ronwagn + 6,290 February 17, 2020 https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/02/16/pinkerton-the-new-class-war-exposes-the-oligarchs-and-their-enablers/ How the middle class , worldwide, can fight for survival. Do you see yourself or your children in this fight? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Meredith Poor + 895 MP February 17, 2020 So what's the difference between the 'new' class war and the 'old' class war? The 'managerial elite' has been around for awhile, say the last 4000 years.... 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douglas Buckland + 6,308 February 17, 2020 I have absolutely no problem with those who become wealthy, even ‘filthy rich’ through hard work, innovation, or even inheritance. Given a choice I think most of us would prefer to be rich as opposed to not having a surplus of cash. The problem arises when people start equating being rich with intellect or wisdom. Just because you have successfully played the stock market, invented some widget that everyone wants, or inherited millions does not necessarily indicate that you could find your ass with both hands! This then leads to the elite/managerial class assuming, since they have money and power not bestowed on the ‘unwashed masses’ (read: us), that their values, morals and behavior MUST be superior and the unwashed masses should be brought to heel for the good of everyone (and the planet). At this point....we fall into the trap of believing this nonsense! We have gotten to the point where we actually believe, due to the mainstream media and advertising, that simply because a guy/gal sports a $200 haircut, dresses in apparel that costs as much as an SUV and is driven around in Bentley, that they are somehow superior to us, the unwashed masses. We empower these elites and have done this to ourselves. 1 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronwagn + 6,290 February 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Meredith Poor said: So what's the difference between the 'new' class war and the 'old' class war? The 'managerial elite' has been around for awhile, say the last 4000 years.... The old managerial elite were capitalists who had basically the same values as the middle and lower classes. They lived a better life but provided work for a growing middle class. Henry Ford was a real leader in that movement. The new managerial elite are globalists who do business all over the world and want to reduce the size and importance of the middle class. They want to eliminate anyone that might oppose them just as the union busters wanted to back in the 1930s. The unions paid a good role in enlarging the middle class. Unfortunately they became too corrupt and went too far with their wage demands. The average auto worker was making about $22 dollars an hour when the minimum wage was $1.25. They lost the support of the common man who made far less. The new managerial elite has aligned with progressivism of all sorts. The government unions are bleeding the states through overly generous pay and benefits. Formerly "civil servants" made less pay but had better benefits and job security. The federal union employees are the main soldiers of the "Deep State" and lean progressive because big government is in their self interest. I just ordered the book. The author has a great grasp of the issues. 2 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Meredith Poor + 895 MP February 17, 2020 "The new managerial elite are globalists who do business all over the world and want to reduce the size and importance of the middle class. The new managerial elite has aligned with progressivism of all sorts. The government unions are bleeding the states through overly generous pay and benefits. Formerly "civil servants" made less pay but had better benefits and job security. The federal union employees are the main soldiers of the "Deep State" and lean progressive because big government is in their self interest. I just ordered the book. The author has a great grasp of the issues." Either that, or someone sold you a book that confirms what you already 'know'. I'm surrounded by people who can't explain, on their own, a point they try to make, particularly with respect to the 'middle class' or 'progressiveism' or some economic concept. So they tell me to 'read so and so's book'. The first thing I find when I open the book is the author is blaming bankers or politicians (at one end of the spectrum or the other) or some other 'secret cabal'. People buy millions of these books, so it's a lucrative market. It's also utterly mindless. Steven King once remarked that his books were McDonald's hamburgers - there was no intent to produce nutritional value. I've pointed out in earlier topics that the US emerged from WW II as the only economic power left standing, and the US manufacturing workforce 'owned the global economy' from 1945 to 1970. The unionized manufacturing worker did very well over that time span. The newly energized Japanese and European steel, car, and appliance manufacturers surged back into the global economy in the late 1960's. At that point the US mid-west turned into a 'rust belt'. One might notice that the same thing happened, a bit later, in Japan and Europe. Keyword search 'Rhur valley' or 'Florange'. Better yet, pull up the pictures. A 'middle class' family in the 1920's had live-in domestics but couldn't afford a car. A middle class family of the 1960's had the car, but hired a housekeeper to come in once a week. The definition of 'middle class' is fluid. These days it tends to concentrate on 'techies', the programmers, database administrators, and network administrators that make their living from computers. These are massive productivity amplifiers, and it's what one needs to understand in order to compete. Truck drivers, teachers, and retail workers aren't all that much more productive than their counterparts in the 1950's. Enjoy your book. Keep an appropriate level of suspicion regarding the author's motives. 