The Greenfield Report with Henry R. Greenfield

Episode 31- Midnight Minus One: A People-Led Map to Restore Democracy and Everyday Prosperity.

• Henry R. Greenfield • Season 1 • Episode 31

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What if the fastest way to rescue democracy isn’t through endless arguments about abstractions, but by fixing the problems families face every day? Henry R. Greenfield  takes a clear-eyed look at why trust has collapsed—nostalgia that romanticizes the past, decades of offshoring and short-term corporate thinking, and institutions that reward power over accountability. Then he turns to a practical path forward built on outcomes, not outrage.  

First, health. Instead of treating reform as a box to check, Greenfield proposes a kitchen‑table plan to lower costs across the system: transparent hospital pricing, faster approvals for generics and bio-similars, site‑neutral payments to reduce monopoly markups, and simple, readable bills. When premiums, prescriptions, and wait times drop, public trust grows.  

Second, jobs. Greenfield calls for a clear wage floor, paid apprenticeships matched to real vacancies, modular training programs that deliver offers within weeks, and procurement rules that reward local hiring and on‑the‑job learning. When cranes, coursework, and paychecks appear in the same neighborhood, politics looks different.  

Greenfield also address immigration with both order and dignity: secure borders, modern processing, targeted guest‑worker programs with enforceable standards, and realistic legal pathways paired with English and credential support. The goal is simple—protect wages, punish exploitation, and align labor needs with opportunity without chaos.  

Finally, he outlines “Project America”—a service‑first organizing model that prioritizes real help over viral posts: medical billing clinics, résumé fairs, tenant mediation, and neighborhood safety walks with community policing. Two themes carry everything—health and jobs—communicated the same way, everywhere, by everyone.  

If you’re ready to trade pundit chatter for real wins that families can feel, this essay is your field guide. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s ready to build, and leave a review telling The Greenfield Report the first fix you want to see in your community.  

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SPEAKER_01:

