On the distribution of Wealth.

-Posted by my friend at my job.

When I was a kid, my father worked at a college that was on an old estate on the north shore of Long Island. That is Gatsby territory, and the area was filled with former fancy estates most of which had been converted to other uses. I remember reading then about how people used to have incredible fortunes and built amazing huge houses with hundreds of rooms and hundreds of servants, and how even the richest of the rich could no longer afford that sort of thing.

If you look at the history, the closest the US came to actual revolution was in the 1920's and early 1930's, which was that Gatsby period. Many people think that Roosevelt saved capitalism in the US by spreading the wealth and bringing in social programs like social security, WPA, etc.

IMHO, the Republicans consciously were seeking to bring back that era, where being rich meant being REALLY rich. And they succeeded. And, strangely enough, also succeeded in bringing back the event that ended that previous era, the Great Depression.

This is probably why businessmen on the whole supported Obama, for the same reason they supported Roosevelt: sense and fear winning out over greed.

You probably will recognize this song:

They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?

Once I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time.
Once I built a railroad; now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower, up to the sun, brick, and rivet, and lime;
Once I built a tower, now it's done. Brother, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Why don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Once in khaki suits, gee we looked swell,
Full of that Yankee Doodly Dum,
Half a million boots went slogging through Hell,
And I was the kid with the drum!

Say, don't you remember, they called me Al; it was Al all the time.
Say, don't you remember, I'm your pal? Buddy, can you spare a dime?