My Interview With Russell Simmons

I have long admired Russell Simmons both for his political advocacy and for his message of social and personal consciousness. As someone who worked for the election of President Obama and who wants him to succeed, Simmons is the perfect person to, as he puts it, “tug at his coattails” to motivate a progressive vision. In particular, there is a need to create awareness for the needs of the poor, as Simmons wrote in a letter to the president.

The rich are already at the table, as are the Democrats, the Republicans, the Tea Party and the unions, the business interests and the money interests. The poor can’t afford for you to forget about them, and you cannot afford it either. Of all Americans, the poor are not just the real victims of this recession; they are the victims of a 30 year campaign of smear and neglect, to strengthen the rich on the backs of the rest of America in the dim and ultimately futile fantasy that the rich getting richer will somehow “trickle down.” Well, it hasn’t trickled down. While middle class wages have declined in the face of unparalleled wealth and technology creation since the 80’s, the poverty rate in our country is the highest it has been in 51 years-that takes us to the early 1960’s. Shame on all of us who otherwise take pride in the achievements of this rich and powerful nation.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.