This is Henry R. Greenfield with a special Greenfield report on the state of democracies in the world and a prescription for how to move forward with the people-led movement that will halt the erosion of democracy and restore it along with prosperity and good health for the people. I know it sounds like a lot, but then again the situation is dire, and we need clear and concise solutions. In the past couple of weeks, since you have heard from us, our team has been reading, listening, delving into the issues, and formulating a plan. Let us begin by laying out the problems, the issues, how this has all fallen apart over many decades, and the false prophets who have led us there on both sides of the proverbial aisle. The first question we must tackle is are the leftist elites the problem with the changes in the world that we are calling now populist and created by people like Trump, Orban, Le Pen, Nigel Farage in the UK, and others? Or is it really on the right who have lost all sense of bearing and will literally say anything to get elected, especially being anti-immigrant, which seems to be the bogeyman of the entire Western world? I have been pondering this question for a long, long time and have spent a lot of time and money and effort looking into this and why things have continued to go off the rails increasingly, and now alarmingly so in many places around the world, none more so than the good old United States of America. We can ascribe many reasons, and we will get into them in a moment. But first, shouldn't we all agree that for the average person in the developed westernized countries, things are not going the way people would like, and they are turning ever more and more to the extremes, both left and right. There are some holdouts, like Australia, which has amazing stability. But even there, there have been increasingly large demonstrations against immigration. In the United Kingdom, this is reaching a crescendo, a fevered point of Great Britain for the English, but no one seems to have a consensus anymore on what that actually means. Have societies changed so irrevocably that they cannot put that proverbial genie back into the bottle? And are what Trump said to the United Nations admonishing the Europeans you are losing your countries actually be correct? As with everything he says, there may be 70 or 80 percent lies, or at least gross exaggerations. But having lived in Australia, France, Singapore, Hungary, the People's Republic of China, and of course the United States, among the ten or so that I have called home for at least two or three years at a time over the past 50 years, there is no doubt that there is nothing is the same anymore anywhere. Yet people wanted to have it be the same. They want some type of idyllic past that never existed, where racism and sexism in the past were rampant. But in the minds on the right, it was somehow wonderful. Fabulous years of families, and no one talks about the abuse. We all suffered from overworked fathers who took their belts out of their pockets, and as we cowered and took it like a man, as they would say, even if you were only six or seven years old. Or women who could suffer horrible domestic abuse, couldn't even get a credit card in the United States until about 1970 without the permission of their husbands. And then, like a flash, those of us who lived it, and you really needed to have lived it. And that too is what is wrong with the so-called dialogues and preaching by both sides, is they didn't live it. They were not there. They keep telling us who we are and what we were like, how we failed, we failed this, we failed that, you know, get lost boomers, telling us so many times that even though we sometimes begin to get confused as we age into our 60s and 70s and 80s, did it all really happen like we thought? Or was it the deep stake keeping it all from us? And what about those great manufacturing jobs? Didn't we actually hate them? Did we really like carrying our lunch buckets with hot coffee and sandwiches made by mom at home and then slogging it out in the mines, in the factories, endless factories, making stuff and banging machines and getting our entire bodies worn out at an early age? Each night coming home, having a beer, wondering what the hell is this all about, as we watched it all change from our perfect, so-called perfect lives in the suburbs, first through the Vietnam War, then Archie Bunker, and it was all going to hell. And yes it was. If you were in New York in the 1970s, it was honestly a war zone, as was Detroit and countless other cities. Who can forget the Devil's Night in Detroit in the early 70s, all the way into the 80s, where up to 1,500 fires would be lit on every October 31st. Devil's Night. They actually burned down the cities. Or remember all that graffiti in the cars of the subway trains in New York? You could not even see the walls. It was such a wreck. Nothing worked. Everything was breaking down. Quality was zero, and no one cared. Check out the cars from the 1950s and then the early 70s in the United States. They were terrible. What was it? Pinto would catch on fire. Ralph Nader was writing things unsafe at any speed, and really, no one cared. It was the original mead generation. All alternative lifestyles, the hippies, gutted it out on farms where they didn't know how to grow a tomato, let alone a working farm. But hey, they were out there and they tried. But it all changed again and again from Reagan and Thatcher to Gingrich and Clinton, and finally Obama after two failed Bush presidencies. We thought we were on our way. The liberals had won, a post-racial society, and then it was the Tea Party and in the United States pushing back and