Bernie Sanders: The billionaires are on the warpath. They want more, more, more

[marmar]

Published on Saturday, November 20, 2010 by CommonDreams.org
The Billionaires Want More, More, More

by Bernie Sanders


The billionaires are on the warpath. They want more, more, more.

In 2007, the top 1 percent of all income earners in the United States made 23.5 percent of all income -- more than the bottom 50 percent. Not enough! The percentage of income going to the top 1 percent nearly tripled since the mid-1970s. Not enough! Eighty percent of all new income earned from 1980 to 2005 has gone to the top 1 percent. Not enough! The top 1 percent now owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent. Not enough! The Wall Street executives with their obscene compensation packages now earn more than they did before we bailed them out. Not enough! With the middle class collapsing and the rich getting much richer, the United States now has, by far, the most unequal distribution of income and wealth of any major country on earth. Not enough!

The very rich want more, more and more and they are prepared to dismantle the existing political and social order to get it. During the last campaign, as a result of the (Republican) Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, billionaires were able to pour hundreds of millions of dollars of secret money into the campaign -- helping to elect dozens of members of Congress. Now, having made their investment, they want their congressional employees to produce.

Republicans in Congress, needless to say, are all on board. The key question is whether a Democratic president and a Democratic Senate go along to get along, or whether they draw a clear line at protecting the interests of the middle class and vulnerable populations of our country while tackling our economic and budgetary problems in earnest. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/20-5

[Poboy]

1. Say it Bernie. k&r

[SammyWinstonJack]

2. And they'll get every last cent.

:grr:

[Hydra]

4. "and now they’re coming for your social security money.

They want your retirement money. They want it back so they can give it to their criminal friends on Wall Street, and you know something? They’ll get it – they’ll get it all from you sooner or later cause they own this place. It’s a big club, and you ain't in it. You and I are not in The Big Club."

George Carlin(Prophet)

[madmax]

6. Wonder what this great man would say about

the shit going down today!

Miss you George.

[Hydra]

7. Same as he always did- he'd be speaking the truth

And he'd get flak for it all over again.

Same as me :evilgrin:

[Initech]

16. George Carlin's lesson in this should be mandatory viewing for EVERY American.

[Liberal Veteran]

3. Reminds me of this song.

Once upon a time I had plenty of nothing,
Which was fine with me.
Because I had rhythm, music, love,
The sun, the stars and the moon above,
Had the clear blue sky and the deep blue sea.
That was when the best things in life were free.

Then time went by and now I got plenty of plenty,
Which is fine with me.
'Cause I still got love, I still got rhythm,
But look at what I got to go with 'em.
"Who could ask for anything more?", I hear you query.
Who would ask for anything more? Well, let me tell you, dearie.

Got my diamonds, got my yacht, got a guy I adore.
I'm so happy with what I got, I want more!

Count your blessings, one, two, three
I just hate keeping score.
Any number is fine with me
As long as it's more
As long as it's more!

I'm no mathematician, all I know is addition
I find counting a bore.
Keep the number mounting, your accountant does the counting.


I got rhythm, music too, just as much as before
Got my guy and my sky of blue,
Now, however, I own the view.
More is better than nothing, true
But nothing's better than more, more, more
Nothing's better than more.

One is fun, why not two?
And if you like two, you might as well have four,
And if you like four, why not a few
Why not a slew


If you've got a little, why not a lot?
Add and bit and it'll get to be an oodle.
Every jot and tittle adds to the pot
Soon you've got the kit as well as the caboodle.


Never say when, never stop at plenty,
If it's gonna rain, let it pour.
Happy with ten, happier with twenty
If you like a penny, wouldn't you like many much more?

Or does that sound too greedy?
That's not greed, no, indeedy
That's just stocking the store
Gotta fill your cupboard, remember Mother Hubbard.


Each possession you possess
Helps your spirits to soar.
That's what's soothing about excess
Never settle for something less.
Something's better than nothing, yes!
But nothing's better than more, more more

Except all, all, all
Except once you have it all
You may find all else above
That though things are bliss,
There's one thing you miss, and that's
More! More!
More! More! More! More!
More! More! More!

[EC]

5. Reminded me of...

Last night a little dancer came dancin' to my door
Last night a little angel Came pumpin cross my floor
She said "Come on baby I got a licence for love
And if it expires pray help from above"

In the midnight hour she cried- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell she cried- "more, more, more"
In the midniight hour babe- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell- "more, more, more"
More, more, more.

She don't like slavery, she won't sit and beg
But when I'm tired and lonely she sees me to bed
What set you free and brought you to be me babe
What set you free I need you hear by me
Because

In the midnight hour she cried- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell she cried- "more, more, more"
In the midniight hour babe- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell- "more, more, more"

He lives in his own heaven
Collects it to go from the seven eleven
Well he's out all night to collect a fare
Just so long, just so long it don't mess up his hair.

I walked the ward with you, babe
A thousand miles with you
I dried your tears of pain, babe
A million times for you

I'd sell my soul for you babe
For money to burn with you
I'd give you all, and have none, babe
Just, just, justa, justa to have you here by me
Because

In the midnight hour she cried- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell she cried- "more, more, more"
In the midniight hour babe- "more, more, more"
With a rebel yell she cried "more, more, more"
More, more, more.

Oh yeah little baby
she want more
More, more, more, more, more.

Oh yeah little baby
she want more
More, more, more, more.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. The billionaires think we have THEIR money and they want it back.

[MisterP]

9. that's actually Ayn Rand's central thesis: wealth comes to certain people (either magically out of

nowhere, or because of personal virtues--thrift and industriousness) and they share it with the 95% of us, the undeserving labor who sponge off their bank accounts and their creative genius

it's Marx bass-ackwards

[no_hypocrisy]

10. That's so cravenly Calvinistic (or more recently Marvin Olansky-ist).

God rewards certain individuals with wealth and punishes the poor for just being poor.

[MisterP]

13. don't forget Michael Novak's bizarro "capitalist Catholicism" nt

[Laelth]

11. k&r for the Honorable Bernie Sanders. n/t

-Laelth

[laughingliberal]

12. K & R nt

[Initech]

14. Greed is a sickness. These fuckers are sick, they need help.

[beforeyoureyes]

15. Sanders 2012

[Greyhound]

17. K&R. This is war and it's way past time we started fighting back. n/t