Occasionally when a commenter goes to great effort to convey an interesting, thoughtful essay on a worthy subject we’ll put it on page one. And so it is with this article by Mr. Colgan.
NOTICE: The opinions expressed on this article by Quentin Colgan are not necessarily those of the host (PS), our advertisers, or anyone else displayed on this Blog.
In response to PS article on civility Quentin Colgan had this to say. . .
Those two sound like tweakerz. As for the general incivility facing society, Michael Moore offers this theory . . . America is not broke. Contrary to what those in power would like you to believe so that you’ll give up your pension, cut your wages, and settle for the life your great-grandparents had, America is not broke. Not by a long shot.
The country is awash in wealth and cash. It’s just that it’s not in your hands. It has been transferred, in the greatest heist in history, from the workers and consumers to the banks and the portfolios of the uber-rich.
Today just 400 Americans have more wealth than half of all Americans combined. Let me say that again. 400 obscenely rich people, most of whom benefited in some way from the multi-trillion dollar taxpayer “bailout” of 2008, now have more loot, stock and property than the assets of 155 million Americans combined. If you can’t bring yourself to call that a financial coup d’tat, then you are simply not being honest about what you know in your heart to be true. And I can see why. For us to admit that we have let a small group of men abscond with and hoard the bulk of the wealth that runs our economy, would mean that we’d have to accept the humiliating acknowledgment that we have indeed surrendered our precious Democracy to the moneyed elite.
Wall Street, the banks and the Fortune 500 now run this Republic — and, until this past month, the rest of us have felt completely helpless, unable to find a way to do anything about it. I have nothing more than a high school degree. But back when I was in school, every student had to take one semester of economics in order to graduate. And here’s what I learned: Money doesn’t grow on trees. It grows when we make things. It grows when we have good jobs with good wages that we use to buy the things we need and thus create more jobs. It grows when we provide an outstanding educational system that then grows a new generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists and thinkers who come up with the next great idea for the planet. And that new idea creates new jobs and that creates revenue for the state.
But, if those who have the most money don’t pay their fair share of taxes, the state can’t function. The schools can’t produce the best and the brightest who will go on to create those jobs. If the wealthy get to keep most of their money, we have seen what they will do with it: recklessly gamble it on crazy Wall Street schemes and crash our economy.
The crash they created cost us millions of jobs. That too caused a reduction in revenue. And the population ended up suffering because they reduced their taxes, reduced our jobs and took wealth out of the system, removing it from circulation. The nation is not broke, my friends. Wisconsin is not broke. It’s part of the Big Lie. It’s one of the three biggest lies of the decade: America/Wisconsin is broke, Iraq has WMD, the Packers can’t win the Super Bowl without Brett Favre.
The truth is, there’s lots of money to go around. LOTS. It’s just that those in charge have diverted that wealth into a deep well that sits on their well-guarded estates. They know they have committed crimes to make this happen and they know that someday you may want to see some of that money that used to be yours. So they have bought and paid for hundreds of politicians across the country to do their bidding for them. But just in case that doesn’t work, they’ve got their gated communities, and the luxury jet is always fully fueled, the engines running, waiting for that day they hope never comes.
To help prevent that day when the people demand their country back, the wealthy have done two very smart things: 1. They control the message. By owning most of the media they have expertly convinced many Americans of few means to buy their version of the American Dream and to vote for their politicians. Their version of the Dream says that you, too, might be rich some day – this is America, where anything can happen if you just apply yourself!
They have conveniently provided you with believable examples to show you how a poor boy can become a rich man, how the child of a single mother in Hawaii can become president, how a guy with a high school education can become a successful filmmaker. They will play these stories for you over and over again all day long so that the last thing you will want to do is upset the apple cart — because you — yes, you, too! — might be rich/president/an Oscar-winner some day! The message is clear: keep your head down, your nose to the grindstone, don’t rock the boat and be sure to vote for the party that protects the rich man that you might be some day.