pushing back and pushing back until Trump finally arrived. Whoa. What the hell happened should be the question. What happened was, as Gordon Gecko put it, greed is good, short term over long term, changes in the boardroom, corporations not working together, to the point where now Trump can pick them off one by one. Things fall apart is a great short novel describing a village in Africa, Okhibi Tanobi, where change was introduced, and in a short period of time, nothing worked. Fast forward to today, from that simple metaphor to nothing is working, and everything is working in the developing world. Yes, it is. Things have gotten so much better. Hundreds of millions are now out of poverty. Compliments of those Western countries outsourcing to them. Factories transferred from the United States, Australia, Europe, the UK, and even Canada, and now Japan and Korea to anywhere. But those countries, but mostly for decades and decades to China. And what do you have? Despite the fall of the wall, the end of the Soviet Union, and Fugiyama's infamous self-proclaimed the end of history, history had something to teach him and all of the elites to learn. Your day, your history, your march to the future was not inevitable, it turns out. For the elites and all of their ideas, you were so off that it is exactly now the opposite that is happening. While the elites decided it was better to cooperate and become real elites and make more money and to move the bar leftward, the right was left behind. Seething, angry, and guess what? It hasn't ended. Fifty years of anger against the elites in every country means the left is ready to explode on the margins, that is, and on the right, especially in the United States, but also in Europe, they are fed up. They want some type of return to normalcy, which in their vernacular could have been a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage, as what Herbert Hoover said, storming to victory in 1928. Well, we all know how long that lasted in the 29 stock market crash, presaged the Depression, which led to World War II, and 70 million dying, which led to the post-war reconstruction, and all the way to where we are today. Which is where the hell are we? Nowhere, that is where. Progressives say we are going backwards. In France, they strike now every other week, even though their lives are the best in history for the average person. Low work hours, non-industrial jobs, big bloated government sector, tons of benefits, early retirement, free medical care, but it's never enough. What could be wrong with that? What is wrong is that there's no way to pay for it, and they also have to pay for defense. And they're also paying for, especially in places like France, immigrants who come in and they do definitely take advantage of the system. So again, even in France, people are angry about immigration. Meanwhile, in the United States, the so-called arsenal of democracy, at least 50 million or more on the right, said they are done with democracy, and they are happy to forfeit it in favor of getting the other side, the proverbial LibTards. Also, double on the meanwhile, in every Western country, including the United States, the elites are debating the future that they have absolutely no idea what it is or what it should be, as they're no consensus, and it certainly will not be, because increasingly a majority do not want what the elites want in their version of the future. In the United States, however, there is a distinct challenge, unlike in almost any other country, where the courts have upheld the freedoms or effectively blocked or drastically slowed down autocracies. A case in point was in Israel, which for years blocked Netanyahu on his right-wing takeover and his agenda. In the United States, however, this has completely changed. Not only has the Republican Congress ceded all authority and control, especially over the power of the purse, to Trump, meaning whatever they do, he just does whatever he wants. He pays for whatever he wants, or he cancels any program and doesn't spend the money, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. There is then the Supreme Court, which has been described as the Roberts Court is winning its war on U.S. democracy. Can you believe it? Step by improbable step, Roberts and his six to three supermajority have given Trump more and more power to the point where it is now a foregone conclusion that anything goes to the Supreme Court, and now just about everything gets there, it will rule in favor of Trump. Expand his immunity, multiply his power, and destroy democracy without a whimper. What do liberals do? Do they even have a chance? Listening to the great pundits and now leaders on the podcast like Ezra Klein or others on the left with their self-proclaimed Washington, New York liberalism on how we should put to get that genie back in the bottle, along with a hefty dose of Mea Culpas, it's my fault, and how we need to redouble our efforts to be inclusive, yet understand the right's angst. Well, what does that mean? Really? You got it. I have no idea what that meant either. And if they were honest, they don't know themselves. They only know the obvious. The left is not appealing to the majority, and the policies and programs are not working to get them there. And Trump, the Republican Congress, 26 red states now, and the Supreme Court are all against them, let alone at least a rock solid 50 million. Daunting? You betcha, it's very daunting. On the right, you have Donald Trump and his minions, as that is what they clearly are. None are qualified for anything other than loyalty oaths. The United States is increasingly being run by cronies, who every comic mocks with their, you