f{"id":49593,"date":"2026-08-07T12:29:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T19:29:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=49593"},"modified":"2026-08-07T12:29:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T19:29:07","slug":"talarico-explains-infamous-powell-memo-to-texas-voters-making-right-wing-master-plan-a-campaign-issue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/08\/07\/talarico-explains-infamous-powell-memo-to-texas-voters-making-right-wing-master-plan-a-campaign-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Talarico Explains Infamous \u2018Powell Memo\u2019 to Texas Voters, Making Right-Wing \u2018Master Plan\u2019 a Campaign Issue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/texas-senate-candidate-james-talarico-campaigns-along-the-texas-border.jpg?id=67582424&amp;width=1200&amp;height=400&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=0%2C1031%2C0%2C631\" alt=\"Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Campaigns Along The Texas Border\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a \u201cTalarico for Texas: Frontera Tour\u201d campaign rally at Memo\u2019s Restaurant on July 13, 2026 in Del Rio, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0(Photo by Brandon Bell\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u201cThe top 1% put the American Dream behind a paywall,\u201d said the Texas Democrat as he unveiled a framework for his economic vision.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/julia-conley\">Julia Conley<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aug 06, 2026 (CommonDreams.org)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Politicians from both sides of the aisle have come to realize in recent years that \u201caffordability\u201d and \u201ccost of living\u201d are key issues voters want to hear about on the campaign trail, with nearly all respondents to a Harris Poll last month&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2026\/jul\/07\/cost-of-living-poll-groceries-gas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reporting<\/a>&nbsp;they believe the US is currently in an affordability crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But on Wednesday, before 1,300 Texans in the city of Arlington, state Rep. James Talarico (D-50), the Democratic&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/us-senate\">US Senate<\/a>&nbsp;candidate, contextualized the crisis for voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">RECOMMENDED&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/stephen-miller-nspm-7\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/white-house-deputy-chief-of-staff-stephen-miller-addresses-the-audience-at-the-ministerial-on-the-resurgence-of-political-terror.jpg?id=67481376&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=170%2C0%2C171%2C0\" alt=\"'Fascism Is Here': Rubio, Miller Say More Terrorist Designations Coming for 'Far-Left' Groups\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/stephen-miller-nspm-7\">\u2018Fascism Is Here\u2019: Rubio, Miller Say More Terrorist Designations Coming for \u2018Far-Left\u2019 Groups<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-medicaid-work-requirements-2677293170\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/media-library\/vice-president-vance-discusses-administration-s-fight-against-fraud-in-milwaukee.jpg?id=67558670&amp;width=1200&amp;height=1200&amp;quality=70&amp;coordinates=832%2C0%2C833%2C0\" alt=\"Vice President Vance Discusses Administration's Fight Against Fraud In Milwaukee\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/news\/trump-medicaid-work-requirements-2677293170\">Trump Admin Argues Even Terminally Ill Patients Shouldn\u2019t Be Exempt From Medicaid Work Requirements<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico provided a history lesson that explained how\u2014while his opponent, Attorney General Ken Paxton, has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.texastribune.org\/2026\/08\/05\/texas-senate-james-talarico-economic-agenda-ken-paxton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">blamed<\/a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/biden-administration\">Biden administration<\/a>&nbsp;for rising costs and the struggles of working Texans\u2014\u201cthis affordability crisis isn\u2019t something that happened over the last five years. This affordability crisis has been 50 years in the making.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While introducing his economic platform, \u201cThe New American Dream,\u201d Talarico held the audience\u2019s attention as he explained the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/billmoyers.com\/content\/the-powell-memo-a-call-to-arms-for-corporations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Powell Memo<\/a>\u2014a document formally titled \u201cAttack on American Free Enterprise System,\u201d which Virginia-based corporate lawyer Lewis Powell wrote in 1971 for his client, the US Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The memo, said Talarico, provided \u201ca blueprint for how corporations could amass political power, reverse the gains of the Great Society and the New Deal, and rig the system for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Powell memo outlined a strategy. Unite corporate special interests, privilege corporate perspectives in the media, appoint sympathetic judges to the court, and buy politicians in both political parties,\u201d continued Talarico. \u201cAnd it worked.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/republicans\">Republicans<\/a>\u00a0and some Democrats sold the false gospel of trickle-down economics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">.<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jamestalarico?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JamesTalarico<\/a>: 50 years ago, a corporate lawyer named Lewis Powell circulated a memo around DC \u2014 a blueprint for how corporations could amass political power, reverse the gains of the Great Society and the New Deal, and rig the system for themselves.