Mexification Complete

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   Doug Hughesposted 13 years ago

   "Mexification Complete
   
   U.S. now has wealth distribution typical of 3rd world banana republics. The Reagan Revolution is complete -- the wealth of America has now been transferred from the middle class to the top 1%, who now make 24% of the income -- and own 34% of the wealth. Meanwhile, the top 5% of Americans own more of America than the entire bottom 95% of Americans combined -- roughly 60% of America's wealth... "
   
   from http://snarkypenguin.blogspot.com/
   
   And the GOP/teabagger solution is *drum roll* less taxes for the rich - less/no government regulation of business to empower the fat cats to further redistribute wealth upwards - while slashing benefits for the elderly and poor. This should go over like selling Korans at a bar mitzvah - since only those at the top will actually benefit but voters are sucking it up.

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      logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      One of the great things about this country is you can leave any time you no longer can stand it.  Or you can do something constructive to improve things.  Besides name calling, whining and bitching of course.
      Like the Tea Party people.  They got tired of the idiocy in
      Washington and they worked hard to get things done.  The work has only just started, but it is a start.
      If you have a better idea than someone else, convince enough people to back you up and run with it.

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         JOE BARNETTposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         the idea sounds great but the right has been working slowly but with purpose to eliminate one person from creating a movement. this path requires a lot of time and support(dollars) from grass roots. the recent citizens united decision now can outmatch any amount of money you get by 15-20 to one and more. immediately they would package commercials with happy music,good looking women and children playing at parks and show your idea to be sinister or crazy, and spread it nationwide in a day, ten times a day till your idea "quickly" becomes a thing of the past before it even gets started.
         that decision made a money getting entity whose sole purpose is only that and without any mention of humans, health, safety(food medicine etc.)the equivalent to an individual. it will be like a middle school basketball team playing an nba team.you already see them asking to cut senior citizens social security to pay the bills. remember a business entity has no conscience. all it knows is "more money" and or their bottom line.
         one recourse is to quickly and defintively ammend this process by creating transparency. then we can know from where the money is coming and discontinue spending our dollars with that company.if we don't attempt or fail in the effort, from that point forward any idea that is not for big business attaining more money and doing less in this country will , i think, become nothing more than an idea, again thanks to citizens united. if this occurs i suspect a robin hood like entity will soon be on the horizon in some form or fashion

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         Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         But they haven't told us what they are going to do. Take back the government. Restore the Constitution. Cut taxes but not Social Security or Medicare. This doesn't get it.

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      sandra rinckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I know right!  But it doesn't matter how you point it out, some will still believe you are lying.  The trickle down myth worked!

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      GladYaMetMe!posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      

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      C.J. Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      "Mexification" can't be complete without amnesty.....

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   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   I wonder if I can add to your mixture here Doug.
   
   Let's see.....
   
   (a) 40+ million homeless- not register voters. (15% of pop.)
   (b) 50% of registered voters- do not vote.
   (c) 50% of the population is registered to vote to begin with.
   
   So, the big question remains- Who is actually voting that do not make up the top 5% of Americans?
   
   So, let's see-
   
   15% of American cannot vote because of no residence. Leaving about 260 million people.
   
   Half of which are registered voters. So- 130 million people.
   
   Half of which are registered voters, but do not vote. So- now we are down to 65 million people.
   
   The top 5% of American is about 15.5 million people. So, that leaves you with approximately 44.5 million people who are not in the Top 5% or Homeless that actually vote.
   
   And, people think America is ruled by the majority? Now, that's funny.

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      Amie Warrenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Don't forget convicted felons can't vote. Don't know how many that is, but I'm thinking a lot.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The entire prison population is just under 4 million people. So, I guess you can subtract those out.

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            S Leretsehposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Prison population in US is about 2.3 million. Perhaps you're referring to all those under control of the criminal justice system, which i believe is close to 5 mil.

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            Reality Bytesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Most of the prison population have employment though!
            
            At slave wages  .17 to .25 cents an hour in a private prison.

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      Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You are totally right, but, here's where I think a big part of the problem lies, and what Madison tried to explain to Hamilton:  People are lazy and won't read.  An undeducated and uninterested public (toss in sophistry - that's my add in) is the death of democracy AND it turns out, of a republic.
      
      HOw do you run a democracy where nobody participates because "It's all too big and beyond me." 
      
      A HUGE part of post-modern literature is the examination of the sense of helplessness in the face of forces to large and complicated by even the intelligent.  If the intelligent are giving up in droves, how does democracy survive?  It's so much easier to pacified (it used to be booze and the Awakenings... but who's going to start the Awakening against TV and video games and drugs and booze?)  We all numb ourselves and let this crap happen (I do it too, but as an artist, I see it and point it out, so I get a pass and can drink and play games AND be self-righteous and all that too.   )

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Shades, did you actually want your questions answered? Sometimes, I'm not sure, but then again, sometimes I do it anyways.
         
         But, in this instance, I'm asking?

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            Shadesbreathposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I was actually doing the rhetorical question thing, but sometimes answering rhetorical questions anyway can make for very interesting remarks.
            
            (If you're still inclined, go for it.  Although, I'd rather you didn't because that would be one more post ticked off on your countdown to POOF, so I'd rather not be a mechanism for speeding you out of here. )

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               Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               And did you think humor itself, from you of all people, wasn't going to get a reply? I thought you were smarter than that.
               
               The best thing to do was not respond to my post. In order to not get me to post.

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      C.J. Wrightposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      An interesting stat would be....How many of your 44.5 Mil are on the government dole......

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      couturepopcafeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Cagsil - and that's assuming all 15.5% of the top do vote.

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   dawnMposted 13 years ago

   Lets just make Mexico another state, problem solved......

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      Ralph Deedsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'd rather have Canada.

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   mikelongposted 13 years ago

   I disagree with you, Doug, on your Mexification premise....
   
   Instead, I proffer the idea that we are actually going back to the days of our founding fathers........the Virginia Company owned and run colony....

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      Doug Hughesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Jamestown failed.

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   mikelongposted 13 years ago

   And so has the long-term viability of the American middle class....if we continue down our present course..

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