The war on terrorism has become an economic class war with the stratospherically wealthy -- that is, everyone who makes seven figures of income -- in full combat against everyone whose income is less. I know folks who live in the stratosphere, and most are really nice people, generous in nature, willing to contribute to charitable causes. Stratosphere people are pleasant to be around, most of them are bright and energetic and fun. But very few of them are class traitors. Very few are willing to look at society from the perspective of someone making $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Very few are willing to think about how they have benefited from labor unions, and socialized infrastructure. Hence, the form of class warfare today is a friendly fascism where the stratospherically wealthy shrink government (infrastructure) and become obsessed with reducing taxes on their income.
I have my own tax issues. I don't mind funding post offices, roads and salaries of government employees, but I do detest the obscenity of funding the escalating security state apparatus of military and intelligence agencies that serve the income interests of the stratosphere at the cost of our commonwealth civil liberties. Eventually, the class warfare initiated by the stratospheric folk will become a violent blowback because the stratosphere, disconnected from the life of the commonwealth, will go too far, will increase the burdens one pound too heavy, will grind our face one time too many, and there will be a great revolt. All will suffer. Much will be lost. The America of our idealism will vanish from the pages of history.
The war on commonwealth, initiated by stratospheric terrorists is currently on display through the political game of deficit reduction. But we the people have been cowed into passivity. If we don't assert ourselves in the face of these economic assaults then we will become just like President Obama who responds like a submissive battered wife apologizing every time her husband beats her. At some point the battered has to assert her dignity, at some point the battered has to insist on justice and accountability. Otherwise the violence will increase. What we the people need to see is that we are being battered by an abusive citizenry of stratospheric terrorists that appear benevolent and caring but who are brutalizing us at every opportunity.
We need to insist that there be no more social infrastructure cuts. Instead, the military and intelligence ought to be put on at least a 50 percent reduction diet and the speculators who gamble in the stock casino ought to have their capital gains and dividends treated as regular income. But that won't happen. It won't even really come up for discussion. Nor will anything else that hurts the opulent.
Perhaps our only option is to duplicate Europe, and our own WTO heritage. Perhaps the most loving response is to riot.