Ralph has a new book out, The Rebellious CEO: 12 Leaders Who Did It Right and in this episode, we profile three of them, Andy Shallal, owner of the restaurant “Busboys and Poets,” John Bogle, founder of the Vanguard Group, and Robert Townsend, iconoclastic CEO of Avis Rent-a-Car and author of the classic business book “Up The Organization!” Mr. Shallal joins us in person while financial advisor and Boglehead, Rick Ferri, talks to us about the late John Bogle and Robert Townsend Jr. explains the origins of his father’s philosophy. Plus, Ralph gives us an update and a call to action on Gaza.
The restaurant described here in the D.C. area was a common experience in the 1960s and 1970s. There were many of these establishments where people could gather and have good conversations on important issues, but much of this has been transformed into setting for boring middle-class chatter and expensive food, coffee, etc. The major coffee chain in the US has outlets that are like mausoleums now with stressed workers and high prices with little interaction among people. Unionism of workers is frowned on.
I’m critical of the second segment of the program because whether or not an investment company benefits its investors, it’s still investing in fossil fuels, war, and prisons. I don’t think that that result can be humanized.
Ralph Nader’s comments on the human catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is shockingly accurate. The US allows this, or at least many in the Biden administration, and Netanyahu’s militarized theocracy is on the loose. It’s as if the religion with which I’m affiliated in a most secular way has many who have lost compassion. Israel also fans the flames of antisemitism and then turns the argument on its head and says that it’s the anti-Zionists who are fueling antisemitism. Here is full-spectrum dominance driven by the US and Israel in a geographical area that is a tinderbox.
This is a question regarding the repression of free speech regarding the current crisis in Gaza. People are being slandered for speaking up for human rights, and some are even losing their employment. Once this crisis is over, if members of the IDF and the Netanyahu government are convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity, will those who have been slandered and wrongfully dismissed be able to press civil charges on the Zionists who attacked them and charge their employers with wrongful dismissal? If so, why isn't the pro-Israel lobby taking this into consideration? Perhaps you could also address the training and financial incentives offered by pro-Israeli groups like Honest Reporting.
Thank you for clarifying. I'm a teacher and an op-ed columnist. I am always mindful of the potential for such attacks and thus I weigh my words carefully.
The Pope's characterization of Gaza as a "war" is mistaken. It is a slaughter with the most modern weapons (supplied by the U.S.) against a captive population. Think of using rocks against Uzis.
Excellent program. And it's encouraging when wealthy business owners do the right thing. In terms of "righteous" businesses, I doubt there are many large ones as corporations tend toward corruption no matter how much propaganda they put out to the contrary.
When profit is the primary motive there is an inevitable recipe for corruption, as greed is the root of most all of our evils. In the area of organic farming which I had some experience vs. commercial farming, the organic farmers usually did many of the right things; which the commerical farmers I worked for used their workers and the production as means to an end, not for the betterment of mankind.
And it's hard to see how any investment company is righteous, whether it's Blackrock, Bridgewater, Blackstone or Vanguard. And beware of their charitable and philanthropic work, which just whitewashes all their powerplays and destructive investments. The biggest money after all gets made by corporations shaking down wealthy governments and concealing their misdeeds in crafty ways while lobbying for and taking advantage of tax shelters and loopholes while lobbying for more of the same. Carnegie with all his philanthropic work had raped US workers through his corporations especially US Steal. "The paradise of the rich is made out of the hell of the poor". Victor Hugo
The restaurant described here in the D.C. area was a common experience in the 1960s and 1970s. There were many of these establishments where people could gather and have good conversations on important issues, but much of this has been transformed into setting for boring middle-class chatter and expensive food, coffee, etc. The major coffee chain in the US has outlets that are like mausoleums now with stressed workers and high prices with little interaction among people. Unionism of workers is frowned on.
I’m critical of the second segment of the program because whether or not an investment company benefits its investors, it’s still investing in fossil fuels, war, and prisons. I don’t think that that result can be humanized.
Ralph Nader’s comments on the human catastrophe in the Gaza Strip is shockingly accurate. The US allows this, or at least many in the Biden administration, and Netanyahu’s militarized theocracy is on the loose. It’s as if the religion with which I’m affiliated in a most secular way has many who have lost compassion. Israel also fans the flames of antisemitism and then turns the argument on its head and says that it’s the anti-Zionists who are fueling antisemitism. Here is full-spectrum dominance driven by the US and Israel in a geographical area that is a tinderbox.
Please invite Michael Hudson back to discuss the asset management industry.
This is a question regarding the repression of free speech regarding the current crisis in Gaza. People are being slandered for speaking up for human rights, and some are even losing their employment. Once this crisis is over, if members of the IDF and the Netanyahu government are convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity, will those who have been slandered and wrongfully dismissed be able to press civil charges on the Zionists who attacked them and charge their employers with wrongful dismissal? If so, why isn't the pro-Israel lobby taking this into consideration? Perhaps you could also address the training and financial incentives offered by pro-Israeli groups like Honest Reporting.
Thank you for clarifying. I'm a teacher and an op-ed columnist. I am always mindful of the potential for such attacks and thus I weigh my words carefully.
Gerry Chidiac
Prince George, BC
Canada
The Pope's characterization of Gaza as a "war" is mistaken. It is a slaughter with the most modern weapons (supplied by the U.S.) against a captive population. Think of using rocks against Uzis.
I recommend you do a program on the possibility of the President being indicted by the international criminal court. Thanks
Excellent program. And it's encouraging when wealthy business owners do the right thing. In terms of "righteous" businesses, I doubt there are many large ones as corporations tend toward corruption no matter how much propaganda they put out to the contrary.
When profit is the primary motive there is an inevitable recipe for corruption, as greed is the root of most all of our evils. In the area of organic farming which I had some experience vs. commercial farming, the organic farmers usually did many of the right things; which the commerical farmers I worked for used their workers and the production as means to an end, not for the betterment of mankind.
And it's hard to see how any investment company is righteous, whether it's Blackrock, Bridgewater, Blackstone or Vanguard. And beware of their charitable and philanthropic work, which just whitewashes all their powerplays and destructive investments. The biggest money after all gets made by corporations shaking down wealthy governments and concealing their misdeeds in crafty ways while lobbying for and taking advantage of tax shelters and loopholes while lobbying for more of the same. Carnegie with all his philanthropic work had raped US workers through his corporations especially US Steal. "The paradise of the rich is made out of the hell of the poor". Victor Hugo
I have no interest in celebrating the lives of capitalists.
God, the world is being destroyed by CEOs and the rich.
What a joke Nader has become.
East Coast snobbery...
Vanguard? Fuck.
https://youtu.be/7JRKGJS26l8?si=XYs2K3ySqpexh3l5
photo of Robert Townsend Jr is rather frightening, isn’t it?