By Tyler Cowen May 3 at 6:26 PM Tyler Cowen, an economics professor, is chairman of George Mason University’s Mercatus Center and the author of “Big Business: A Love Letter to an American Anti-Hero.”
For instance, McDonald’s, General Electric, Procter & Gamble and many of the big tech companies offered health care and other legal benefits for same-sex partners well before the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015. In addition to dramatically improving the lives of thousands of Americans, the companies’ moves put a mainstream stamp of approval on the notion of same-sex marriage itself.
The larger the business, the more tolerant the institution is likely to be of employee and customer personal preferences. A local baker might refuse to make a wedding cake for a gay couple for religious reasons, but Sara Lee, which tries to build very broadly based national markets for its products, is keen on selling cakes to everyone. The bigger companies need to protect their broader reputations and recruit large numbers of talented workers, including from minority groups.
Yes, the liberalizing process was deplorably slow in being extended to many, most notably slaves and women. But the spread of Enlightenment ideas led to successful emancipation movements for these and other oppressed groups. In the United States, the movements were led by the more mercantile North.
Some good laugh lines in this one. 'Yet big business often has been a strong progressive force in U.S. history, not only by providing jobs but also by spreading emancipatory practices and norms.'
Sincerely, Amazon: The Newspaper
So many entitled people in the comments 😷
Opinion: Who cares what Progressives think. They are self destructing before our eyes.🤔
Nope.
Amazon Prime take
Here’s one of her Supporters and Bernie’s!
Hell. No. FOH.
When has capital ever given up power willingly?
Way to go
hell no. Contributing to the 2 percent of people that own 90 percent of the wealth benefits who exactly?
Judging by the comments here I’m going to guess your opinion is invalid. Thank you for playing, come again, buh bye now
Do you even comprehend what you just wrote? Progressives are neo Marxists: They hate capitalism and seek to destroy the market economy.
Boy! She has really become desperate for attention.
Says the newspaper owned by The Owner of Fricking Amazon. Not Buying It WP
😂😂
Big busuness should get out of the way
In what fantasy world does this make sense in? What do progressives and big businesses agree on?
Big business is not the enemy not the friend. It is a sociopath and needs restraint; control. It is an economic engine run amuck tearing up the garden. Regulate it before it kills us all!
lol nah
How about no? You tore apart the unions. You promoted fake economics. Now people are dying because they can't afford their medication. If there ever was a devil, it would be the enablers of big businesses.
Oh Amazon....I mean Bezos....I mean corporate owned rag. You are barely suitable to line the floor of a birdcage.
I see someone is trying to get a job offer from the onion
Um but if they did that, would they still be progressives?
You mean big businesses like Amazon? 🧐
LOL
Funny. The consolidation of major industries has come largely at the hands of “progressivism”.
No thanks.
Tell Jeff to go eff himself.
OH HELL NO.
Says the paper owned by the richest man in America. This is an embarrassment. Did you forget that the employees at Amazon urinate in bottles to make their quotas? GTFOH
🙄
Opinion: jimmy_dore was right, you’re a shitstain of a newspaper
For too long we have let big businesses have everything their way. They pay 0 in federal tax, buy back their own stock to increase market value & let their employees suffer. The end result is a kleptocratic oligarchy run by corporatists. We’ve had enough. NotMeUS Bernie2020
Hate to state the obvious, but the ultimate goal for big business is (*drum roll*) to increase profits. So why would the insurance companies be onboard with Medicare for all? I don't think Progressives should compromise or betray their values to please powerful industries.
so progressive should be conservative? I don't fucking think so
Opinion: Progressives should nationalize Amazon and strip Bezos of his billions.
Opinion: The Washington Post should finally pay me for one of my cartoons they ran TEN YEARS AGO, instead of paying whoever wrote this article.
Idea: take their money and don’t do what they want. It’s a donation not a bribe.
Counterpoint: Progressives should make a big business by opening guillotine factories
'Fascism is...the merger of corporate and state power' -Benito Mussolini, actual, literal fascist
Um no.
