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Political Leaders
Neoliberal Politicians’ Strategy
- Ronald Reagan (1980s):
- Union Busting: Reagan famously broke the PATCO strike (1981), setting a precedent for weakening unions.
- Tax Cuts for Corporations: Reduced taxes on businesses, incentivizing them to outsource jobs overseas.
- Deregulation: Loosened regulations that protected workers’ rights, making it easier for companies to exploit cheap labor.
- Bill Clinton (1990s):
- NAFTA: Signed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, which led to massive job losses in manufacturing sectors.
- Welfare Reform: Pushed for reforms that forced displaced workers into low-wage service jobs instead of retraining them for skilled trades.
Corporate Interests
Multinational Corporations’ Playbook
- Outsourcing:
- General Electric: Moved manufacturing jobs to Mexico and Asia, cutting costs at the expense of American workers.
- Ford and GM: Shifted production overseas, decimating auto manufacturing hubs like Detroit.
- Walmart: Sourced cheap goods from overseas, undercutting domestic manufacturers and small businesses.
- Automation:
- Tech Investment: Companies poured funds into robotics and AI, replacing manual labor with machines.
- Lobbying: Corporations lobbied for policies that favored innovation subsidies over worker protections.
Educational System
How Schools Were Weaponized
- No Child Left Behind (2001):
- Focus on Testing: Emphasized standardized tests over practical skills, pushing students toward college-prep tracks.
- Defunding Vocational Programs: Cut funding for trade schools, funneling resources into college readiness programs.
- Department of Education:
- Funding Bias: Allocated more grants and scholarships to four-year universities than to vocational schools.
- College Push: Promoted the idea that only college graduates could achieve success.