Robert Reich once ran the Department of Labor for President Clinton — too late to save the American worker, but you can’t say he didn’t try.
He was also a member of President Barack Obama’s economic transition advisory board. Once again, too late.
In 2008, Time magazine named him one of the Ten Most Effective Cabinet Members, and The Wall Street Journal placed him sixth, that year, on its list of Most Influential Business Thinkers.
I’m not a Business Thinker myself. In fact, I try my best not to think about business. But I’m glad someone is thinking about it, so I don’t have to.
Nor do I consider myself Influential.
The designation by the Wall Street Journal as “Most Influential” apparently caused Mr. Reich to consider a job as an online ‘Influencer’ and he’s been posting regular YouTube videos, mostly complaining about unethical American corporations and even-more-unethical political leaders. (You probably know who I’m talking about.)
Lately, Mr. Reich has been thinking about billionaires. (Another topic I try not to think about.) A few days ago, he hosted an online TV award show called “World’s Worst Billionaire.”
The award went to Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon. Also owner of and The Washington Post, and Blue Origin, his’ private American space technology company headquartered in Kent, Washington.
I once lived in Kent, Washington, for a few months. Nice place. But I honestly prefer Colorado.
Here’s the full 7-minute YouTube video of “The World’s Worst Billionaire”.
I would have expected Elon Musk to win the award, but as Mr. Reich explained, Elon was disqualified because he’s now a trillionaire. (Actually, he isn’t, due to a recent stock market hit to his SpaceX company. But he will be again, soon enough.)
Other billionaires who qualified, but sadly enough didn’t win: Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison (and his son David), and Peter Thiel.
These guys are definitely bad. Some of the worst in the world. But only one person can be “the World’s Worst” and that honor goes to Jeff Bezos, due to:
1. Documented unethical business practices.
2. A sycophant to Donald Trump.
3. Alleged dismantling of the once-respected Washington Post.
4. Excessive and unethical receipt of corporate ‘welfare’ from federal and state governments.
5. Slave-labor wages for its warehouse workers.
6. Union-busting.
Needless to say, Mr. Bezos declined to accept the award in person, so all we saw were cartoon versions of the proud winner. Actually, pretty low-quality cartoons.
But there’s another problem with Mr. Reich’s video. At the conclusion, he asks (rhetorically) if there’s anything we can do about Jeff Bezos’ obscene economic and political power in America.
And he provides an answer. “Boycott Amazon, and cancel your Prime subscription.”
Okay, I see where he’s going with this. But a lot of us, myself included, don’t have Prime subscription. I guess I could get one, and then cancel it, but that seems kind of counterproductive.
But… boycott Amazon?
Does Mr. Reich know how wonderful it’s been, being able to live in the Middle-of-Nowhere-Colorado and still being able to purchase just the right color of shoelaces, instantly? To have a choice of 20 brands of dental floss?
Okay, sure. Amazon is ripping me off and treating its employees like dirt and helping to undermine democracy.
But… like… has he seen their selection of socks?
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.