One would think that the right wing and the ultra rich could stand to learn from 18th Cent. France

[MrScorpio]

There's a very instructive lesson there...

But I guess that robbing everyone else blind really affords them the luxury to be quite obtuse to the world around themselves.

[hobbit709]

1. They won't get it until they are introduced to Madame Guillotine.

[NewJeffCT]

2. They're arrogant

so, they think that controlling the media and the message will allow them to stay in power.

Edited to add - and, frankly, like Bush said, he doesn't care about how history views him, since he'll be dead. The same with these rich people - if they can hang on to power until the end of their lives, then they'll have succeeded. They don't care what comes after them - famine & drought from global warming... polluted water, ground and air... etc. They'll be dead, so it won't affect them.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. They have learned, and very well

They've learned that they need to control the channels of information and opinion. They've learned how to convince the sans culottes that they, the rich, are just like them. They've learned how to persuade the chickens to vote for the foxes.

[opihimoimoi]

6. Twue Dat....

[blogslut]

4. I wouldn't wish the Terror on anybody

Heads rolled and they weren't always wearing a powdered wig.

[Swede]

5. Let them eat big Macs.

:shrug:

[Marr]

7. They have. They developed sophisticated PR.

And much bigger guns.