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ronwagn + 6,290 February 19, 2020 On 2/17/2020 at 8:45 AM, Meredith Poor said: "The new managerial elite are globalists who do business all over the world and want to reduce the size and importance of the middle class. The new managerial elite has aligned with progressivism of all sorts. The government unions are bleeding the states through overly generous pay and benefits. Formerly "civil servants" made less pay but had better benefits and job security. The federal union employees are the main soldiers of the "Deep State" and lean progressive because big government is in their self interest. I just ordered the book. The author has a great grasp of the issues." Either that, or someone sold you a book that confirms what you already 'know'. I'm surrounded by people who can't explain, on their own, a point they try to make, particularly with respect to the 'middle class' or 'progressiveism' or some economic concept. So they tell me to 'read so and so's book'. The first thing I find when I open the book is the author is blaming bankers or politicians (at one end of the spectrum or the other) or some other 'secret cabal'. People buy millions of these books, so it's a lucrative market. It's also utterly mindless. Steven King once remarked that his books were McDonald's hamburgers - there was no intent to produce nutritional value. I've pointed out in earlier topics that the US emerged from WW II as the only economic power left standing, and the US manufacturing workforce 'owned the global economy' from 1945 to 1970. The unionized manufacturing worker did very well over that time span. The newly energized Japanese and European steel, car, and appliance manufacturers surged back into the global economy in the late 1960's. At that point the US mid-west turned into a 'rust belt'. One might notice that the same thing happened, a bit later, in Japan and Europe. Keyword search 'Rhur valley' or 'Florange'. Better yet, pull up the pictures. A 'middle class' family in the 1920's had live-in domestics but couldn't afford a car. A middle class family of the 1960's had the car, but hired a housekeeper to come in once a week. The definition of 'middle class' is fluid. These days it tends to concentrate on 'techies', the programmers, database administrators, and network administrators that make their living from computers. These are massive productivity amplifiers, and it's what one needs to understand in order to compete. Truck drivers, teachers, and retail workers aren't all that much more productive than their counterparts in the 1950's. Enjoy your book. Keep an appropriate level of suspicion regarding the author's motives. My take is a lot different than yours. I think we have plenty of programmers working on a lot of very unimportant technologies. One example is how much effort has been put into gaming versus educational programs. We should have a total educational program from preschool to a college degree equivalent by now. One that can be done on a computer with help at first and branching off into all subjects and endeavors. Higher education should be nearly free on the internet, we should not have billions of dollars in college loans. There is a lot of education available for free but it is not recognized yet by our society. See Free Educational Sites https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nkAnzn9R7NH0LqihEeeq4be4ckBgk70YkGKbHsrnbTU/edit Driverless trucks will eliminate lots of good paying jobs and probably end up costing just as much in the long run. Driving a car is only helpful if you don't want to drive or are unable to. You can always listen to an audio book. Of course if you want to sleep you better have a second driver. The middle class family of today live far better lives today than the middle class of the past. Medical care, transportation, household appliances, air conditioning, heating, entertainment are all far better than in the past. There is little need for household help and today not many need to work in that field. There are lots of motel and hotel jobs but these are often filled by illegal aliens. The definition of middle class has always been fluid because of many different cultures and many of them have a very small middle class. America has always had a fairly large middle class and fairly few at the top compared to now. If we do not return to educating more carpenters, home contractors, plumbers, electricians, etc. We will all suffer from the delusions that Michael Bloomberg has about how simple farming is and how farmers and machinists can't learn complicated subjects like programming because they lack the grey matter needed. He obviously knows very little about farmers, machinists, or any other trade. https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/02/17/mike-bloomberg-belittled-farm-and-manufacturing-jobs-for-not-requiring-brain-power/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites