Earning Ourselves a Seat in Hell

Bernie gives a strong speech, to an of-course empty house, thankfully avoiding the term "fascism" and which finally gets around to stating an almost comprehensive economic justice/social democratic platform on the fucking basics.

But as usual, the Pied Piper from Vermont manages to hippify the issue by complaining about "the three billionaires" who own more wealth than 70% of the population. Okee... but what does the other 30% own? How much is owned by the 60% or 40% or 20% ?

F. Braudel, the French economic historian, points out that historically, in all societies, 2% own and control. To this one can add an additional 3-5% who are the enablers, the assitants, the managers of the 2% You can call this the haute bourgeoise or upper middle class. So it is NOT just a matter of the 1% or the 2%. The inequity involves at least the upper 7%.

"According to recent data, to be in the upper 7% of earners, you would typically need an annual income exceeding $150,000;" (Google) Got that? A mere 150K gets you into the club.

It is the genius of America that, in the past 40 years it actually expanded the upper middle class, while shrinking the middle middle and growing the lower. (See Pew "The American Middle Class.")

Now, many variables go into defining and measuring "wealth" and the inclusion of "two income earners" in the past 40 years, screws up the traditional analysis. But the basic point remains: the issue of inequity is not just a matter of Bezos, Musk, and Zuckerberg; it is also a matter of Dimon, Blankfein, Buffet and a thousand billionaries, millionaires, CEO's, passive investors and the like. And it is not just a matter of them but also of anyone who is a "stakeholder" in the system. Got 401(k)?

The Demorats are always whining about "systemic racism" but they never talk about "systemic economic oppression" because it includes the very people they most represent.

I hate to sound like Savanarola, but it's the insescapble truth. Bernie is a faux leftist because he consistently avoids the real class implications of our current "inequity."

I will never forget the video interview the New York Slime did with some metro New York Boomers who were definitely WITH>HER and not voting for Bernie. "Oh said one salt and pepper Westchesterite (neé Woodstocker), "I'm in favor of Medicare for all, BUT I CAN WAIT."

When I look at a news report and see a gathering of RFKjr supporters, or Kamala supporters, or Biden supporters I always see people who can wait. And wait they do, whatever excuse they use for doing so.

The rich man argues, Whom am I wronging so long as I keep what is my own? .... Now after seizing all things in your insatiable greed, and thus shutting out others, do you really think you are wronging no man? ... The man who steals a coat from another is called a thief. Is he who can clothe a naked man and will not, worthy of any other name? The bread, which you keep in the store, is the hungry man's bread. The cloak, which you guard in the chest, belongs to the naked man. The sandals rotting in your house belong to him who goes barefoot. The silver you hide away belongs to the needy. Thus it is that you are wronging as many men as you might help if you chose (St. Basil (330-375).)

Of course it is no longer a question of coats and sandals but of stocks and mortgages. Still, it involves "shutting out others" because no man gains else another looses, no matter how hidden or attenuated the cause. Liberalism is an exercise in cognative dissonance; looking at the homeless, saying "what a shame" and not seeing one's self as cause.

I learned this as a child in Mexico where my parents moved when I was five and by some cosmic glitch I was now "upper class." I recall being truly shocked by poverty I hadn't even imagined before and, in particular, by little boys just myself, only a little darker, running around ragged and barefoot selling Chicle's between rows of cars. I'd look at them through the SAF-T glass of the car and wonder what it felt like to be so vulnerable and shoeless on hot and rough pavement. I am told that I was so distressed that I wanted to give away my Christmans money, but my parents prevented my rashness. Be reasonable, they said, just give away a few pesos. Well... the long and short of it was I learned to be reasonable about it. When I was older, visiting Americans would be shocked at the poverty. "How can you stand," they'd ask, "living next to such poverty?!" (We could never do such a thing in Westchester, right?) "Oh," I'd reply, "one gets used to it."

Yes indeed, one does get used to another's poverty; and attitudes like that will earn us a seat in hell. Make no mistake.

I hate to sound like Lenin, so I'll sound like Lucy Parsons instead "Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth."

So ... as usual Bernie's "ferocious diatribe" will go nowhere.
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Trump & Bibi snuff out Twitching Corpse of Rule Based International Order

Kicking Biden in the teeth, Bibi gives his most nauseating speech yet while Trump not so subtly hints at a U.S. presence in Palestine to stabilize Gaza so that the most beautiful beachfront property in the world might be developed causing Bibi to all but cream in his pants at the death of a two state solution and at being allied to the country he so effusively thanks and controls.

Genocide of the mind is always the handmaiden of genocide in the flesh. Before or after, the people you exterminate are simply supposed not to exist. "What Palestinians?" Golda Meir infamously said.

The destruction is terrible, said Trump, as if it just, you know, was. We thank you for aid and assistance said Bibi. Lives? What lives?

Not a mention of a two-state solution; not a mention even of Palestinian aspirations. Just Trump's passing allusion to creating many, many jobs, beautiful jobs... as hewers of wood and drawers of water in the construction of hotels and condos for Jewish investors in Las Vegas, Chicago and Tel Aviv.

Not a mention either of the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court. Along the Jerusalem-Washington Axis, these institutions no longer exist. The "law based international order" which we established in 1947, and which Blinken-Biden stabbed in the back last year, no longer exists. International law? What international law?

The mantel of legitimacy had been cast aside sans souçi left for the Russians and Chinese to pick it up. But, at that point, with nothing really shared, the idea of law dissolves, like a receding wave in the sand. What is left is but a mist over Hobbsian raison d'etat. Welcome to the age of Big Dick.

Those pathetic American satraps called "Europe" might raise a feeble protest, but don't count on it. Feeble is too much effort for these nations of a temps perdu. "Europe? What Europe?"

As for the countries of the Middle East, Bibi and Trump know that they too are eager to "eventually" get into line. Make no mistake, money is always stronger than blood. The only thing holding back the despots of these tin pot and gold pot countries is the fury of their own oppressed millions who, having no money, think only of their kindred blood. But as soon as these democratic hindrances are removed the Arab nations will be eager to complete the Abram Accords.

The Palestinians' only hope is China who, having her own "road and beltway" interests in the region, might find it convenient to wave the flag legitimacy under U.N. resolutions. A slim reed indeed.

Slimmer yet is the notion that anyone in the Israeli controlled U.S. Congress or the Zionist dominated academic-infotainment industry will do anything to save international law or, much less, the Palestinians. What really makes Bibi happy -- so happy that he could barely be seen to contain his joy -- is that he daily proves the antisemitic trope of all time.

Don't rely on me. Ask Uri Avneri or Gideon Levy.

Of course Bibi is very careful to always talk about "we" just as we are careful to talk to the Europeans about "us" but no one is fooled. ... No one, except the brainwashed ghouls in Congrease. It is truly an amazing feat and one that will be studied by historians for decades to come, how a hapless people, living on a shoe string and hand-me-downs brought to heel the world's first great super power and, now, walks it about like a trained monkey.

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