James Webbs Class War - Road to the Middle Class

The most important--and unfortunately the least debated--issue in politics today is our society's steady drift toward a class-based system, the likes of which we have not seen since the 19th century.

When did Democrats ever stop worrying about inequality? Please, Mr. Webb.

And what’s all this about a class-based society? The 19th century was characterized by remarkable increase in population and wages among working people. And this unprecendented increase in the prosperity of ordinary people was founded upon the breakthrough achievements of businessmen in railroads, steamships, steel production, and oil extraction.

Those businessmen had names like Rockefeller, son of a snake-oil salesman, Carnegie, son of a hand-loom weaver, Stevenson, engine-man at a coal-mine, Brunel, son of an engineer. Not very elite, I’d say.

So why are you claiming that the 19th century was class-based, Mr. Webb? Did you mean that many of the discoveries and developments were made by men of very humble origin?

James Webb blames the nation’s elite for the inequality, and it is clear he blames the business elite rather than the educational, cultural, or political elite. They just don’t get the point of the deepening divide.

When I raised this issue with corporate leaders during the recent political campaign, I was met repeatedly with denials, and, from some, an overt lack of concern for those who are falling behind. A troubling arrogance is in the air among the nation's most fortunate.

They live in a different world, you see.

Few among them send their children to public schools; fewer still send their loved ones to fight our wars.

To create a better world,

It should be the first order of business for the new Congress to begin addressing these divisions, and to work to bring true fairness back to economic life.

Well, that’s your opinon, senator-elect, and you are entitled to it.

But for my money, I would hesitate to blame the business elite. They’ve reformed and reengineered their businesses again and again. That is why the U.S. economy is the most productive in the world.

But then there’s the Democratic elite: politicians, educators, and cultural content producers. It is their program of the last 100 years to make everything fair that has ruined the working class and made tens of millions dependent on Big Government for their livelihood.

Why do the rich send their kids to private schools? Because the government’s school are no good. And whose fault is that?

Why have the corporate pension plans collapsed? Because business and labor looted the corporations that promised the benefits and government stood by and let them do it.

Why are Americans losing their jobs to illegal immigrants? Because Democratic politicians and activists have prevented the enforcement of the immigration laws, thus making illegal immigration highly profitable.

Over the last century, Democrats have played a fine game, complaining about the results of their own policies and blaming it all on somebody else.

We are not going to let you do it this time, Senator-elect. It is people like you, with your cheap class-warfare rhetoric that are the problem, not the solution.

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Christopher Chantrill blogs at www.roadtothemiddleclass.com. His Road to the Middle Class is forthcoming.

Comments:

Posted by: bob on 12/05/06 12:41am

I used to admire Jim Webb, from reading his books and for his military record and his service with President Reagan. So I was disturbed by his recent schizoid ravings, but while reading your editorial, the endgame revealed itself to me. He has great admiration for Andrew Jackson. I see him in 2012 running for President as the Latter Day Andy J.

Posted by: Walt on 12/01/06 2:26am

Amen Brother! Beware; "initiative will be prosecuted"