wasn't supposed to be a career. It was a side hustle you did after planting and after harvest. Which exains some of the session schedules you see today that seem odd.

I'd argue that we need to get these offices back to being what you do outside your day job again. Whatever that means in modern society. However, if were going to make the mistake of letting it remain a career path. We do need to pay accordingly. While codifying actual laws against graft. Not just unenforceable "norms".

[-] The_v@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

It was designed so that wealthy landowners could attend sessions more easily. Just like the u.s. senate does not represent the population, but the land area. The writers of the national and state constitutions were almost all wealthy landowners.

In my opinion, given the size of the population and the complexity of the economy, full time politicians who are paid very well combined with draconian anti-graft laws are needed.

[-] NathanDerWeise@feddit.org 4 points 1 day ago

Most Americans get two weeks off a year, if they're lucky. There's no way to make this "outside your day job."

[-] Eldritch@piefed.world 6 points 1 day ago

They're 100% is. But it 100% requires addressing what you just talked about. There needs to be a new labor movement. Where terms are renegotiated again.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (1 replies)
[-] onlyhalfminotaur@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago

Yeah I remember during one of Bernie's presidential runs it was some sort of "gotcha" from the right that he made about $1M in a year. Like.... okay? He'd be pretty fucking dumb if he didn't make that at a bare minimum from his popularity.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

She's one book deal away from joining Obama on Martha's Vineyard

[-] taiyang@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago

She... she has 66k in bank accounts? I hope they're at least in CDs or high yield savings; although I guess she gets a pension.

[-] birdwing 2 points 12 hours ago
[-] limelight79@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Certificate of Deposit, a type of savings account that generates higher interest than a regular savings account.

[-] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 12 points 1 day ago

She’s not perfect, but she is at least coming from a place where she is aware of the challenges facing regular people. If everyone in congress was like that we’d be in a much better situation.

[-] SoloCritical@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago

Just imagine how much more money she could have if she just took AIPAC money!

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Or did obscene insider trading like Dan Crenshaw, who took office the same year and now has a net worth in the tens of millions

[-] manxu@piefed.social 9 points 1 day ago

Sooo... Big fan of AOC and Hogg, but the original tweet (I know, I am showing my age here) doesn't value-judge the holdings, just lists them.

I would have been horrified if she'd had the numbers of a Mitch McConnell or Nancy Pelosi. The current Congress and Administration show very clearly why having people with lots of money run the country is a terrible idea.

load more comments (2 replies)
[-] flandish@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

she’s a good start, would get there if she would please come out against israel’s genocide. probably career suicide but..

gotta look again to see if she’s come out anti israel. if so, she’s got my votes.

[-] tanisnikana@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Also did you get your phone out of the toilet yet? Should prolly do that soon.

load more comments
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2026
874 points (100.0% liked)

Work Reform

17209 readers
1721 users here now

A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

Our Philosophies:

Our Goals

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS