If this isn't a Class War, then what the bloody hell is it?

[wcepler]

Is this isn't a Class War, then what the bloody hell is it?

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Family systems folks in psychology used to talk about "the elephant in the living room" and the elephant was, variously, an abusive husband, and drug addicted wife (cigarettes, maybe?), a sleeping around spouse, etc., etc.

In any case, it was an exceptionally clever and subtle idea because it reminded us that monster sized problems can be collectively swept under the rug. They even had a name for the key-under-the-rug-sweepers, namely "enablers".

What was so powerful and healing about this analysis was that it made challengingly clear that dealing with the elephant without dealing with the elephant's enablers WAS JUST MORE ENABLING.

Sound familiar?

So, what's the elephant in our nation's living room? The answer to that question is exactly the same as the answer to what is what is the United States of America most in denial about?

The answer, alas, is that we are living in a Dictatorship of the Rich (fancy name: oligarchy). Said differently, America IS a Dictatorship of the Rich. Period.

Not to see this is not to see the sun.

Recent studies have shown that around 2% of the planet controls most of the wealth. So if it's any consolation, dictatorships of the rich are the rule and not the exception.

So here we are, the non 2%, the so called middle and lower classes, cleaning out the commodes of the Bush (alias, Saudi) Royal Families.

A Dictatorship of the Rich is an exact continuation the brutish Middle Ages with their Greek God like Royalty and the necessary serfs, peons, suckers, and slaves -- someone has to clean out the commodes.

OK, now let's talk about enabling. Why do we (i.e., the 98%) keep putting up with this handful of multimillionaires and billionaires? Or, to stick with our metaphor, why do we keep enabling these American Greek Gods?

Before proceeding, we should acknowledge that when it comes to American Greek Gods, there's just as many Democratic/Kennedy Royal Families as there are Republican/Murdoch Royal Families. Not to see this heartbreaking "bipartisan" fact is also not to see the sun.

Enabling is the little tap dance that distracts the family (or country) away from the elephant. That tap dance in America is called centrist politics. Think about enablers like Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton. That's centrist politics, these greased pigs of the Democratic Party who are the absolute and mortal enemies of ethical idealism and scientific rationality, i.e., those values and policies which were RESPONSIBLE FOR the midterm victories of 2006.

The wife with an abusive husband keeps the game going by pretending she really has some input into their "marriage". He, of course, bends over backward to perpetuate this illusion, but the reality is agonizingly otherwise. In spite of these pitiful rituals, he does WHATEVER THE HELL HE WANTS TO DO, WHENEVER THE HELL WE WANTS TO DO IT.

That's us. We're the enabling wife and Bush/Republicans and Greek God-like elites are doing WHATEVER THE HELL THE WANT TO DO, WHENEVER THE HELL THEY WANT TO DO IT.

But what about politics, law, and the constitution? Isn't that supposed to protect us (remember, the 98%) from the vampire rich 2%.

Ideally, of course, yes, but perhaps the primary and secret function of politics is to perpetuate the illusion that we have genuine, citizen input into the social and financial dynamics of our county.

But do we? The DLC dem centrists are already doing their best to dilute and nullify all the progressive gains of 2006. It's like an abusive husband convincing (money talks!) some scum bag therapist to tell the wife that she should "compromise more".

Well, if the abusive husband represents the pig, pig rich and the scum bag therapist represents the dem centrists, then the beat up wife (or spouse of either gender) is US!

So how do we break this abuse machine? How do we resurrect the American Dream?

Back to reality, right? Well, no magic formulas, but surely first things first is to SEE THINGS LIKE THEY ARE. And that means coming out of denial about thinking of our country as a Democratic Republic.

In our dreams! Our country is light years away from being a Democratic Republic. Out country is a Dictatorship of the Rich and we should find non political strategies (e.g., national boycotts, demonstrations, etc.) to dramatically share our nation's vast wealth.

Of course, the giving-away-the-farm centrists would call this socialism, but doesn't Jesus Justice say it just as well?

In any event, AT LEAST we should be like an abused wife who when talking with a friend, suddenly glimpses that her husband (American elites) is a total monster.

It also helps to see that Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton types are just doors to the commodes.
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wcproteus

[spag68]

1. IMHO

I've never understood the aversion to the idea of socialism. Of course the aristocracy controls most things, and the US has been relatively successful at the idea of good pay , and a thriving middle class. Unfortunately I don't believe we are evolved enough as a species, lacking a single vision to unite behind,to move forward on that enlightened path.

[femrap]

7. I always liked Socialism as well....

The media has given it a bad rap...just like the word, Liberal. Which is quite an accomplishment given that Jesus was a Liberal...hell, I think he founded Liberalism.

[MockSwede]

10. Socialism

Got that right.

Defined from within - people have not problem with it.

But,'defamed' from without - labelled without explanation or description. NO COMMIES, please!

We HAVE socialism in the US (Contrary to what the Repukes and Fundies and Libertarians think).

Social Security.

Medicaid

Medicare.

Department of Human Services

Department of Welfare

etc.

It's time to fully FUND us all taking care of all of us (the 98%) by funding the living shit out of the extremely rich (the 2%). Because the 2% is only and will only watch out for itself. And the only way that those who have MORE than someone else has can do to KEEP it that way is to have a large police force and prisons and military to keep those who have LESS or NOTHING from taking what they NEED from them. The elephant and the enablers....again. Without FORCE the 2% cannot keep the 98% from taking by force - except in the US where we all think we're going to 'win the lottery' and become one of the 2%!

[nealmhughes]

2. My word! The "C-Word"! Right there before my eyes....

Many here, much less elsewhere in the country dare not speak the beast's name: Class.

The soldering girls in Shanghai are modern day Dickens gluing on the labels...

It would appear that the bulk of the country here is "in service."

