In Class Warfare, Guess Which Class Is Winning

[angry_chuck]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html?ex=1322197200&en=0cf877b05b918674&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Class Warfare with Ben Stein & Warren Buffet

If, in fact, it’s all just a giveaway to the rich masquerading as a new way of stimulating the economy and balancing the budget, please, Mr. Bush, let’s rethink it. I don’t like paying $7 billion a week in interest on the debt. I don’t like the idea that Mr. Buffett pays a lot less in tax as a percentage of his income than my housekeeper does or than I do.

[Selatius]

1. The problem is wealth is extremely concentrated in America.

There was a report out earlier about world concentration of wealth. In it, the top 2 percent of the world own roughly 50 percent of the world's wealth. The bottom 50 percent of the world own 1 percent of the wealth. I believe it even went on to cite specific examples by comparing Japan and the US. In Japan, the bottom 90 percent of the country owns roughly 60 percent of the wealth. In the US, the bottom 90 percent of America owns roughly 30 percent of the wealth.

In environments with extreme concentrations of wealth, governments often work in the interests of the wealthy and not necessarily to the interests of people.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Ben Stein can kindly, gently, ever so softly go FUCK HIMSELF.

Hey Ben- were you paying attention these past few weeks when your "pals" in the Republican Party declared open season on store clerks who dared utter the dread words "Happy Holidays"? What religious minority in this country, more than any other, is saying "Happy Holidays" meant as a basic, simple courtesy to? Any guesses?

Ben Stein is a Fucking putz. And it's no accident he's going after Warren Buffet. Ben Stein is as responsible as anyone for the bullshit Republican-led mess this country is in. He toadied for Nixon and he toadied for both Bushes, too. I remember him standing up on the stage at the 2000 GOP convention when they convocated it to "Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ". :think: :freak:

I don't give a shit WHAT he has to say. He can suck an egg, for all I care.

[angry_chuck]

3. he didn't attack buffett, he just

wonders why he pays less tax than most of us. I am not saying stein is a good guy, just that his questions on this subject are valid and deserve consideration. as for his GOPness and toading, I agree, bring on the eggs.

If Ben Stein pushes you away from this issue, however, then the toadies win. Just because a putz says it does not make it a putz's issue.

[Selatius]

4. He just shot the messenger, and the message was a good message.

As far as the article goes.

[angry_chuck]

5. what do you mean?

ben stein shot warren buffett? I felt both men were saying the current tax situation is messed up in favor of richies. What am I missing?

[Warren DeMontague]

6. You're right. The message is on target.

But Ben Stein is still a Grade "A" Asshole.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. I don't need Ben Stein to tell me that the deficit is through the roof and the tax system is unfair.

You're right- I misread it at first and assumed he was attacking Warren Buffet, who has supported various issues anathema to Republicans. My bad.

Notably absent from his piece, however, is any smidgen of personal accountability- these are your assholes who have implemented these policies, Ben. It's like Jonah Goldberg getting on the anti-Iraq war bus, and blaming the fact that he didn't do so sooner on "anti war hippies". As if hanging out with folks in tie-dye was so unappealing as to force him to support a bogus war based on lies.

I'm glad Mr. Stein has come around on this stuff; I still think he's an ass, though.

[bobbolink]

8. could it be that perhaps there *are* those who do need him to inform them?

Maybe, just maybe, there are some who listen to Ben Stein, but not to the folks you listen to, and this is a way for them to GET IT?

[angry_chuck]

9. That would be great!

if some of those clowns could come around. especially like this family; it says 'friends: Ann Coulter' - ick!

[alfredo]

10. Yeah, they might listen to Ben but not Edwards or Clinton.

Use my poster:

[Warren DeMontague]

11. I'm not saying he shouldn't have written the article

I just reserve the right to call him a fuckhead, regardless.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512160009

http://mediamatters.org/items/200511100012

http://mediamatters.org/items/200405260006

http://www.nrlc.org/news/2003/NRL05/tenth_annual_proudly_pro.htm

http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=8693

http://yeson85.net/Endorsements.aspx

[bobbolink]

12. That's fine. Fuckhead suits.

I'm just saying that we must remember there are others who need to be reached.

I was responding literally to your words.

[blueButGlad]

13. the rich get tax cuts - the poor & middle class get Iraq

If you mention class warfare you get reactions like this from former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist who dismisses it as “the old, worn-out, tired, class warfare issue”. That’s easy for him to say; his class is on the winning side.

Yet in a time of Bush's so very expensive war, Bush says it is worth the fight and worth the cost. If so, why not have the rich chip in to pay for that cost? After all, they aren't sending many of their kids to fight the war. Asking to pay for the war is such a small sacrifice in comparision. Instead what do we get? Tax cut after tax cut for the wealthy. Such wise leadership! We will instead pass the unpaid war costs on to future generations of the middle class.

While the president seems only too eager to send the poor and middle class to Iraq, actually asking the super rich to make the financial sacrifices to pay for his war is, apparently, taking things too far. Kids killed in Iraq? The war is worth it. Paying for the war by taking away the tax cuts for the rich? Oh no, it is not worth that sacrifice. These rich people have luxury SUVs to pay for, and kids tuition at private schools. They have nothing left over to sacrifice to pay for the GOP's war.

Such is fairness in George Bush’s Washington.

[angry_chuck]

14. worth it to b8sh is not worth it to America

at least not to the American people. We pay the cost to the rich companies who reap the benefit while we reap state and federal budget shortfalls and deficits. Bush wants to bankrupt America in order to ultimately shift power back to Europe who will ultimately go broke also, just like the rest of the world. Once everyone is broke the IMF and World Bank will be there to save the day, by lending us money on the condition that we all submit to the authority of the New World Order.

The borrower is always servant to the lender.

[lukasahero]

15. Welcome to DU, blueButGlad!

Excellent post.

[blueButGlad]

19. thanks!

thanks for the welcome and the comment. And I like your flag!

[RedStateShame]

16. How can there be a class warfare? That would require rich kids fighting in a war.

[htuttle]

17. Naw, they just hire the poor and trick them into thinking they are rich so they fight for them

cf. Marx and his description of the Petit Bourgeoisie.

[The Count]

18. For it to be a warfare, it would mean 2 parties are actually fighting.

There's no "warfare" when one is unilaterally screwing the other.
When W said "No minimum wage increase until "small businesses" get even more tax cuts, most on DU embraced the absurd notion that these "small" businesses are somehow our dear old parents, instead of those screwing us. No warfare. Just dumb submission.