Romney and Ryan’s disdain for the working class--Eugene Robinson

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/romney-and-ryan-are-overlooking-the-underclass/2012/08/13/63e917ea-e579-11e1-8f62-58260e3940a0_story.html?hpid=z2

Mitt Romney’s selection of Paul Ryan as his running mate underscores the central question posed by this campaign: Should cold selfishness become the template for our society, or do we still believe in community?

Romney wanted the election to be seen as a referendum on the success or failure of President Obama’s economic policies. Instead, he has revealed that the campaign is really a choice between two starkly different philosophies. One could be summed up as: “We’re all in this together.” The other: “I’ve got mine.”

This is not about free enterprise, and it’s not about personal liberty; those fundamental principles are unquestioned. But for at least the past 100 years, we have understood capitalism and freedom to exist within a larger context — a complicated, real-world, human context. Some people begin life at a disadvantage, and it’s in the national interest to open doors of opportunity for them. Some people make mistakes, and it’s in the national interest to create second chances. Some people are too young, too old or too infirm to care for themselves, and it’s in the national interest to secure their welfare.

<snip>

It is well known that Ryan, at least for most of his career, has been enamored of the ideas of Ayn Rand, the novelist (“Atlas Shrugged,” “The Fountainhead”) whose interminable books tout self-interest as the highest, noblest human calling and equate capitalist success with moral virtue. Ryan now disavows Rand’s worldview, primarily because she was an atheist, but he lavishly praised her ideas as recently as 2009.

Although I disagree with his ideas about capitalism and freedom, I'm kind of thrilled to see someone bringing up the issue of the working class in a major election. Using the actual words. There is a real stark class character to this election, don't you think?

[hifiguy]

1. Gene Robinson, always a voice of sanity.

He's great!

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2. I like him too.

Man, that article is generating comments like crazy. He hit a nerve!

[goclark]

3. Eugene Robinson is right on the mark

as always.

One of my favorites

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4. I liked this part too-

At least three times in recent days, as part of his response to President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” peroration, Romney has told campaign audiences variations of the following: “When a young person makes the honor roll, I know he took a school bus to get to the school, but I don’t give the bus driver credit for the honor roll.”

When he delivered that line in Manassas on Saturday with Ryan in tow, Romney drew wild applause. He went on to say that a person who gets a promotion and raise at work, and who commutes to the office by car, doesn’t owe anything to the clerk at the motor vehicles department who processes driver’s licenses.

What I hear Romney saying, and I suspect many others will also hear, is that the little people don’t contribute and don’t count.

It's amazing what disdain the right has for working people. Why do people even vote for these clowns?

[bupkus]

5. "...the campaign is really a choice between two starkly different philosophies."

"One could be summed up as: "We’re all in this together." The other: "I've got mine."

I'd add: "I've got mine and now I'm taking all of yours too."

Your jobs. Your homes. Your education. Your health care. Your Social Security. Your Medicare. Everything. All of it.

Romney/Ryan and the Republicans' idea of capitalism is some sort of demented contest where the 1% wins and everyone else is thrown off the island.

Their idea of a society isn't "No Man Is An Island", it's "Get the Hell Off of My Island".

[pscot]

6. The Hank Aaron of columnists

He hits 300 year after year and goes deep about 40 times a year. This one was a dinger.

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7. +1