A Nation On a Self-Destructive Path; The Dismantling Of The Middle Class

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/A-Nation-On-a-Self-Destruc-by-michael-payne-110607-697.html

The American middle class is under intense attack by a consortium composed of Corporate America, Wall Street, the wealthy, and the U.S. Congress. The rich and powerful sectors of this nation have accumulated tremendous wealth but they want more; in fact, they want it all. They are determined to find new and innovative ways to extract the remaining wealth of the middle class and transfer it to their own accounts. And so far they have been very successful. The American middle class is on life support, and if it goes under, so will our consumer-driven economy.

The wealthiest 1% of America is bent on creating a modern day version of the feudal system that existed during the Middle Ages when lords and barons controlled the lives of their serfs and peasants. And that model seems to be working quite well as the rich get richer and the majority of Americans struggle to merely survive. The goal is to turn the middle class into a class of serfs who all work for the minimum wage. In this process those in control are ably aided and abetted by the U.S.Congress, led by the Republicans but also supported by far too many Democrats, all of whom facilitate this cruel agenda.

If this deadly consortium that is intent on destroying the middle class is not stopped in its tracks, and its insidious goals are achieved, it will be devastating to the majority of Americans; and it will sound the death knell for this nation's consumer-driven economy; one that is totally dependent upon the sustained purchasing power of Middle America. Without that consumer power it will wither and die.

To illustrate the self destruction taking place in America, I'll use the image at the top of this article, that of "Ouroboros", an ancient Greek symbol that depicts a snake eating its own tail; it is often used to represent self-reflexivity or cyclicality, as in something that recreates itself. But, I will take the liberty to temporarily alter the meaning of that symbol, for this article only, to depict something entirely different; I see it as an illustration of how America has become the modern-day version of Ouroboros; a symbol for a nation that, in effect, is devouring itself as it follows a course of self destruction.

More at the link --

[LiberalEsto]

1. K&R Excellent article

Exactly the point I was attempting to make in my post about training people for unspecified manufacturing jobs.

However Payne's sole solution is ending the Afghan and Iraq occupation/wars. That's not the only step. The money saved by ending those wars must be deliberately and purposefully directed toward job creation programs on the order of FDR's Works Progress Administration.

[shoeless]

6. A few other things to save the middle class

I agree that we need a public jobs program similar to that created by FDR in the Republican Depression of the 1930's.

Raise the top income tax rate to 70%
Raise capital gains and dividend taxes to 25%
Raise the estate tax to 50% on inheritance over $6 million
Re-institute Glass-Stegall to prevent banks from speculating with investor's money
Raise import tariffs to 25%
Remove the cap on Social Security contributions
Enact single payer government sponsored health insurance
Enact fairness the in the workplace law to allow workers to more easily form unions
Cut defense spending by 50%

These measures would balance the budget, find all important social programs, and return full employment.

[Donnachaidh]

9. re-institute the fairness doctirne and really implement it

There is a rumor that the FCC chair is going to kill it completely. NOT a good thing.

[shoeless]

10. Media Monopolies

I don't care about the Fairness Doctrine. I think I would be more important to repeal the 1996 bill which deregulated the media allowing mega-corporations to monopolize the media. This would go further toward fairness than would the Fairness Doctrine.

[Donnachaidh]

11. agree -- but most americans know the fairness doctrine more

I think we could get more people to get behind that on the voter level. :shrug:

[bvar22]

12. Recommending your post.

I like that plan:

"*Raise the top income tax rate to 70%

*Raise capital gains and dividend taxes to 25%

*Raise the estate tax to 50% on inheritance over $6 million

*Re-institute Glass-Stegall to prevent banks from speculating with investor's money

*Raise import tariffs to 25%

*Remove the cap on Social Security contributions

*Enact single payer government sponsored health insurance

*Enact fairness the in the workplace law to allow workers to more easily form unions

*Cut defense spending by 50%+"

---suggested by shoeless in above post

All of these conform well to what used to be Traditional Democratic Party values.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[izquierdista]

14. An impressive list

But one with little chance at being implemented. Welcome to DU. :hi: Now you can bitch and moan with the rest of us as we see the things on the list receding instead of getting closer.

[Fumesucker]

2. If you can't live on your investments then you are working class..

The whole idea of "middle class" seems to be designed to divide the working class into "them" and "us" with "them" being those unfortunates who don't work pushing paper or bits and bytes in an air conditioned office.

[Eddie Haskell]

3. It's time we strike back

Organize!

[RainDog]

4. saturn devours its children

a war economy - a nation subject to a ruling class who place themselves above the rest of us as "gods of industry" - tho how much of such wealth is inherited - eventually, saturn is overthrown.

[Romulox]

5. k/r and thank you for your hard work, Donnachaidh! nt

[Donnachaidh]

8. de nada

:blush: :hug:

[NNN0LHI]

7. Most Americans are not smart enough to do what this article suggests doing

>>>The dismantling of the middle class would be brought to an immediate halt as Americans would get back to work to make products of value for home consumption and exporting around the world. The consumer-driven economy would have a great rebirth and America's manufacturing base would be restored. That eerie symbol of Ouroboros would no longer hang over America.<<<

This is what I have been saying to no avail around here for a decade, but Americans would rather have their imported stuff than have a job for themselves or for the next generation. Then when the jobs are gone the same people are screaming "Where are all the jobs?"

Sad state of affairs isn't it?

Don

[CrossChris]

13. It's not self destruction--it's one class destroying a country they don't have to live in anymore

Technically the top 2% live in America, but their loyalties are to the top 2% in every country. They can jet to those private communities in any country they choose.

The people ruling America are done with "America." No one's destroying themselves as much as it's one class destroying another.