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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Rich Really Are Different
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/13744/insecurity_separates_middle_class_from_romney_ryanThe rich, those born sucking silver spoons like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, really are different from the middle class. The wealthy grow up and live their lives wrapped in security. That's what gives them the arrogance to organize a posse to hold down a fellow prep school student and chop off his hair, mock NASCAR fans' clothes and ridicule cookies offered by supporters. No matter what, Romney and Ryan will remain rich and secure.
By contrast, those born into poverty or the middle class live lives nagged by insecurity. They know their jobs could be offshored at any moment. They know their employers may raid their pensions in bankruptcy. Their major asset in life, their home, may have lost a third of its value when the Wall Street-inflated housing bubble burst. Rich would be great, but those born without trust funds work hardest just to attain a little security.
Last week, the Pew Research Center issued a report detailing how insecurity has increased for the middle class since 2000. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) published a report predicting increased insecurity for the middle class if Congress takes no action on taxes and budget cuts within the next four months. A third report released last week, called Prosperity Economics, describes how to revive the economy and broaden security.
A true democratic republic, where the majority rules, would reverse the past decade's trend against the middle class, forestall the CBO prediction, and increase security for the masses. The silver spooners seeking the Oval Office have given no indication, however, that they intend to ease the uncertainty of the plastic spooners.
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The Rich Really Are Different (Original Post)
xchrom
Aug 2012
OP
onehandle
(51,122 posts)1. 'nagged by insecurity' And these insecurities pit us against each other to keep us in 'check.'
Rather than rising up and fomenting real change.
All part of the plan to keep us angry yet docile.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)2. Great read.
The silver spooners don't want the rest of us to have any feeling of security. Fearful, desperate people are much easier to manipulate and control. But they'd best watch out -- they haven't thought about what might happen when it dawns on the plastic spooners that they no longer have anything to lose.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)5. Not only that, but every silver-spooner sees
every dollar in the hands of a middle or working-class person as a dollar that rightfully belongs to them. No one else is to have anything whatsoever because it is all theirs by right.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)4. Plastic spooners v silver spooners. Great analogy.
Similar to the 99% v 1%, its short and sweet and to the point.
I'm going to use that one again for sure.