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The Nation's Pulse
Knitting the Defeat of Capitalism
In these recessional times, we find it often uncomfortable to watch TV or read the newspapers; especially when we recognize that our fellow citizens are too often influenced by the propaganda that daily issues forth from them. Given their almost unanimous support of all things liberal, our media have furnished the socialists in Washington the ability to hide their agenda in plain sight; a heretofore unheard of development in the U.S. of A.
From inanities like our president predicting a "catastrophe" if his stimulus bill fails, to insanities like Nancy Pelosi calling abortion and birth control good for the economy, the feeling that we are no longer living in the America we knew grows day by day.
So where then are we? Many have opined that we are sliding into the realm of socialist Europe, but my sense of alienation is more specific: I feel as if in the middle of the French Revolution, or at least the Dicksonian rendition of it. We have now reached critical mass on the battlefield of class warfare; we have become a nation of Madame Defarges, with Nancy Pelosi wielding the big knitting needles, weaving together the names of the enemies of the State.
Not a day goes by without some corporate schmuck being held up in derision for his salary, his bonus or even his office décor. Derision is his lot; he is to be despised by the masses, as we are often reminded by our betters in the entertainment field, whose possessions and net worth are, of course, never questioned by a fawning press.
Yet, the notion of class warfare should be a laughable premise in a society whose governing system was and is designed so that there would be no permanent class distinctions. The proof of this is all around us, not the least of which is the life story and election of Barack Obama.
But the specter of the modern-day guillotine is all around us, ready to fall on the neck of those who dare speak the praises of Capitalism or worse; that a man is entitled to make whatever the market will bear. Such radical ideas, once the bedrock of our economy, are now the stuff which causes millions to cheer when the next CEO takes the media perp walk.
Now, none of this is new. Resentment of the rich dates back to Biblical days, and although used as a weapon here from time to time, it has always been tempered by the sure knowledge that with a lot of hard work and maybe a touch of Divine Providence, the sons and daughters of immigrants might be raised to great wealth in a generation or two.
The way we got in this mess was a well-intentioned, if misguided attempt to circumvent that long, hard road to the American dream. The idea that home ownership is a right; that everyone with a foot on American soil must be given access to funding that they had very little hope of repaying, is what put our banking system under the hobnail boot of the socialists who seek to gain the power they so urge the rest of us to disdain.
But just as in the case of repentant aristocrats during the Reign of Terror, some American rich folks have managed to escape the tender embrace of Madame Guillotine. One need look no further than the case of Tom Daschle, who's made a killing in the private sector since being sacked by the people of South Dakota, hauling in over $5 million as a lobbyist-like "consultant."
Yes, woe be unto the greedy corporate biggie whose life of luxury comes at the expense of his shareholders. But, when an ex-public servant uses the influence granted him by his constituents to amass wealth and then avoids paying taxes on his hired cars and drivers, the message is unmistakable: Let them eat cake!
It is a regrettable paradox that in today's America, its citizens are being urged to bite the hand that feeds them. After all, as bloodthirsty as were Mme. Defarge's acts of vengeance, she at least had a legitimate beef with those she sent to an early grave. But today's blade is sharpened for the only ones who can supply the jobs that will rescue our nation from the shadow of a domestic reign of terror. It's time to reconsider who and what really deserve the ax.
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Pecos Pete| 2.11.09 @ 7:08AM
I'd add that the history of the Romanov family's demise, and that of Russia, is also applicable to the current situation in the USA.
Rocco| 2.11.09 @ 7:20AM
What really ought to be done is for citizens to take control of the guillotine and apply it to ALL of our governing class in Washington, and purge the capitol of its filth once and for all.
Rocco| 2.11.09 @ 7:25AM
I meant "capital."
Kitty| 2.11.09 @ 7:40AM
I often think of the movie "Dr. Zhivago" these days. Like this scene:
Gen. Yevgraf Zhivago (play by Alec Guinness) [narrating over a military parade in Moscow]: "In bourgeois terms, it was a war between the Allies and Germany. In Bolshevik terms, it was a war between the Allied and German upper classes - and which of them won was of total indifference. My task was to organize defeat, so as to hasten the onset of revolution. I enlisted under the name of Petrov. The party looked to the peasant conscript soldiers - many of whom were wearing their first real pair of boots. When the boots had worn out, they'd be ready to listen. When the time came, I was able to take three whole battalions out of the front lines with me - the best day's work I ever did. But for now, there was nothing to be done. There were too many volunteers. Most of it was mere hysteria."
...
Robert Rosencrans| 2.11.09 @ 8:01AM
A brilliant article.
Jeremiah| 2.11.09 @ 8:04AM
Holy false historical analogy, Batman.
John Gridley| 2.11.09 @ 8:15AM
We are not dealing with socialists here. We are dealing with fascists. In socialism the government owns the means of production. In fascism the government just tells the owners of the means of production how to do their business, and only favored businesses are propped up, no matter how inefficient and wasteful--a good example is Oscar Schinlder's companies in WWII.