2. They have created a poison pill that they know you will never want to take. It is their version of mutually assured destruction. And when they threatened to release this weapon of mass economic annihilation in September of 2008, we blinked. As the economy and the stock market went into a tailspin, and the banks were caught conducting a worldwide Ponzi scheme, Wall Street issued this threat: Either hand over trillions of dollars from the American taxpayers or we will crash this economy straight into the ground. Fork it over or it’s Goodbye savings accounts. Goodbye pensions. Goodbye United States Treasury. Goodbye jobs and homes and future. It was friggin’ awesome and it scared the sh – – out of everyone.
“Here! Take our money! We don’t care. We’ll even print more for you! Just take it! But, please, leave our lives alone, PLEASE!” The executives in the board rooms and hedge funds could not contain their laughter, their glee, and within three months they were writing each other huge bonus checks and marveling at how perfectly they had played a nation full of suckers. Millions lost their jobs anyway, and millions lost their homes. But there was no revolt (see #1). Until now.
On Wisconsin! Never has a Michigander been more happy to share a big, great lake with you! You have aroused the sleeping giant known as the working people of the United States of America. Right now the earth is shaking and the ground is shifting under the feet of those who are in charge. Your message has inspired people in all 50 states and that message is: WE HAVE HAD IT! We reject anyone tells us America is broke and broken. It’s just the opposite!
We are rich with talent and ideas and hard work and, yes, love. Love and compassion toward those who have, through no fault of their own, ended up as the least among us. But they still crave what we all crave: Our country back! Our democracy back! Our good name back! The United States of America. NOT the Corporate States of America. The United States of America! So how do we get this? Well, we do it with a little bit of Egypt here, a little bit of Madison there. And let us pause for a moment and remember that it was a poor man with a fruit stand in Tunisia who gave his life so that the world might focus its attention on how a government run by billionaires for billionaires is an affront to freedom and morality and humanity.
Thank you, Wisconsin. You have made people realize this was our last best chance to grab the final thread of what was left of who we are as Americans. For three weeks you have stood in the cold, slept on the floor, skipped out of town to Illinois — whatever it took, you have done it, and one thing is for certain: Madison is only the beginning.
The smug rich have overplayed their hand. They couldn’t have just been content with the money they raided from the treasury. They couldn’t be satiated by simply removing millions of jobs and shipping them overseas to exploit the poor elsewhere. No, they had to have more – something more than all the riches in the world.
They had to have our soul. They had to strip us of our dignity. They had to shut us up and shut us down so that we could not even sit at a table with them and bargain about simple things like classroom size or bulletproof vests for everyone on the police force or letting a pilot just get a few extra hours sleep so he or she can do their job — their $19,000 a year job. That’s how much some rookie pilots on commuter airlines make, maybe even the rookie pilots flying people here to Madison. But he’s stopped trying to get better pay. All he asks is that he doesn’t have to sleep in his car between shifts at O’Hare airport. That’s how despicably low we have sunk.
The wealthy couldn’t be content with just paying this man $19,000 a year. They wanted to take away his sleep. They wanted to demean and dehumanize him. After all, he’s just another slob. And that, my friends, is Corporate America’s fatal mistake. But trying to destroy us they have given birth to a movement — a movement that is becoming a massive, nonviolent revolt across the country.
We all knew there had to be a breaking point some day, and that point is upon us. Many people in the media don’t understand this. They say they were caught off guard about Egypt, never saw it coming. Now they act surprised and flummoxed about why so many hundreds of thousands have come to Madison over the last three weeks during brutal winter weather. “Why are they all standing out there in the cold? I mean there was that election in November and that was supposed to be that! “There’s something happening here, and you don’t know what it is, do you…?” America ain’t broke! The only thing that’s broke is the moral compass of the rulers. And we aim to fix that compass and steer the ship ourselves from now on.
