A Chronology of NFL Protest Quotes

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

— Colin Kaepernick on his reason for not standing for the national anthem, August 27, 2016

“I don't know if you know — the NFL is way down in their ratings. And you know why? Two reasons. Number one is this politics, they’re finding, is a much rougher game than football, and more exciting. And this, honestly, we've taken a lot of people away from the NFL. And the other reason is Kaepernick. Kaepernick.”

— Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in a speech in Greeley, Colorado, October 30, 2016

"It was reported that NFL owners don't want to pick him up because they don't want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump. Do you believe that? I just saw that. I just saw that."

— President Donald Trump taking credit for the failure of an NFL team to hire free agent Colin Kaepernick, March 21, 2017

"Yes, I think there is blame on both sides. You look at both sides. I think there is blame on both sides. And I have no doubt about it. And you don’t have doubt about it either. And if you reported it accurately, you would say."

— President Trump on the violence in Charlottesville, August 15, 2017

"Thank you President Trump for your honesty & courage to tell the truth about #Charlottesville & condemn the leftist terrorists in BLM/Antifa."

— David Duke, a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, August 15, 2017

Shocker! CEOs Admit They Won't Invest Tax Cuts in Worker Wages

"Of course the GOP tax scam didn't help working people. CEOs would rather pay themselves than pay us." — Wisconsin congressional candidate Randy Bryce. The evidence just keeps rolling in.

U.S. Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speak to members of the media in front of the West Wing of the White House February 27, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Jake Johnson, Common Dreams, May 28, 2018

As America's largest banks post record profits, massive companies continue their unprecedented stock buyback spree, and already-obscene CEO pay packages are set to rapidly expand in the aftermath of the Trump-GOP tax cuts, top corporate executives are now openly admitting that they have no plans whatsoever to invest their enormous windfall into wage increases for workers.

During what Axios described as a "rare, candid, and bracing talk from executives atop corporate America" at the Dallas Fed late last week, Troy Taylor, CEO of Florida's Coca-Cola franchise, said of the possibility of broad wage hikes for workers: "It's just not going to happen. Absolutely not in my business."

"Of course the GOP tax scam didn't help working people," noted Wisconsin congressional candidate Randy Bryce, aka "The Iron Stache," in response to the Axios report. "CEOs would rather pay themselves than pay us."

And CEOs are not merely conceding that "the days of most people getting a pay raise are over" despite the lofty promises Republicans made after they rammed through their $1.5 trillion in tax cuts. As Axios reports, well-heeled corporate executives are also actively moving to "reduce their workforces further" to cut costs and boost their bottom lines.

The NFL and Patriotism as a Marketing Tool

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) kneels down with teammates before the U.S. national anthem was played ahead of an NFL football game against Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday Oct. 1, 2017. Saints players then stood when the anthem was played. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

The NFL owners have decided to fight a recent loss of television viewers with a dose of patriotism (NFL Policy Will Require Players on Field to Stand for Anthem, Show Flag 'Proper Respect', Scooby Axson, Sports Illustrated, May 23, 2018). The issue worsened last year when Donald Trump said that owners should fire players who disrespected the flag. One problem is that it's not clear whether the viewer loss is due to player demonstrations or changes in the broadcast market and viewing technology.

Another problem is that the player's union has not agreed to the new rules. The owners are allowing the players to remain in the locker rooms during the anthem, but the NFL Players Association has said: