The Stunning Truth of Economic Inequity in America

Summary Sheet on Inequality

Talk about inequality has been in the news recently, but you won’t believe what’s really happening in America today:

• Inequality in America today is twice as bad as in ancient Rome , worse than it was in in Tsarist Russia, Gilded Age America, modern Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen, many banana republics in Latin America, and worse than experienced by slaves in 1774 colonial America

• It’s worse in America than in any other developed nation

• Staggering inequality in America has become permanent

• There are 2 economies: one for the rich, and the other for everyone else

• The economy has only recovered for the 1% … the rest of the country is more or less stuck in a depression

• The super-rich are raking in more than ever

• On the other end, more and more people are sliding into poverty

• 1 out of every 5 households in the United States is on food stamps

• The middle class has more or less been destroyed

• A who’s who of prominent economists and investors say that inequality causes crashes and hurts the economy.  Of course they don't care because they know the government will just bail them out, and leave the rest of us holding the bag.

• Extreme inequality helped cause the Great Depression, the current financial crisis … and because Ancient Rome was under Christian rule a full Century before the end came -  this economic inequity continued and presumably got worse under Christian tutelage - and eventually we had the fall of the Roman Empire

• Inequality isn’t happening for mysterious or uncontrollable reasons. Bad government policy is responsible for runaway inequality.   Judy believes the rich got that way through "hard work and clean living' or something.  They didn't.  Tax policy CREATED the abuses we see today.  It's a fact that the more you lower the top income rate- - the less incentive there is for corporations to invest in either new factories or improvements, or hire on workers, but merely to hoard money.  Eisenhower knew the wisdom of a high income tax for the very rich because he didn't want a permanent Aristocracy in this country, just as by the way our Founding Fathers didn't want a permanent Aristocracy.

• Bush was horrible, but income inequality has increased even more under Obama than under Bush 
• Basically this is because President Obama is inherently such a Coward that he is willing to do MORE for the ultra monied rich than Rush ever was- - in terms of looking the other way when wrongs are comitted.  But as much as he does the "bend over and grab your knees" routine prostrating himself to these rich tea baggers such as Sheldon Addelson and the Koch Brothers- - it is not enough for them- - because they know if Fear drives President Obama- - they can make him MORE fearful and get even More confessions out of this president.

• Americans consistently underestimate the amount of inequality in our country.  They will be shocked – and may be furious – when they learn the truth   But of course the Media won't tell them the truth because the media is owned by these same rich people.  Liberals are inherently more respectable than conservatives because- - for instance Randy Rhodes says she could sell out for millions if she would but "join the other said" and preach from the radio whatever these Rich People tell her to say.  But she had too much integrity, which is something Rush Limbaugh and Ted Cruise never heard of.

• It’s a myth that conservatives accept runaway inequality.  Conservatives are as concerned as liberals regarding the stunning collapse of upward mobility
• Every Republican and his dog has expressed concerned about upward mobility.  They claim that the SOLE reason why we haven't had the normal upward mobility is that President Obama is a Socialist slash Communist at heard and doesn't believe in it.  Instead they maintain that the high tax rates instituted under the Obama Administration (?) have actually deprived the Rich of the incentive to normal growth and as such- - if Business just had MORE laws in their favor (something that has been apparently completely absent in the eyes of these tea baggers) then the middle class would improve their economic standing.  That's their standard line, and the one used in the Romney campaign.

This is Thursday September 26, 2013 and tonight is either the 45 year anniversary of either the first of the second week I went to see Dr Cotter, the psychiatrist, and I remember looking at the sun setting as we were driving down there and thinking “Well there should be by now unmistakable directional indications that the sun is indeed below the ecliptic.  I had Bill Handel on from eight thirty onward.  I wanted to get Bill’s take on this whole mess with Ted Cruise and the Republicans and the government shut down, and Bill Handel actually has a few - - brain cells in his head that still work.  After this it was Rush Limbaugh.  Rush Limbaugh was back today- and the first time all week that I’ve even checked.  Rush claims that the media is distorting the political reality of everything and engaged in a rather irrational rant about how the New Deal was really a failure but the voters were so uninformed they kept reelecting him anyhow, and the media went along with this mass “mis-information” conspiracy, just as they are doing now with Health Care.  Rush’s view on Obama Care is like mine about bringing back the Draft.  In other words I don’t even TRY it because I KNOW in advance that it will be such a disaster we dare not and need not take that risk.   Rush is not buying into the “candy man” line of Ted Cruise- - but believes that Obama Care will be a horrendous mess.  He claims that “new costs to the consumer’ have been revealed in an article that the American people aren’t being told about (due to some mass media conspiracy of silence) and that there will be major “software implementation problems”, and that the insurance exchanges themselves are being run by a bunch of former leftists like the NAACP or these other radical friends of Obama.  So according to Rush- - costs are not going down but this was “just a government story that was planted yesterday to the media”.  Rush reiterated that you won’t be able to keep your plan or your doctor if you are happy with your care but rather- - even if your employee plan survives- the doctors themselves are quitting due to the pressures of Obama Care.  And Rush says that despite everything, thirty million Americans still won’t be insured, defeating the primary goal of the thing.   I had been intending to change the station at nine thirty- - but while rush was saying a lot of stuff that didn’t make sense- - at least he was saying Something.  It’s better than a lot of “er’s” and “uh’s” from the other guy.  Rick Perry and John Mc Cain are among those according to Stephanie - - - who cane down hard on the sort of stunt Ted Cruise tried to pull and even Gov Perry says “shutting down the government is a bad idea”.  If I may go Cosmic on you for a minute- - - for years but notably about one year ago- - the Texas group was disassociating themselves with the tea party fringe right saying “They are not one of us”.   Actually this “Texas Group” has deep American roots and can be traced back to people like Sam Houston and Davie Crocket and Gen Winfield Scott - -who is often portrayed in history books as some crotchedy old man giving advice (that eventually works when followed)  Emma was in here to empty the trash but since I don’t have any money I haven’t been spending it on anything.  I went down to the courtyard via the elevator because both stair wells were blocked off.   Patty was surrounded front and back by Donalds.  I just got one cup of coffee from Dora because the line was so long.  The past several times there has been only the one dark gray bird in the cage and a white bird in the small cage.  Where is the other remaining bird?  The two surviving birds have been chirping a lot back and forth.  Janet was in the elevator and she expressed surprise that I was out of coffee honing on my too-rosy estimate that “I had enough coffee to last to almost the end of the week”.   I have smoked exactly ten cigarettes from that pack purchased after dinner last night and now it’s 10:45.  I’d like to slow that pace down.

 

This is after dinner on Thursday September 26, 2013 and we’re starting a new file in “ocean” obviously.  We had spaghetti for dinner and Dora made it all the way around the room with seconds and I got some, though firsts were pretty big.  We had an Italian dressing green salad and garlic bread with raspberry ice cream for dessert.  EWN is on now.  David Cruise was talking about the LA Dodger fan who was stabbed in a San Francisco bar after apparently a series of fights and altercations.  David Cruise apparently wants Baseball Stadiums liable for fights that break out after the game, blocks away.  Bones greeted me and discussed this saying that the media isn’t telling the whole story-  but he's reporting it on his news outlet on Sirius A.  He gave me no previews- except it’s not that black and white.    It seems the victim was the son of a Dodger Stadium security guard.  Last week it seems a ‘49ers fan started a fight with a Colts fan- - and some are painting San Francisco as a seedbed of violence.

It’s a case of “here come the jerks” on Days of our Lives.  E J found a way to compel younger brother Chad to come and live at the Di Mira household because he learned the secret that Chad is (not?) keeping from Abigail.  The secret is that he is not dying from a brain tomer - - but Chad kind of used this belief Cameron had to leverage him away from Abigail.  But if the truth be known- - Cameron could have had her- - but Chad wanted her more and he worked harder.  People who work hard and strive are not looked on kindly by the writers of this show as evidenced by Will’s attitude tword Nick Fallon every chance he gets.  Today he went off on Nick about how if Samantha had been convicted of murder- - it would have all been on Nick’s head for sending her to prison- - for telling the truth.  Then Will sees Nick and Kate together and he gets suspicious about that.  Now he sees Nick and Gabriel kissing and lord knows what he’s thinking.  It’s funny how, as devout this family is - - Will and Father Eric have not have conversation one.  Perhaps they could discuss the topic of “resentment”.  I thought Priests were really big on telling people to “let it go”.   And now Sonny gets into the act by bringing up ancient history about - - Melanie.  You wonder when Sonny and Will get alone whether their first priority is sex, or deciding “who can we hate today”?  If you are as bent on hatred as Will is- - it’s like “Obama derangement sidrone” - - no rational fact will sway you.  This is evidenced by Jack Jr’s attitude- - more like fixated and undying hostility tword Daniel.  Daniel gives him every break - - and yet Jack continues to act like a Jackass.  All that talk about how your mother used to be so proud of you in your younger years - -  - didn’t matter one cintilla to Jack.  Like I say it’s Obama derangement sidrone.  It’s immovable and fixated hatred.  But now Jennifer is doing the same thing sticking up for Jack’s actions.  At that point I would have said, “Jennifer, look, Jack broke into my apartment last night and vandalized stuff and personally I’m leaving it up to you whether you want to call the cops”.   And then we have Teresa, who is such a worthless piece of slime- - any further comment would be redundant.  She’s make an ideal tea bagger or Born Again Christian.  I think the first family member that knows Teresa didn’t get on that plane to LA should immediately call the cops about that forged check.  She’s used up her “Day of Grace” a hundred times over.  Now she’s teaming up with Jan Millbauer.