Mission Accomplished?

Remember when Leaders of Major Political Parties didn't encourage citizens to 'occupy' property, to prevent people from going to work, or to damage private / public property? 

Yeah, me neither.  I can't remember this far back.   

We've come so very far in the past three years. 

Let's step back and take an admiring look at all we've accomplished...

According to PEW Research, January 11, 2012:

The Occupy Wall Street movement no longer occupies Wall Street, but the issue of class conflict has captured a growing share of the national consciousness. A new Pew Research Center survey of 2,048 adults finds that about two-thirds of the public (66%) believes there are “very strong” or “strong” conflicts between the rich and the poor—an increase of 19 percentage points since 2009.

Source:  Pew Research Poll

Not only have perceptions of class conflict grown more prevalent; so, too, has the belief that these disputes are intense. According to the new survey, three-in-ten Americans (30%) say there are “very strong conflicts” between poor people and rich people. That is double the proportion that offered a similar view in July 2009 and the largest share expressing this opinion since the question was first asked in 1987.

...

The biggest increases in perceptions of class conflicts occurred among political liberals and Americans who say they are not affiliated with either major party. In each group the proportion who say there are major disagreements between rich and poor Americans increased by more than 20 percentage points since 2009.

While the survey results show a significant shift in public perceptions of class conflict in American life, they do not necessarily signal an increase in grievances toward the wealthy. It is possible that individuals who see more conflict between the classes think that anger toward the rich is misdirected. Nor do these data suggest growing support for government measures to reduce income inequality.

In fact, other questions in the survey show that some key attitudes toward the wealthy have remained largely unchanged. For example, there has been no change in views about whether the rich became wealthy through personal effort or because they were fortunate enough to be from wealthy families or have the right connections.

A 46% plurality believes that most rich people “are wealthy mainly because they know the right people or were born into wealthy families.” But nearly as many have a more favorable view of the rich: 43% say wealthy people became rich “mainly because of their own hard work, ambition or education,” largely unchanged from a Pew survey in 2008.

The interesting thing about this survey is that in spite of President Obama's, Vice-President Joe Biden's, and former Speaker Of the House Pelosi's coordinated attacks on Capitalism and the Free Enterprise System...  Americans are aware that people are wealthier than others - but they don't BLAME them any MORE for their wealth in 2011 than they did in 2009.

I guess we live in interesting times when a polling organization feels the need to determine if we HATE successful people more now than we did previously.  In spite of the best efforts of of US Politicians, Occupy Wall Street, Unions, Communist Party USA, and USA Nazi Party members, awareness of the concern has increased, but the anger, the vitriol, the 'hoped for' violence has not happened.   

This is most likely attributed to one of two things:

1. Democrat Party leadership legislation has tainted its message of 'Hope and Change' to the down-trodden, tired, and otherwise 'financially beaten-up' citizens of America.  You can TELL people that you're 'for them' but if you create policies to the contrary, well, most people are going catch on sooner, vs. later.
2. Or, much to the dismay of Progressive folks in places of power, Americans still believe in the American Dream.  Somehow, in spite of 50+ years of Progressives running educational institutions teaching children how "Evil America is", the dream, against all odds - survives. 

I don't know which situation applies, perhaps it is a combination of both.  The American Dream can not survive if American workers, businesses, and foreign investors fear America is destined for a 99 64/100% chance of bankruptcy.  We, of course, became 'morally bankrupt' YEARS ago, but why beat a dead horse?  The bad news is that it wastes you time, the good news is that the horse doesn't really seem to mind it so much...   

All I do know is that hearing the President ask for an additional $1.2 TRILLION to keep the government running past the 2012 elections (better sweep this under the rug NOW, lest it become an uncomfortable Election Issue), I'm thinking we should be done kicking the problem down the street.

Better yet, perhaps we should get OFF the street we're currently on? 

The Congress and White House have increased our National Debt by 43% in the first three years of the Obama Presidency.  I heard this particular bit of news from CBS (yes, Bob said it best, "the Times they are a-Changin")... 

The debt was $10.626 trillion on the day Mr. Obama took office. The latest calculation from Treasury shows the debt has now hit $14.639 trillion.

It's the most rapid increase in the debt under any U.S. president.

The national debt increased $4.9 trillion during the eight-year presidency of George W. Bush. The debt now is rising at a pace to surpass that amount during Mr. Obama's four-year term.    Source:  CBS News
  

'Spending yourself' into prosperity hasn't worked EVER in the history of mankind - despite what Paul Krugman over at the New York Times says. 

I know this to be true as I've spent more than I've earned for YEARS.  If spending your way to prosperity worked, I'd own Rhode Island.  Only problem with owning Rhode Island?  As it turns out, it's NOT actually an island.  Don't believe me, look it up!  Dang, that ain't right...

On second thought, I've got to spend MUCH more money so I can buy Manhattan.  I'm pretty sure that it IS an island, but unfortunately, I think it'll be big-time expensive.  I'd better spend a LOT of money soon, 'cause with all that Global Climate Change going on, Manhattan's gonna be a reef within the next ten years.

Man, I just can't get a break...  Anybody know how much mountain ranges are going for - I may need to set my sights a bit higher.

"See ya flatlanders..."