Never forget, as long as that Constitution of ours still stands, it’s one person, one vote, and it’s the thing the rich hate most about America — because even though they seem to hold all the money and all the cards, they begrudgingly know this one unshakable basic fact: There are more of us than there are of them! It stands to reason, that as more people’s livelihoods succumb while at the same time, they are learning the TRUTH for it, there will be even more incivility.
Moore opines that these folks will leave the US. But, where else might they go? I honest-to-God feel sorry for the guys, AND the fools who carry their water. They are openly mocked now, but as people get angrier, they put themselves at risk with their big mouths. Do you honestly think a Union cop is going to risk his/her life when the mobs start to storm FOX News to tar and feather Glenn Beck? Why do you think Rush is esconced in a bunker? He’s deathly afraid of being tied to a pole, and given his final cigarette. It’s going to happen–sure as history repeats itself. It gets ugly when the serfs throw off the tyrants, but as Jefferson told us: This is a good thing. Unless you’re a tyrant!
I’m sorry, I don’t agree.
Quentin acts as though the public worker was perfectly within his rights when he used the housing boom to artificially jack up his salary.
Jennifer Hennessey said in a budget report that the ENTIRE gas tax fund goes to pay salaries Downtown. There’s no money left to do any work! That’s what she said, don’t look at me like that.
Yes, there’s been a transfer of wealth – the taxpayers are going broke paying these salaries.
And no, I didn’t even mention the pensions.
We are broke, and with the city of Chico flailing money at developers to build “low-income” housing, we are getting more broke every day.
Frankly, I don’t know any “rich” people, but I know a lot of city workers who make over $100,000 a year.
I dont want to get too far off the original subject. (Civility wasnt it?), but Ill bet most of your readers didnt know that Charlie Sheen is actually the love child of Michael Moore and Hillary Clinton.
That’s odd, Juanita!
You have asked me about my employment in the opublic sector and I have explained it to you. Yet, you choose to ignore my answer and LIE here!
Amazing!
When you baggerz are out of ideas–just lie!
How about a debate, instead? How about the truth?
THIS is what has happened to civility, Jack!
There is no room left civility when the table is covered in BS!
I have never drawn a public sector salary, Juanita–you know that, ma’am.
Quit lying.
Instead of changing the subject,or attacking me, try something different.
Try addressing the issues brought up!
you have my email address.
Cherokee that would explain a lot. I believe MM may also be the unhappy result of a cloning experiment…a copy, of a copy, of a copy. Just call him “4”.
Here are a few things that haven’t made it into Michaels pea sized brain:
1. The wealthy don’t bury their wealth in the backyard. Ubnfortunately when they are incentivised to protect their wealth they invest in things that don’t help the economy and don’t increase jobs and tax revenues. Liberals in charge mean less money flows to government and the citizens of America. Inflation follows and the prices for goods and services go UP!
2. The grandparents of all those spoiled union workers were able to move out of poverty and into the middle class and beyond because of rich men like Henry Ford and John Rockefeller. This included poor black men who migrated out of the south to find work on the assembly lines of Detroit. Later generations had plenty of opportunity due to similar men like Bill Gates and Sam Walton, entrepreneurs who created millions of good paying jobs. These wealth producers also created a population of earners who had need of goods and services and who, through their spending created opportunity for small businesses in their own communities.
3. The parents and grandparents of these union workers were, because of their frugality and saving habits were able to send their children to college thus creating even greater opportunities for their children than they had growing up. Unlike the spoiled younger generations they did not Live for the moment but instead planned for their futures.
More later….
Juanita?
Some houses in town are nicer than others, correct?
Is there a reason your tenants should pay more for a nicer house?
How ’bout if we let the government set rental rates here in Chico?
Why don’t we just come with some arbitrary number–maybe we can get some blogger to determine a fair rent!–and charge EVERYone the same amount?
Always with the insults!
PROVE any of this to be wrong, Tina!
