Monday, May 14, 2012

The Wealth Gap, Pt.... I dunno... 3? 4? Whatever...

Over the past weekend, the right-wing has gotten their collective panties in a bunch over Friday night's, George Clooney hosted, Obama Reelection campaign fundraiser.

According to sources like Breighbart.com (Damn! Breighbart has put out more material, post mortem, than Tupac!) Townhall.com, Fox "news" and the rest of the Newscorp. family, and the myriad of Koch Brothers backed, "astroturf" movements, it is sheer hypocrisy for the "Hollywood, liberal, elite" to raise any amount of money for Obama's reelection, let alone 15 million dollars!

You see, those folks think that Obama should stick to raising campaign funds $3.00 at a time from average folks, like he did (with, it should be noted, an amazing level of success,) the last time around.

The "hypocrisy," of course, really comes from the right-wing's assertion that Obama should roll over and do with what he can come up with through individual contributions, while Romney collects millions from anonymous (thanks to "Citizens United) corporate contributions.

"Hypocrisy," to The Right, apparently, means that Democrats should not object to bringing "a knife to a [Republican] gunfight."

$15,000,000 is a lot of money. It's true.

But, when you consider the guest list that came up with about $40,000.00 per guest, you realize that most of these people collected their contributions from under their couch cushions.

You see, when Republican contributers are corporations (which "are people, my friend!") that contribute millions, anonymously, that's just good old American democracy at work.

When Democratic contributers are highly paid individuals, personally contributing a couple tens of thousands of dollars, then they are "elitists" buying a campaign.

California right wingers are already whining about how many public school teacher's jobs $15,000,000 could save, or how many police of firefighters that amount could fund.

Because, now, suddenly, California Republicans give a shit about public schools and services.

What an exquisite, steaming load of bovine manure!

But, The Blog has sort of digressed from the points he wanted to make...

This past week, the only privately owned version of Edvard Munch's  "The Scream" sold at auction, to a private collector, for a record $119,922,500.00.

Let's round that up to Two Hundred Million Dollars!!!!

That's right. A private buyer, (who probably wisely, has remained anonymous, lest he be visited by a gang of 99%ers wielding torches and pitchforks) outbid museums for the boasting rights (presumably, only amongst his friends) of paying more than anyone else ever for a famous work of art. And, not even the best version of the work. But, rather a pastel copy of the original oil, tempra and pastel version.
                                 The fourth version. Just a pastel sketch. Been there, done that. Three times before this. And better.

Talk about a disconnect!


                    The Blog paid $25 for a t-shirt depicting the better version, at The Museum Store, a few years ago.

                                      You can probably pay $12 for this at Spencer Gifts.

On a related, but slightly different note, check out this story...

George Lucas Does Something Awesome!

This is great because George understands that the only thing that his millionaire neighbors hate more than having a movie studio in their back yard, is having poor people living there!







1 comment:

  1. "Bless you, my son, for" you have spoke! Bad paraphrase and worse English, but tough.
    Lucas article: Where are the love and share buttons when you need them? I'm surprised I'm not hearing the uproar in this neck of the woods.
    Personal opinion, but I always thought that this painting looked like it was done by a first or second grader, maybe.
    The main gist of this article: Maybe the right-wing folks would prefer that our POTUS would be better suited raising his reelection funds on some busy street with a sign of some sort? You know; panhandling maybe? You know me Alan, I'm not saying that with any meanness meant at all.
    The have-most-of-it-all's don't wanna share their toys. They want everything that's left and then they can send us home 'cuz we have no cool toys anymore so what use are we?
    Maybe they're in a snit because 'our' money comes attached to human faces instead of corporate logos? I have yet to hear any business, corporate or neighborhood hole-in-the-wall utter any sound, let alone a word. How do corporations vote anyway?

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