Written by another Bezos scribe. He is really crapping himself over Bernie and having to pay his fair share of taxes
Our problem is civil obedience...Our problem is that people are obedient allover the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty (and) the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem. - Howard Zinn
stupid is as the post does
U know what? That’s a good point! And Black Lives Matter should team up with the KKK!
I like her.
The big businesses that have been exploiting the hard work of the individuals that made them a success? Nah. When these big businesses can start paying their employees a living wage and treating them with respect, maybe then we can talk. Otherwise, GTFOH with this shit.
Oh please
That's not how it works
Fuck outta here with this 💩 opinion .tylercowen 🖕🏼
right....the little guy doesnt have enough people trying to bury him now...few more wont hurt.
Go fly a kite!
Hmmm - let me guess - a Bezos memo circulated the once respectable W-Post Editor offices - Something like - No pressure, but the boss would like to see more pro-business articles as related to the progressive movement. YUCK! Right - as if the greed disease is going to change! NO!
Democrats are a destroyer of business !!!
Big business needs to step the fuck out of politics.
Hell no!
Why? So the rich can get richer yet and still screw over the 99%? GTFO with this utter nonsense. Medicare for All or NO vote
Why would Jeff Bezos buy a newspaper? 🤔🤔
How's that worked out over the past two decades?
Hell no!!!!
At the core of big business is GREED. And Progressive is fighting greed, not big business.
Yep. They should eat all the cake.
They always partner behind closed doors. Look at Hillary and obama.
No , MUST BATTLE IT, otherwise what is the difference? To be slaves of big businesses and let them rob the nation like all the time?
Um you seem to be confused about what a progressive is
Big business kills more people.
opinion: no
On the contrary. Big business should partner with progressives, not demonize them.
Bernie or Barbarism
Opinion: the GOP should embrace labor unions not battle them. See how stupid that sounds?
No. Fuck no.
Planned Parenthood is the largest big business in America! Who do they think they're fooling?
Boo
Dumb take
I thought Pocahontas was against big business?
They already are especially with silicone valley as evidenced by the social media restrictions against conservatives.
“Progressives should bow down and get back in line.” There- I said what you really mean.
They're ignorant of reality.
Yes, do you want to know why? Because the goal is the same, crony capitalism and money for the politicians. Big businesses hate true capitalism because it encourages competition against them.
Man, the wapo opinion pieces are hot garbage
All of these opinion articles about: Investigation harmful to country Progressives should partner with corps or centrists. This progressive candidate is out of touch. Makes me realize how much the 1% is afraid of progressives and how they are changing the world
Lmao
big business is already deeply partnered to politicians who claim to be progressive. They, however, are crushing the majority of voters who are very mad about it.
Lmao that’s partly the antithesis of their movement
Fuck no.
Bull shit. That's exactly what someone who doesn't get the inherent corruption of allowing capital to concentrate into 'big business'. Concentrated wealth is concentrated political power! 🌹
I don’t agree.
They already do but ok
“Business is not just a source of gross domestic product and prosperity and jobs; “.... it’s also the source of political corruption, environmental devastation, and the opioid epidemic. Yeah... let’s work “with” them.
Just what we need: More crony capitalism.
Umm...how about no.
So in other words she supports turning more Americans against Americans and polarize America even more ?
You're Corporate Tools® 2019
Wrong opinion
LOL no
Ratio.
Democracy gets stabed to death in the darkness, and we are the ones holding the knife.-Washington Post
Ahahahajahahahhahahahahaha fuck off
Agree! Big business has defined and well funded charitable programs. Get that money working for you instead of following the Uber Liberal into socialist hell
GeneralStrike
Is someone at WaPo lonely? I don’t understand these garbage takes. Clearly, you want attention. I’m not sure alienating tens of millions is the best way to go about this.
Dissenting opinion: No.
Counterpoint: eat the rich
What a stupid article. Progressives are trying to eliminate this corporate grip over our government officials and institutions. Time to rid this country of corporate corruption.
