US Compared to 18th Century France

[Star]

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Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

 

[Mr. H.]

Well, you can start by thanking Obama for printing $58 billion dollars monthly then dumping it into an economy that has zero conduit for creating jobs.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

We will eat the rich yet again, given time...

 

[The2ndAmendment]

Well, seeing that Marxism has alwyas led to serfdom, China and USSR for example, and seeing that Progressives and Neocons have put us on the "Road to Serfdom" with their Big Government, is it any wonder that we are sliding into a Big Gov Police State (NDAA and NSA ring a bell???) ?

And you really want to limit our ability to fight the tyrants when the time comes?

Also, bear in mind that so long as Trial By Jury remains intact, the People have no one , other then themselves, to blame for tyranny. Only the People can convict and destroy their fellow peers.

Thus, you cannot exercise your 2nd Amendment rights unless the Right to Trial by Jury has been abrogated (things like mass genocide and/or herding people into concentration already assume that Trial by Jury/due process is not being administered).

If you really think the People are justified to take up arms at any time they feel, then your a Lawless Liberal, who endorses Mob-ocracy.

 

[Stephanie]

Why don't you and the diablo move then you think so little of us and our county

see ya we'll be free from all your nonsense postings

so now just who calling for riots and violence IF THEY don't get their way?

if your's and that whiner Nick hanauer lives aren't rich that's YOUR PROBLEM

then they'll turn around and vote for all the wealthy politicians so they can keep the gravy train rolling...you see to them theft of taxpayers monies to use for them is equality

 

[CaféAuLait]

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Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

All this coming from a billionaire. He makes his billions and then damns the society which allowed him to do such. Strange.

 

[westwall]

We will eat the rich yet again, given time...

And then yourselves when you run out of victims. I wonder what Robespierre tasted like?

 

[Dot Com]

 

[KNB]

Well, seeing that Marxism has alwyas led to serfdom, China and USSR for example, and seeing that Progressives and Neocons have put us on the "Road to Serfdom" with their Big Government, is it any wonder that we are sliding into a Big Gov Police State (NDAA and NSA ring a bell???) ?

Don't forget the USAPATRIOT ACT. That came before the NDAA, and even before the AUMF.

Aside from that, have you ever heard of Wall Street? Not the movie, the financial hub of the entire world? Who do you think the plutocracy is? Hillary Clinton? Don't bring up her dumbass statements about being "flat broke". She wasn't even close to broke and everyone knows it, but if you think that the small-time rich people in the big government really calls the shots then you are horribly mistaken. Darrell Issa is worth $400m, and that is chump change compared to the real financiers of governments- the billionaires and the absurdly wealthy lobbying firms who pay for the campaigns of most of our politicians so that those politicians to do their bidding once in office instead of obeying the People.

http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/15/news/economy/income-inequality-obama/index.html

 

[Flopper]

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​

Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

There's a lot in what you're saying. When the gulf between rich and poor becomes great enough, those at the bottom will rebel. Most people consider social program as an expression of our concern for the less fortunate. I disagree. Social programs are there to placate the poor. As long as they have the basic necessities they will tolerate a lot. Had the French or the Russians understood this, there would have probably been no French or Russian revolution.

 

[Stephanie]

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Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

There's a lot in what you're saying. When the gulf between rich and poor becomes great enough, those at the bottom will rebel. Most people consider social program as an expression of our concern for the less fortunate. I disagree. Social programs are there to placate the poor. As long as they have the basic necessities they will tolerate a lot. Had the French or the Russians understood this, there would have probably been no French or Russian revolution.

I hope they do. your party hand in creating it so I hope you people who supports them no matter what they do, get hit first

 

[KNB]

But if you continue to cut food stamps and social programs and make the poor struggle even more while the wealthy get wealthier then you are certain to have a revolution.

You can't cut social programs AND let the wealthy get away with sucking up all of the money to themselves.

 

[Star]

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​

Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

All this coming from a billionaire. He makes his billions and then damns the society which allowed him to do such. Strange.

Not strange at all - check out the highlighted part of the OP. Now do you see what the rich guy author of the OP article is saying? FYI, the last time income inequality was this bad was 1928. Then-----then... OMG!
.

 

[Katzndogz]

What a CROCK!

The rich will get on their little private jets and leave. They will go to Singapore like Eduardo Savarin, Macau like Steve Wynn or some jazzy chalet in Switzerland. Then they will carefully choose their servants and let the poor eat one another.

 

[Stephanie]

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Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

All this coming from a billionaire. He makes his billions and then damns the society which allowed him to do such. Strange.

Not strange at all - check out the highlighted part of the OP. Now do you see what the rich guy author of the OP article is saying? FYI, the last time income inequality was this bad was 1928. Then-----then... OMG!
.

omg and you fall and kiss the ground he walks on as if he has a crystal ball and can predict the future...you are the biggest chicken little ever

we're going to die from INEQUALITY that's if we don't burn up first from GLOBULL warming

 

[Manonthestreet]

Say did Obama prosecute any bankers for all the laws they were breaking that kicked off the last crisis...........

 

[KNB]

Why would Obama do that? That would hurt the oligarchy that he works for.

 

[Bush92]

Robespierre made his own calendar and began to act like a demagogue. Sound like the one who feels "chosen" in the White House.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Money is political power. Those with money acquire political power, which allows them to influence policy, which allows them to advance policies designed to enable them to acquire more money,

which allows them to acquire more political power, which allows them to influence more policy, which allows them to advance more policies designed to enable them to acquire more money,

etc., etc. That is the inevitable cycle of money and power. Democratic government impedes the cycle, as it has over the decades in this country,

but the cycle still continues, slowly but surely.

 

[auditor0007]

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Memo From A Rich Guy: "The Pitchforks Are Coming… For Us Plutocrats"​

the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats

Memo: From Nick Hanauer
To: My Fellow Zillionaires


<snip>


I see pitchforks.


At the same time that people like you and me are thriving beyond the dreams of any plutocrats in history, the rest of the country—the 99.99 percent—is lagging far behind. The divide between the haves and have-nots is getting worse really, really fast. In 1980, the top 1 percent controlled about 8 percent of U.S. national income. The bottom 50 percent shared about 18 percent. Today the top 1 percent share about 20 percent; the bottom 50 percent, just 12 percent.


But the problem isn’t that we have inequality. Some inequality is intrinsic to any high-functioning capitalist economy. The problem is that inequality is at historically high levels and getting worse every day. Our country is rapidly becoming less a capitalist society and more a feudal society. Unless our policies change dramatically, the middle class will disappear, and we will be back to late 18th-century France. Before the revolution.


And so I have a message for my fellow filthy rich, for all of us who live in our gated bubble worlds: Wake up, people. It won’t last.
If we don’t do something to fix the glaring inequities in this economy, the pitchforks are going to come for us. No society can sustain this kind of rising inequality. In fact, there is no example in human history where wealth accumulated like this and the pitchforks didn’t eventually come out. You show me a highly unequal society, and I will show you a police state. Or an uprising. There are no counterexamples. None. It’s not if, it’s when.
.

There won't be any need for pitchforks. Voters will take care of this at the polls. We may be 15 to 20 years away, but the Republican Party is slowly isolating itself into a minor party. We will basically have a one party system before too long, although some other party may emerge that is somewhat conservative in nature without all the dingbat nuttiness of the current conservative movement.