On The Left Again

If being concerned about the increase in poverty makes me a leftist, I am proud to be called a leftist. If concern about children that are homeless and hungry please label me leftist. If bitching about college coaches making millions while the athletes get expelled for accepting a free hamburger makes me left leaning, stand on my right side. Writing about the decline of the middle class and the fact that 6 members of the Walton family have more wealth than 93 million other Americans may be leftist, but it should be everyone’s concern. Since the inauguration of Reagan the conservative political mantra has been “more for us and less for them” or what’s mine is mine and what’s yours will also be mine just as soon as I can bride the necessary politicians. Tax cuts coupled with increased defense spending and massive escalation in executive compensation have destroyed small towns, resulted in over 50% of families in or near poverty, 25 million Americans unemployed or under-employed, and the will of corporations trumping the will of the majority. To ignore these changes or pretend that they will not, sooner or later, affect virtually everyone is wishful thinking. If you invest in the stock market, you need other investors who will hope the stock they purchase from you will rise more than you thought it would. If you invest in land, you need other investors who, when they bought your land, hoped it was worth more than they paid for it. If you own a retail business you need customers who are willing to pay more for your products than you paid. If you provide a service, you need others who want and can afford to pay for those services. The greater the shrinkage of the middle class, the less likely those upon whom you depend for your financial existence will continue to be there for you. If that is a left or communist observation, you’d best convert because if things keep moving in the present direction there will be no one left to buy your stock, purchase your property, patronize your business, or use your services. What’s even worse, if you happen to be one of the 2% who don’t worry about whether you’ll have a job next month, there’ll be no one around to do your shit for you either. To paraphrase Willy: “On The Left Again”.