Are we in the middle of a Class War? Billionaire Warren Buffett thinks so, "There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning." Most Americans agree; a recent Pew Poll found "Two-thirds of Americans said they think there are 'very strong' or 'strong' class conflicts in society." But there's a notable lack of enthusiasm for making fundamental change.
One would think that with the success of the Occupy Wall Street movement, there would be a strong push for radical social reform. After all, 49 percent of Americans believe the U.S. economic system to be "unfair." But a recent Gallup Poll found that most Americans are not militant on this issue; they would rather promote policies to "grow and expand the economy" than they would to "reduce the income and wealth gap between the rich and the poor."
This result is perplexing. Time Magazine asked respondents if they agreed with the positions advocated by Occupy Wall Street and discovered extraordinary concurrence. 86 percent agreed that, "Wall Street and its lobbyists have too much influence in Washington." 79 percent agreed that, "The gap between rich and poor in the United States has grown too large." 71 percent agreed with "Executives of financial institutions responsible for the financial meltdown in 2008 should be prosecuted." And 68 percent agreed that, "The rich should pay more taxes." Nonetheless, there was a 45-50 percent enthusiasm gap, because many Americans, who expressed these strong positive sentiments, didn't support Occupy Wall Street. On the one hand the 99 percent are concerned about the growing economic divide, but on the other hand they appear unready to do much about it.
Perhaps working Americans do not understand how grave the situation is. A recent Mother Jones article graphically illustrated the problem: in the last 30 years the income of the one-percent has quadrupled and everyone else has experienced no growth. The Washington Post noted that in 2008, the average family income for the bottom 90 percent was $31,244 and that was a 1 percent decline from 1970. During the same period, the top .1 percent saw their income increase by 385% to $5.6 million. (The wealth divide is even more extreme; while the top 1 percent earn 21 percent of the nation's income, they now control 36 percent of our wealth.)
The good news is that there is growing awareness among the 99 percent that they've been ripped off; that they're engaged in a decades-long class war and their side is losing. As a result working Americans are in favor of raising taxes on the 1 percent. And there's some evidence that the 99 percent are waking up to the problem of big money in politics, the problems caused by the Citizens United Supreme Court decision. The bad news is that this may not be enough to save our Democracy.
Over the last 30 years, the United States has been looted. The rich and powerful, the 1 percent, have taken a disproportionate share of the economic gains that we've all worked for. As a consequence America is teetering on the brink of Plutocracy. To remedy this inequity and restore Democracy, fundamental changes must be made.
The first step is recognition that we're in a class war and must take sides. Recently ani difranco updated the words to the old Union song, "Which Side Are You On?" They aptly summarize the current political situation:
Thirty years of diggin'
Got us in this hole
The curse of Reaganomics
Has finally taken its toll.
Lord knows the free market
Is anything but free
It costs dearly to the planet
And the likes of you and me.
I don't need those money lenders
Sucking on my tit
A little socialism
Don't scare me one bit!
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on?
On one level, the 2012 election will be a referendum on the economy and Obama's leadership. But at another, deeper level the election will be about class warfare: are Americans prepared to stop the looting? Are they prepared to take sides?
Barack Obama is not a perfect candidate but at least he is willing to talk about class warfare and to propose common sense steps towards economic justice. That's a big difference from Mitt Romney who doesn't think we have a class problem or issues with economic fairness and says of people who suggest this "[Its] about envy. It's about class warfare."
Which side are you on?
So are we just consumers
Or are we citizens?
Are we gonna make more garbage
Or are we gonna make amends?
Are you part of the solution
Or are you part of the con?
Which side are you on now
Which side are you on?