No.
Quiet the time you understand how it’s work. You have a lot to learn from Trump. It’s was very bad that you listen to much of obama big useless mouth only there for is religious mission and fucking up badly the American economy and dignity
As my late grandfather used to say: If someone gives you advice. Take a good look at the person. Then accept their advice or ignore it. Leave it to billionaires owned corporate media monopolies to dictate what Democrats need to do. I call bullshyt!
Nobody wants to hear anything you have to say so shut up
Here we go.
Big business does everything in their power to externalize costs and internalize profits. With big business being largely responsible for the shrinking middle class and lack of upward mobility, I would say that by definition, if you're partnered with them, you're not progressive
Nah
What a dumb opinion.
There too stupid.
The progressive religion has already partnered with big tech to take away our freedom to access and distribute information. It’s corporate fascism.
Opinion: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA f*ck this is stupid!
We do. It's called unions and collective bargaining. You partner with big business, but you have to be smart and protect yourself. Trust, but verify.
But how would that appeal to their base to whom Big Business is the ultimate bad guy?
Difficult argument and case to make to a Socialist? Their nature is to battle big businesses.
This is such bullshit. The American ppl will never have a say n they know it. Board of directors n shareholders r the only partners in this inhumane, greedy capitalist economy.
Fuuuuuck yooooooouuuuu friend
counter opinion: we should eat the rich
Progressives are too dumb to do anything right
Been there, done that. Got the Wall Street bail out and 40 years of rising inequality for it. Fk you, Jeff.
did you really pay someone to write this tired garbage
They can't because thst is their main complaints
I work with it do you mean leave corporations alone? Let them continue to pay no taxes? But them abused their power? Let them poison the environment? If that's what you mean the answer is no
“People trying to fix a problem should partner with those that caused it, and have a vested interest in the problem continuing.” Yeah, doesn’t make much sense.
Literally the worst possible opinion
Fuck off Bezos
Big business is one of the problems, and would do nothing to help move this country in the right direction!
Hug Vampires Suggests
actually it is true. There is big business, which wants basically same thing. With their help, progressives could help build better america. Example, to invest in health system, like in Europe, which is way better
So funny! Now do one about how people can't exist on a meager paycheck, yet business rakes in billions and has EPA protections lifted so we can pay that bill for them too.
Yea...40 years of trickle down proves that opinion is full of 💩. Time to give the power back to the people.
Desperate, aren't we?
Asking businesses to pay their fair share in the funding of civil society is not “battling” them, unless they believe that they owe nothing to the society in which they operate.
Building a nice little ratio with this one here, WaPo.
Yea...the middle class has been shrinking for 40 years thanks to policies that gave huge tax breaks to corporations because only they can help workers get ahead. 40 years shows that's a lie. The time to partner is over. It's time to rebalance in the name of fairness.
They want to partner with Big Biz, through nationalization and Big Government. National Socialst style - pay what we want and stay private until we suck you Dry and kill you financially and politically. They are the Nazi Mafia.
For once I agree with the Post. 'Big evil corporations' have provided me with a real good middle class life. Work with the big companies or they will move somewhere else.... they won't put up with it and, we will all lose.
Fecklessness ridden agenda. Lunatic fringe.
FCK that.
It's pointless. Partnering with it is too corrosive and corrupting.
We tried that and got shafted. Yr philosophy is what supports the wealth inequality and obscene greed of the ultrawealthy. Capitalists and libertarians don't share.
Partner? How do you partner with an organization you want to steal from?
As long as we sue all the pfarmaceuttical companys out of existence and put all there emplloyees in jale. Thay creatid opiate poisson, thay our drug deelers, doctors our deelers, thay made bilions of dolars last year, thay creatid the opiate crisis.
If I want to get fucked by someone who doesn’t care, I’ll go to a pick up bar.
Won't happen! Their policies are too radical for corporate entities to embrace. Socialists and Capitalists ideas can't commingle.
