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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRolling Stone: The 1% Are NOT Citizens Of The United States
My Christmas gift from Rolling Stone this year was a true Doh!! political/cultural moment. You know, when something so obvious and in your face is just sitting there and suddenly you blink, and realize it. DOH!!! How did I not see that?! Writer Matt Taibii has put it into perspective for me and suddenly, much of the behavior of the 1% makes sense. They are not American citizens. Im not making a hysterical Fox News style accusation of treason! That require that the 1% actually BE a part of the country to begin with. They are not. They exist outside any national fealty of any kind. Ive touched on this concept before when I pointed out that Ayn Rand devotees, which many of these Very Important People are, are sociopaths. and when I discussed the idea that the Right desires to be ruled by their betters(i.e. the 1%) because they believe that they are more worthy because they are rich. Matt Taibii has put a much finer point on it:
The very rich on todays Wall Street are now so rich that they buy their own social infrastructure. They hire private security, they live on gated mansions on islands and other tax havens, and most notably, they buy their own justice and their own government. But citizens of the stateless archipelago where people like Schwarzman live spend millions a year lobbying and donating to political campaigns so that they can jump the line. They dont need to make sure the government is fulfilling its customer-service obligations, because they buy special access to the government, and get the special service and the metaphorical comped bottle of VIP-room Cristal afforded to select customers.
What these poor, picked on, fabulously wealthy seem confused about is why they are despised across most of the country and, indeed, the world. What he GOP would have us believe is that we are simply jealous of their success and far too many of the 1% are buying into this fable. Taibii lists some of the more
clueless comments from the very people who wrecked the worlds economy while skating away with billions of taxpayer dollars. From Bloomberg Businessweek:
Who gives a crap about some imbecile? (Home Depot co-founder Bernard) Marcus said. Are you kidding me? If I hear a politician use the term paying your fair share one more time, Im going to vomit, said Golisano, (billionaire founder of payroll processer Paychex Inc.) who turned 70 last month, celebrating the birthday with girlfriend Monica Seles, the former tennis star who won nine Grand Slam singles titles. Cooperman ( former chief of Goldman Sachss money-management unit), 68, said in an interview that he cant walk through the dining room of St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, without being thanked for speaking up. At least four people expressed their gratitude on Dec. 5 while he was eating an egg-white omelet, he said. Youll get more out of me, the billionaire said, if you treat me with respect.
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/12/26/rolling-stone-the-1-are-not-citizens-of-the-united-states/
WingDinger
(3,690 posts)brooklynite
(94,490 posts)Taibi thinks I'm not a Citizen because I'm wealthy and Bush thinks I'm not a Citizen because I'm an Atheist. Ugliness knows no ideology.
I'm sorry, but you'll have to get on the next boat and GTFO of our country. You obviously have no compassion, concern or love of my country. I hear you not only kick hippies, but throw rocks at our military. You heathen elitist, you.
You'll be sailing with Michael Moore, George Clooney and....Matt Damon, along with those other wealthy heathen bastards that do nothing to support the rest of us in our causes.
Have a safe trip.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)I believe Mr. Taibi was pretty specific in that article. Funny how some took it to mean them.
And all those left leaning stars you just listed are not part of the 1%... nice try though.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Sorry, couldn't resist.
gtar100
(4,192 posts)Being wealthy doesn't automatically exclude one from being a citizen. Taibi is referring to an attitude that many of the 1% feel no obligation to the countries in which they live - let alone the world in which they live. Is that the point of humanity? To create the king or queen bee while the rest serve their needs or drown in poverty? Or is it to have a democracy in which the majority can find a place in which the needs of the community are considered important along side the needs of the individual? Or is it something else? It isn't wealth that determines what ideology one should follow. That's a matter of personal integrity. It seems that Taibi is pointing out a host of reprobates currently running rather large corporate empires that feel they can do whatever they want, regardless of the consequences that ripple out from their privileged position. That's not a consequence of wealth but a consequence of low character.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)interpretation of Taibbi's Rolling Stone article.
ret5hd
(20,489 posts)MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)Matty T said mean things.
