Well-Paid 'Marvel' Actor Mark Ruffalo Launches Attack on Capitalism
“Avengers: Endgame” star Mark Ruffalo called for an “economic revolution” in a tweet on Sunday, contending that “capitalism is failing us.”
“It’s time for an economic revolution,” the actor wrote. “Capitalism today is failing us, killing us, and robbing from our children’s future.”
Ruffalo — whose reported net worth is around $30 million — linked to a Nov. 21 Op-Ed written by Time editor-at-large Anand Giridharadas titled, “How America’s Elites Lost Their Grip.”
It’s time for an economic revolution. Capitalism today is failing us, killing us, and robbing from our children’s future. https://t.co/OnNm6CYrWK
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) December 1, 2019
In it, Giridharadas argues that Americans are increasingly in support of moving away from a capitalist system, citing the rise of democratic socialist Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, whose positions closely track her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Time editor also points to democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York as another sign of shifting public sentiment against capitalism in what Giridharadas characterizes as the “New Gilded Age.”
All the lawmakers she lists have thrown their support behind the Green New Deal, which calls for massive wealth redistribution, ending private health care plans and placing significantly higher taxes on businesses and wealthier Americans.
“The choice facing Americans is whether we want to be a society organized around money’s thirsts, a playground for the whims of billionaires, or whether we wish to be a democracy,” writes Giridharadas.
“The age of capital has been facilitated by a remarkable solidarity among the ultra-fortunate. Putting that period in the museum will take other, broader solidarities,” she concludes.
Sunday was not the first time Ruffalo weighed in on the side of socialism.
In a 2015 tweet, Ruffalo wrote, “Democratic Socialism says it’s a moral wrong that 57% of income is going to the top 1%. Universal health care. Medical & family paid leave.”
Democratic Socialism says it’s a moral wrong that 57% of income is going to the top 1%. Universal health care. Medical & family paid leave.
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 14, 2015
The “Dark Waters” actor threw his support behind Sanders during the 2016 presidential election, Fox News reported.
Ruffalo’s and Giridharadas’ critiques of capitalism come as the United States is experiencing one of its strongest economies in decades.
After taking office in 2017, President Donald Trump slashed regulations on U.S. businesses more than any recent administration and signed one of the largest tax cuts for companies and individuals, as well.
The result has been the lowest unemployment rate since 1969, and the lowest ever recorded for African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Hispanic Americans.
Heritage Foundation and former Reagan administration economist Stephen Moore wrote in an October Op-Ed that the middle class is currently experiencing a boom, with the median household income up over $5,000 since Trump took office versus approximate $1,000 it rose during the entire eight years Barack Obama’s presidency.
American workers at the lower end of the economic scale have also seen the highest percentage growth in their wages, CNBC reported.
Hourly wages have been rising over 3 percent each month for over a year, according to the Economic Policy Institute “Nominal Wage Tracker.”
MarketWatch reported in March that wages are at a 10-year-high because the “tightest labor market in decades [is] forcing companies to pay up.”
Carol Roth, a regular guest on CNBC and Fox Business, replied to Ruffalo’s Sunday tweet, writing, “Capitalism isn’t failing anyone-it’s a tremendous success. It is the distribution of scare resources via individual free choice instead of the decisions of a handful of people using force/control.”
Capitalism isn’t failing anyone-it’s a tremendous success. It is the distribution of scare resources via individual free choice instead of the decisions of a handful of people using force/control. Any problems you have usually come down to govt or not wanting to own your choices. https://t.co/7BVLn8n8Es
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) December 1, 2019
“Capitalism has helped reduce extreme poverty worldwide from 50% of the world in the 1970s to single digits today, but do tell me how it is failing everyone,” she added. “Stop the madness.”
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