The belief that the wealthy are worthy is waning

[Nick at Noon]

This guy has written an article that explains -- briefly and clearly -- what I have been trying to say for months. In our present political climate -- he has touched a truth we all need to come to terms with.

He uses the term "rich-people-in-waiting". Which is what most of us have always considered ourselves to be. Limbaugh and Hannity have made millions by exploiting it. That simple phrase also explains why the average GOP voter hates the poor and idolize the rich.

We can achieve more by understanding this -- quietly -- than by shouting about it.

Michael Hiltzik
March 19, 2009

For decades, the wealthy have been held up as people to be admired, victors in the Darwinian economic struggle by virtue of their personal ingenuity and hard work.

Americans consistently supported fiscal policies that undermined middle- and working-class interests partially because they saw themselves as rich-people-in-waiting: Given time, toil and the magic of compound interest, anyone could retire a millionaire.

That mind-set has all but been eradicated by the damage sustained by the average worker's nest egg, combined with the spectacle of bankers and financial engineers maintaining their lifestyles with multimillion-dollar bonuses while the submerged 99% struggle for oxygen.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik19-2009mar19,0,351773.column

[madaboutharry]

1. I have never been able to

understand how anyone "bought into" the belief that the wealthy were somehow worthy to begin with.

[rucky]

3. Because in the stories worth telling, they are.

And if that's all we hear about - as opposed to the country-club kids groomed to take over daddy's business - we tend to lose perspective about wealth and privledge. The bootstrap myth is what keeps many people going at their dead-end jobs.

Now we have the kids from The Hills flaunted before us, and all of the greed and fraud and sense of entitlement is being revealed. Those who have never traveled in these circles could never imagine that major, publicly traded corporations could possibly be guilty of trading in the same kind of sleaze you'd see from used car salesmen (apologies to my father-in-law). Now they know.

[notesdev]

8. Where wealth is connected to merit and production

then the wealthy are worthy.

Not much of a connection nowadays, that's for sure. Wealth seems to be connected to the willingness to lie and steal more than anything.

[dkf]

2. Actually I don't think people are so mad at the wealthy in general, but

specifically at those who are paid outlandish amounts for failure.

No one hates Britney Spears because she makes so much money (they may dislike her life choices, but that is different).

No one hates Tiger Woods because he makes tons of money playing golf.

People hate when undeserving folk get stuff because it is unjustified.

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Oh, but we are worthy. More worthy than you proles. Smirk." - $38-million-a-year Limbaugh (R)

"Yes, it's soo true. We Republicon Homelander fatcat 'elites' are more worthy, more equal, and more special than anyone else, especially you noisy American Proles.

"So ignore this fact-based report from the lib-rul media (smirk) glug down some more Republicon-brand kool-aid BS propaganda, and allow yourself to feel, um, good that we 'elite' republicon homelander fatcats allow you to exist on the same planet with us. For now. Someone has to clean our toilets. Smirk."

- $38-million-a-year Republicon Propagandist Rush 'DraftDodger' Limbaugh

[Deja Q]

5. He makes THAT much for farting in front of a microphone 4 hours a day?

:wow:

We should all become professional do-nothing whiners.

[SpiralHawk]

6. Yupppers. Republicon Homelander fatcats pay their propaganda puppets well

Republicon fatcats will spend, spend, spend to make sure America Fails, as their leader, Rush 'DraftDodger' Limbaugh advocates so noisly and unpatriotically.

[World Traveller]

7. Michael Moore made this point years ago

Sharp guy. I can't remember if it was an article or in one of his documentaries. But it during the time that the Bush Administration was pushing the concept of the "ownership society", as the way we'd all get rich, via the stock market, increasing home values, etc.

He addressed this issue head-on and said that most Americans tolerated the outrageously rich because they believed that they might be one of them some day. And he flat-out said "It's not true - It's very unlikely, Mr and Ms. Average American, that you will ever be rich. You must fight for your rights from the position where you are now, the middle class or working class". Your salaries and savings are not going up, because America's wealth is flowing upward and the decks are stacked against you."

I'm glad to see that others are picking up this theme.

[Nick at Noon]

9. Limbaugh knows how to talk to them ...

Some years back I was driving with the radio on. Rush Limbaugh was trying to convince a caller that -- although the caller only made $10,000 a year -- he should support Bush's tax cuts.

It went something like this:

Caller: "But Rush, I don't pay taxes because I only make $10,000 a year".

Rush: "You've got to think of the future. How much will you be making in ten years? "

Caller: "About the same, Rush. I don't work regular".

Rush: "OK." Pause ... silence.. then ..."What about when you hit the lottery for $300 million ? Are you going to want to give half of it to the government ? "

Caller: "Uh gee, Rush. I sure wouldn't want to give up any of my lottery winnings".

Rush: "There you go ! Support Bush and his tax cut. Call your Congressman".

Caller: "Ditto, Rush".

[surrealAmerican]

10. It's because, for all the lip-service given to "values", ...

... many people in this country have no real goals other than making as much money as they can. They've lost sight of what it means to live a good life. The only measure of success they have for themselves is the amount of money they amass.