Puhlease.
Get over yourself. If that article doesn't mention you by name or if you don't act like the people described then IT ISN'T ABOUT YOU.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)But, many of these people Taibi writes about are just the carrion-eating rich - vultures who flock together and thrive when something dies.
ljm2002
(10,751 posts)...without making some general observations. To take it personally is just silly IMO. We all know there are many good people who are wealthy, and we also all know there are many rich people who live up to all the negative stereotypes.
Possibly Taibbi should have limited his discussion to the top .1% or even the top .01%. Because those who buy islands, and who buy politicians, and who have direct influence on public policy, tend to be not the rich but the super-rich.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)Do you really expect to get much sympathy when you self-identify as a 1%'er in the course of complaining about writing that strikes a populist tone? I wouldn't, were I you.
brooklynite
(94,490 posts)...that assume my morality can be judged based on my financial or theistic position.
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)Nonetheless, if you're self-identifying, not just as a rich person, but as someone in the top 1% of wage "earners" in the country, then you really shouldn't expect a sympathetic ear when you use DU GD to complain about your treatment in society. I do have a standing deal with any 1%'er--I'll be glad to trade finances with you, and that way, you won't have to suffer a higher tax rate, won't have to worry about people accusing you of not being American, etc. I can take this yoke from you. Not interested? Hmmmm....maybe it's my approach. Or maybe you don't really have much to complain about.
brooklynite
(94,490 posts)Because I'm in the top income category I must want to resist progressive taxation, right? And I must oppose regulation of the banking and financial sectors, right? Because no wealthy person could ever be philisophically liberal, just like no poor person is ever conservative.
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)I never knew they were such idiots before.
I mean, did they really think they'd be able to take their money with them when they die?
When's the last time you saw a U-haul being towed behind a hearse to a funeral for some rich guy?
What are the 2 things that are inevitable?
Death and taxes.
Well, these guys have had it easy on the taxes part for a long time, but you just wait.
The grim reaper doesn't take bribes!!
Mopar151
(9,978 posts)Pyramids did'nt help the Pharoahs live longer - or better.
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)dotymed
(5,610 posts)me some respect." That greedy bastard.
Show the billions of less fortunate, some respect and stop fixing every damned game so that you can win.
I made a mistake last night and rented "Atlas Shrugged." It was the most disgusting piece of trash/propaganda that I have ever seen.
The few "hard workers" in a world pre-occupied with fairness.....if that is their twisted world view, they deserve the worse possible....
If I were a dog, I'd still be licking my butt to get the taste out of my mouth.
MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)"If I were a dog, I'd still be licking my butt to get the taste out of my mouth."
LMAO.
Ship of Fools
(1,453 posts)He who dies with the most toys wins.
Billionaire is the new millionaire. They're in competition with each other
because they're bored shitless.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)dies just as assuredly as he who has nothing.
Both are deader than disco.
The Grim Reaper is also The Great Equalizer.
MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)... perhaps someone could start a trend among the stupidly wealthy toward extreme sports stupidity like base jumping or atmospheric parachuting.
Ship of Fools
(1,453 posts)MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)You, sir, are hired. We need men of your fine imagination helping the rich suit up in the airplane.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)to absolve themselves from all responsibility. Most are sociopaths.
annabanana
(52,791 posts)could be classified as Citizens. They are not Americans.
prepperdad
(103 posts)Everything in this country is becoming polarized. It seems to me that we might see a Civil War II in our lifetime.
[url]http://www.survivingeconomiccollapse.net[/url]
Romulox
(25,960 posts)MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)felix_numinous
(5,198 posts)Yah--people who side with international entities with more civil rights than you or I, who fund propaganda that turns Americans against Americans, defund social services while robbing us to feed their violent agenda--are NOT AMERICANS.
They have Declared Independence from us.
MedicalAdmin
(4,143 posts)They have declared war.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)socialist_n_TN
(11,481 posts)and leave the country if they don't get their tax breaks ARE NOT AMERICANS! Obviously to them, money is more important than citizenship.