Summary

In his farewell speech, President Joe Biden warned of a growing “oligarchy” in the U.S., where extreme wealth and power threaten democracy.

Comparing modern elites to 19th-century robber barons, he called for reforms to hold the wealthy accountable, as done in the past.

Biden also criticized a “tech-industrial complex” concentrating power and spreading disinformation, weakening democracy.

His remarks sparked a surge in Google searches for “oligarchy.”

The speech comes amid rising concerns about policies favoring billionaires, like Trump’s tax cuts and potential cuts to social safety programs.

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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    1 month ago

    it’s been made abundantly clear that a lot of americans have no fucking idea what anyone is talking about

    • hansolo@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      I genuinely can’t believe that there is any overlap at all with the maybe 500 people who actually listened to his speech or even read an article summarizing it and those who don’t know what the meaning of “oligarchy” is.

      How does anyone get engaged enough in the political process to watch a speech from Biden and not recall Bernie Sanders saying this every day of his life for the last 30 years?

      • Carnelian@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        I follow these things closely on my own time, as I assume is common for nearly everyone on lemmy.

        But I saw coverage of Biden’s farewell address randomly at the gym. And also at a local restaurant. The media now is putting that word “oligarchy” in front of people’s eyes, as a summary of his speech. I would guess most people googling it are checking if “the oligarchy” is a country in the middle east or something

    • catloaf@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      You really think that many Americans speak Greek? Most don’t even make high school level literacy in their native language.

      • Treetrimmer@sh.itjust.works
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        23 days ago

        Bro you couldve just heard the words… Monarchy and idk… Oligosaccharide and couldve put two and two together, but yes I agree it’s far beyond the capabilities of most Americans.

    • dx1@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Getting bugged that that’s the median and not the average/mean

    • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      He was taking orders from rich people too just different ones than the next guy lol now he thinks it’s an issue but when they all pushed Bernie out it was fine.

      Assholes

        • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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          1 month ago

          Funny how Jews are white when it’s convenient, and not white when that’s convenient.

          Convenient for the speaker, I mean; generally the opposite of convenient for the Jewish person in question