You have made some statements–back ’em up!
Facts, please!
A cut & pasted opinion piece won’t do it.
Show us!
BTW, Henry Ford cut all of his worker’s wages 20% in 1927–because he could!
The Unions are the only reason the grandparents of today’s workers were able to move out of poverty.
You can rewrite history, Tina, but that won’t make it so.
You Tories want to take us back to the 18th century when Colonial America was ruled by the corporate class.
You Tories and your media outlets can keep changing the subject back to Charlie Sheen, but it’s too late!
Fuhgeddaboutit!
We’re too strong, now!
Tina, I don’t agree with Michael Moore or Quentin on everything, and in general I find that their tone is not conducive to civility.
However, Moore is right about the small percentage of Americans owning the vast majority of the country’s wealth. Regardless of how noble these rich men are, or how much they produce, the fact that the wealth is so highly concentrated in one pool simply can’t be good for America, right? And certainly you can’t argue that the solution to this problem is to tax the rich less while giving less aid to the poor and middle class…can you?
The Unions are the only reason the grandparents of today’s workers were able to move out of poverty.
You are correct about this Quentin. But the labor problems of 1927 would not happen today, Labor Laws in place would stop that abuse. We can thank the unions of the early years for that as well, but not so sure they are needed now.
Unions can get rediculous and put the agencies or businesses out of business, I once dated ( in the 1970s) a dock worker, he said that his job was to unload the ship, after that another group of people had to transport the “goods” to the wherehouse, where a third unpacked. No one was allowed to help the other. Apparently this was called job protection.
Chris: “However, Moore is right about the small percentage of Americans owning the vast majority of the country’s wealth.”
You and Michael Moore apparently believe you are living in the old Soviet Union rather than the United States of America:
A. The wealth they have belongs to them, it is their property. It is not “the country’s” wealth.
B. The “wealth” available to Americans at all levels of society is not a finite amount. WEalth can be created…the pie can grow…IF a vibrant economy is encouraged and the wealthy are incentivised to put their money where it will help grow the economy.
Eeeeks I’m running late…outta here!
Ma’am?
You have raised a very good point about all of this:
Human Nature!
Indeed, ’tis just our nature to want more without working for it.
YES! There are pleanty of abuses, as well as plenty of good, honest effort as well.
Consider: wouldn’t this human nature carry over into the opration of a business? It is folly to assume that all workers are greedy, while all corporations–which have as their only stated goal to make money–would put your needs first!
It is NOT their wealth!
They did nothing honest to earn it.
They stole it through corruption of our government.
As you are so fond of pointing out, people want stuff for nothing.
SO do the coproations that have raped our country.
You can deny the points Moore makes, but–as usual–you cannot disprove them.
Please tell us how much we can have? I sure do not want to have too much comrade.
Q: “The Unions are the only reason the grandparents of today’s workers were able to move out of poverty.”
I don’t deny the roll that unions played in getting better working conditions and better wages for employees; that has never been my position. I object when the other part of the equation is left out or criticized. The risk and investment made by those who create job opportunities is no smnall thing. The union had NOTHING to do with investing time and money to create work. Once the unions goal was achieved the union morphed into an extortion outfit a la the mob making demands that were unsustanable and that eventually harmed the business. In addition, public sector unions make these unsustanable demands of the local taxpayer, many of whom make less than the public worker by quite a lot. These unions don’t consider that their demands have become greedy and excessive.
Also you cannot deny that our grandparents attitudes were much more condusive to saving and growing personal wealth. They were more apt to believe it was up to each individual to pay their own way in life…they were definitely against the idea that other peoples money should be divided up and spread around as the current liberal progressives seem to think.
“They did nothing honest to earn it.”
That is a blatant lie. Rather than spending money on drugs, partying, trips to Cancun, donations to the democrat machine they invested in Americas future by investing in Americas companies. They put their money in CD’s and bonds.
