The American public: A theory or two

This is a repalcement of the HR bill passing, uptimed by 10 minutes. I got it wrong the first time, but the error does not significantly change the chart.

Part Two of a Few. One reader asked about why the American public was so divided on this. Part of that involves an indoctrination process — the media has not done a good job covering the issue; it’s been a propaganda war.

The best coverage I saw was on the Daily Show. I agree that Olbermann and Maddow could have done a lot better breaking down the issue, though I saw a riveting special comment by Keith that blew the doors off of the issue. I’ll see if I can find it; I am sure it’s on his website: it was the one about visiting his father in the hospital.

Is anyone familiar with the old Bob Dylan song, “Only Pawn in their Game”? Here’s the song on Lala.com (you get one play) and here’s the page on Bob’s site (you get part of the song and the authorized lyrics). Here’s the germane part, which describes the class warfare created by conning poor white folk into thinking they have it better than poor black folk, to the detriment of both:

A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
“You got more than the blacks, don’t complain.
You’re better than them, you been born with white skin,” they explain.
And the Negro’s name
Is used it is plain
For the politician’s gain
As he rises to fame
And the poor white remains
On the caboose of the train
But it ain’t him to blame
He’s only a pawn in their game.

During the 2008 campaign the Republicans were raising hell about this idea that Obama was going to “spread the wealth around.” It really worked quite well, as far as it went: it was a fabulous fear tactic among the white poor. One day I heard my friend Dominick (of Dominick’s Cafe) talking to one of his older, conservative relatives who was upset about this. She was angry that the wealth was going to get spread around. He said to her: “Louise, you work in a hospital. You make $12 an hour. What are you worried about?” We both knew what it was.

This issue was one of Dominick’s favorite talking points during the campaign. He was astonished that anyone would fall for such bullshit.

Another time he was in the home of a relatively wealthy person who was having (another) flat-screen TV installed. A guy came over to do the work, and he, too, started in on the issue of how Obama was going to “spread the wealth around.” He was concerned (as was Louise), specifically, that his “wealth” would be spread around. So Dominick explained: “You’re here working on a Sunday installing a TV in someone else’s house for $75. It’s not your ‘wealth’ this is about.” This went on and on. Dominick is Virgo rising with Pluto in the ascendant. He was personally going to get Obama elected if he had to, and this was one of his obsessions. I heard this conversation over and over. It started to become funny in a dark way: these relatively poor people worried that something was be taken from them…or was it…something would be given to someone else? And who might that be?

My father is a SUNY professor and has really good health coverage; I mean, the kind where you get the best heart surgeon at the best hospital and have your valve replaced. During the campaign he was outraged that other people might get health insurance (it would bankrupt the country), while he has insurance paid for by the taxpayers. I tried to get him to see over the teacup on this one, to admit a little hypocrisy; but he was adamant; it was so ridiculous. I am sure that he feels entitled to his health insurance because he got a Ph.D. and has a tenured job.

We have a few schisms in the American psyche. I will cover two briefly. One is that we ‘think we’re rich’ here. And many, many Americans get really nervous when any resources are going to go to those lazy, er, minorities who allegedly don’t do anything or pay any taxes. What Bob’s song is about is how we get baited with race issues but the whole thing is a game to hold down everyone — economically.

This feeds into why we think that it’s okay that the dudes from AIG or a big bank help tank the economy, then they get bailed out (the wealth gets spread around) and they still get their multimillion dollar bonuses. This is paying reverence to the religion of theoretical capitalism; those guys up there get their bonuses, and therefore we might also some day get rich. If we object to their huge bonuses, then we are in principle rejecting the idea that we might get rich.

Anyway, when I look for this theme in the chart, I see it in the Gemini Moon in the 8th house. The public is basically sold out. Divided. Freaked out. People don’t realize that they give nearly ALL their money in taxes. And get what? Let’s see, it costs $1 million a year to keep a soldier on the ground in Afghanistan. It’s worth it to protect us from those Muslims who are gonna bomb us tomorrow or the next day.

