Something 4 The Weekend # 249

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band:  The Spotlight Kid:  "Blabber N'Smoke"  [mp3]

2012 has become the election of the percentages. 

First it was the 99% and the 1%.  I won't get into the whole scope of that except to say that according to the Congressional Budget Office, between 1979 and 2007, the top earning 1 percent of Americans have seen their after-tax-and-benefit incomes grow by an average of 275%, compared to around 40-60% for the lower 99 percent.

Then a few weeks ago a video emerged of Mitt Romney speaking at a $50,000/plate fundraiser back in May 2012, saying

"There are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47% who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it."

Mitt Romney believes that if you are a Democrat, you are de facto a helpless, possibly lazy, victim who cannot take care of yourself.  Mitt Romney said these things to a room full of people each giving him $50k.  Mitt Romney must be voting for Barack Obama.

And now, within the last week, a 2010 video has emerged of Paul Ryan saying that 60% of Americans enjoy more dollars worth of benefits from the government than the amount they pay in taxes, and that this 60% of Americans are "takers versus makers".  This is probably true, or close to being true, but it's less about the numbers and more about the philosophy behind the statement, a poor choice of words perhaps, in order for him to make a quippy rhyme, but nonetheless, the belief that nearly two-thirds of Americans aren't pulling their weight.  I guess that means there's a 60% chance he's talking about you and me. 

Hmmm...Considering the amount of money spent to keep a congressional office running - staffers, security, travel expenses, operational costs, Paul Ryan is undoubtedly one of those 60% too.  Paul Ryan is a TAKER!  OMFG!

Anyways, I'm 93% certain you don't give a shit about my opinion about any of this, so allow me to say this, and try to disagree - the history of civilization has always been the story of a very small minority of people controlling a vast majority of money and power, and using those tools to exploit and control and even opress a very large majority of people without much wealth or power.

So there's really only one question to ask.  Which side are you on?

C'mon, it's a 50/50 proposition.

Hotcha!  Hank