In the wake of the shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by 26-year-old Luigi Mangione–someone who has spoken about corporate greed and the failure of US health care systems to extend longevity—the specter of an increasingly disgruntled and angry U.S. populace rising up against the wealthy has dominated the news and social media. This episode is a deep dive into how very wealthy executives and others actually live; what they think about; how much happiness they may or may not have achieved as a result of their wealth; and how the deck is stacked for them.
Ami interviews her old colleague, Michael Mechanic, formerly a staff writer and editor at MetroSanta Cruz, now a Senior Editor at Mother Jones magazine–about his book Jackpot: How the Super Rich Really Live and How Their Wealth Harms Us All. This book covers the growing income gap in the United States, and how wealth actually affects the wealthy and the nation as a whole, as well as people of color, women and all the rest of us … and what we can do about it.
Notes and Resources:
This episode was first recorded in 2021 when Ami was a host for the “Unheard Voices” radio show. MOT is re-releasing this as a new podcast and show due to the its tremendous relevance as a gaggle of millionaires and billionaires who seek to make even more money advance upon the White House, and will take office in January of 2025.