Some, not all, also built hospitals, libraries, and arts centers, they gave generously to colleges and universities, they donated to charities and funded research. To say they ahve done nothing requires a conscious effort to skew the record in order to further the progressive lie. Quentin you are pathetic.
Chris: “the fact that the wealth is so highly concentrated in one pool simply can’t be good for America, right? And certainly you can’t argue that the solution to this problem is to tax the rich less while giving less aid to the poor and middle class…can you?”
Chris it is a lie that the wealth is “concentrated” in one pool. This is a talking point designed to incite class envy. The bulk of money the wealthy have is invested in one way or another. If its deposited into banks (savings accounts, CD’s) it is used by the bank to give out loans to people who then invest in houses, cars and business. If it is invested in the stock market it is being used to increase business and cxreate job opportunity. If it is placed in bonds it is used to fund government projects. If it is given to charities it is used to help the poor. If it is granted it goes into research or education. Many of these investments create job opportunities or opportubnities for others to increase their own wealth. One way oir another it is not “concentrated” but instead put to work. In contrast when government takes it out of the private sector it takes a large percentage off the top for administration (some say as much as 75% goes to administrative costs)
Also after many years I have observed that people don’t appreciate what is given to them. People do appreciate what they have earned for themselves. People are much more likely to manage money thay have earned themselves well and more likely to waste money that is given to them. The system we set up when we create give away programs is a system that encourtages waste and poor character traits. Better that money (and we spend trillions yearly) go toward training or work details where people can earn what is given them.
Fifty years after the start of government give away programs has not created fewer peopel in need of help. We need to rethink this idea. This is one of the major reasons that wealthy people don’t donate to the government even thoughb there are two ways for them to do so whenever they want. The money is WASTED and does nothing to improve the status of MOST poor people.
Quentin: “You Tories want to take us back to the 18th century when Colonial America was ruled by the corporate class.”
Your projection is flawed as my own words will attest. The difference between you and I is you have zero respect for people. You believe they are helpless victims incapable of bettering their lives. You belkieve that superior people like you must help them and your solution is ALWAYS other peoples money. At least those who invest in corporate and business America do so with their own money, taking the risk upon themselves rather than forcing it upon others.
Are there some crooks in corporate America? YES! There are crooks everywhere. But not all corporate people are crooks and to suggest such a thing is a political tactic used by the unethical, immoral, left as it seeks to divide the people, create class warfare, and garner big government, spread the wealth support. It’s a chicken s%#t way to frame an argument.
Q: “They stole it through corruption of our government.”
Our fearless leader forced some of this money on banks and I can prove it but not now…gotta run…back later!
I didn’t attack you, and I’d like you to explain to me what my lie is.
I didn’t ignore your answer, you took so long to respond I forgot. Excuse me.
I’m sorry I asked you about your salary – why are you so angry? Every time I disagree with you, you go off on a tizzy. Hard to have a conversation with you. Is that how you pick your “friends,” they have to agree with you?
I don’t have your e-mail anymore, sorry. Next time I want to have a conversation with you, well, I’ll think better of it and I probably won’t.
Quentin’s comment about Henry Ford also deserves some perspective.
Ford was an interesting and complex man with a number of qualities that were definitely at odds with my own. He was anti-semite for one thing and an avowed pacifist. I dont know whether what you have attributed to him is fact or myth but it is certainly possible. Ford was under monetary pressures in 1927 that caused him to do a number of unpopular/desperate things. But he was also responsible for paying workers high wages and cutting their work week in 1914. And he also built a hospital and started work training programs:
Unpasteurized milk and soybeans? Geezeven our friend Libby would be able to find redeeming qualities in Henry Ford! Henry Ford was a human being, you see, with human failings. None of those failings make the contributions he made to American progress and prosperity any less valuable.
Those interested can read more about him here:
http://www.taftcollege.edu/newtc/academic/inco48/sec4-anb_ford.htm