Concerning class warfare
The lapdogs of the ruling class are at it again, whining that the outrageous idea that people making $1,000,000 a year* should pay their share of taxes is "class warfare."
I have something to say about class warfare: I'm for it. As long as it's directed at the rich. It also seems like about time, since the rich and their Republican lapdogs have been conducting class warfare against the middle class for about 30 years...and winning. That, apparently, is all right.
The people who can't figure out why the largely low-income foot soldiers of the Tea Party are out there defending the privileges of the rich weren't in my pol. sci classes. One hypothesis has merit: since America is the land of opportunity, those who have not are eager to defend the privileges of the rich, because they expect to become rich.
True, but we're also looking at one of the West's oldest political riffs play out. Ever since the middle class lurched into existence in medieval Europe, the aristocracy waged war on it. Figurative war, most of the time, but actual war now and then. And who do you suppose were their eager supporters? Why, the people at the bottom of the food chain, serfs and rural peasants. On the one hand, if a peasant were going to move up in the world, sense and experience said they would move into the middle and professional classes. Their chances of moving into the aristocracy were absurdly remote. Nevertheless, the peasants generally aligned with the bejewelled rulers against the middle class. Their motives may have been envy, or the innate conservatism of peasantry worldwide, or simple arse-kissing. But they were the chief ally of kings and princes against the people who were slowly accumulating wealth and power.
They still are. Scratch a tea-bagger and you'll find a peasant eager to act against his/her own interest, somehow believing the opposite.
*
Not so long ago, a "millionaire" had capital worth a million dollars or whatever.
Today, one can collect the interest on $1,000,000 and still be eligible for food stamps. Do the math to figure out the capital one now needs for an income of $1,000,000 a year in a world of two to four percent interest. Then feel the outrage.
I have something to say about class warfare: I'm for it. As long as it's directed at the rich. It also seems like about time, since the rich and their Republican lapdogs have been conducting class warfare against the middle class for about 30 years...and winning. That, apparently, is all right.
The people who can't figure out why the largely low-income foot soldiers of the Tea Party are out there defending the privileges of the rich weren't in my pol. sci classes. One hypothesis has merit: since America is the land of opportunity, those who have not are eager to defend the privileges of the rich, because they expect to become rich.
True, but we're also looking at one of the West's oldest political riffs play out. Ever since the middle class lurched into existence in medieval Europe, the aristocracy waged war on it. Figurative war, most of the time, but actual war now and then. And who do you suppose were their eager supporters? Why, the people at the bottom of the food chain, serfs and rural peasants. On the one hand, if a peasant were going to move up in the world, sense and experience said they would move into the middle and professional classes. Their chances of moving into the aristocracy were absurdly remote. Nevertheless, the peasants generally aligned with the bejewelled rulers against the middle class. Their motives may have been envy, or the innate conservatism of peasantry worldwide, or simple arse-kissing. But they were the chief ally of kings and princes against the people who were slowly accumulating wealth and power.
They still are. Scratch a tea-bagger and you'll find a peasant eager to act against his/her own interest, somehow believing the opposite.
*
Not so long ago, a "millionaire" had capital worth a million dollars or whatever.
Today, one can collect the interest on $1,000,000 and still be eligible for food stamps. Do the math to figure out the capital one now needs for an income of $1,000,000 a year in a world of two to four percent interest. Then feel the outrage.
Labels: class warfare
posted by Uncle | 23:17
2 Comments:
Fortunately for the good guys, several super-rich types have whinged about scraping by on $400K or $500K net. They apparently didn't learn from Marie Antoinette. Slice.
It's a hard knock life. How many times will their heads bounce after the guillotine falls?
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