by
RF Schatten
When
Ronald Reagan's “Shining City On A Hill” hit the
airwaves...everyone, suddenly felt so much confidence about what
direction, we as a Nation, were headed. “It's Morning Again in
America!”, his ads would say. Well...at least, some people did
believe, that America was turning 'that' corner, where prosperity was
just at your finger tips ...others, knew better. But, the general
belief then, was that we...as a Nation, were indeed headed on that
right path...to better and more prosperous times.
But,
here in this Country, we live in a constant state of Political
Metaphors...what the American public, didn't really understand was,
that the prosperity...so romantically and eloquently stated...really
applied to those who are prosperous...the economically advantaged.
Trickle Down Economics!! Set an economic structure, that those in the
loop, will be handsomely rewarded...whatever is left, will 'trickle'
down to everyone else...but, apparently, that 'trickle'...went down
just enough, to reward their friends. It was a matter of the Elitist
rewarding the Elitist. Money does corrupt, and the more you have, the greedier you become...keep it for yourself, and if there's
enough...pass it down to those you associate with...keep it all,
among your circle of friends.
This
country, is not that Shining City on a Hill...only an Illusion,
brought to you, by those more fortunate. That Shining City, belongs
only to them...no vacancy to those less fortunate.
Since
the early 80s, the income inequality between the Upper Class and the
Middle Class, has risen every single year. The Income Gap, now shows
the greatest disparity ever, in the history of our Nation. The
numbers are there...what is totally unbelievable and embarrassing, is
that the United States of America, according to the CIA World Fact
Book, ranks near the bottom, worldwide!!...in income inequality. The
old Red, White, and Blue's gap between the Rich and the Poor is
higher than The Ivory Coast, Cameroon,
Egypt, Tunisia, and
Yemen...and just ahead of Jamaica and Uganda. We rank 42nd
in inequality, compared to Tunisia who is 62nd, Yemen, who
is 76th, and Egypt at 90th. Forget England,
Europe, and the rest of the Developed Countries...they are light
years away from the US.
What
does this means? I really don't think, I have to spell it out. The
top one percent took home more than a fifth of all personal income in
the U.S....that means, that a couple of dozen families in America,
has more personal assets than 150 Million people...Combined!!! That,
is just incredible! And now...in 2012, they don't think, that is
enough. Their income tax rates are lower than much of the Middle
Class...and they want them even lower. Fair Share??? They don't know
the meaning. The war between the Uppers and the Middles, has
escalated like never before...and Politicos, who already have their
hands inside these peoples' pockets, are defending these poor,
unappreciated souls. They are staging the most hate filled campaign
in US History...establishing and protecting the rights 31,000 over
the rights of 311Million people...creating, an American
Apartheid...and trying to gain legal control in this Nation for this
1%...over 99% of the population.
Politics
aside, what is really shows the shame of the United States, on the
World Stage today is...The Arrogance towards those less
fortunate...how they are publicly demeaning the poor, and the middle
class...how someone like the Mayor of New York City, a Billionaire
himself, put a ban on the donations and the feeding the Homeless, by
the Food Banks in town...not allowing the homeless to be fed. His
excuse is, that he needs to asses the Salt, Fat, and Fiber content,
to make sure they are getting the proper nutrition and the amount of
Salt intake...never mind, that they will probably die of starvation
while every single item donated, is tested for the right amount of
Calories, etc. It's like, if you are dying of thirst in the
desert...and someone takes that precious bottle of water, and says,
that it must be tested for chemicals before you can drink it!!
Another
example, showing how unaware of reality, the Conservative American
Elite is, and of the distance between them and everyone else: In an
interview, Alan Dlugash, a partner at accounting firm Marks Paneth &
Shron, made this comment, and I quote; “People
who don’t have money don’t understand the stress...Could
you imagine what it’s like to say I got three kids in private
school, I have to think about pulling them out? How do you do that?”
This, from a man who's a partner for a firm that specializes in
financial planning for the wealthy. Oh! My God!! a millionaire cannot
keep his kids in Private School, because his million dollar bonuses,
have been cut 10% or 20%...now, he only has a 900 or 800 thousand
dollar bonus...soon, he may have to apply for food stamps!! I don't
have money, Alan...come down to my level, and I'll show you, what
'stress'...really is.
With
the greed of the Oil Industry, raising Gas Prizes to an all time
high...while making record profits. Greedy Bankers, making illegal
foreclosures, and enough illegal transactions, to make the Mob, look
legitimate...while all along, raking in Gigantic Bonuses. And Giant
Corporations making giant profits, while making giant layoff. They
all call themselves Job Creators, but continue to layoff employees.
And they don't really care...they continue doing all this, right out
in the open.
It's
not just their treatment of the less fortunate...they could care
less...it's the loss of dignity, and loss of pride, that this whole
issue is about, for millions of people...the shaming of the
unemployed...looked at as 'Bums' by the wealthy. Don't treat someone
like that, because sooner or later, they will say; “Enough is
Enough”
The
shaming of America...people don't read history, anymore. And, as my
favorite philosopher said: “Those
who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.
I
really do feel sorry, for the Arrogance and the Ignorance of these
Rich people...and how disconnected they really are, with the rest of
America...very, very sad!
That
Shining City on the Hill?? Yes, they do live there...while the rest
of this Nation, lives right down below, in a sad giant Ghetto