Judith Samuelson: In Phase 2, Occupy Movement Needs a More Nuanced View of Capitalism
'‘We ask that government undertake the obligation above all of providing citizens with adequate opportunity for employment and earning a living. The activities of the individual must not be allowed to clash with the interests of the community, but must take place within the confines and be for the good of all. Therefore, we demand: ... an end to the power of financial interest. We demand profit sharing in big business. We demand a broad extension of care for the aged. We demand ... the greatest possible consideration of small business in the purchases of the national, state, and municipal governments. In order to make possible to every capable and industrious [citizen] the attainment of higher education and thus the achievement of a post of leadership, the government must provide an all-around enlargement of our system of public education.... We demand the education at government expense of gifted children of poor parents.... The government must undertake the improvement of public health -- by protecting mother and child, by prohibiting child labor -- by the greatest possible support for all groups concerned with the physical education of youth. [W]e combat the ... materialistic spirit within and without us, and are convinced that a permanent recovery of our people can only proceed from within on the foundation of The Common Good Before the Individual Good.’--National Socialist Party of Germany, 1930’s
Thank you for this compelling article. I like you believe that we are in the midst of class war….however, I feel that going after the 1% is not ambitious enough. To have a really stellar class warfare where one group of Americans hate another group of Americans I feel we should expand this initiative
That is why I am advocating going after the wonk-eyed, hillbilly 17% (those people between the 21st percentile and the 38th percentile) along with the sassy-and snarky 14% (those between the 60th percentile and 74th percentile). I mean does anyone really know what these two groups are up to? Probably no good.
The best thing for us to do is to round them up and take all their property (we can call it ‘tax’ instead of ‘expropriation’) or send them somewhere where they can earn their freedom through work to support other people (we can call it ‘tax’ instead of slavery)
I agree with you that hating people based on class, or creed, or color, or religion, or savings account size is what has made America the power house it is. We need to amplify this divisiveness to reach our full potential.
Again, thanks for pointing out a real problem.
Kai
Semper fi
Why do I have to be involved with this topic at all?
First of all, I find it hard to believe that if the Government is somehow going to make my life better by taking 5% more of what someone else has. At the the end of the day, I think it's better to make changes in my own life rather than beg for what was taken from someone else.
But that may not be an option.
And about the only way I can see the fight being avoided is if more of the 1% join Warren Buffet and Bill Gates in requesting that their own taxes be raised--substantially.
That would not even be sufficient. Other issues such as environmental responsibilty would then need to be seriously addressed, but it would be a start.
The program (based on the book of the same name) detailed how, after the Emancipation Proclamation, southern companies had to figure out how to compete again after losing their free labor. So ridiculous laws were passed that allowed the newly freed slaves to be arrested (for talking too loud in the presence of whites, or being unemployed) and imprisoned. Then, they were leased out to corporations for a fee. Almost free labor for companies like U.S. Steel and income for the counties.
Besides making me sick, the program confirmed for me that the ONLY thing so many companies care about is the bottom line, while enriching those at the top. A living wage is only given because of labor laws. With the destruction of unions, there is little leverage the average worker has.
I think people don't know how to change all this. It seems so hopeless, so why try? We need regulation, but the only way to get that is from Congress who will NOT vote against their own re-election.
If we could just stick to voting based on sound economics and public policy (and not emotional hot-button issues), we could diminish the power of the 1% substantially.
Considering most Americans couldn't even figure out the risks of an adjustable rate mortgage . . . I have a tough time believing they'll be understanding economics.
Semper fi
In the longer run we need to bring manufacturing jobs back to this country. Multi-nationals don't care where they make their money so they need an offer they can't refuse--no taxes! Relocate in Cleveland and pay no taxes on corporate profits. The kicker is that public companies must become pass-throughs, paying fully taxed dividends with their retained earnings (less working capital). Those profits will flow to taxpayers and recirculate through the economy. Excess retained earnings will be taxed 100%. Of course, the easiest way to avoid an imputed dividend is to reinvest in America. Kinda patriotic, ain't it?
Obama's loud pulpit pounding pontificating against the wealthy Capitalists as being the cause of nation's problems gives me a scary feeling of deja vu. How many times have we seen that used to breed discontent and manipulate the masses. Think about it. That kind of class warfare has brought down nations.
Semper fi
My guess is that most of these clowns wouldn't make it to their first paycheck. They're not used to real work.