Our nation has a corruption problem. Our economy and our political system are profoundly corrupt and we urgently have to fix them.

Economic elites laugh at us for believing what we are taught as kids that working hard and playing by the rules is the way ahead in America. (1/5) You’re right to be mad as hell at the powerful.

Our economy is filled with so-called winners who ignore the law, hurt their workers and customers, get fined enormous fines by regulators and proceed to laugh their way to the bank with lucrative IPOs that make them rich. (2/5)

The GOP plan to cut unemployment benefits this week is clearly heartless, but the less obvious point is that it's also inept. I'm a businessman who's co-founded a large company, invested in others & worked in finance. Here's what @stevenmnuchin1 & company don't understand: (1/8) First off, Mnuchin seems to think that extending unemployment benefits is somehow bad for business. Well... as a business person, I and others *want* our potential consumers to have more money! That way they can -- wait for it -- actually spend & purchase our products. (2/8)

Do you feel like you’re being robbed today?

Maybe it’s because today is Tax Day and your know you’re getting cheated by a tax code that leaves you footing the bill for jets and yachts of big monopolies and their lobbyists. 🛥 ✈️

Examples of how you’re getting screwed: (1/8) Rich folks can afford to contribute huge sums to politicians' campaigns & do so thanks to our lax campaign finance system. In return, pols thank them with lower tax rates on high income & capital gains. If you're not rich? Your rates can be higher👇. (2/8) entrepreneur.com/article/338189

It's time to stop equating the stock market with "the economy." Wall Street's coming off a great month, at the same time unemployment is at a record high. They're different!

I began my career on Wall Street. Here's how differently they see the world from everyone else: (1/7) The stock market doesn't care about workers' wages or jobs. It measures the value of the equity (stock) in companies - what's left over from sales after a company pays its workers, operating expenses & debts. The leftover dollars go to the owners & are called "equity." (2/7)

As an employer of many Americans, I believe it’s time to raise our minimum wage to $25/hr, so our hardest working can literally survive. As a businessman, I can tell you: The claim that raising the wage would make products cost way more, is nothing but PR spin. Here's why: (1/9) When you lead a company, you set aside a certain amount for wages. So if workers on the lower end get paid more, that just means less will go to CEOs & those at the top (rather than having to raise your prices). But don’t feel bad for the CEOs - I promise they will survive. (2/9)

As a businessperson creating jobs in this economy, I can tell you a stimulus that doesn’t help *workers* is not a stimulus. Americans need a bill that addresses their emergency situation - unemployment, lack of healthcare, housing bills, etc. Here’s what we should do ASAP: (1/8) First, we must keep Americans in their homes. That means ensuring residential rents & mortgages are frozen during this time. Homelessness is already way too rampant & one of the darkest stains on our society (even before #COVID19). Housing is a human right. (2/8)

A Reagan praising, Obama criticizing TV pundit is challenging @AOC in a primary on the issue of “jobs” - As a businessperson & entrepreneur who works in our economy & creates jobs, I can testify that @AOC is a million times better than her opponent for jobs and good wages. (1/8) Look at @AOC’s agenda. The pandemic has made clear that our for-profit healthcare system is a mess & leaves millions behind. I also know firsthand that many businesses struggle with figuring out how to provide healthcare to employees. Under #MedicareForAll, we *all* win. (2/8)

1/ America's $6.2 trillion response to
#COVID19 has exposed one of the worst lies in U.S. politics: the claim that we "can't afford" progressive reforms like #MedicareForAll or free college. As a businessperson, this is false & manipulative. Here's what it's really about... 2/ Throughout the 2020 primary, every debate seemed to include a somber moderator (usually a Beltway pundit) scolding candidates about cost anytime they backed bold reforms to help young or less well-off Americans. Like clockwork. Here's 21 examples! inthesetimes.com/article/22336/…

#MedicareForAll #DemDebate

1/ I have seen how cripplingly high health insurance costs devastate employees, entrepreneurs and families. These middle men hoard profits that could be invested in payer higher wages. They are preventing innovation and stalling job creation. 2/ We need a true #MedicareForAll system -- not something that sounds like it, but really relies on private health insurance companies. A plan that would not remove health insurers, the middle men, from our health care payment system, is not the answer.

1/ Will you join me for a thread of reflection as I head to Philadelphia on Amtrak to speak about a progressive vision for the future at #NetrootsNation? #NN19

The governing agenda of our nation ought to be:

#EndPoverty

Here’s why #EndPoverty is also an organizing vision... 2/ #EndPoverty means:

Poverty as it's experienced by the nearly 8 out of 10 Americans who live paycheck to paycheck, who are one "shit happens" life experience away from ruin

1/ Moments ago at the CA Democratic Party state convention, I announced that I will not run for President of the United States in 2020. I gave the question a lot of consideration because I believe our next President must make Ending Poverty the governing agenda of our nation. 2/ As I’ve traveled our country, I’ve been moved by the number of Americans — and single moms — who are hurting just like my mom hurt when she was raising me by herself and when, even though she worked as hard as a mom could work, we lost our home to foreclosure.