Interesting article about widening income equality

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TrollFromDownBelow
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Interesting article about widening income equality

Post by TrollFromDownBelow » Wed May 21, 2014 12:13 pm

http://www.freep.com/article/20140521/O ... od|mostcom

Maybe not interesting, as I think most folks here would agree.
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Lanval
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Re: Interesting article about widening income equality

Post by Lanval » Fri May 23, 2014 10:23 am

The issue for me at this point, is the flaw in the system we have (if it's considered a flaw ~ I'm not clear that excluding the masses from the democratic process was considered a "flaw" when the Constitution was written, but I digress) is that the people (the middle class) lack the necessary time (due to the need to work to pay for stuff) to invest in shifting the democratic process to be more representative of the larger number of people. I just don't have the time to write letters, call, visit or do whatever other means of effecting my views in the political process. Only the wealthy have that privilege, and as such, they do much of the shot calling.

I think most people in the middle class would agree with the arguments made in the article, but have neither the time nor the energy to do something about it. Only when the system becomes so destabilized that "maintaining position" isn't possible will they be free to respond. Unfortunately, that has been revolution, historically speaking. Let us hope that the wealthy can change their views before we get there.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Interesting article about widening income equality

Post by Amskeptic » Fri May 23, 2014 8:54 pm

Lanval wrote:The issue for me at this point, is the flaw in the system we have (if it's considered a flaw ~ I'm not clear that excluding the masses from the democratic process was considered a "flaw" when the Constitution was written, but I digress) is that the people (the middle class) lack the necessary time (due to the need to work to pay for stuff) to invest in shifting the democratic process to be more representative of the larger number of people. I just don't have the time to write letters, call, visit or do whatever other means of effecting my views in the political process. Only the wealthy have that privilege, and as such, they do much of the shot calling.

I think most people in the middle class would agree with the arguments made in the article, but have neither the time nor the energy to do something about it. Only when the system becomes so destabilized that "maintaining position" isn't possible will they be free to respond. Unfortunately, that has been revolution, historically speaking. Let us hope that the wealthy can change their views before we get there.
After reading the Facebook replies under the article, I wonder if most people in the middle class would agree with the arguments made in the article. Some of the responses were so thoughtlessly hostile. One guy was slamming academia itself, and Reich's salary, without addressing one point in any substantive way. There is a HERD of hate out there, panicked hate, and liberals have done extremely poorly in quelling the panic or spelling out their perspective. Most Democrats in leadership right now are on my shit list for refusing to stand on principle. They are as election-oriented as any corporate shill republican, yet their platform and their principles are worthy of standing up for.

Facts are not the only arrows in the quiver. There has to be more of an attitude, a wit, an ability to be cleanly snarky, liberals need solid sound-bite put-downs, because the herd will not listen to facts, they will listen to leaders, and leaders do not become or maintain leadership based on solely on their command of facts (we have seen that with Bush), they become leaders by having an easy authority that convinces the thoughtless followers that they can safely follow and be on the winning side.
This feels cynical on my part, but I just read those responses under the article.
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Cindy
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Re: Interesting article about widening income equality

Post by Cindy » Sat May 24, 2014 6:41 am

I agree with Colin. Lanval, I see your point, but I don't think a lack of time is the issue at all. I know so many people who don't make a move all day without stopping to post it to Facebook, who play time-sucking games (again, on Facebook). A lot of people just don't care, unless the information comes to them in some form of quick and easy entertainment. It's the way of the world right now and it's getting worse.

Sometimes I'm relieved most people don't get involved. The decisions to be made require knowledge. I hear uninformed Americans voicing their opinions on economic policy or foreign affairs and I know they need to stay out of it. Even with a Master's degree, my understanding is so limited. It's a conundrum. Everyone has the right (and the honor) to be part of the process, but do we all have the skills and capability?

Cindy
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