Class Struggle/Class War

[Matsubara]

The spate of threads expressing indignation about Gravel's tax ideas, and the fact that democrats would actually support them, has brought something into focus that maybe wasn't so clear before. The fact that we are in the midst of a class war, one that was declared by the Reaganites 26 years ago, and which has continued unabated ever since.

One of the thing that always floors me is how any time a progressive leader or pundit calls for an increase in the minimum wage, or a rollback of the Reagan/Bush tax breaks for the super-rich, or anything else that might be construed as "income redistribution", they are accused of fomenting "class war", and for some reason those words usually make them run off with their tail in between their legs.

So why do we not call it "class war" when corporations (IE corporate boards IE the super-rich) contribute to (bribe) politicians expecting favors like tax breaks so that they can export our jobs overseas,

or when they falsely call the tax on estates over $2 mil. a "death tax",

or when they pretend that cutting the capital gains tax helps everyone,

or when their neighborhoods and businesses and events get much more police protection than our neighborhoods,

or when they try to defund the public schools and give THEMSELVES a coupon for a discount on private school tuition,

or when they jack up traffic infractions to the $300 range,

or when companies move their headquarters to a post office box in the Caribbean to avoid even the super low US corporate taxes,

or when rich people use "enterprise zones" (which were SUPPOSED to help low-income areas) to get free, no-repayment-necessary loans to relocate their businesses only to provide a few, low-paying jobs,

or when they pass bankruptcy laws that trap millions more into debt slavery while still allowing the exorbitant fees charged by card companies,

and granting their own businesses easy access to bankruptcy, if not a hefty government bailout,

or when they slash payrolls and then take a golden parachute worth millions, and on and on and on.

Oh, wait, I forgot the best one of all - I've heard this one several times "Capital is mobile now, so if you raise the taxes on the rich, they'll just take their money and move to some country with lower taxes" Don'tcha just love that one? And they call US unpatriotic?


There was a time when we used to "look for the union label" (now we can't even find a 'made in USA' label), and the more of the wealthy acknowledged how fortunate they were and didn't balk at paying their fair share of the costs of running a society.


When are we going to look the rich in the face and thell them to stop acting like looters and start acting like citizens?

[NightWatcher]

1. Money becomes King

this is another facet of the corporatocracy. This time the "important cogs" in the big machine get their perks while they serve at the pleasure of the machine. As soon as these same people do not help the company's bottom line, they too will be tossed aside to fight amongst the rest of us for the scraps.

[Lars39]

2. Kick and Recommended

:applause:

[katsy]

3. k/r

[Sapphire Blue]

4. Jim Webb: Class Struggle - American workers have a chance to be heard.

Posting it again...

Class Struggle
American workers have a chance to be heard.
BY JIM WEBB
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 12:01 a.m. EST

The most important--and unfortunately the least debated--issue in politics today is our society's steady drift toward a class-based system, the likes of which we have not seen since the 19th century. America's top tier has grown infinitely richer and more removed over the past 25 years. It is not unfair to say that they are literally living in a different country. Few among them send their children to public schools; fewer still send their loved ones to fight our wars. They own most of our stocks, making the stock market an unreliable indicator of the economic health of working people. The top 1% now takes in an astounding 16% of national income, up from 8% in 1980. The tax codes protect them, just as they protect corporate America, through a vast system of loopholes.

(snip)

This ever-widening divide is too often ignored or downplayed by its beneficiaries. A sense of entitlement has set in among elites, bordering on hubris. When I raised this issue with corporate leaders during the recent political campaign, I was met repeatedly with denials, and, from some, an overt lack of concern for those who are falling behind. A troubling arrogance is in the air among the nation's most fortunate. Some shrug off large-scale economic and social dislocations as the inevitable byproducts of the "rough road of capitalism." Others claim that it's the fault of the worker or the public education system, that the average American is simply not up to the international challenge, that our education system fails us, or that our workers have become spoiled by old notions of corporate paternalism.

(snip)

More troubling is this: If it remains unchecked, this bifurcation of opportunities and advantages along class lines has the potential to bring a period of political unrest. Up to now, most American workers have simply been worried about their job prospects. Once they understand that there are (and were) clear alternatives to the policies that have dislocated careers and altered futures, they will demand more accountability from the leaders who have failed to protect their interests. The "Wal-Marting" of cheap consumer products brought in from places like China, and the easy money from low-interest home mortgage refinancing, have softened the blows in recent years. But the balance point is tipping in both cases, away from the consumer and away from our national interest.

The politics of the Karl Rove era were designed to distract and divide the very people who would ordinarily be rebelling against the deterioration of their way of life. Working Americans have been repeatedly seduced at the polls by emotional issues such as the predictable mantra of "God, guns, gays, abortion and the flag" while their way of life shifted ineluctably beneath their feet. But this election cycle showed an electorate that intends to hold government leaders accountable for allowing every American a fair opportunity to succeed.

With this new Congress, and heading into an important presidential election in 2008, American workers have a chance to be heard in ways that have eluded them for more than a decade. Nothing is more important for the health of our society than to grant them the validity of their concerns. And our government leaders have no greater duty than to confront the growing unfairness in this age of globalization.


http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009246

If anyone would like to be heard...

(Courtesy of DUer calimary)

HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498

1 (800) 459 - 1887

1 (800) 614 - 2803

1 (866) 340 - 9281

1 (866) 338 - 1015

1 (877) 851 - 6437

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=745207&mesg_id=745500

[tlsmith1963]

21. I've Been Concerned About This For Awhile Now

When the Shrub's father was President, I realized for the first time that I wasn't going to do as well as my parents had. A few years later, I was on the verge of suicide. I just felt completely hopeless. So this issue has hit me personally. Antidepressants are the only things that have gotten me through the post-9/11 era. So I *want* class warfare! I want a real chance to fight these rich bastards.

[sandnsea]

5. And "Made in USA"

most likely means made in the Samoas or Marianas, who brought in slave labor from China and had few regulations that we traditionally equate to "Made in USA".

And despite all of these tax cuts and offshoring cost breaks, cost of brand goods hasn't dropped a dime. And they STILL try to tell us they can't raise wages because it'll raise prices.

Do you know when wages go up that economic magazines report it as a rise in labor costs - it's a bad thing.

But there's no class war. :eyes:

[BeFree]

6. What?

You're not happy with what trickles down from the elite's tables?

Get in line and follow the rules or they'll throw you in jail.

[katsy]

7. Sometimes I wonder if they shouldn't just take their "mobile" capital and go.

Just go.

Do they think we can't rebuild this country... better?

What good is their capital to us?

Maybe co-ops would spring up, farms would thrive, fed dissolved, educators and scientists elected to office etc... and people would actually work together instead of having these maggots tearing us apart.

I'd welcome their capital moving out for good.

[FatDave]

34. No shit.

Not like we see any of their precious fucking capital anyway. Get the hell out. We neither need nor want you.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

8. Bourgeois and Proletarians

"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
-Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, Communist Manifesto

[murdoch]

11. And before that

There hasn't been a class struggle since the rise of the bourgeoisie, there has been a class struggle since the existence of classes was first made possible, that is the agricultural revolution. Before that, when people were hunter/gatherers, everyone had to work. With the agricultural revolution, a surplus was created, which meant it became possible for some people not to work, the idle class, and there have been problems ever since...

[Dragonbreathp9d]

26. You should learn a little non-Straussian history

With the invention of currency and ownership of land came societal man and the struggle between classes. That struggle is still going on (a struggle and an actual shift in the economic structure, like feudalism to capitalism, are two different things, the emergence of the bourgeois only ended with 'revolution,' the actual revolution was already done).

[bleedingheart]

38. if you read a bit of history there have been class struggles in antiquity

as a rule, the peasant class doesn't rock the boat unless they have nothing left to lose.

For example the Peasant Revolt

"Richard II and the Peasant's Revolt
The Peasant Revolt. In Edward III's dotage John of Gaunt (Ghent, in modern Belgium) was virtual ruler of England. He continued as regent when Richard II, aged 10, came to the throne in 1377. Four years later a poll tax was declared to finance the continuing war with France. Every person over the age of 15 had to pay one shilling, a large sum in those days. There was tremendous uproar amongst the peasantry. This, combined with continuing efforts by land owners to re-introduce servility of the working classes on the land, led to the Peasant's Revolt. The leaders of the peasants were John Ball, an itinerant priest, Jack Straw, and Wat Tyler. The revolt is sometimes called Wat Tyler's Rebellion. They led a mob of up to 100,000 people to London, where the crowd went on a rampage of destruction, murdered the Archbishop of Canterbury, and burned John of Gaunt's Savoy Palace.

The End of the Revolt. Eventually they forced a meeting with the young king in a field near Mile End. Things began amicably enough, but Wat Tyler grew abusive and the Lord Mayor of London drew his sword and killed him.

"
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Richard_II_to_Henry_V.htm

Or...

The Servile Wars of Ancient Rome were also an example...Slaves revolting over their treatment...would be akin to modern workers revolting over their treatment...

Throughout history...people have sometimes "had enough of the bullshit" and they risk their lives for change.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[donco6]

10. You forgot the sarcasm thingy!

Right?

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[guitar man]

14. nobody's asking the rich to be penalized

only to pay their fair share, which they have not been doing for quite a while now. The back breaking portion of taxes is paid by middle class working stiffs like me.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[guitar man]

18. not necessarily

thay may have the highest tax rates, but they also have deductions, exemptions and loopholes that are ot available to us common folk,and can employ accountants to find every one for them, so what they actually wind up paying as a percentage may be vastly different from what their tax rates are.

[truedelphi]

39. In California, the simple event of having bought a home

Decades ago and holding on to it insures your wealth.

Due to prop 13, you paytaxes on the original value of the home and not the accrued value.

But of course, the house is worth what ist is worth - and that value can give you low rate realty equity loans to start a business, finance the education of your kids, etc.

Then when you die, the kids can have the house invorporated, and then it will not even be taxed at that point.

[Matsubara]

41. Prop 13 is a disgusting piece of legislation.

God forbid taxing everyone's home fairly. No, we have to punish anyone new who has the misfortune of having to move to CA.

Were it not for Prop 13, people would be more apt to sell, and housing prices would be more affordable, although at this point, rampant speculation and the rich snapping up second homes is as much to blame for the hyperinflation in housing in CA as Prop 13...

[JanMichael]

30. Somehow I hear the Soledad Brothers now. nt

[Cleita]

17. Do you think it's fair to put the burden of taxes on the

working poor? That's what's happening, yet the rich use much more than the poor do in the way of the commons because they have more. So is it fair for the poor to bear the major burden of taxes for roads, police and fire and all the other commons that taxes pay for which the rich use much more than the poor do?

[guitar man]

22. Of course mr. tombstone thinks that

he's programmed to. Most of the modern super-wealthy we have in this country got rich riding the working slob's backs, why shouldn't we shoulder their tax burden for them too?

[Cleita]

24. LOL!

He didn't last long.

[guitar man]

25. no, he didn't

I was just about to ask him what he wanted on his pizza and *poof* he was gone.

Way to go mods!

:applause:

[FatDave]

35. Well, don't forget...

Don't forget that some of the super-wealthy got rich by stealing the resources of the middle-east, be they opium or oil.

[Cleita]

19. Wrong, more rich inherited money than earned it.

Since I have worked for many rich heirs in my life, most of them are piss poor at handling money and would have none if there weren't batteries of accountants and lawyers managing it for them. Our President is a prime example of what I'm speaking about.

[Matsubara]

31. Even when children of the rich don't inherit much money...

...they inherit the advantages of the best schools, the ability to mix with and speak the language of important people, and a better understanding of how to game the system.

Just something to keep in mind when someone like the son of a rich judge, like Rush Limbaugh- talks about their experiences with unemployment and how they made it "all on their own".

[tlsmith1963]

23. If You're Not Kidding...

...hey, I work! I have a job! Don't tell me that I'm some "libtard". And people wonder why I can't stand conservatives.

[wildbilln864]

13. K&R! Great post! n/t

[Madspirit]

16. k&r...n/t

[leftofthedial]

20. class war, with only one side fighting

capitalism is their tool

[MN ChimpH8R]

27. Vast inherited wealth is a pure evil

particularly when it consists of large piles of stocks and bonds. It is anti-democratic, antisocial and smacks loudly of establishing a hereditary aristocracy, which is about as un-American as can be imagined. Intergenerational transfers of same should be taxed at confiscatory rates.

Family run businesses and farms should be exempt from the estate tax entirely as long as the heirs run them for at least ten years before selling them off. At that point, meaningful capital gains taxes shoud be levied, but no charge for as long as the heirs keep running the business.

It takes no brains to sit and live off money you did absolutely nothing to earn. In fact, this is best described as being a worthless, POS parasite on society. The B*sh family has been busy proving this for at least three generations. It does take brains amd effort to keep a farm or business going, and a social benefit is provided to boot.

It is shameful that money earned by work is taxed at a higher rate than money "earned" by letting one's pile of big investments appreciate.

The rich have been stomping the middle and working classes to death for the last 26 years. What is to be done?