Lol partner typically means chronicapitalism where that they get say exempet form higher taxes for campaign contributions.
telling a progressive to partner with big corporations is basically telling them to not be progressive. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in a long time.
Change the system.
Opinion: Progressives should move to Europe or Venezuela and enjoy what their ideology creates.
Thats great, but what about the greed?
The real deal...😐
Opinion: big business should pay their damn taxes just like everybody else does, and shut up about it.
How about big business pays their fair share of taxes, then we’ll talk.
She hasn't got a chance
🤓😎🤓 SocialMedia Education Politics Technology PRess Economy Business Art StartUps ColonialIdentity FridaysForFuture Peace EndPoverty ClimateAction ClimateJustice ClimateFinance GlobalGoals 4IR SDGs EarthDay UN NATO EU OECD YGLs
How can you partner with something you are against?
No. That is an invitation to be co-opted by big business.
Yes. Similar to how pro-life people should embrace abortion clinics! GTFO
but then what would they have to be angry about ?
What about small businesses? They are the backbone of our economy and create more jobs. But then you would have competition, something these candidates hate. Hard to use the heavy hand of government to control them like large corps?
How about partnering with this country, and quit trying to over tax it and kill it? How about partnering with common sense? How about partnering with the legal citizens of this country? How about stop killing the incentive by giving hand outs to those who gives no effort?
Uh Wells Fargo would be opening its 573rd fake account in my name if it wasn’t for the person in your thumbnail.
Bezos is writing a lot of opinion pieces lately for the paper he owns
Opinion: WaPo sucks and should just end their yikes factory of an editorial page before they embarrass themselves further
They already do, oh you mean admit it?
...that’s been tried. Next.
Partner with them to do what?
Sounds a lot like this goofy logic don't u think? Opinion: America should partner with Russia, not battle it
As if big business has any intention of working with progressives.
I think y’all got that wrong. Big business should partner with progressives and actually invest in the progression of our society. Not hoard money in off shore banks or mega mansions or several yachts...
Exactly, stop making everyone an enemy. Corporations can do a lot of good and many are being pushed to try by both shareholders and employees.
Says the 'news' outlet owned by Amazon LOL. No thanks.
Hi they already did and here we are 🙄
Joe Biden is that u
Are those new dentures?
I don’t see Socialism as Progessive.
Says Jeff Bezos? Come on WaPo dont be so obvious
Opinion: this is a terrible take
Do me a favor and stop using examples of businesses not discriminating against people like me to defend companies that won’t pay their workers enough to do things like eat food and go to the doctor. Not being discriminatory isn’t revolutionary, it’s the bare minimum.
🙄
Lol
Booooo 🍅🍅🍅🍅
You mean a partnership where they make laws that make them richer off of our backs and give buzz words like “trickle down economics” so that people believe we have a chance? Sure that sounds great.
As usual WP and others pretend Dems can win corporate backing if we will only rollback tax cuts and deregulation while pandering to their corporate egos. Corporations are motivated by money, not ethics.
Hahahaha. Because that's worked out so well for humanity in the past? They had their chance.
This is precisely why I ended my wapo subscription
YankeeMike015 Some things businesses would never do without being made to do it like paying a living wage if it meant cutting into their profit.
What could go wrong? lol
The gazelles should partner with the lions.
Did Jeff Bezos personally write this one?
In the ClassicalCinema of monopolistic markets: Burger King vs. McDonalds; Amazon vs. Walmart; Apple vs. Microsoft; Facebook vs. Google. YOU can't beat them SO JOIN THEM. Monopoly MarkZuckerberg BetteDavis Diva
Corporate Dems do this. Obama was a republican. Corporate socialism & plutocrat welfare. Capitalism is only for peon citizens.
Big business has proven it cannot and will not regulate itself, and it is opposed to real government regulation. They chose this battle long ago— not progressives.
Partner with the enemy? Makes no sense.
Exactly WRONG. That’s why we already live in an oligarchy. But thanks for the corporatist, advice, WP. No conflict of interest there.
