The unbridled class warfare in Wisconsin has inspired me to start a new blog.

[Cowpunk]

My new blog is called The Gilded Life. You can link to it by clicking here.

The title is a play on Nebraska's state motto, The Good Life. The blog's primary goal will be to identify instances of class warfare, the top-down kind that no one in the media likes to talk about. Here's a sample of my commentary:

This excerpt from Rush Limbaugh's Radio Show, featuring a call from blogger/troublemaker Mike Stark, is highly revealing of the right wing's aims with regards to labor unions. First we hear Limbaugh trying to stir resentment in his listeners against unionized public employees by listing many of the ways unions bargain with employers to increase the standard of living of their members.

Now let me ask you, those of you who are not members of a union, are you allowed to negotiate the length of your shift? Are you allowed to negotiate when you start and when you finish each... Are you allowed to negotiate your vacation schedule and time..and length? Are you allowed to negotiate your sick days? Are you allowed to participate in whatever the disciplinary priocess at your company is?

I think Rush makes a very good case why everyone should join a union, don't you? Of course the average dittohead, being trained to accept subservience to his or her master employer, is supposed to think "Why should they have what I can't have?". A progressive like me, on the other hand, might start to think "What can I do to get what those guys have got?" So who are the ones peddling resentment, despair and jealousy? Right-wingers like Limbaugh. Who is inspiring hope for a better life? Progressives.

For me, the most interesting and revealing part is Rush's Orwellian rant against the word "worker" later in the video. Limbaugh's claim that usage of the term is some kind of communist plot is patently absurd of course, so what's really going on here? Rush is training his listeners to accept the notion, gleaned from the philosophical ramblings of twisted sociopath Ayn Rand, that business owners are the only true workers. This philosophy is authoritarian to the core. Employment is not a contract between equals but an act of charity bestowed upon you by the sole creators of wealth, the bosses. Worker benefits such as insurance and retirement security are not the right of everyone who works, but a reward to be meted out or taken away by employers at their own discretion.

This is what conservatism is all about, folks: Making sure the unwashed masses know their place. Judging by some of the comments I've read about the happenings in Wisconsin, they appear to be learning quite well.

Please leave a comment if you go to check out the new blog. Any constructive criticism would be most welcome.

[nebenaube]

1. I invite you to explore the following question...

How can increasing one's contribution to a pension and reducing said pension plan's payout formula by 4% in the manner that this bill in Wisconsin is being passed not constitute a violation of the 5th amendment?

[Cowpunk]

3. You're going to have to educate me first

Forgive my ignorance.

I did some Googling on both the budget proposal and the 5th Amendment, and I still don't see what you're getting at.

How does the plan violate the 5th amendment?

[nebenaube]

7. hmmm...

I think I'll come back to this if and when Wisconsin sb 11 passes.

[Hannah Bell]

2. kr

[Dappleganger]

4. Happy to tweet this.

I love these kind of blogs--best of luck to you.

[Cowpunk]

5. Thanks, Doppleganger

I'd tweet you back if I had any idea how.

[Dappleganger]

6. Are you on twitter?

If yes, you can follow me @Basye

It's highly recommended to get onboard and use it to spread the word.

[Cowpunk]

8. I thought you needed a cell phone.

I don't know, maybe you don't, but tweeting from a computer seems a bit silly to me.

[Dappleganger]

9. Twitter is like a giant newsfeed...

It's free and simple to join, easy to use from your computer. If you join I'd be happy to help you navigate it and introduce you to some others who can help you spread the word about your blog, and you can read their news items/blogs as well. All of the most up-to-date news items from the revolutions in Egypt, Libya, etc. have been coming from Twitter.

http://twitter.com/
http://news.cnet.com/newbies-guide-to-twitter/
http://www.deannazandt.com/2009/02/26/a-non-fanatical-beginners-guide-to-twitter/

Feel free to send me a private message if you need anything. :)