Are we headed toward class warfare?

[FormerRepublican]

From all the legislation being passed in Congress to benefit the wealthy, and some of the snide comments in the press from some of these same wealthy (like Barfra Bush) about the poor, are we heading toward class warfare? Bush certainly engaged in a war on the poor and unfortunate before he ever invaded Iraq.

Class warfare has happened before. Lots of rich folk turned the screws on the poor in France before the revolution, then found their necks became target practice for the wondrous new invention, Madame Guillotine. This was after the rich had tested the device extensively on the poor for every conceivable reason, of course.

Robin Hood is a famous example of a man who took action when the Saxon poor were taxed excessively by the Norman invaders.

The United States itself is an example of a taxpayer revolt against the greed of King George.

The Magna Carta is an example of the "lesser" classes demanding their rights from the autocratic king.

History is replete with examples of the wealthy completely overcome by greed, and of the inevitable response by those who are oppressed and forced to fund this ever increasing greed.

How close are we in the United States to similar class warfare?

[Talismom]

1. It's frightening to think of the new weapons they have to use

against the "masses" now, to make sure that such revolts are put down and send a message to those who might consider another. I'm afraid we're entering a very frightening period of history in this country.

[Benhurst]

2. As soon as the lower 95% of the population discovers the

corporate media hasn't been reporting the truth for years.

[mitchum]

16. Won't happen until they turn off their televisions

"Oh look! Shiny people!"

[mhr]

3. Many Long Timers Here Have Made This Observation

The answer is yes!

[RagingInMiami]

4. I think we are

But it's going to take several more years of repressive government to wake up the masses.

[leftstreet]

5. Most working class people don't define themselves as poor. Y.E.T.

As long as there's someone on the rung below them, they think they're still climbing.

[mitchum]

17. Won't happen as long as they can continue to accrue credit debt

[izzie]

6. Well I do think the rich are after us.

I can not guess why as most need us to buy their stuff what ever it is. If we fall they will fall even more.

[HereSince1628]

7. You are kidding right? Is this some sort of trick question to out

those who lean way over into the conservative republican right?

[Hello_Kitty]

8. Absolutely

The current crop of plutocrats have no apparent grasp of history. But then, they never do. The neo-cons must think the French and Russian revolutions were anomalies and the massive social unrest that arose due to abuse of workers and harsh economic conditions in this country won't happen again because they'll just clamp down on the unruly masses even harder this time and feed the rest religion, cheap entertainment, and nationalism. Dumbasses. We're fortunate that these greedy pigs tend to be so shortsighted. But it's going to be ugly nonetheless.

[Orrex]

9. "Heading toward"??? Where've you been?!?

Never in US history has there been a period when it was not rich vs. poor, and the rich have always had better resources, better access to government, and better "weapons" for use in the war.

The more interesting question, to me, is "Will we ever leave class warfare behind?"

Love your name, by the way! :hi:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. Another question, in the alternative:

"Will the poor start fighting for their rightful share."

As you state, this is an ongoing battle. The wealthy have never stopped fighting it but on many occasions the poor have.

[MountainLaurel]

28. To borrow a quote from Napolean

"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."

Praise Jeebus!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

38. Why do you think the rich invented it?

:hide:

[MountainLaurel]

40. Excellent point . . .

Or at least they shaped those religions most likely to keep the poor down, using their Deity's word as justification.

[rman]

10. Man, where have you been.

It's been going on for ages - it never really stopped.

I think what you mean is some sort of confrontation between the classes. That might yet happen. Hopefully in the form of a http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5573123">quiet revolution (DU thread).

[Nay]

11. It is my opinion that the "masses" do not have the physical, mental

or emotional stamina to conduct a physical revolution of any kind. Add to this the unbelievable weaponry (noise cannons, infrared pain generators, etc., etc.) available to the powers that be, and revolution is pretty much out of the question. Unless...

the revolution is a passive one. Is there a power in the world that can make you go shopping and spend your money on unnecessary things? No. Is there a power that can make you invest your money in American corporations? No. Is there a power that can make you do more than the minimum at work? No.

[liberal N proud]

12. Two class society - The Have's and the Have Not's

I am sure that I am below the cut off for the Have's

And the Have's will do nothing to aid the have not's, I think I heard the term Social Darwinism

[BillZBubb]

13. The war has been raging since 1978. Our side is hiding in a bunker

The Reagan/conservative agenda is entirely based on class warfare. Their side has been having its way for twenty five years. Our side has been in a fog the whole time. We have so many collaborators in the Democratic party that it is difficult to mount any resistance. The corporatocracy is on the move. Clinton briefly fought a rear guard action, but quickly surrendered.

The beauty of this coup for the other side, is that the minute a Democrat starts talking about stopping them, the Repug media machine starts screaming about the Democrats stirring up "class warfare" and raising taxes. The DLC and other DINO's join in as their Amen Chorus. And the sheeple believe the Democrats are up to no good--all the while seeing their real income dropping.

[warrens]

14. Yes, and we will win

Since we outnumber them about 1,000 to 1. And they are rather obvious in their choice of housing, automobiles, etc.

[mitchum]

15. God, I hope so!

[SheilaT]

18. The real problem is that

surveys consistently show that some large percent of people -- I think it's around 60% -- think that they are or will be in the top 10% economically. A good example of how math-challenged most people are. Too many middle class or working class folks go along with cutting of inheritance taxes or capital gains taxes because they somehow think that they will benefit from those tax cuts. In reality, it's a tiny, tiny number of people who leave behind an estate worth over $2M or whatever it is these days that's already tax free.

[MalachiConstant]

19. good question

there's no question that the income divide is become greater and more harmful. that said, i'm not sure if there's any "revolt" on the horizon.




postscript:

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http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4430590

[iconoclastNYC]

20. Toward? HA HA HA

Reagan's tax cuts were the opening salvo. Get with it.

[Blue_In_AK]

21. When some people in this country are making $300,000

a day and other people don't have money to buy food or pay rent, I think we're ripe for some trouble. We are definitely living in an age of robber barons.

[AntiFascist]

23. No, because.....

for the ultra-rich multi-billionaires to support the millionaires, it would just be too expensive.

:evilgrin:

[killbotfactory]

24. Already happening

Our standard of living is based on crass exploitation of the poor in other countries. The rich want us to discard every labor and environmental regulation possible to "compete" with wage slaves in the third world.

[stickdog]

25. Umm, isn't that a bad word? You know, like "liberal" and "death tax"?

[HughBeaumont]

26. Read the book "Perfectly Legal" for the answer to that question.

You'll see how the wealthy have been screwing the lower 95% hand over fist since the 80s, and continue to do so while laughing.

[0007]

27. Headed! Give me a break aren't we there yet?

[kentuck]

29. As we squeeze our little heads out from under the jackboots....

Class war? What class war?

[newportdadde]

30. The war has never stopped its been going on for centuries

with some reprieves here and there like after WW2 for the United States or after the Black Death in Europe which tightened the labor supply so much those who survived did have a bit more power.

We have taken a pounding here since the mid 70s in wages and buying power. Unfortunately as wages declined Americans shifted into a low low prices mode and a borrow borrow borrow mode and I can't blame them but ultimately that is self defeating. If you rot out your core good paying jobs you will eventually have noone left to buy your stuff.

[leftofthedial]

31. Absolutely not!

we're already there.

and the "aristocrats" are kicking our asses.

[obreaslan]

32. The war started in January of 1981 with Regan...

It started the minute he took office and has been waging ever since. In case you haven't noticed, we, the lower 95% are losing very badly too.

[Beacho]

33. Headed?

It started many moons ago, we're just seeing some of the logical conclusions of what's been going on for years.

[TriMetFan]

34. My father talked to me about this when I....

was 12, I'm now 43. But he did say and still does that The Revolution or the New Civil War will happen in my life time. I remember him telling me about how we would loose our rights very slowly and when the poor wakes up that is when the war will happen. :shrug:

[MindPilot]

35. You Dad sounds like he is a very smart man.

Was he well-educated too?

Mine would talk about how "they" allowed you to get just enough to believe there was nothing to worry about. He too had mentioned a very similar thing; I would probably see what he called a "race war" in my lifetime.

Edit for typo

[TriMetFan]

39. Yes he is educated.

His friends have always been people like the late Texas congressman Henry B. Gonzalez another Congressman etc. The day that Bush was put into office back in 2000 by the U.S. Supreme Court my dad called me and said that this was the beginning of the worst part of our modern History in the U.S. I will say that some times my dad does freak me out with some of the stuff he tells us.:shrug:

[maxsolomon]

36. The Answer is NO

Power in America has successfully used Race as the tool by which class conciousness is thwarted, divided & conquered. Nothing structural has changed in America to end this misdirection, despite the recent turn away from groups such as the KKK & Aryan Nations, etc.

If anything, the tools of the Oligarchy have become more effective, the message more insidious, and the resulting battle lines more entrenched. The TV is more soporific than ever. The obese population can barely get off the couch, much less foment class warfare. Do you think booty & bling-obsessed hip hop & jingoistic, gun-toting GOP country have anything to say to each other? The only things to cross-pollinate between these 2 cultures is Kid Rock & Bubba Sparxxx.

If there is a class war, the rich will hire the poor to kill themselves.

[jokerman93]

42. !!!

I think you have something there! Unbelievable, but it rings true.

:wow:

[losdiablosgato]

37. Not shit Sherlock!!!

[mrgorth]

41. Just wanted to echo the comments

of those who say we're already there.