Occupy Reality: Americans Concern About Income Inequality Surges

The Pew Research Center has conducted an inquiry into the degree of divisions within American society and found that conflicts between rich and poor now outpace other sources of group tension.

That result can only be interpreted as a success for the 99% and those who participated in the nationwide Occupy movement. They decisively altered the national dialogue from one that was obsessed with government spending and debt, to one that focused on economic justice and corporate abuse of power.

This is a terrible time for the GOP (Greedy One Percent) to be coalescing around Mitt Romney as their nominee for president. A multimillionaire, corporate raider who specializes in bankrupting companies and outsourcing jobs may not be the ideal candidate in this political environment. But, fortunately for Democrats, they are stuck with him.

The Wealth Gap in American is currently larger than it has ever been. It is larger than it was in the Great Depression. It is even larger than it was during the ancient Roman Empire that collapsed from the weight of its own injustice and oppression.

Click to enlarge
Decadence Index

The Republicans know all too well that their class war on behalf of the rich is toxic to their electoral aspirations. Their top strategist and pollster, Frank Luntz, has been counseling them to steer clear of debates on economic justice and free market capitalism. In a seminar for the Republican Governor’s Association he told them that he is “so scared of this anti-Wall Street effort. I’m frightened to death.” Even fellow Republicans are bashing the corporatist tendencies of Romney and his Bain Capital pedigree.

Not to be left out, Fox News joined the club by posting an article about the Pew survey on their Fox Nation web site. Consistent with their inbred bias, they mocked up a graphic that pastes Obama in front of the “Mission Accomplished” banner that George Bush made to pretend that the Iraq war was over, implying that Obama is responsible for the class tensions.

Fox Nation Rich/Poor Conflict

The problem with Fox’s characterization is that Obama was a late-comer to the issue. The people were way out in front of this and they overwhelming support the goals associated with the Occupy movement. And that includes many of the rich people we are supposed to be in conflict with. Notice how they never called it a class war until we fought back.

But more importantly, in their rush to smear the President, they are implicitly conceding that income inequality is a significant problem in America and that it is reaching an historic level of risk. Thanks Fox.

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3 thoughts on “Occupy Reality: Americans Concern About Income Inequality Surges

  1. Lie #1……Romney is not and was not a corporate raider. T. Boone Pickens was a corporate raider.

    Lie #2……Bain Capital did not buy companies to bankrupt them.

    Lie #3……Outsourcing jobs has been around since the 70’s. Let’s not make a big deal about it.

    If you don’t understand your own lies, you need to study up on the issues and stop lying.

    You should also be aware that Bain Capital had a 70-80 percent success rate. What do you think the rate of success Obama has had in screwing up the economy?

    • #1 investopedia defines a corparate raider as “n investor who buys a large number of shares in a corporation whose assets appear to be undervalued. The large share purchase would give the corporate raider significant voting rights, which could then be used to push changes in the company’s leadership and management. This would increase share value and thus generate a massive return for the raider.” which seems to define Romney, why your bring up Pickens is beyond me.

      #2 sounds like motive would be a matter of opinion. opinions can’t be lies(unless someone’s lying about an opinion)
      #3 Oddly enough, real wages have been going down since the ’70’s too. the American worker makes less now in adjusted dollars than they did in 1968. i’m glad to hear that’s okay with you, the rest of us feel differently.

      i think you need to read up on the definition of what i ‘lie’ is.
      I’m glad to hear that the GOP presidential candidate was part of a successful company.that would be a step up from the ‘businessman’ they nominated.
      since we were already losing jobs when he took office and actions to reverse the recession had already begun before Bush left office, Remember George Bush and his 2 unfunded wars and unfunded tax cut and a prescription drug bill?, i don’t think it’s Obama that’s screwing up the economy.

      there’s sure been an increase in right-wingers leaving comments here. you must be hitting a nerve, Mark. 😉

  2. I really wish we hadn’t had to engage in these divisive class war politics but honestly if you’ve been mugged and had all your money stolen like the American people have been for thirty years you should be allowed to defend yourself.

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