Thanks for recommending me for Tinsel Town! That was fun (except for lunch across from Jerry), but as you astutely pointed out, it was a rich man that signed my paychecks, a rich man that trusted me with his job and a rich man that created a business where I could have a good friend recommend me.

I can’t connect dots that don’t logically connect. And no, I’m not part of the working poor. Not by government standards, not by my standards.

And my point about cell phones, cars and the other comforts, is that while they may be viewed as necessities with your chosen occupation (you chose it, so you choose to need the things that go with it), they hardly speak to being poor.

This is regurgitated have and have nots. I find there to be a vast disparity between your recent comments and your great article.

http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1164

from the Wiki definition
The Oligarchy are the largest monopoly trusts (or robber barons) who manage to squeeze out the middle class by bankrupting most small to mid-sized business as well as reducing all farmers to effective serfdom. This Oligarchy maintains power through a “labor caste” and the Mercenaries. Labor in essential industries like steel and rail are elevated and given decent wages, housing, and education. Indeed, the tragic turn in the novel (and Jack London’s core warning to his contemporaries) is the treachery of these favored unions which break with the other unions and side with the Oligarchy. Further, a second, military caste is formed: the Mercenaries. The Mercenaries are officially the army of the US but are in fact in the employ of the Oligarchs.

I love the idea of simplify, simplify. It’s amazing what a walk through the neighborhood, cooking dinner with friends and family or reading a book on the porch can make you feel like yourself, make you feel more human than ever.

As far as the other comments:

I find the abundant use of the term “working poor” both funny and disturbing. You working poor most likely own a cell phone, a car, have a decent spot to rest your head, etc., etc. Romanticizing the idea of being poor and being lead to doing things you were always able to do is simply not sincere. Big corporations are easy targets. We all like what they do for us whether we know it or not, but find it so easy to pile on. The free market intrinsically gives us the ability to keep them accountable with our wallets . . . that is, until government steps in.

Failing is simply a part of the system, something we all have to decide to grow from, or grow bitter from. The free market is a beautiful thing and it’s important to recognize that those that find their way into compromising their ethics, not only have to live with it, but eventually find themselves exposed and punished. I find it bizarre when people advocate for more or even complete governement control because of the “inherent evils” of the free market and big business. Do we really want to transfer even more power to our government? Do we really find them a more trustworthy lot? Keep the government away from our businesses, they have only perpetuated and heightened these current problems with further corruption and misguided regulation.

We are too quick to allow for a launch into class warfare. I must say, I appreciate the rich. A member of the “working poor” never gave me a job. In fact, the rich pick up most the tab. It’s as if the American dream stops these days once you reach a certain income, then you’re simply part of the evil, self-serving rich. We should keep in mind that the top 1% of wage earners pay more than 40% of the income tax burden while only earning 19% of total wages. That’s all I’m sayin’.

So I like Jon’s idea of inviting everyone to the kickball game regardless of politics, regardless of income. By the way, the sound of a kickball being kicked is one of the best sounds in the entire world. Furthermore, I can almost taste the classic Americana of the neighborhood gathering and it tastes like barbecue. Barbecue this weekend at my place.

Viva Joe the Plumber.

There was a time, even in my lifetime, when certain unseen “walls” called ethics were mutually understood and honored. Most of those ethics came from our country’s time tested tradition of our Judeo-Christian roots. I also remember the stance by most in that day which said: “you cannot legislate morality.” Well, when those unseen walls of our roots fail, there is nothing to do but legislate, and legislate we have. We were right, one can’t legislate morality, but we have. Now we have law upon law, to save us from that ugly word “greed” which has replaced any sign of those “moral and/or ethical walls.” And when that can’t save us, we hire more policemen to enforce the laws. I don’t know where this all is going, but we are on our way. I, for one, miss those “good ole days,” if they were good ole days. Free enterprise, free market, or Capitalism works if those walls are in place, but those days are certainly over, if they ever were. What’s left? A walk through the neighborhood with our child. A connection with what’s real. Maybe if all new housing starts were all required to have a front porch (as a country song suggests) we all could walk through our neighborhoods and reconnect. Then we would all be rich.