21 thoughts on “The American public: A theory or two”

  1. Carrie, honestly, don’t know why I asked you. It seemed cool at the time. It’s possibly more of a throw out comment, than a true individual comment but, your vibe. You do seriously have an alternative vibe. You do things differently than others. That’s cool.

    As far as the meat eating thing, I’m still racking my brain to figure out why humans, who have the knowledge, and capacity to be vegetarian, would choose to eat other animals. I seriously don’t get it. I went vegan 16 years ago, at 18, I came across the decision that if I wanted peace, all killing must stop.

    And honestly, I talk to myself a lot when I’m writing here, it helps me to work out my head.

    Thanks for being cool, man!

    Love ya much,

    Jere

  2. Jere,

    :::wondering::: Why did you ask me that question? :::confused look:::

    Physically speaking, primates that ate animal protein grew bigger and more complex brains (or so the scientists and anthropologists say). Humans have teeth for eating both meat and vegetation; we evolved that way. The higher protein per pound of animal protein means a human being in the paleo days could get enough protein from eating a lot less food; and back then they were not agricultural. It is evolution and genetics that makes humans meat (animal) eaters.

    Does that answer your question?

    Oh and why do you say I have an odd enough vibe? What have I said that made you think that? I am just curious to know.

  3. This one, eric? From HuffPo:

    But Olbermann targeted the GOP, saying that “people have begun to act crazy because it has been the dedicated purpose, the sole method and sole function, of the Republican party to entice them to act crazy.”

    Also the Daily Show episode where the political “debate” is likened to a pro-wrestling match: the money keeps rolling in as long as there’s a shouting show. Crumbums and Fat Cats.

    This reminds me of the argument that cancer will never be “cured” because too many people are invested in the cure.

  4. and the revolution will not be televised (though one may get a sneak preview at Planet Waves)…

    Keep up the good work!

  5. You can fool all of the people some of the time.
    You can fool some of the people all of the time.
    You can’t fool all of the people all of the time.

  7. it’s been a long day of travel yet i am so very glad you brought this issue up and wanted to post quickly before i crash [and apologies in advance if not so clear here…need res(e)t]. the connection between economics and “race” is exactly the institutionalized racism we are living/facing right now. here’s a short doc/video that provides another rather clear (i think) example of this fear (of the other) boiled down to the extremes;
    http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2010/01/201015124739316797.html

    as well as an interview regarding it;
    http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/11/white_power_usa_the_rise_of

  8. It was a Mormo, dude! Those cats are crazy, no two ways. People will not understand what you’re saying unless you’re talking to an open mind.. no Mormos allowed. I once ran over one in a truck.. I told him I needed to run into my spirituality, and he needed to open his eyes to the world around him.. He didn’t like it.

    It’s funny as hell, now that I know I didn’t destroy him.

    Carrie, you have an odd enough vibe, why do folk rely on animal flesh? That’s a serious question. I wouldn’t ask, had I not wanted to know.

    Jere

  9. Yesterday, I was talking to a local Mormon homeschooling mother who is adamantly against government making people “share the wealth.” So I asked her: should she have to pay taxes in order to educate kids in public schools (share the wealth of child-free or non-public schooling families with public schooled kids) when her kids are homeschooled? Or should her family have to pay social security tax (share the wealth from the younger generation to the older generation) that pays today’s retirees their social security? Should she stop paying taxes for roads she doesn’t use or parks she doesn’t go to or fire departments she hasn’t needed? Should she have to pay taxes that subsidize big oil or big pharma or corporate welfare (sharing the wealth with select corporations)?

    She had no reply to any of that. That’s the argument I always use on people that go down that road of not wanting government to force them to “share the wealth.” They already share the wealth in so many ways. Redistribution of wealth has been ongoing in an upward direction since before Reagan (though it accelerated a lot under de-regulation).

  10. “..well you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone.”

    I agree, there are good cats out there.

