Standing or Sitting?
The top three Democrat candidates seem to be competing for the title of “The President Who Can Do the Best Job of Seeing to it that the U.S. Government Sticks It to the Big, Eeeeeevil Corporations.†It is essentially a socialist “populist†message calculated to create an “Us versus Them†mentality on the part of voters. I probably shouldn’t be surprised by the positive reaction on the part of many Americans to this message, but I am.
Yo, Jimbo, why are you surprised that seemingly so many Americans want the U.S. Government to “take the power†from big evil corporations? People hate their jobs, some of them hate their bosses, and all of us at one time or another have been hassled by a big corporation. They’re just speaking truth to power, yo.
Fair question, that. So, let’s try this little exercise shall we? As you will see, it requires a teeny bit of audience participation. When asked to stand, please do so and remain standing until you are instructed otherwise.
Humor me.
Ready?
Here we go:
1. All of you who receive a salary or commissions from a big corporation, please stand up.
2. All of you who directly own stocks and/or bonds issued by a big corporation, please stand up.
3. All of you who own mutual funds that hold stocks and/or bonds of big corporations, please stand up.
4. All of you who, in order to prepare for your retirement, participate in savings plans or pension plans that own stocks and/or bonds of big corporations, please stand up.
6. All of you who own your own business or who work for a small business whose revenue, in a significant part, depends on purchases by big corporations, please stand up.
7. All of you who own your own business or who work for a small business that purchases goods and services from a large corporation that are necessary for the operation of the business, please stand up.
To those of you standing, I suggest that you consider how you might be negatively affected if the U.S. Government were to stick it to big corporations. When you think about it, it really isn’t “Us versus Them,†is it? If the Democrats have their way and stick it to the big corporations, YOU will be the ultimate stickee.
Now, those standing who still want the U.S. Government to beat up the big, eeeeeevil corporations, you may sit down.
To those of you who are seated, I would like to take up a collection from those standing to buy each of you a one-way ticket to the socialist paradise of your choice.
If it’s possible to earn less than I possibly do from the Big Corporation I work for, I’m sure that could easily be accomplished “[i]f the Democrats have their way and stick it to the big corporations.â€
No thank you.
Comment by Erica — January 9, 2008 @ 6:40 pm
On second thought, the title of your post seems almost like a toidy-related questionnaire.
Comment by Erica — January 9, 2008 @ 9:37 pm
I’m standing. I hope all these crybabies realize where their bread is really buttered.
Comment by hammer — January 9, 2008 @ 10:07 pm
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve repeated this – to the same people – over and over and over and over. They still never seem to get it. The next time someone says “let’s stick it to the eeeeeeevil corporations”, they jump right back in with every intention of “getting” those guys.
Mind you – I don’t think corporations are always doing the right thing by their customers – but that’s an entirely different argument/problem. One of those fine gradations that seems to escape so many.
Comment by Teresa — January 9, 2008 @ 10:48 pm
Yep and you might also ask how many have a life insurance policy? Insurance companies don’t make any money on paying benefits..they invest in those evil corporations so they will have the money to give to yore spouse to blow on some hard dick when you croak
Comment by GUYK — January 10, 2008 @ 8:06 am
Ah …there you go again using that common sense thingy again. You, of course do understand that concept is alien to the liberal socialist mentality.
In the never never land of “The Peoples Liberal Socialist Utopia” no one has to work , no one has to suffer,no one need to be concerned with the cost of lifes neccessities or ever have to worry about Healthcare,Education ……..anything up to & including final expenses.
After all you are entitled to this & more…..Big Brother will watch over you,care for you, protect you & the everflowing stream of cash gushing from the tax well drilled into the pockets of the Big Eeeviill Corporations & the Rich will fund the whole shebang courtesy of the Democratic Party!
Comment by dudley1 — January 10, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
B-b-b-but how about just the oil companies then?
Comment by Peggy U — January 10, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
First of all, that was brilliantly simple!
The first candidate that would actually speak those words during a debate, will get my attention.
Comment by Joyce — January 10, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
you know i agree.
i cringed the other night when hillary said we have to act because so many americans are losing their homes. theirs a difference between defaulting and losing, wish the dems understood that.
and in addition, i might add that exxon payed 100 billion in tax payments (income + gas tax) last year. even those that weren’t standing before likely were collecting any existing government benes thanks to eeeeevil corporations like exxon mobil.
Comment by supergurl — January 10, 2008 @ 5:44 pm
I could’ve sworn I sat down early yesterday on my first time through… hell, I might have feel asleep on the way to hittin’ the enter key.
Ain’t the government ’bout the biggest “Corporation” there is? I know, it’s not USA Inc. I’m just sayin’.
Comment by RedNeck — January 10, 2008 @ 8:11 pm
I really think that we need a NONE OF THE ABOVE box on the ballots so that the canidates will really see just what we think of them
Comment by Richard Herriford — January 11, 2008 @ 4:22 am
Good post Jimbo. I always felt those who wish to sock it to the man were just plain shortsighted.
As for NONE OF THE ABOVE on the ballot, I think I would want some clarification of what would happen when that choice garnered 60%+ of the vote.
Comment by joated — January 11, 2008 @ 9:04 am