"The Cost of the 'Ownership Society': Pottersville"

[checks-n-balances]

This may be a dupe from last month, but definitely worth repeating!

(From article with actual title of "Frameshop: Ownership Society")

..."OWNERSHIP SOCIETY" IS GOP SPEAK FOR "DEREGULATED MARKETS": Conservatives talk about ownership without bothering to talk about how the under advantage will become owners. This is dangerous. It spreads the false idea that ownership is the pure product of hard work, rather than the result of well managed social and economic opportunity.

AN "OWNERSHIP SOCIETY" WOULD BE RULED BY ARISTOCRATS AND KINGS: Who's the symbol of an ownership society? The King of England, that's who. The framers of our constitution understood that in order for everyone to have opportunity, government must insure equal opportunity for all by limiting the ability of a few wealthy owners to slowly amass the majority of the nations wealth. Conservatives disagree with this vision held by the very founders of this country.

"OWNERSHIP SOCIETY" DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO OWN A HOME: It means that you'll have an increasingly difficult time buying that first home because there will be no regulations in the market. Ownership will be the exclusive domain of those who already have equity--either through inheritance, access to corporate wealth, or through personal gain. To be against Bush's "ownership society" is actually to be FOR the rights of first home buyers.

<snip>

Responses when "Opportunity Society" is used:
"THAT WOULD PUT US ALL ON THE ROAD TO POTTERSVILLE"

"WE HAVE A NAME FOR OWNERSHIP SOCIETIES: THEY'RE CALLED COUNTRY CLUBS"

"DON'T YOU MEAN 'CREDIT CARD DEBT SOCIETY'"

"THAT THE VERY THING THE FRAMERS OF THE CONSTITUTION TRIED TO PROTECT US FROM?"

LONG LIVE GEORGE W. BUSH: KING OF THE OWNERSHIP SOCIETY

More at:
http://jeffrey-feldman.typepad.com/frameshop/2005/01/frameshop_owner.html

This is an EXCELLENT website with lots of advice on reframing the debate in our conversations with those who have heard too much RW propaganda.

I HIGHLY recommend it!

Edited to add: In case anyone missed it, the reference to "Pottersville" is from the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life". That story has some eerie parallels, as does the rich/poor theme of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

[xray s]

1. I think people are wising up

Bush always tops his turds off with whipped cream.

[calimary]

2. Ouch! What an excruciatingly great response! Sure paints an accurate

picture of the double-dealing he's been up to.

This is a good thread - WELL worth kicking.

[checks-n-balances]

3. Good idea - I'm kicking it!