Next Koch fantasy talking points please....
Since Amazon paid 0 taxes last year, think I'll cancel my WaPo subscription now. Since they don't pay their bills, neither will I.
Anyone else beyond tired of the narrative that those without privilege should know their place & work nicely with the privileged & wait patiently for change? I’m so sick of the fiction that privilege is due to grand design vs. a variety of historic human failings & bullshit.
What do you mean by big business. Do you mean corporations? Not a good idea. That's why i denounced beinga Democrat anymore. I was a dem for 40 yrs not anymore. I went to the right side.
That...certainly is an opinion
Corporations = oligarchy People must take back out nation, VOTE!
Listen to AndrewYang Seattle rally was wondering how he’d change his message as Seattle is Amazon town. He didn’t. Many Amazon workers there in support. They need to play fair and pay up. JeffBezos On May4th, will the force be with you?
Development should be for all
Lols did a big business write this?
Well said folks, how else would I know what to think if not for big business and tech giants?
I wanted to read this article but its blocked by a paywall and i spent all my money and healthcare and housing... fucking millennials
BULLSHIT 💩
The candidate asking for everyone to benefit from big business is andrewyang. Progress is good but only if we change our metrics. humancenteredcapitalism
Amazon-owned Washington Post of course would say that.
Anyone else vaguely tired of hearing that those without privilege should know there place with those that do? I’m so sick of the narrative that somehow supports the fiction that those with privilege have it due to grand design vs. a variety of historic human bullshit.
They haven't figured out that that's where employment starts,taxes being paid,people with company paid benefits! Democrats just hate seeing success, what's wrong with them?
Finally a reasonable opinion on how we can work together with the enemy.
NO. WRONG. IT'S TIME FOR BIG BUSINESS TO PARTNER WITH PROGRESSIVES!!!
Really? The same big business receiving corporate welfare on the shoulders of the elderly, poor & middle class? The big businesses who pay no taxes or little? Like Bezos & others? Partnership means an equal footing, not greed & corruption.
Sure if corporate America wants to allow employees to unionize, significantly raise pay and expand benefits including paid child leave and low cost daycare, and pay a much higher corporate tax rate we'd be happy to work with them.
Hell no
Big business and capitalism only built every great country in modern times. But sure that socialism thing might work also. Liberals are dangerous.
Lmao
Of course, the official newspaper of Amazon, a company that was publicly shamed into raising its wages by progressive politicians, will push this crap.
Big businesses should pay their fair share in taxes and pay their employees a respectable wage and stop giving executives golden parachutes!
It sounds a lot like this: FAIRmediawatch:
Fuuuuccckkk yoooouuuuu
RIP Washington post
(Real) Progressives and corporate America are diametrically opposed. The more money they make, the more the middle, working, and poor class suffer.
Yeah, look at this mainstream media that's biased far, far towards the left! LOL
Gonna go ahead and battle it instead...
Should they give back the billions that big business was fined under the consumer protection bureau? How about that big business just found guilty of paying doctors to get Americans hooked on their drugs. Business is an amoral entity guided by greed.
Is poison good for my health too?
They already do.
I am 💯% similar with this opinion. Development should be for all,not for one.
There you have it, Warren is a total fraud. NO, the people through their government should set the rules on how business is conducted and how workers are treated. BernieSanders2020
They did.
Why It's work out so well in Venezuela.
Maybe ADN now Thanks
No. Please no. Big business is the root of many of our problems.
Aw hell no! NO, no, no, no, no.
They are already in bed with big tech.
Lol go to hell
Opinion: no
Opinion: Big business is at odds with progress.
Why to continue with the same partnership? Isn't enough to see how corporations and Wall Street have destroyed politics?
But mostly, business is mainly concerned with profit above all else.
Progressives, AKA Communists, should go where they are wanted. Cuba. China. Venezuela.
And there it is.....I can smell Jeff Bezos' stench from here.
But they lie
Almost impossible.
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