I didn't read Umair's piece, but I'm surprised he'd like the speech. He usually talks about your bullet points.

For me, I have to separate your bullet points from the reality I've been living in for the last 40 years.

America is not ever going to be the face of egalitarianism. It's a corporate empire, like the the old British and Dutch East India Companies.

I wish it weren't so, but it's not changing, no matter how hard I rant.

The worst part about our current condition is that the world is turning even further to the right. There's a despot or despot wannabe in almost every country now. From the Philippines to Brazil, from China to Russia, from Hungary to the U.S, which we have to include because it is an empire of corporate oligarchs.

The U.S. had its chances at reform in the 1970s. It reached out for them, every so tentatively, and then BOOOM! Quashed like a bug.

So for me, I merely comment on the particulars, with no real hope or expectation for change.

If the kids want to do something, they can. But they're too involved watching videos on their phones to give a shit.