Alabama On My Mind

[mburbank]

I think the one thing this excellent article leaves out is an ingrained American belief in not just upward mobility, but an egocentric blind faith in assured upward mobility. Deep in our hearst, we all believe that we will soon be wealthy enough for two homes, the best cars, a boat, etc. This will happen Horatio Lager style, through dint of our hard work, pluck and perserverance or through luck. Witness the number of people you personally know who actively believe they will someday win the lottery. We favor the rich because we believe we almost are the rich, we will be next week or next month, sometime soon certainly. This is why the Republican right can so effectively wield the 'Class War' card, as if we aren't deep into one already, and one most people are loosing badly.

EDIT: A disclosure before the oft used refrain of my supposed biterness comes up. While I don't concider myself or my bride well paid, we've worked long and hard. We own a two family home, half of which we rent, and a condominium which we also rent. I am firmly middle class and reasonably securely employed. In terms of America I do perfectly well and am perfectly comfortable. My compassion is for those worse off than I. My Ire is for those who eat their share of the pie , have seconds and scream like babies that 'less deserving' folk are allowd under the table catch their scraps.