But with fascism, you always have eugenics, and the culling of society of those deemed unworthy. Tom Bethell on this web page today describes how blacks are on the receiving end now. Soon here, as in England already, it will be the elderly who don't deserve life. Then it will be, as it now often is with abortions, the mentally deficient, the physically lame, and those with "unacceptable" genes. Where it goes after that is anybody's guess, but I'm betting the Jews are on the list not so far down the line, and of course, the criminals, and so on. We are dealing with very nasty people in the Presidency and Congress, not a bunch of Fabians.
Gill O'Teen| 2.11.09 @ 9:56AM
Rocco, "Capitol" works for me. That building in D.C. is a good starting point for the few remaining free Americans to begin taking back our country.
John Gridley, the Obamatized are trying to take over the means of production. If you recall, much TARP money was used to purchase stock in financial institutions. There is very little difference, just semantics, between socialism as you describe it and Odumbo fascism.
The Odumbos already have the elderly in their sights. My advice to you is to go kiss your parents and grandparents good-bye. Once O-bum-ah, he's not my president, signs the stimulus bill, some Obamoid jackass will decide whether medical care for senior citizens is cost-effective, if he decides it's not, the gum'mint will simply throw Momma from the train. Or more appropriately, think of a Roman Emperor giving thumbs up or thumbs down as to whether Granny gets to live.
This gum'mint cares more about the constitutional rights of our nation's enemies than it does for those of the very people whose sweat, blood and treasure built this country.
Shame on all the petty lemmings who are blindly sucking the rest of us over the cliff following their lord and savior.
JJ JR| 2.11.09 @ 10:30AM
Y'all,
I keep wondering--where's the voice in the wilderness (while I'm composing this, I'm listening to Barney Frank, one of the authors of our current economic maelstrom, drone on on Fox News) who steps forward like RR did in 1964 with the siren call that his speech "A Time for Choosing" proved to be? Sadly, I don't see anyone across the conservative landscape. And just as sad is that it took 16 years more of liberal policies and a fully installed welfare state before even he was able to break through!
clashseeker| 2.11.09 @ 10:38AM
Why not propose a one million dollar a year maximum wage. If the republicans had any sense of humor at all , they'd propose such law. Then sit back and laugh as the democrats vote against it to protect their super rich crowd, including hollywood, television personalities and stars, trial lawyers, and their good guy/gal CEOS and investors. Let's have a truth commission on their salaries and compensation and howtheir industries are tied into bailout money. Not the republicans, they just lack the sense of irony and cleverness to stick it to these lying liberal scumbags. They love money more than anybody, and make it in rigged business, go get them. Expose their greed and hypocrisy. Ever look at your cable bill ? How much of that is guaranteed cash flow for hollywood and the tv rich? What a joke.
Anthony| 2.11.09 @ 10:58AM
Lisa; Well said. I made a similar reference to Mr. Dickens yesterday in response to the blog on the stealth health care provisions in the pork & acorn bill, and those comments attributed to Daschle from his recent book on the subject. I'm with Rocco, since we're back on the subject of guillotines, what size shirt do you think Daschle takes? I'd say he's a 14 1/2, or a 15. It's important to get the details right.
R. Trotter| 2.11.09 @ 11:19AM
John Gridley, thanks for the post. That's the first time that distinction has been explained to me so clearly. As to which of those (i.e. socialist vs. fascist) these obaminable people are I’m not sure, but they’re certainly opposed to market freedom and the life of the unborn.
megapotamus| 2.11.09 @ 1:52PM
Okay, the economy is bad but the puns are plentiful in Obamerica.
Word.
Marc Jeric| 2.11.09 @ 2:58PM
There is really not much difference between socialists and fascists. The full name of Hitler's party was "Deutche Nazional-Sozialistische Arbeiter Partei" and the name of Mussolini's party was "Partito Italiano Socialista (i Fascisti)"; and the name of the communist behemoth was "Soyuz Sovietskih Socialischkih Respublik". All of them, including our Democrats, are just blood-thirsty, power-hungry non-workers bent on making us all their slaves.
Craig Sarver| 2.11.09 @ 6:07PM
"But the specter of the modern-day guillotine is all around us..."
I should think more like Kentucy long rifles speaking from bushes and the shot heard round the world is more in the offing then a silent surrender to fascists. Far more likely by Americans even today then a French response as you propose.
Alan Brooks| 2.11.09 @ 7:00PM
i agree with libs on birth control to the extent I want the poor to have less children, and the middle class and wealthy to have more children.
bob montgomery| 2.11.09 @ 7:51PM
So shall we declare an end to bipartisanship and excommunicate any who utter the vile word?
Nick| 2.12.09 @ 2:39AM
Mr. Jeric,
Excellent post, just excellent. If only this was taught in the schools.
DaveS| 2.12.09 @ 5:35PM
The newest 'Seig, Heil!' moment is upon us. How dare we question/oppose the savior. We're trying to save his Presidency - though all action so far is self-destruction in record time. Advisors conned Bush into TARP, and this is grossly worse.
Trackback| 2.17.09 @ 11:08AM
The American Spectator : Knitting the Defeat of Ca..., on knitting, links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
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