Some headers are priceless: "Purses that Cost More Than A House".

[Tom Rinaldo]

Last edited Tue Sep 4, 2012, 03:54 PM - Edit history (1)

It's hard to come up with a populist political statement that even approaches the punch that this teaser for a empty calories video found on Yahoo carries. Purses that cost more than a house; when millions of Americans have recently lost their homes to foreclosures, and millions more have been living on the streets for years. We all know there are Super Rich people in the world. Usually we are numbed to what that means, but it's hard to avoid the implications here. The video itself is drivel but it does name drop a little if that type of thing interests you. Here is the full "text" for the story:


Most Expensive Handbags: Did you know that one purse can cost as much as a house?
Fri, Aug 31, 2012 - Who Knew? 2:02 | 376,933 views

Hobbies can be pricey, especially if you are into collecting expensive, luxury handbags. The most costly purses are covered in diamonds and are in fact a rarity. Check out some of the most exorbitant handbags and the celebrities who own them.
http://news.yahoo.com/who-knew/most-expensive-handbags-did-you-know-that-one-purse-can-cost-as-much-as-a-house-30465076.html#crsl=%252Fwho-knew%252Fmost-expensive-handbags-did-you-know-that-one-purse-can-cost-as-much-as-a-house-30465076.html

America is a nation that is said to celebrate wealth - even while children starve. Speaking for myself only, I wouldn't so much mind the super wealthy spending houses for a purse if we housed the homeless first and fed the hungry children who live among us.

I know, I know, the market doesn't work that way, and government is "heavy handed". There is some truth in both those claims. But there is also something wrong about a nation that smiles while the super rich stylishly carry the equivalent of a house or two off their shoulder to a party while children starve. There just is, and most Americans in their gut know it.

Our economy, our society itself, is constructed around the premise that wealth is an incentive to productivity. OK, fine. But how much incentive do the Super Rich need to contribute to our nation's productivity? I think at the point where they start purchasing $100,000 purses the potency of that incentive has already been spent.

No one within hiking distance of the mainstream in American politics advocates putting a cap on personal fortunes. I'm not advocating that either. But there is something deeply morally repugnant about the feverish efforts on the Right to LOWER the tax rates the Super Wealthy must pay in this country, one that gives them the liberty to burn through millions on impulse purchases while fellow citizens die from lack of affordable health care.

[aquart]

1. A poor person's house or a rich person's house?

These distinctions matter.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. It depends on the purse - the details are all in that uplifting video

I think the current record for most expensive purse in north of 3 million which probably qualifies for a rich person's house. Now we are talking about really poor people's hoses, some of the super rich are walking around clutching what could have paid for an entire neighborhood.

[no_hypocrisy]

3. Last year I saw the most ugly purse for sale at Macy's for a pricetag of $28,000.

More than two cars. And it was chained to the shelves.

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. Just so we're clear, those weren't Capitalist chanis, correct?

Must have been Socialist chains, holding back our upward mobility.

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Chains were surrealistic as the purse was so ugly you'd think Macys would pay you

to take it out of their store.

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. Funny how it often works that way

The basic functional design for most products was aced a long time ago. Usually it is fairly simple. It doesn't cost a lot to create a useful and attractive design. So in order to justify surreal prices so much tweaking has to be done to the standard optimal design that the hyper expensive item itself often starts to look surreal.

[Retrograde]

7. I'm always perversly pleased when something I utterly dislike is so expensive

I feel like I've saved oodles of dollars by not even considering buying it!

[redqueen]

8. Too many Americans have forgotten history.

Hence the new Gilded Age.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. True. My children will have to fight the union fight all over again. And if not them, then

their children. *sigh*

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. That is a certainty

Either Unions or a transformed political system that functions to protect the legitimate interests of the vast majority of citizens. When it seemed like the middle class was secure, back in the 60's and 70's, too many people abandoned Organized Labor, believing it had outlasted its utility. Incredibly foolish and shortsighted and now we are paying for that.

[sibelian]

9. A substantial chunk have abandoned the rest of humanity.

They think they've gone away from us forever. But it's impossible to do...

[Generic Other]

12. Only new money invests more on a purse than what is inside.

They will be back in the gutter with the rest of us soon enough.

[Cleita]

13. I wish I were selling those purses.

I have no problem sticking it to the rich. They are the ones with the money these days. By selling them pricey luxury items, I might be able to keep others employed.