Great article: Growing Gulf Between Rich and Rest of US

[JanMichael]

Let me put it this way...Identity Politics are the death of Progressive Politics at least in terms of Economic Politics which most Americans are disgustenly void of. It's divide and conquer and just about everybody is being conquered outside of the wealthy few.

It's reaching a point here, a point where "politics as usual" will become radically apparent as worthless, an end point that I'll let you come to the conclusion to all by yourself...

You can read the full article here.

"Millions more Americans can't afford adequate health care, housing, child care, food, transportation and other basic expenses above the official poverty thresholds, which are set too low. The poverty threshold for a single person under age 65 was just $9,827 in 2004. For a two-adult, two-child family, it was just $19,157."

"By contrast, the Economic Policy Institute's Basic Family Budget Calculator says the national median basic needs budget (including taxes and tax credits) for a two-parent, two-child family was $39,984 in 2004. It was $38,136 in New Orleans and $33,636 in Biloxi, Mississippi."

"America is becoming a downwardly mobile society instead of an upwardly mobile society. Median household income fell for the fifth year in a row to $44,389 in 2004 -- down from $46,129 in 1999, adjusting for inflation. vThe Bush administration is using hurricane "recovery" to camouflage policies that will deepen inequality and poverty. They are bringing windfall profits to companies like Bechtel while suspending regulations that shore up wages for workers."

[buzzsaw_23]

1. nominated n/t

[JanMichael]

2. I love the banner!

Yes FUCK HIM!

[novak goes postal]

6. Your banner is great !

[babylonsister]

3. Can anyone name one positive thing that has been done

for Americans, be it health care, better handling of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, any damn thing that has been done by this admin in the name of the people?
They've lined the pockets of their rich buddies, but what else? Who has benefitted?

[durablend]

5. Those icky gays can't get married!

You simply CAN'T beat dat!

:sarcasm:

[Bozita]

7. There is one ... the "no call" list

But, just like in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons, "That's all, folks!"

[JanMichael]

10. Thye're very good at hyping non-issues.

Glory be!

[ninkasi]

4. This is very important...

Nominated; we all need to read and absorb the importance of this. The neocons might scream about "class warfare", but remember...they started the fight. We are the ones who are losing, and we are losing more and more as time goes by. We must get over squabbling over gun rights, gay rights, and abortion. By that I don't mean abandon those issues, but the ones who vote for conservatives on the basis of only one of those issues, needs to realize that they are signing their own death warrants.

Don't be willing to trade your distaste for gay marriage, for example, for a lifetime of low wages, no insurance, and virtual servitude to the wealthy classes. To you, I say, let it go. If you don't believe in gay marriage, don't marry someone of the same sex. Don't get so caught up in defending your position on it, though, that you lose sight of how the rest of us are facing erosion of middle class rights.

It boils down to the rich against the middle class which is disappearing, and the poor. They will use any wedge issue they can. You will still be free to follow your conscience regarding your own life, but don't insist on voting for the ones who will impose your beliefs on the rest of us, while stealing your rights, your jobs, and your freedoms.

[raccoon]

11. Well said! This ought to be in a LTTE or somewhere where

more Bush voters could see it.

[stickdog]

8. Economic justice is job three after getting rid of fraud-o-matic

voting machines and wresting control of mass media from the tiny handful of giant multinational corporations who now control 99% of it.

Our economy is in the process of being Latin Americanized at a rapid and accelerating rate.

[buzzsaw_23]

9. kick

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/photos/rummy

[MadHound]

12. This started in the early seventies, and has been progressing ever since

And it has happened under the auspices of both Democratic and Republican administrations ever since. Even Clinton's so called economic miracle, economic problems for the poor and middle class proceeded apace. In fact it was under Clinton that the gap between the rich and the rest of us reached a record breaking chasm, surpassing the bad ol' days of the robber barons.

Just one more piece of evidence that it doesn't matter who is in power, Democrats or Republicans, those with the most money are going to win, and the rest of us are being left to rot. This is because our electoral system has allowed money to trump all, including our votes. What needs to happen in this country is publicly funded election campaigns, where no corporate lucre is allowed. That is the only way that we can hope to get corporations out of our government, and reclaim it for the people. Until that happens it won't matter who wins control of government, for unless you are rich and/or powerful, we all will lose.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. I heard on the radio today that only Russia and Mexico have a wider gap

between the rich and the poor than the USA. How sad is that?

[buzzsaw_23]

14. kick

[Demonaut]

15. the class warfare will be intellectual poor versus ignorant trailer trash

the battle grounds will be churches and schools.....and the truly wealthy will have box seats for the action

[G_j]

16. ~~

[SlipperySlope]

17. I don't care about the frigging GULF

I don't give a crap about how big the gulf between the rich and the rest of us is.

I just want to be ok, and I want everybody else in the country to be ok, and I want everybody to have their needs taken care of.

After that, let the rich be as frigging rich as they want to be. Let them have an infinite gulf between them and us. JUST LET THE AMERICAN WORKER HAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF!

[JanMichael]

22. Then you ignore basic psychology.

Everything is relative, everything, and if ignored can lead to trouble...Big trouble.

But the fact is that we're so fucking rich yet we can't pay living wages, provide healthcare for all as well as decent educations, and housing. (Please ignore my comma splicing or whatever grammatical error I just commited:-) )

Thus the problem although just a part of it.

[smirkymonkey]

18. And you know what usually happens when the balance gets

too far out of control. Revolution - French or Russian style sounds good to me.

[SlipperySlope]

19. Revolution!

I prefer American style.

[Hidden Stillness]

20. Now Only Their Interests Exist

This is the increasingly frightening thing about American politics now--the rich corporate capitalists and the rich class are starting to do things--reworking the whole system--apart from the entire population now, and against the will of the people. They don't even need popular support anymore; they just destroy whatever system or machinery stood in their way. This is why none of the issues the majority of people care about are ever discussed anymore, and the never-ending tax cut that most people are against continues. How do you fight back?

[SlipperySlope]

21. How do you fight back?

Ask for your own tax cut?


:sarcasm:

[JanMichael]

23. Just a tap.

:kick: