Who Hijacked Our Country

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Americans are a bunch of Socialist Class Warriors

They just don’t know it. They don’t identify themselves with those labels. But according to this survey, 92% of Americans prefer Sweden’s approach to wealth redistribution over the American philosophy of “if you’re poor it’s your own fault. Die.”

The same survey also shows that most Americans are NOT aware of the huge gap between the richest and poorest; between CEOs and their employees. Most of the respondents guessed that the wealthiest 20% of Americans had 59% of the wealth.

(The correct answer: the wealthiest 20% of Americans control 84% of the wealth.)

When asked what percentage of the country’s wealth should be controlled by the top 20%, the average answer was 32%. And that just happens to be about the percentage of Sweden’s wealth that’s controlled by their wealthiest 20%.

A person’s income level and political viewpoint played no role in this survey. No matter how rich or poor they were, how liberal or conservative, 92% of them agreed that America’s wealth should be distributed more evenly.

Some of our most popular political labels don’t seem to indicate what a person actually thinks. More Americans identify themselves as “conservative” than “liberal.” And terms like “socialism” and “redistribution of wealth” tend to grate on the American psyche like chalk squeaking on a blackboard.

And yet when you strip away all of the images and archetypes that Americans associate with certain phrases — we’re all a bunch of bleeding heart Eurosocialists.

Maybe, just maybe, Democratic strategists could start using market research and focus groups — you know, like Republicans have been doing since the 1970s — and come up with a few slogans that would resonate with the above-mentioned 92%. And then do some TV ads to get those slogans out there to the public.

Oh well, one can dream.

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8 Comments:

Blogger Dave Splash said...

Dems are so horrible about messaging and sticking on message it is pathetic. They have the unique ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on pretty much every issue.

September 27, 2010 at 9:30 AM  
Blogger Dave Dubya said...

This clearly illustrates the success of the Reich Wing indoctrination. We live in the Cognitive Dissonance States of America.

September 27, 2010 at 12:26 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Dave S: You're right, they suck at communicating and staying on message. I'm glad they don't march in lockstep like Republicans, but there ought to be a middle ground somewhere.

Dave D: They've been working on their mass indoctrination scheme ever since the first rightwing think tank got started. And it's working.

September 27, 2010 at 5:41 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Every time the Public is informed of this stuff the Rich (through their agents the Conservatives) counter that if we redistribute the wealth, the rich will pack up and leave, take all their jobs and their money and we all be stuck in a bog of poverty.

The Richer they are, the more they have to give us don't you see?

Laugh if you want but that rationale has worked.

Erik

September 28, 2010 at 11:57 AM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Erik: So instead, the rich are exporting their jobs overseas anyway, creating phony "headquarters" in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands, and hiding billions of dollars in foreign bank accounts. And yet we're still afraid to raise their taxes or regulate their industries, because "oh my God, they might leave!"

September 28, 2010 at 12:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You and I both know that this is one of the most generous Countries in the World when it comes to how we treat the rich. Europe is much higher, and that leaves the 3rd world countries.

Of course you will also spend extra millions in Security

Erik

September 28, 2010 at 1:17 PM  
Anonymous Thomas said...

As always, Democrats are supported and funded by the same organizations, the same corporations as the Republicans. Even if they came up with some decent marketing materials, any changes they made while is office would be cosmetic at best.

September 28, 2010 at 1:48 PM  
Blogger Tom Harper said...

Erik: If businesses actually believed their own rhetoric about being stifled by government regulations and high taxes, they'd move to the most desolate third world country they could find. In Somalia, meddling bureaucrats would be the least of their worries.

Thomas: That's the problem in a nutshell. Both parties are in a stranglehold from the same powerful interest groups.

September 28, 2010 at 3:52 PM  

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