<br><br>The Powell memo outlined a\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ne7f23iXP3\">pic.twitter.com\/ne7f23iXP3<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Team Talarico (@TeamTalaricoHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/TeamTalaricoHQ\/status\/2085194226782925111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the memo, Powell\u2014who was appointed to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/us-supreme-court\">US Supreme Court<\/a>&nbsp;by President&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/richard-nixon\">Richard Nixon<\/a>&nbsp;just months after he delivered the blueprint to the powerful Chamber of Commerce\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.senate.gov\/news\/speeches\/the-scheme-1-the-powell-memo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">outlined<\/a>&nbsp;how the interests of corporate America should be framed as \u201cindividual freedom\u201d that the country must protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Private companies should use political influence \u201caggressively and with determination\u201d to stop \u201cthe stampedes by politicians to support any legislation related to \u2018consumerism\u2019 or to the \u2018environment,\u2019\u201d wrote Powell, and should show no \u201creluctance to penalize politically those who oppose\u201d the corporate effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cStrength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations,\u201d the memo argued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrickle-down economics is not a theory, it is theft.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result of that \u201clong-range planning\u201d and \u201cconsistency of action over an indefinite period of years,\u201d said Talarico, is the current political system\u2014in which corporate interests pour billions of dollars into elections to support favorable candidates, Congress passes massive tax breaks for billionaires, and working families are left struggling to afford&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/healthcare\">healthcare<\/a>, childcare, and other essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTrickle-down economics is not a theory, it is theft,\u201d he said. \u201cSince the late 1970s, megadonors and corporate special interests have been buying politicians in both political parties. And then those politicians turned around and rigged the economy to benefit their wealthy donors at our expense. We have an affordability crisis because we have a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/corruption\">corruption<\/a>&nbsp;crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added that five decades after the Powell Memo, \u201cthe top 1% put the American Dream behind a paywall\u201d\u2014pointing to the extreme wealth of tech CEOs like Amazon founder\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/jeff-bezos\">Jeff Bezos<\/a>\u00a0and SpaceX CEO\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/elon-musk\">Elon Musk<\/a>, while \u201cone in five\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/texas\">Texas<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/children\">children<\/a>\u00a0live in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/poverty\">poverty<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The American Dream has become an American Nightmare.<br><br>It\u2019s too expensive to buy a home.<br>It\u2019s too expensive to get married and have kids.<br>It\u2019s too expensive to retire comfortably.<br><br>The top 1% put the American Dream behind a paywall. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gfhM2weVY0\">pic.twitter.com\/gfhM2weVY0<\/a><\/p>&mdash; James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jamestalarico\/status\/2085205718680969681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 6, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Sirota of The Lever, whose team produced the award-winning 2024 podcast&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/the.levernews.com\/master-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cMaster Plan,<\/a>\u201c which details the history and influence of the Powell Memo,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/davidsirota\/status\/2085350702902022404\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">applauded<\/a>&nbsp;Talarico for speaking directly to voters about the long history behind today\u2019s \u201daffordability crisis.\u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTalarico is recounting\u2014and promising to fight\u2014the master plan that we exposed. And he\u2019s making that promise in one of America\u2019s most high-profile Senate races,\u201d said Sirota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Talarico\u2019s event in Arlington marked the beginning of a monthlong tour across Texas in which he plans to roll out his plans to begin reversing the decades of damage done by the Powell Memo and politicians from both major parties who have prioritized corporate interests over working Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The candidate\u2019s agenda includes raising the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/minimum-wage\">minimum wage<\/a>; closing billionaire tax loopholes and ending tax breaks for the top 1% of earners in President Donald Trump\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill Act; passing universal childcare; permanently expanding the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/tag\/child-tax-credit\">child tax credit<\/a>; passing an anti-corruption package to ban super political action committees; and providing down payment assistance for first-time home buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople are working hard every day,\u201d said Talarico. \u201cThey\u2019re playing by the rules. But those rules of today weren\u2019t written for us. They were written for billionaires.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/julia-conley\">Julia Conley<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Julia Conley is a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.commondreams.org\/author\/julia-conley\">Full Bio &gt;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democratic US Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a \u201cTalarico for Texas: Frontera Tour\u201d campaign rally at Memo\u2019s Restaurant on July 13, 2026 in Del Rio, Texas. \u00a0(Photo by Brandon Bell\/Getty Images) \u201cThe top 1% put the American Dream behind a paywall,\u201d said the Texas Democrat as he unveiled a&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/08\/07\/talarico-explains-infamous-powell-memo-to-texas-voters-making-right-wing-master-plan-a-campaign-issue\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2088,2057],"tags":[2345,2344],"class_list":["post-49593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-election","category-history","tag-powell-memo","tag-talarico"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49593\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}