How fears of "socialism" and "fascism" hide naked theft...

[Triana]

• • •

In fact, when Americans today wish to critique or condemn their government, the typical epithets used are “socialism” or “fascism.” When my conservative friends are upset, they send me emails with links to material about “ObamaCare” and the like. These generally warn of a future socialist takeover of the private realm by an intrusive, power-hungry government. When my progressive friends are upset, they send me emails with links pointing to an incipient fascist takeover of our public and private realms, led by that same intrusive, power-hungry government (and, I admit it, I’m hardly innocent when it comes to such “what if” scenarios).

What if, however, instead of looking at where our government might be headed, we took a closer look at where we are -- at the power-brokers who run or influence our government, at those who are profiting and prospering from it? These are, after all, the “winners” in our American world in terms of the power they wield and the wealth they acquire. And shouldn’t we be looking as well at those Americans who are losing -- their jobs, their money, their homes, their healthcare, their access to a better way of life -- and asking why?

If we were to take an honest look at America’s blasted landscape of “losers” and the far shinier, spiffier world of “winners,” we’d have to admit that it wasn’t signs of onrushing socialism or fascism that stood out, but of staggeringly self-aggrandizing greed and theft right in the here and now. We’d notice our public coffers being emptied to benefit major corporations and financial institutions working in close alliance with, and passing on remarkable sums of money to, the representatives of “the people.” We’d see, in a word, kleptocracy on a scale to dazzle. We would suddenly see an almost magical disappearing act being performed, largely without comment, right before our eyes.

MORE • • • 

http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/175235/tomgram:_william_astore,_the_business_of_america_is_kleptocracy__/

[zeemike]

1. Oh yes the question why.

And I would note that there was at one time journalism based on what they called the 5 W's......who, what, when. where and why.
There are only 4 now and so those that depend on them for that information are left in the dark as to why.
Socialism, Fascism? no it is a new feudalism where a few own everything and we are all dependant on them for our very life.

[conspirator]

2. Reality is not about left or right, it's about up and down. Haves and not haves n/t

[citizen477]

3. Spot On

Absolutely! And, of course, when we speak out against the wealthy and their tactics, they say we're just jealous. One of the challenges is that Americans have been bamboozled into thinking that, they too, will be wealthy some day. However, the truth is that the chances of moving upward from the so-called, socio-economic class you're born in is actually quite low, but through the combination of marketing, our education system and our "look-at-me" culture, we have been and/or being brainwashed into thinking that we simply a college degree, a lotto number or a better-paying job away from hitting it big.

We need to wake up and realize that being truly wealthy has absolutely nothing to do with having excess "stuff" and money, but it is about connecting with each other and living a life filled with making those connections across lines of ethnicity and nationality. THAT is true wealthy, in my view.

[JDPriestly]

4. Last night, we watched the movie "Prestige."

It is about magicians. The right-wing propagandists use the tricks of magicians, of illusionists to confuse people. They point their fingers to numbers showing, for example, that lowering tax rates for the rich leads to a temporary boom in business. Lest you notice that the booms are inevitably followed by recessions, they distract you with accusations that therefore anyone who opposes lowering tax rates for the rich is a socialist.

The distraction works. We note that the top marginal tax rate in the roaring twenties was, at one point 25% -- lowest ever for the period following WWI. But before you can see the reality -- which is that the tax cut -- like most drastic tax cuts on the highest marginal rate -- lead to a huge bust, namely the great Depression, the word "socialist," leaps out at you, and you become totally dazzled and confused.

Bush's tax cut for the rich down to 35% lead to the recession we have today. We are close enough to Bush's administration to see the connection. The socialist accusations are being made to distract us from seeing it. Illusionists -- that's what Republicans are.

By the way, Reagan also cut taxes. And if you recall we had big economic problems during the Bush I era. In fact he lost because of the economic downturn during his administration -- and the fact that he raised taxes after saying he would not raise them.

Socialist, my eye. The rich need to pay their fair share. They get a lot more from the public sector. They owe a lot more in taxes.