EAT THE RICH, THE POOR ARE TOUGH AND STRINGY

[Ikonoklast]

28. We are in a class war right now

The monied class always decries anything that infringes on their noblesse oblige, but as long as they are able to buy off governments and make sure that laws are passed for the benefit of the few, to the detriment of the many, there will be class war. It is waged by the rich and their proxies against those that are perceived to take what they have.

Most people put themselves on the wrong side of that fence, fully believing that they are part of the 'elite'. They do not realize that the piece of the pie that they think they own would vanish in a heartbeat in a major economic downturn. In an era of rampant price increases and runaway inflation, without an income one million dollars could disappear rather quickly.

The truly wealthy would be un fazed. If you had a $100MM, and lost 90% of it, you would still be sheltered from harsher existence.

Most of the population have to work for a living, even if they consider themselves 'professionals', and are not inheritors of great wealth. They have little or nothing to fall back on, and are kept motivated by the fear of losing what little they do have. This is the type of self-imposed control that the middle-class puts on itself, to their own detriment.

As long as there are generation after generation of descendants of the robber barons, and those politicians that worship them and do their bidding, there will never be true economic equality in this nation.

[redacted]

29. YEAH! GREAT, GREAT POST!

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

"When are we going to look the rich in the face and thell them to stop acting like looters and start acting like citizens?" HEAR HEAR!

Greg Palast has talked extensively on Democracy Now about how class war by the super-rich against everybody less wealthy is the one theme common to all his projects.

Another excellent source of analysis along these lines is at http://karmabanqueradio.com/, where they've really got this dynamic figured out.

We now have a situation in the U.S. where the top 5000 earn an annual amount EQUAL TO THE BOTTOM 150 MILLION! No society can survive with that kind of income disparity.

God I hate how the super-rich are all trying to take this country back to pre-1776 feudal serfdom. It's the "Refeudalization of America" in full swing. And don't think for one minute that corporations aren't trying to suck every last penny that they can out of the non-rich in this country before the Bush cabal gets run out of office!

[camero]

32. They wanna move? Fuck em'

They got thier money here and when they leave and give up citizenship, thier money stays here. Hey, they give up thier citizenship they give up thier rights also. Including any ill-gotten gains they got here.

[jelly]

42. Sounds fair to me.

They wouldn't have that money had they not had a bunch of low and middle class suckers to prey on. If they do not even have the decency to stay here and try to circulate that money back into the economy, then we should be within our rights to take that money and perform the recirculation ourselves.

[earth mom]

33. Part of the problem is too many around here & elsewhere think they're gonna be rich too someday...

they play the stock market and they think it's just a matter of time before they hit it big. So they EXCUSE all the bullshit, manipulation and exploitation of the majority of workers in this country because they're gonna be next on the gravy train goddammit! :eyes:

Once people in this country stop worshiping the almighty dollar, then maybe we'll get somewhere and make some progress in this country.

Meanwhile, I won't be holding my breath.

[FatDave]

37. But are wealth and ethics mutually exclusive?

I don't think so. Look at all the rich Hollywood liberals who aren't afraid to pay taxes. So I think it's OK to dream of the gravy train, as long as you don't dream of becoming a total asshole on the day you jump on.

[Matsubara]

40. Of course not. According to Hollywood films, they're like mom & apple pie...

I love how all the characters in light comedies live in huge colonial homes, to look at American movies, you'd think that about 70% of America was rich, and the richest of us were the most honest and pure....

Especially John Hughes films - with a couple of exceptions, ever notice that his films' protagonists are always wealthy white people?

...and people who use rhetoric like we are using in this thread are always depicted as lunatics, if not terrorists.

[meganmonkey]

36. Happy May Day

K & R

:thumbsup:

[Time for change]

43. Very well said

I'm inclined to support a candidate who has the courage to talk about this kind of thing without running away from it. Someone like Edwards or Kucinich.

[rhett o rick]

44. Good post. We all need to recognize that this isn't a war of democrats vs. republicans

but a class war. Many democrats are on the side of the rich caste. Capitalism, unrestricted, will kiss itself. The greedy capitalists will kill the goose (middle class) that lays the golden egg. the country needs a healthy middle class to sustain the economy, but the rich want it all now and are willing to kill the middle class to get it. Those same conservatives that use to preach fear of the communists are now in business with them and we are getting poison in our food supply. I don't see the democrats turning this trend around because many of them are beholding to the corporatists.