They’re HERE!
March 16th, 2009 | Editorial Cartoons | 4 Comments
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A line in Dashiell Hammett’s great detective novel, The Thin Man, keeps coming back to me. About a particularly toxic family she and Nick Charles have become involved with, Nora asks, “Are they the first of a new race of monsters?” Could there be a more apt description of the contemporary lords of finance, this collection of sociopaths who seem to think that the rest of exist to make them obscenely wealthy? The latest outrage is the AIG bonuses in the amount of $165 million, which the company claims, oh so regretfully, that it is legally obligated to pay. It goes on to argue that it really must pay them in order to keep the talent on board–the same talent that wrecked the company, not to mention the world’s economy, in the first place.
In my fantasy, this is the outrage that finally moves us working stiffs to storm the citadel and haul the creeps out to face the anger of the mob. After all, thanks to the AIG bosses and their ilk, all too many of us now have lots of time on our hands during the workday. We might as well use it to do something constructive.
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Yep! My husband has been talking about a “bubble up” theory (rather than a “trickle down” one), where we give all this bailout money to the poorest folks out there…the homeless, the unemployed, those on welfare, and even those of us who might have a job still…as long as we make less than…say…$75,000 per year in all income…because you can guarantee we’ll put it back into the economy by purchasing groceries, paying our rent/mortgages, fixing our cars, etc. The rich folks will get their indecent share from us soon enough, but, in the meantime, we’ll be paying salaries for the rest of us as it ‘trickles up’! I’m glad our president is also “outraged”!
In a building of gold, with riches untold,
lived the families on which the country was founded.
And the merchants of style, with their red velvet smiles,
were there, for they also were hounded.
And the soft middle class crowded in to the last,
for the building was fully surrounded.
And the noise outside was the ringing of revolution.
Sadly they stared and sank in their chairs
and searched for a comforting notion.
And the rich silver walls looked ready to fall
As they shook in doubtful devotion.
The ice cubes would clink as they freshened their drinks,
wet their minds in bitter emotion.
And they talked about the ringing of revolution.
We were hardly aware of the hardships they beared,
for our time was taken with treasure.
Oh, life was a game, and work was a shame,
And pain was prevented by pleasure.
The world, cold and grey, was so far away
In the distance only money could measure.
But their thoughts were broken by the ringing of revolution.
The clouds filled the room in darkening doom
as the crooked smoke rings were rising.
How long will it take, how can we escape
Someone asks, but no one’s advising.
And the quivering floor responds to the roar,
In a shake no longer surprising.
As closer and closer comes the ringing of revolution.
Softly they moan, please leave us alone
As back and forth they are pacing.
And they cover their ears and try not to hear
With pillows of silk they’re embracing.
And the crackling crowd is laughing out loud,
peeking in at the target they’re chasing.
Now trembling inside the ringing of revolution.
With compromise sway we give in half way
When we saw that rebellion was growing.
Now everything’s lost as they kneel by the cross
Where the blood of Christ is still flowing.
To late for their sorrow they’ve reached their tomorrow
and reaped the seed they were sowing.
Now harvested by the ringing of revolution.
In tattered tuxedos they faced the new heroes
and crawled about in confusion.
And they sheepishly grinned for their memories were dim
of the decades of dark execution.
Hollow hands were raised; they stood there amazed
in the shattering of their illusions.
As the windows were smashed by the ringing of revolution.
Down on our knees we’re begging you please,
We’re sorry for the way you were driven.
There’s no need to taunt just take what you want,
and we’ll make amends, if we’re living.
But away from the grounds the flames told the town
that only the dead are forgiven.
As they crumbled inside the ringing of revolution.
— Phil Ochs
Eddie,
Where is the cartoon about the BOzo in the white house that voted for this as a senator, abetted it as a president and cowers behind others today. This is the hope and change we can believe in
You forgot to mention the part where the Obama administration specifically asked Sen. Chris Dodd that the AIG bonuses be kept in the bill which the Democrats passed.
And that in 2008 then Sen. Obama received $136,928 from AIG and Chris Dodd received funds from AIG as well; the two biggest Congressional recipients!
And it was the Republicans asking for regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because of it’s corruption and risk to the housing and banking market and it was Democrats expressing hostile outrage at the thought of any regulation to the biggest culprits of the current economic downturn.
One more fact worth noting; according to the The Wall Street Journal there was a $22 trillion increase in household net worth during the Bush presidency.