Victoria would have been proud!

[corkhead]

3. excellent post exactly on the mark. We've been trained to associate

socialism with communism with evil. When you look at geopolitics through this prism, it ie easy to understand why governments like ours have been overthrowing democratically elected countries for centuries.

I hope the BFEE knows something we don't and it is why they need to setup their pigfarm in Paraguay. Hopefully it is an exile.

[femrap]

8. I read somewhere that this land in Paraguay

has an aquifer under it....it's all about the WATER.

[Vidar]

4. Class genocide, perhaps.

[Fovea]

5. It's a class cold war

and I have been saying for a couple years that it is going to turn hot any day now.

[rman]

6. Without an enemy image you can not have an oligarchical society.

"The Anglo Americans are backing terrorists exactly when and where it suits them, from Chechenia to Cuba..."

"...Al Qaeda as an instrument of Western covert operations... this fundamentally undermines the entire concept of the war on terror. If Al Qaeda is an instrument of covert operations rather than an enemy of the West, then there is no war on terror."

"Oil, smoke and mirrors"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8677389869548020370

[MockSwede]

11. Without an enemy image

Exactly!

Without an enemy image you can not have an oligarchical society.

SO, we have the "EVIL AXIS".

So, the "WAR (OF) TERROR".

We versus them.

We are right because we believe in the RIGHT god! They are godless..

Keep the eyes away from the elephant under the living room rug by making a spectacle out of the country and wrapping it up in FEAR.

BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID.

Be afraid of 'terror' - so we fund the military and it's contractors and their employees die for their CEOs.

Be afraid of economic instability (aka globalization) - petroleum products are running out - so we can work at minimum wage at walmart.

(So the oligarchy can control you.)

[rman]

16. Some threats are for real though

Some of which are not supposed to scare us - such as corporate globalization.
Some of which are not mentioned by the government - such as peak oil and global warming, and the way in which our elected representatives are dealing with those problems: moving from oligarchy to full out in-your-face totalitarianism (of which globalization is a major part).

[wcepler]

21. indeed

"full out in your face totalitarianism"

great phrase and absolutely on the mark

[groovedaddy]

9. If you haven't read this book, read it

"Limbo: Blue Collar Roots, White Collar Dreams" by Alfred Lubrano
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471263761.html

It's not really poltical, per se, but it is a real eye opener. I was raised in a "blue collar" family - worked in factories to pay my why through college. I have since worked for many corporations, a few of them Fortune 500 companies. Through all this experience, I knew something just didn't sit right with me. This book explained it in spades. As much as Americans like to deny class, it is a fundamental reality. READ THIS BOOK!

[jaksavage]

12. Who's your enemy?

Racism, Gun rights, Women's rights, environmentalism, drugs and numerous other things are used to split the 98% into many pieces of pie. Because fighting each other leaves us little time to fight the 2%.

But the day is coming when the masses will focus on the real wrongs.
I hope I see that day.

[sarcasmo]

13. Kick for the real fight. When will we take it to the Corporate WHORES.

[gregflynn]

14. Dreamers

Many people who are not rich imagine that they will be someday and to vote aginst the rich is to vote against their dream.

[sarcasmo]

17. " To vote against the rich is to vote against their dream"?

What kind of nonsense is that? I guess you have a crystal ball and can read into the mind of the poor and working class poor like myself.

[Redbear]

15. class sectarian conflict? Class insurgency?

any other phrase they use to avoid saying it is civil war in Iraq

BUT, I'm not holding my breath on NBC suddenly announcing there is a class war in the US.

[yurbud]

18. in my union activities I use this analogy: you've got a dad who's drunk and beats you, you go to

neighbors for help because you are hungry, they feel sorry for you, so they give money to your dad, who uses it to buy booze and then beats you.

Too often, the Democrats have been both the kid and the neighbor.

[sbyte]

19. ?pondering or pandering?

Money controlled by the two percent is not really spent. Most of it resides in investments. Investments that fuel more money. So the money grows. So What!
Projects are funded some projects fail. Learn and invest wisely.

It's the political use of money which is skewing opinions and outcomes of government spending. Hail the new ethics rules in congress, good move. Now, what about Political campaign contributions?

On the other hand, Say, tax the heck out of the wealthy and even out the difference?
If you at this time were the spread out that much money which would be spent on things that could ramp up production, would it not also lead to rampant inflation, as to much money chases to few things?(products, resources, energy).

The american dream is becoming the world dream.
To fuel the dream we need, well, more fuel.( And less Co2)
(fission, Fusion, Mag-power?)

Oh, the power of democracy, reborn? It is in forms like this that it is growing.





___________________________________________________________-
???????????????????????????????????????????
It's a give and take society it seems.
I give to you you take from me.
I'm Free.
No Money.
___________________________________________________________-

[Nikia]

20. But middle class Americans might be in the top 2% when you consider

Things on a global scale. Someone owning a $200,000 home has more wealth in just that than almost everyone except the very top elite in third world countries as do most American small business owners.

[camero]

22. More like class theft

Diagnosed by the continual shift of the onus of taxation from the rich to the poor, rising earmarks and subsidies for corps in no need of them, lobbying kickbacks, declining gov't services, declining workers wages in the face of record productivity alongside skyrocketing executive and stock payments.

Enron, WorldCom, backdating stock options, and other corporate scandals. Increased sales of luxury items combined with Wal-Marts declining sales (say what you want about Wally World, the poor use them more, so it shows the poor have less to spend)

Lastly, perpetual warfare that drains the treasury at very little cost-effectiveness while leading to rising oil prices which benefit large corporations who can make deals to keep costs low.

If we can't see now, we never will. The Dems are in the same class so I have little hope it will change anytime soon.

[Blue_Tires]

23. ttt n/t