Wealth and Politics

The very rich are not like "us". They don't think like us, they don't act like us, and they don't understand us. They float through life handed things without ever considering the price and don't realize that it is not the "norm". They have no idea how much a gallon of milk, a can of tuna or a dozen eggs cost.

But when it comes to campaign issues, they know how to "spin" things so that their differentness is percieved however they wish.

Senator Obama has one house, one spouse. He's referred to as "eliteist" by the man who has so many houses he can't remember them all (seven?) and is on his 2nd trophy wife. Why? Well, because he has the AUDACITY to be well-spoken, educated, intelligent, calm and apparently interested in actually HELPING his fellow-man, not just mouthing platitudes and then partying with his cronies using money garnered from taxes on those who are too stretched to even eat healthily, much less party like an AIG exec.

So if Senator McCain is NOT an eliteist (despite the 7 houses, 13 cars, wife with an inherited beer-fortune, &etc), then what exactly IS he? Well, he's a self-proclaimed war hero, certainly a decorated veteran. He favors continuing to give tax breaks to the uber-wealthy. He pals around with convicted criminals (G. Gordon Liddy and Charles Keating...). I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with someone like that as President, however.

Caribou Barbie complained that Senator Obama had been "paling around with terrorists" by going over to the Ayers residence for a meal - "You don't just invite strangers into your house to eat" (I paraphrase, I think) - but Winkie Palin is wrong - the very rich DO do that very thing. They invite people into their homes for dinners all the time, for "philanthropic" reasons. I know this! I have first-hand knowledge - I worked for about a year for a not-for-profit "community foundation". The very rich will gladly pay a LOT of money (that they can tax-deduct) to host lavish dinner parties at their country-club of choice as fundraisers for various causes. They will have small, intimate dinners with potential donors - and politicians if they can get them - in their own homes.

Just a bit disingenuous on her part, I believe.

Senator McCain thinks that giving tax breaks to the very rich is a way to help rebuild the economy. He espouses the Reagan "Voodoo Economic" theory of "Trickle Down" - except he doesn't realize that the trickle isn't enough to fund the "American Dream" for even .01% of those who would NOT be affected by his policies. The very next time I see a Republican claiming that they're philanthropic and doing things to help the poor - I shall spit at him/her.

96 days