    I am saying that in order for All of us to be present, some of us have got to eat some shit. It sucks, it shouldn’t be but, welcome to america. This is the land you and I put are baskets in.. (crack..) that’s the sound of our eggs breaking.

    Don’t stress, anyone. I’ve seen the end. (Secret to all, there is NO end!) We can continue ’til the cows come home! Which leaves me with another issue, when are you cats going vegan? Seriously, when has global peace ever involved the massacre of animals?

    Love, J

  11. I’ve known and worked (as a campaign writer) for some amazing politicians, some of whom I have truly loved. Not many – but a few. I will name them…Paul Verdolino, Jane F. McAlevey, Alfred T. Coppola, John Zande and Paul Archebald. These were mostly municipal or local leaders; they did their jobs and knew how to use their office well.

    I know, most don’t live up to their calling.

  12. I’m gonna jump my own train.. all, ALL POLITICIANS are junk. Get it, got it, good.

    Bobby Dylan had something. The words of a platinum tongue.

    This dude, as a “FOLK” singer, didn’t give a fuck what anyone had too say, only what was on his mind. Bravo, Bobby! (I’ll smoke a cigarette with you anytime)

    ..and yes, Bobby had an issue with crappy people in power. Obviously.

    ..I keep on saying it.. land.. power.. Love..

    I truly do Love YOU ALL!

    Jere

  13. Eric,

    Of course, necessity should include those things that enrich us as people. I was thinking along the lines of the consumption that goes on for things most people agree are not necessary…such as big screen TVs and other “things” that clutter up our lives without bringing any real value to them. Things that foster growth or awakening are very much necessities. I don’t think a Fast-Food Meal or antique store figurine brings much in the way of value to our lives as it were. KWIM? That’s what I am aiming at; bringing consumption back to those things that we need. If we stop thinking along the lines that “more is better” and “he who dies with the most toys, wins” we would be a lot better off.

    Also, I cannot afford many of the things I value; sometimes I just have to do without or rely on others’ generosity. Yet even I can find ways to give my time or unneeded usable goods to help others also in need. That is a way to build community that costs little, consumes less, and recycles.

  15. Carrie,

    It would be a good start if people paid for what they valued, and did not pay for what they do not value. Most have only a scant idea of what that is about.

    It would be helpful if we recognize some notion of a common good and support that.

    “Necessity” is an ambiguous word. Does that mean just necessary to oneself personally, or is there an idea of what is necessary for us to have together?

    There are plenty of things that would not be classifiable as necessities because you won’t die without them, but which are helpful tools for growth, evolution, progress and education.

    We need community. It is not “free,” but it’s affordable if we each take a little responsibility.

    ef

  17. Eric,

    My friend Rachell and I have been discussing this as well. The ideology of capitalism is the same as a casino; just keep playing and you may get rich too. Yet just like a casino, the house always wins to the detriment of the players. A very lucky few do win something and that is the “loss leader” that keeps the rest playing. We as a society have been programmed to think that aquiring wealth will make us happy; one of the Big Lies we have been force fed.

    What bothers me about all that is; how can anyone still call this a “Christian nation” when the very principles of Christ were to give what you have away to the needy? Jesus was the original “share the wealth” guy and all those followers that profess his name but that staunchly believe in capitalism are living a dichotomy and a lie.

    The Pagans have a poem that sort of sums it all up by saying that if you seek for fulfillment from outside (like in stuff and aquisitions) then you will never know the mystery that all people are seeking. You must search within and there will you find that fulfilment.

    This is why I keep telling people to buy bothing except necessities. What better way to stop the war machine and the capitalism machine than to deprive it of the most basic part; money? Consumption is the mechanism that keeps capitalism going; to stop the mechanism we have to stop feeding it. Then, when it gets really bad enough, people will turn to valuing their families and other important things instead of valuing wealth. At least I would hope that would happen.

