"Class is a dirty word"

"Class is a dirty word in that it gets close to the truth
about who governs and for whose benefit."

-Michael Parenti

Michael Parenti interviewed by Jason Miller

12/24/08

In the land of those who think they're free and the home
of savage capitalism, class is indeed a dirty word. Remember,
we're a nation of Joe the Plumbers. If we just work hard enough
and fend off those socialist vampires who want to suck us dry
by redistributing our hard-earned wealth, we can all be
financial successes. And if you're a faux-progressive
presidential candidate-like Obama, you're doomed to political
perdition unless you sign a blood oath disavowing your ties to socialism.

....

Parenti recently answered a few questions Jason Miller
threw his way. Let's see how much further he traveled on
the road to perdition...

In thinking back , I belonged to a union for 14 years on one of my jobs
in the 1960's and 1970's. We ( about 40 members of our local ) [paid
approx $ 12 to 15 a month union dues . I just realized that we got
nothing for that . No life insurance . no hospitalization , no union
pension no nothing . Now I wonder where all that money went . I know it
to late to think about it now . So tell me how great the unions are
/were .
And our city workers each have a benefit package totaling $ 15,000 a
year .

we have opened a new shop for games at
www.mercerbay.com so take a look pick up game for xbox and psp for
only $1

we have opened a new shop for games at
www.mercerbay.com so take a look pick up game for xbox and psp for
only $1

With the corperate bailout looming on us all to pay for. The goverment
could of gave every person in america $250,000. That would of 1) Solved
the economy 2) more people would buy more that would of helped wall
street. 3) Solved the morgage bubble that broke. 4) Would of solved most
the the homeless problim. 5) It would of not come to this DEPRESSION

I think george w bush was the best president we ever have had

Sharon,

Did you vote for George Bush? Curious...

rts

Dear Grizzled, I never said a candidate had to see active duty, I think
it's enough just to enlist and be willing to take the risk that there
could possibly be some conflict taking place somewhere in the world that
you could be involved in. As far as Palin is concerned, she is the
mother of a son about to be deployed to Iraq, this gives her a unique
perspective on war. If one of my sons were about to go to war, it would
be far easier to go myself instead of sending one of my children to
possibly be blown up by a roadside bomb..

Dear Grizzled, I can't believe you voted for Ross Perot! It takes a
brave man to admit that.

Sharon, where did you get the figures you used? $10,000 a month for
piano lessons? It soesn't pass the reasonableness test. For less than
that you could most likely take daily lessons from Van Cliburn. The
last I saw his house evaluation was closer to $1.25 M than $2 M - still
a pretty nice house at either price. But, Chicago real estate is really
pricey.

So far as his Harvard education goes - scholarships and student loans.
He was the editor of The Harvard Law Review, for example, and such
positions generally carry with them some scholarship money. And Harvard
is pretty generous with scholarship money. The daughter of my former
secretary received a full four year ride from them for her undergraduate
degree then considerable help as she went on for her MA.

You gotta' be careful about taking anything you read in a political blog
or see in a TV ad as revealed truth. I backtracked the McCain campaign
ad claiming that Obama had voted for teaching kindergartners...