American politics has caught the British disease

The Telegraph ^ | 7/17/2010 | Janet Daley

[bruinbirdman]

Under Barack Obama, the phenomenon of class resentment is a live political issue

When David Cameron visits the United States this week, he will find a country whose national political argument has become more like our own in Britain than probably he – and certainly I – would ever have imagined. For America has learned, thanks to Barack Obama's crash course in European-style government, about the titanic force of class differences. The president's determination to transform the US into a social democracy, complete with a centrally run healthcare programme and a redistributive tax system, has collided rather magnificently with America's history as a nation of displaced people who were prepared to risk their futures on a bid to be free from the power of the state.

They are talking a lot about this in the US now. Suddenly the phenomenon of class resentment is a live political issue. Some commentators describe it as the Democrats' "middle-class problem", which means that there has been a spectacular collapse of support for the administration among the core blue-collar voters who should constitute its base. (This terminology may be confusing: the "middle class" in the US means the skilled working, or lower middle, class. University-educated professionals are described as the "upper middle class" which, in this country, tends to mean a notch or two below titled aristocracy.)

There was a warning of what was to come during the election campaign with Joe the Plumber, to whom Mr Obama unwisely confided his intention to "spread the wealth around". Americans who have risen from poverty to become qualified tradesmen or entrepreneurs generally believe that they have a right to put what wealth they produce back into their own businesses, rather than trusting governments to spread it around among those judged to be deserving.

But Joe's warning

[Cheerio]

Well with the boy messiah in charge it is class warfare 24 x 7. We are taught by boy messiah to hate the wealthy, to hate large corporations, to hate whitey, hate hate hate. Is that anyway to incentivize a country, that is currently experiencing economic hardship? Hope and change indeedie.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Fabian Socialism.

"Most of us believe socialism is what the socialists want us to believe it is - a share-the-wealth program. That is the theory. But is that how it works?... If one understands that socialism is not a share-the-wealth program, but is in reality a method to consolidate and control the wealth, then the seeming paradox of super-rich men promoting socialism becomes no paradox at all. Instead it becomes the logical, even the perfect tool of power-seeking megalomaniacs. Communism, or more accurately, socialism, is not a movement of the downtrodden masses, but of the economic elite." - Gary Allen, None Dare Call It Conspiracy

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“Some commentators describe it as the Democrats’ “middle-class problem”, which means that there has been a spectacular collapse of support for the administration among the core blue-collar voters who should constitute its base.”

This needn’t worry the Democrats. They love poor people, and they’re very good at making more, and more of them.

[mamelukesabre]

What is most depressing about this – apart from the injustice of it – is that the people who have been disenfranchised and disowned are the very ones on whom both countries’ economic recovery depends.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are the most sane words I’ve read all year.

[bruinbirdman]

"Americans who have risen from poverty to become qualified tradesmen or entrepreneurs generally believe that they have a right to put what wealth they produce back into their own businesses, rather than trusting governments to spread it around among those judged to be deserving. "

IOW, upward mobility, The American Dream.

In EUrotopia, the state decides who can participate in the state run capitalist system. The opportunity for upward mobility is decided by the state well in advance of placement.

yitbos

[Nosterrex]

Socialism is not about sharing the wealth, but it is about those in political power controlling the wealth. Whatever happened to the maxim: He governs best who governs least? It is truly sad to know that what the Founding Fathers detested, political tyranny, has become the norm for us today.

[blackbart.223]

"Well with the boy messiah in charge it is class warfare 24 x 7. We are taught by boy messiah to hate the wealthy, to hate large corporations, to hate whitey, hate hate hate. Is that anyway to incentivize a country, that is currently experiencing economic hardship? Hope and change indeedie.

The problem with socialism is this. When the wealth runs out what well do they tap next? Obama and his wife are useless pieces of dung that push failed policies of the past that never worked. I wonder how Obama's brother is doing in his hut in Africa While Obama is sucking up lobster in Maine?

[blackbart.223]

"Socialism is not about sharing the wealth, but it is about those in political power controlling the wealth."

Spot on. They toss a few crumbs out from time to time to their idiot supporters to keep their ass in power.

[Semperfiwife]

Obama’s new national anthem - sung to the Barney tune - “I hate you, You hate me, We’re a dysfunctional count-r-y, With a tax, tax here and a gimme to you too, Won’t you say you HATE us too” Any and all improvements are welcome, but suffice it to say, this man thrives on hate.

[freekitty]

Politicians are disgusting and sick creatures.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

With the progressive income tax, property taxes, inventory and licensing fees & regulations to make sure VERY FEW ever rise out of wage labor. Statism keeps people down and under control.

[x_plus_one]

Liberal politics is now – over there as much as here – a form of social snobbery

Our land mass is so much bigger than theirs that the paradigm is irrelevant. You want to live in liberal-snobbery land you are free to do so at your own risk of self-hating self-defeatism and a lowered birth rate.

[happygrl]

Once again we look to the British papers to speak the truth!

Liberal politics is now – over there as much as here – a form of social snobbery. To express concern about mass immigration, or reservations about the Obama healthcare plan, is unacceptable in bien-pensant circles because this is simply not the way educated people are supposed to think. It follows that those who do think (and talk) this way are small-minded bigots, rednecks, oiks, or whatever your local code word is for "not the right sort".

And

What is most depressing about this – apart from the injustice of it – is that the people who have been disenfranchised and disowned are the very ones on whom both countries' economic recovery depends.

Well said!

I wonder if 0bama's attitude toward the British will continue as before, in its disdainful and resentful way.

Or will 0bama consider Cameron, despite his position as the Tory leader, as someone attractive and hip, with whom he will deign to be respectful. I suppose it depends on whether Cameron will recognize His Awesomeness and the superiority of 0bama's beliefs.

[xp38]

But Joe's warning was not heeded.

A brief summation of the 2008 election.