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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

G.K. Chesterton and Warren Buffett's Class War


"Warren Buffett On Taxes, Job Creation, The Coddled Money Class And Shared Sacrifice"


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"The merely rich are not rich enough to rule the modern market. The things that change modern history, the big national and international loans, the big educational and philanthropic foundations, the purchase of numberless newspapers, the big prices paid for peerages, the big expenses often incurred in elections - these are getting too big for everybody except the misers; the men with the largest of earthly fortunes and the smallest of earthly aims. There are two other odd and rather important things to be said about them. The first is this: that with this aristocracy we do not have the chance of a lucky variety in types which belongs to larger and looser aristocracies. The moderately rich include all kinds of people even good people. Even priests are sometimes saints; and even soldiers are sometimes heroes. Some doctors have really grown wealthy by curing their patients and not by flattering them; some brewers have been known to sell beer. But among the Very Rich you will never find a really generous man, even by accident. They may give their money away, but they will never give themselves away; they are egoistic, secretive, dry as old bones. To be smart enough to get all that money you must be dull enough to want it." G. K. Chesterton - Born, 1874. Died 1936 


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In the wake of Obama's State of the Union address, a Republican congressman (from Wyoming) commented: "I didn't hear anything new... I heard a lot of talk about fairness and pitting one American against another."

A curious combination of words: words that express the fundamental truth of class conflict while making it seem Obama has uttered a curse. (Probably in Arabic. Perhaps Watusi.)

The refusal of American plutocrats to pay adequate tax to insure sufficient working class purchasing power to propel prosperity -- guarantees that ‘the quest for fairness’ pits one American against another.  http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105 

Ironically, The Superfluously Wealthy -- despite their widely touted "enlightenment" and "beneficence" -- slit, not just the nation's throat, but their own.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/opinion/03reich.html?pagewanted=all

Who are The Superflously Wealthy? 

And what have they done to snuff distributed prosperity? 

See "Inside Job," an Oscar-winning documentary freely streamable (with Spanish sub-titles) at http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2011/10/daily-dose-october-152011.html 

Many conservatives who take time to view "Inside Job" will be startled by the sordid state of Cowboy Capitalism.

It's not Mom and Pop's corner store anymore.

Even within The 1%, Warren Buffett -- perched atop The Pyramid -- summarizes our economic quandary with disarming candor: “There is class warfare, all right... but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html

I recommend Buffett's interview with Tom Brokaw: 


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G.K. Chesterton's Works On The Web



Chesterton's Wikipedia Page


http://www.chesterton.org/

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"The work of heaven alone is material; the making of a material world. 
The work of hell is entirely spiritual." 
G.K. Chesterton

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"Viral Video Examines Gap Between The Super Rich And Everyone Else. (Great Graphics!)"


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"99 Must-Reads On Income Inequality"

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"Inequality For All"
Robert Reich


G.K. Chesterton - The Anarchy of the Rich 

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"Inside Job" 
Oscar winning documentary on Wall Street malfeasance
Freely streamable online (with Spanish subtitles)

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"This Is Why They Hate You And Want You To Die"


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"Politics, Economics And The 101 Courses You Wish You Had" 






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