Regarding capitalism and democracy.

If we in the US don’t figure out a way to include more of our citizenry in the “dream”, and keep eroding the middle clase, you ain’t seen nothing yet. If you think taxes are high, if you believe there are too many free-loaders, if you believe the fruits of your labors are being confiscated now, wait until the demographics change just a little bit.

One small, teeny tiny, itsy bitsy example. As long as people believe the money for reparations for slavery will come from “them”, the eligible people will take it just as soon as they can. A Jesse Jackson type will come along, and lead ‘em to the promised land. And it’s not just the descendents of slaves, it’s every minority who can manage to tie in with another minority to form a majority.

They will vote for it, or elect politicians who will vote for it. Watching GWB and the farm subsidies, I think if he thought he would have to pay slavery reparations to get elected, he would do it. And if he wouldn't, the next guy would.

Everyone with a job will be in hock for a generation paying that.

However, if "they" become part of the system, and know the money is coming from “us”, including "them", they will work within the system. Just like everyone else.

The other way to avoid this, besides increasing the middle class, would be to deprive significant numbers of people the vote. Then, though, it's not a democracy.

It seems obvious, we need people with a stake, belonging, something to lose, and who identify with the "system". We need a middle class, a big middle class, or we don’t have an America.

I wonder why that’s hard to see.

Arf