    Back in the 70’s, friends of my parents discussed homesteading and starting a communal living community (sort of like the Israeli kibbutz) where each family has a part of a community garden and all help each other out. Instead of everyone owning their own lawn mower, the community owns one and all share it and other things like that. This may smack of communism but it would be on a far more socialistic and smaller scale. Yet right away, squabbles broke out about who owns what and so on. It was a testament to the extreme individualism programming we have grown up in that even a group of people that wanted to live communally to some degree, could not.

    As herd animals, humans know we survive best in groups yet we constantly allow our greed to mess up the survival of the herd. Religions may have grown up out of that need to bond greedy people together in a common belief system so as to override the greed and help them survive as a group. The cure was not better than the greed though because very soon, different people believed different things and they then fought over control of the group. The dominant group sought to control the weaker group by withholding information and controlling resources. It never seems to change.

    I think someday scientists will isolate a greed gene; it will be attached to the survival genes. If they do and it can be separated, how would humanity be then?

  18. I am going to come at this left field since I grew up with this song and African American musical prowess….and I use that word advisedly!!

    The schisms!

    Firstly let us look at America from the European perspective!! The business class would assume that our cousins( also rich and banker oriented) will take care of business as usual!! The rest of us, however, until the onset of the illusion of Neptune outside Pluto (1980-2000), simply opened our hands in a pleading fashion to be allowed to enter a country where you can be a starving refugee one minute, and a multi-millionaire the next. The dream!!

    But looking closely at Arnie for instance, no sooner have you booted up to speed with the right political family, then you conveniently forget any notion of class struggle and simple re-invent yourself as the middle class hero of eco-systems in California!!

    So then the Warren Buffet class get to thinking!! Hell there really is no room for this to carry on. We want to keep the wealth in an ever reducing and smaller club. Let the skull and bones rule!! They have in fact used the same model as Tony Blair, who has imported a complete underclass of wretched souls from Eastern Europe, in order to make the British welfare state so completely over-burdened that the UK will not be anything but a welfare state for the next 100 years!!

    As an aside, even the government ministers Harman and Becket are now bemoaning the fact that Blair conveniently forgot about feminism, post feminism, neo-feminism and even bread and butter feminism 15 years ago, and has worshipped at the altar of consumerism ever since!!

    Would it be fair to say that The US of A has indeed gone the same way? The Bush idea of feminism was admitting to a wife and 2 daughters!! The American view of the schism would seem to be those who have a brain, conscience and sensibilities worryingly placed alongside greed is good and god is a fat KFC/Mcdonalds franchisee!!

    The poor white community is worried simply because they are going to get shafted a whole lot worse by their own kind, far more than they ever thought they would by the karma of their own perceived misdemeanours of the last 200 years!! The cloak of repectability, infused by the handing of office to an African American for the first time, just flew out of the window. Remember when Billie Holiday sang “Strange Fruit”; you all know the fruit in question!; bodies hanging from trees!. There are unanswered depths to the psyche that have not yet been expurgated!!

    Now, just to fuel it up, Jesse Jackson and others decide to give Barak Obama a little blindside!! Who exactly is the pawn?? Who said it was a game?? Who just ignored the rules…again?? Confusion, fear and reckless supposition!

    There we have it. A perfect time to bring in the Ladies ( no offence intended ).

    Run for office. Work to bring Vesta into that mutable cross and energise the MC of the chart (thanks BE…I left it as an afterthought to the aspirations of others).

    Take yourselves seriously, have fun,and go after some of these inept apologies for politicians. It does not matter one iota which end of the spectrum you start in, or even what you believe.

    There is a world out there that is looking for switched on smart women who have all of their sensibilities intact! If Planet Waves as a community endorses you, you WILL make it!!

    PH

  20. Eric,
    You and your chart pretty much say it all. All one can think to add is Thank You! Thanks to Mr. Zimmerman as well, he always could turn a phrase.

  21. Bravo…Bravo…Bravo. That was so well said, it brought tears to my eyes. In some way or another we are all in the same damn boat together. So why is it such a big deal to “work together” so EVERYONE can get out of the damn boat. Thank you for bringing some clarity, sensibility, and light to a very blind sided dark tunnel.

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