Saturday, November 27, 2010

Class warfare. Classes? Both $$$ & Govt

This'll be a none-too-coherent post, based on rage more than logic.
Yes, I am becoming a class warrior.

When the Wizards of Wall Street take down the economy, are bailed out by MY government, and proceed to reap ungodly profits, then
- YES! I am a class warrior.

Why does the financial system exist? What is its purpose?
In theory - this is Milton Friedman's theory, the theory of pure capitalism - the financial system exists to provide capital for businesses.
It creates $$$ with which we all benefit. Businesses get the $$$ they need to grow and to hire. We - labor - benefit from this largesse. We are employed. Sure, the bosses get most of the $$$, but we all get some!
The Wizards of Wall Street provide the mechanism whereby we are all paid.
A rising tide lifts all boats.

Today? The Wizards of Wall Street are reaping ungodly profits ...
... BUT: the rest of us aren't doing so well.
Unemployment hovers just below 10%.
Businesses are reaping profits, but they're not hiring us.
They're sitting on more $$$ than they can productively spend.

Meanwhile the 'borrow and spend' folks - the GOP, happy to fund two wars off-budget - are soon to be in power.
Kill Social Security. Kill Medicare.
Let us devolve into the starving useless peasants we all are.
Oh - and let the folks who reap the greatest rewards from our magnificent system pay the least for that privilege! - tax the rich? Never.
After all, they create jobs for the rest of us! ... nevermind that they're sitting on more $$$ than they can spend right now, and that giving 'em even more $$$ is extremely unlikely to do anything to help you & me - it's the principle that matters: rich folks - our betters - deserve everything we give 'em!

Is this class warfare?
You bet.

In the meantime, in the name of 'security' we are subjected to humiliating searches at airports...
... while our 'betters' - our rulers, our 'elite' governors - are exempted from this humiliation.

The very-well-paid chattering class tells us that 'socialism' and evil unions are to blame for our crisis.
They - the very-well-paid chattering class - are paid well by the very folks who benefit from the current crisis.
Somehow they've managed to convince a significant proportion of 'we the people' that 'socialism' and evil unions are to blame for our current predicament.
I don't know how they managed this.

Me?
I'd like to shake every Tea Party member by the lapels.
'Are you nuts?'

Me?
If 'socialism' means MY GOVERNMENT protecting me from the ruthless,unbridled rampages of predatory capitalists, then YES!
- I am a socialist.

AND: if I have to submit to humiliating security screens to travel, then my ELECTED representatives ought also have to subject themselves to the same inconvenience!
I am NOT a terrorist. If you want to search me, GET A WARRANT!

2 comments:

  1. Wow! I'm a class warrior, too! Rant away, brother.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Its Ok to rant. Its healthy. Intelligent discourse coalesces from rants.

    ReplyDelete