Respected liberal Democrat Doug Schoen has quantified in the Wall Street Journal what I along with Fox Business Channel’s Charles Garsparino and Eric Bolling have been saying, i.e. the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) are an organized socialist/Marxist movement. I said, that no matter what the original intent (and I believe Marxists were behind it from the beginning), it almost immediately became the province of Marxists.
The politically correct, the leftist liberals, and those lost souls who would swear the sun was shining in the middle of a hurricane, have and are doing their best to persuade us – OWS is a peaceful well-intentioned organic group, with a homogeneity of purpose to the Tea Party.
Schoen empirically disproves that. He writes: “The protesters have a distinct ideology and are bound by a deep commitment to radical left-wing policies…What binds a large majority of the protesters together – regardless of age, socioeconomic status or education – is a deep commitment to left-wing policies: opposition to free-market capitalism and support for radical redistribution of wealth, intense regulation of the private sector, and protectionist policies to American jobs from going overseas.”
(Read the article here)
To be honest, I am cherry picking statistics from Schoen’s article, but my doing so in no way diminishes the truth of his polling data or my original suspicions per OWS. Schoen found that 31 percent of them would support violence to advance their agenda. He found that 48 percent of them will work to re-elect Obama. Contrary to what media and others try to convince us, the vast majority are employed and those who aren’t, are within the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.
Not surprisingly, 65 percent say government has a moral responsibility to guarantee all citizens access to affordable healthcare, a college education, and secure retirement – no matter the cost. That mindset shows a complete disregard for taxpayers, but to acerbate that mindset 77 percent of OWS believe the wealthiest Americans should be punished in the form of higher tax-penalties for being successful.
Schoen, the former pollster for Bill Clinton, emphatically shows OWS has nothing in common with Tea Party people. And while there is a miniscule percentage of people, of whom it can be said share a single concern in common with Tea Party people – for instance 51 percent opposed bank bailouts.
Even more conclusive of the composition of OWS, Charlie Garsparino reported that his personal inventory of the OWS collective found 19 of the first 21 tables as you enter Zuccotti Park were manned by socialists or Marxists groups.
Politico.com the leaning quoted Schoen saying: “the Occupiers are a group of engaged progressives who are disillusioned with the capitalist system and a distinct [Marxist] activist orientation.”
There are times that no matter how hard you try, putting perfume on a pig doesn’t make it smell any better and this is one of those times. The only reason to try and wed the objectives of OWS to Tea Party concerns is to give OWS a veneer of propriety. The talking heads and media sycophants can try all they want, but OWS has nothing in common with the American people and Tea Party groups, but a right to enjoy the First Amendment – which they would abolish at first opportunity if they ever get the opportunity. Which, not for nothing, restricting and punishing reporters for exercising freedom of speech is a common practice with Obama and his administration.
Mychal, “Not surprisingly, 65 percent say government has a moral responsibility to guarantee all citizens access to affordable healthcare, a college education, and secure retirement – no matter the cost. That mindset shows a complete disregard for taxpayers, but to acerbate that mindset 77 percent of OWS believe the wealthiest Americans should be punished in the form of higher tax-penalties for being successful.”
(Hard to do this in a post, but I’ll give it a shot – we need a book. )
First I’ll say this, fundamentally, Marx falsely states if you provide basic necessities for society then they will be happy – capitalism states that if you give people freedom they will decide what happiness is for themselves. (Happiness is the result of a man coming to know himself, to meet his ‘demons’ head on and surmount them with understanding. This provides self-respect, inner security and contentment… peace with himself = happiness.)
…..The former, Marx, destroys initiative and creativity, saps away dignity and fosters puppets/pawns. The latter has as a basic tenet, which to the unthinking (the gullible, obtuse) sounds cruel: ‘If a man will not work, he’ll not eat’ (also: Help a man to help himself – back to ‘don’t give him a fish, show him how to fish’) ….. and fosters dignity, respect, individuality, wisdom, freedom and security. (The endurance of a society comes down to the character of its people and, most importantly, its leaders.)
