Friday, July 18, 2008

Comments, please

I had the last comment here come through tonight, but although it's long and features words in capital letters (usually a bad sign), I read it. Shame it's anonymous, and maybe it could do with editing, but aren't there elements in it with which you could agree? Is he (I assume he, for some reason) right about wealth distribution in the USA?

UPDATE

That rant has indeed been copied and pasted as the author suggests, with slight variations. I've done a little digging via Google (there's about 1,600 instances) and the earliest date-stamped version I can find so far is 26th February 2008 here, though quite likely there's earlier ones.

I don't know what he's got against Oprah.

The "1% own 50%" claim startled me - looks like England in the 19th century. Anybody able to confirm the inequality data? And will the sucking-up of wealth by the rich destroy the economy, as the ranter claims?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was too long to read, but I skimmed through and sensed the frustration of an entire world.

As he said, this is not brain surgery. If the top 1% own the proportion of assets that university studies continue to quote, what does that say about attempts by governments around to world to backstop housing, equities, bonds, etc.?

Does a housing bailout really stand to benefit average Americans, or does it stand to preserve the status quo (i.e., are Americans better off with the combination of high home prices and large debt, or bankruptcies and falling home prices?)?

Why the sudden, very public announcement by the SEC that it will begin strictly enforcing rules on naked shorting for the large banks right before options expiration?

Something is seriously wrong.

CherryPie said...

Funny you should say that...

I think it must be spam, but they pick up on those key points in your post! I get them on my blog too, several days after I have posted. I usually see the same comment on at least one other blog contact of mine. But the comments are always relevant to the post!

I think how do they do that because the comment is always relevant...

James Higham said...

If one can get past the swearing and capitalization of letter, there is some good advice:

Especially in middle and lower class communities. Check the Fortune 500 list and limit your support of high profit/low labor industries (Hollywood, pro sports, energy, credit, pharmaceutical, cable, satelite, internet advertising, cell phone, high fashion, jewelry, ect.). Cancel all but one credit card for emergencies only. If you need a cell phone, then do your homework and find the best deal on a local pre-pay. If you want home internet access, then use the least expensive provider, and share accounts whenever possible. If you need to search, then use the less popular search engines.

... and so on. If we're middle or lower middle, it's probably time to pull out of the system and keep it under our pillow. But if all did that, the collapse would come.

Anonymous said...

"At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size."

What the HELL does that MEAN?

Stupidity, ignorance and paranoia is not a pretty combination.

I didn't read to the end - did he recommend we kill all the Jews?

Sackerson said...

I know, DM, I know; but one can pick the odd cobnut out of the horse manure. It's interesting to see what is penetrating the consciousness of the lower orders and the fringemen.

I did think it would end with an anti-Jewish peroration, but no. However, here in Birmingham last year I saw a wall graffito in a predominantly Muslim area, saying "kill da Jews" - an interesting combination of anti-Semitism and faux South Central Los Angeles gangboys argot, don't you think?