America’s Cultural Fault Lines – Wealth Disparity One of The More Significant

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If you listen to conservative writer Charles Murray, tensions related to wealth in the U. S. are even greater than those related to race and immigration. But, Murray, writing for Time Magazine’s on-line edition, “The New Upper Class and the Real Reason We Dislike Them,” maintains that it is not their wealth that causes people to dislike them, but their control over society, while at the same time, their attitude of disdain toward that society.  It is difficult to follow Murray’s argument in support of this claim, though.  Is it that the ‘new’ rich are just so much richer than the rest of us, or that they have higher IQs and attended better schools?  Or is it, as suggested by author Corey Robin in a recent book, that we resent the fact that the rich few seem intent on closing the door to those below them in the food chain?

Murray seems to think that because the rich live in gated communities and keep their kids isolated from the reality of the harsh existence of the ‘lower’ orders, this makes them an object of hatred.  Corey, on the other hand, maintains that, while we can tolerate a certain amount of inequality, there is serious objection to being totally shut out of the corridors of power, or having someone else decide our destiny.

Deciding where you come down on this will probably depend a lot on your income and current position.  Someone who is considered working poor will probably not even read this because he will be too occupied just trying to make enough for rent and food.  Those who are getting by; but just; will probably identify with the feelings of anger at those who live in luxury and benefit from the largesse of legislators who increasingly seem to favor the haves over the have-nots.  Someone burdened by rising expenses, student loans, and no tax relief, has to be resentful to learn that someone making millions of dollars has paid a miniscule percentage of taxes compared to the 20% cut he has to pay from his salary every pay period.

So, what do you do about it?  For starters, it would be helpful if more Americans took a greater interest in politics, and by that, I mean the nuts and bolts of the system, not just the contentious debates over health care reform or access to abortion.  Does your elected representative support legislation that makes life better for you as a middle to lower-middle income citizen, or is he preoccupied with big ticket issues that draw support from the single interest or corporate groups with deep pockets and shallow agendas?  If the latter, why not organize your friends and neighbors and do something about it?

Income inequality, much more than the presence of so-called illegal immigrants or welfare programs, is one of the most compelling problems of our time.  In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama said, “We can either settle for a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by.  Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, where everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.”

The President, though, cannot achieve such an economy on his own. He will need support from Congress, and Congress will only provide that support if it has been sent a clear signal that the partisan rancor and pandering of the past should be a thing of the past.  That can only happen if, taking a leaf from the ‘occupy’ protestors, we get in Congress’s face and let them know, ‘enough is enough.’  No more tax cuts for the rich while pay is frozen for federal workers, and, to add insult to injury, consideration is being given to drastically reducing their pensions.  Time for Congress to do what the Constitution intended – represent the interests of American citizens, “to promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of prosperity for future generations.”