Myopia is a gentle word for this response on the dailykos.com front page to Maureen Dowd's column in the New York Times, "Isn't it Rich?"
And this week, for her outstanding achievement in attacking — not a piece of legislation, not a political position, not a politician — but the daughter of a politician who is not running for any office, Dowd has achieved an honor previously reserved for "Never Cry Rape" George Will. She is outta here.
I will not summarize, link to, or even read her column. Naturally, you're free to do so if you feel so inclined. Just leave me out of it.
Reading this quote, I think the 0.1%'s disdain for the 99.9% is perhaps well-justified, because the above passage is a prime example of the 99.9%'s idiocy.
More below.
On the one hand, the Great Inequality is increasingly a progressive cause. The 0.1% are reviled for buying political influence, getting legislation and government policy shaped their way. The 0.1% are hard-headed people, valuing profits over people. They are happy to ship jobs overseas, pay people poverty wages, pollute when it suits them, bust unions, dismember companies, etc., etc., etc.
It is this 0.1% that is paying Chelsea Clinton, a nobody in her own right, but somebody by virtue of her connections, $75K for a speech. You think they don't expect to get a return out of this money spent? My,my, just what could it be?
Let's think aloud. Just what return on investment is possible by throwing money at the child of the Clintons?
Next time some foreign trade treaty is packed with negotiators representing the 0.1% and you're protesting that, think about that.
Next time the investment bankers that created a financial mess get put in charge of the Treasury to fix the problem and bail themselves out, and you're upset, think about that.
Next time some politician you thought was "progressive" turns around and supports monied interests, and you're crying about that, think about that.
One of the mechanisms of how the system works to keep us all in chains is in plain sight. You refuse to see it. Think about that.