…..There is a progression leading to character (true character knows the meaning of true charity): Discipline and accountability promotes responsibility which fosters respect for the self and others… and noble character. When a ‘man’ is free to make choices and is also free to take the consequences of his actions without intervention, he may go hungry (true compassion knows when to say ‘no’), but his need to surive will put him to work, even force him, if necessary, to participate in his own welfare. This promotes self-respect and good character… which provides respect for others and fosters peace.
What I’m saying is capitalism is the only ethical socioeconomic philosophy – the only moral philosophy. Capitalism has gotten a bad name, but is the only policy which fosters true freedom and accountability leading to an enduring society – one that fosters true character/honor/wisdom and nobility.
That said, there is a problem, in general, with “the wealthiest Americans” which helps to fuel the tenets of socialism, and I’ll do my best to make my point.
One of the basic principles of true capialism is to provide a consumer marketplace – the best quality at the lowest price… and prevents excessive profit/excessive greed. Excessive profit is a curse on society, it promotes excessive greed, undeserved income, promotes inflation (the printing of more money) and undermines the poorest in society with rising costs of goods and services. It’s unfair and people know it, they may not be able to tell you why, but it leads to discontent – just as favoritism in a family. (Excessive greed breaks down the character of society as a whole.)
Note: Greed makes an economic system go ’round, so to speak, but there is a question: How much is too much, how much is too little and how much is enough? Either too much or too little is detrimental to society. The latter leads to lethargy, the former to a society led by greed and is unfair and devisive.
Laissez-faire capitalism (with some qualifcations ) provides an environment of competition and checks excessive greed within limits. There are cases, such as a monopoly, where the oppportunity is provided to take excessive profit and for this capitalism needs a safety valve (the above mentioned “qualification”) – tax normal income normally, tax excessive income excessively. A graduated income tax (safety valve) should be the only control gov’t has over business and income in general.
This post is already too long, so to close: As a nation we have contaminated capitalism with statist principles and crippled our entire socioeconomic system…, excessive greed has become a leading factor and national character is being undermined. (The American dream is becoming a good lawsuit or a win at the lottery.)
Much of the income of “the wealthiest Americans” is the result of excessive greed/excessive income and those Americans that do not wish to compete (exp: stockmarket) in the present economic system are the ones paying the price – they merely wish to go to work, live life and be left alone.
We need to remove statist policy, get back to capitalism and constitutional gov’t, eliminate excessive income and excessive greed … and take away the fuel the statists are using against us.
“A welfare state cannot stand.” (There are other ways for a nation to take care of those that cannot take care of themselves, for whatever reason, that are of sound philosophy and provide dignity to those less fortunate.)
I’m unhappy with this, it’s incomplete, but…..!
Al
al: interesting…
“…interesting”, got a chuckle out of that. :)
Just as a welfare state cannot stand, neither can a state led by greed…..
That piece expands into mostly self-supporting ‘Educational/ Enterprising Zones’ that will substitute for the welfare state, cost only a fraction of the present system and will hold people accountable for any assistance received from the gov’t – they will earn it. It would provide dignity for those that receive the benefits and eventual independence in a capitalist society.
…..(Also a self-supporting, rehabilitating prison system – it takes a balance through all facets of gov’t to protect freedom and foster an enduring society. At present criminals are released into society, overall, to merely claim more victims – law-abiding citizens are penalized by the system. Malefactors cannot be turned loose into society – that too is not fair.)
We must substitute the present ‘welfare state’/statism in all its forms with those policies which foster freedom.
al: what you are saying is we need to return to the constitution…
These “protests” are just what Barry O wants. Remember his past work as a community organizer/activist in Chicago and their work with the banks. Dobbs (not Lou) and Frank are the ones at the helm of the mess the housing market has caused. Forcing lending institutions to make sub prime loans to people without the ability to make the note started the avalanche.
sumitch: agreed….
You mean: “Dodd”, right? –as in Chris Dodd…..
maria marko: that is exactly who I refer to…