are the greatest president in the Trump in the history of the world, at peace, at economics, at security, at education, as well as as Trump puts it, he was right about everything. He even has a hat that says, Trump was right about everything, and he's so proud of it. It has to be said, Trump is definitely not wrong about everything, and we need to listen and not just condemn, like AOC and others do. Bernie Sanders, what a great old guy. But really, at 84, he should be doing his emeritus tour and not pushing policies. Before you say it, yes, there definitely is Governor Gavin Newsom of California. Handsome, smart, passionate. But is he enough? No, he is not. California is not enough. It is now so different from the rest of the country that it is starting to get scary. We get it, Governor, the fourth largest economy, leader in so many areas in the world, from climate to tech to innovation, but you are not a standalone country. Not even with Oregon and Washington banding together. Not even with if you do some kind of Western coalition where you could somehow get Arizona and Nevada and then Colorado, all on your side. That would then still have Utah blocking you. And then of course you get to Texas. There are 49 other states, and Trump is not going to let them follow California, that is for sure. So how do you change this, Mr. and Mrs. and him or her or they pronouns? Because you cannot do it alone. The question has to be asked: is policy dead? Is policy a way forward? Well, as the Democrats have none other than being anti-Trump, it would be hard to say that it is dead if you are not and have not lived any policy other than woke and DEI in the past 30 years. Oh yeah, sorry. Obamacare. Yeah, I got it. 2010, they passed that, and Obama immediately got wiped out in the midterms. I get truly worked up when they put down Biden, the last of the FDR generation, a man that Trevor Noah rightly says, we dumped him because he had the greatest sin of all. He got old, so Joe is gone. And who is there, Mr. and Mrs. Elite? What are they running on? What is your future? What is the future of MAGA? Do you really expect a completely purged GOP to abandon MAGA principles once Trump fades? And definitely he is fading. But he will make it across the finish line all the way to January 2029. Well then by that time will there be actually free and fair elections? Who knows? Why are you elites sitting back? Do you think pontificating from New York, or is it electing the Democratic Socialists for mayor of New York, pandering to the downwardly mobile elites? Yes, there is such a real thing as going on as downwardly mobile elites. Is that going to get you anywhere? Do you think you're really going to throw out and change the entire system when you have nothing to replace it except free buses and rent control for apartments? Sorry, I don't think that's going to work either. And finally, the biggest question of all, are you just going to keep going, playing the same, losing hand, counting on Trump to screw up as your only strategy? Haven't we said and seen over and over that that too is not working? As Trump is now really too powerful. And no matter what he says, at least again, those 50 million will say great. And his economy is not tanking that bat, and tariffs are being paid and absorbed? Mostly that is, and Democrats, you still don't have a plan or a program, and why the hell not? There are answers. There are fundamentals. When you learn a sport, a craft, or want to become a rocket scientist for that matter, you quickly realize there are no shortcuts, Democrats. The Democrats are all about taking shortcuts, thinking arrogantly that they are always right and everyone else is stupid and doesn't get it and is somehow immoral for not listening to them. Beep, beep, wrong answer. Go back and try again, Democrats. The clock is ticking, as they say, it is one minute to midnight for U.S. democracy, and only you can slow it down and then stop the train and turn this baby around. So how to do that? Well, let's start with a few basics. First of all, the Democrats need to have consistent messaging and acting as a group. You've got to join with Gavin Newsom for the messaging instantly, every time, anything that happens on the Republican side, not just snide remarks, biting with alternatives, and not just memes that keep going out on the internet saying how stupid they are. I know there are some of this, but it has to be more consistent. You must appeal on two absolutely rock solid messages. Health. Do not just push Obamacare. Talk about reducing cost, cost for meds, cost for appointments, doctor's appointments, cost for doctors, cost for the hospital system, which is a complete ripoff, and we've spoken about this in previous episodes of the Greenfield Report. Hit the entire system, not just Trump. Use everything you have. This includes vaccine policy and RFK Jr. and what he's doing to the children of America. Come up with policies that are realistic on vaccines for all. Get out there everywhere. Not just the DNC, but send your people out to all 50 states. We have talked about this before. You cannot abandon 26 states. It is not just a matter of Fox or CNN or any other media. You have to reach out to the people, not just ask for their votes, talk to them. And this must be by every single Democratic candidate. And then, of course, it's got to be jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Make sure you appeal to the working class voters. Forget the middle class and the rich. Attack them, but better yet, talk about what matters to the working class and the poor. If you think it's$20 an hour, then make it a cause.$20 an hour or falling on your sword. But definitely you've got to have a policy and stick with it on the jobs and how much people make. And that means a livable wage. Provide support everywhere. Stop pushing ads. Stop pushing more propaganda. Don't spend your money on that. Push support. Push love. Positive messages. Get an army of young people out into the field, volunteers in the millions, to every neighborhood. Be ubiquitous. Be relentless. You know all those downwardly mobile elites? Get them out of New York. Get them out of the cities. Get them off the campuses and get them out there. Charlie Kirk was doing that. You can do it too. Most of all, be positive. Tell Americans you can do it with them. Do not say the end is coming of democracy. No one cares if they do not have health care, jobs, and food. Avoid the arguments on education. Avoid the arguments on the biggest subject of all. Don't argue. Have a positive policy, and that is immigration. No longer the sanctuary cities. Push a legalized path to residence and citizenship. I know it will be tough, but it will also be closing down those borders. You have to agree. Close down the borders. No place in the world do they want open borders. Not in Europe, not in Australia, not anywhere, not in China. Say Trump was not wrong, but Biden had already closed the borders. Did he not? Was it not down to 15,000 when Trump came in? Now it's zero. Great. And how much did that cost?$175 billion for more border control, more ICE? No more talking about fascism. You want a guest worker program. Be an alternative, not bringing in your entire family. I'm sorry, those days are over. It's possible for them to bring their family in the future. But what the United States needs, they need workers. Not more people, not more kids, not more clogging up the school system, not more making housing more expensive. We need workers, good workers, qualified workers in the United States. Yeah, I know about the H1B program. Another Trump boondoggle cutting that at$100,000 each. That's not a sword to fall on. And you may not like this, but push basic education and English for all. Everyone can learn English. Everyone. Now get started. Get started right now. Draw up your own version and call it Project America. That's right, Project America and write down a manifesto. Enlist beyond the old guard boomers who are tired. Take over. Get everyone involved. No violence. Never, never, never ever. Be against all violence and say you do not support the defunding of police. In fact, you want strong police. No gangs. Nothing in the neighborhoods. Poor and working class hate violence. Be for that, hating violence. Sure, have neighborhood watch groups, no worries. But also say you will cooperate with community policing. This can be done. Educate. Tell people they have rights. Put it out there day and night. Be relentless and start now. Start today. Hold your heads up. You have the entire deep state. You can steal every single line, by the way, from Trump and called him the deep state, which he is. He is the deep state now. And what he's doing with all of his troops coming into the cities, he is the deep state. And what he is. And the Supreme Court is the deep state. And the Republicans are the deep state. And they are against you. And they are, most of all, against the American people. Offer an alternative, a positive alternative. This is a them against us, but it also has to be a big tent. Open it up. No more on trans right or women in sports. You just say it's irrelevant. It is about jobs, health, Medicare for all. And most of all, about training and about supporting your communities and get into those communities. Get in there, get in there, get in there, and do not leave. You will win. Go for a 300-person amount in a house, a massive majority, and a majority in the center. Let no seat go uncontested. None. Nowhere. These are not second place getting 43%. You go for the win. Every single person, you will have those messages. You will win. You will win or you will lose your democracy and your freedoms because the other side controls the media. Stop the thing about fake media. Trump is right. It's fake news. He controls all the fake news. Trump, Musk, Bezos with the Washington Post, the Ellisons who control all of those now large media corporations, Trump and Truth Social. Can you imagine a president who's got his own megaphone out there lying every day? And of course, Sinclair and Nextdar. You must be in the end with the people. You must be among them. You must walk the way Jesus walked and you will win. Be kind, be strong, be resilient, be happy. But for God's sake, do not listen to any more to the elite liberals. They don't know shit and they don't care about you either. Be grassroots. And you will win everywhere. This is Henry R. Greenfield for the Greenfield Report. Telling the people out there in the democracies that you can take things back without striking, without tearing down the system, without letting people go over to so-called populism, which actually does nothing for them. You must get up. You must get the young people out there with you, get them to be positive, get them out of the cities, have them do some community service. The service will be to save themselves and to save the future of the democracies and especially of the United States of America. It is one minute to midnight.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for joining us on the Greenfield Report with Henry R. Greenfield. We hope today's insights into the ever shifting geopolitical landscape have sparked your curiosity and broadened your perspective. Stay connected with us for more in depth discussions and expert solutions. Until next time, keep exploring the world beyond the headlines.