- John Stoehr writes, “So today, I want to stretch our imaginations by asking a deceptively simple question. Why does our democratic republic, founded in opposition to monarchy, tolerate billionaires?”
- “Most Americans believe billionaires don’t intend harm, earn their wealth and, on the whole, benefit society,” he continues, “But what if I suggested this is rationalizing a democratic abomination?”
- “Billionaires, therefore, are not self-made. They are politically, legally and socially made.” -John Stoehr
John Stoehr, Commentary from Rawstory writes:
“In Thursday’s post, I imagined a world in which conservatives placed equality at the center of their sensibilities. It was fun, though hardly realistic. As one reader said, conservatives never do that. If they did, they’d be liberals. But the goal of the exercise was less practical than imaginative. At the root of the many problems we face are thorny questions difficult to answer. But there’s also a failure of imagination.
I don’t mean to say we need “attitude adjustments.” I mean to say we tend to accept conditions as if they were natural rather than what they are, which is constructed. So today, I want to stretch our imaginations by asking a deceptively simple question. Why does our democratic republic, founded in opposition to monarchy, tolerate billionaires?
I say “deceptively,” because the question might prompt a quick reply: why not? Most Americans believe billionaires don’t intend harm, earn their wealth and, on the whole, benefit society. Some Americans even think billionaires deserve our respect. After all, they sell things consumers like, innovate useful technologies, and some, like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, give away their fortunes to worthy causes. But what if I suggested this is rationalizing a democratic abomination?…”
See full story here.
Categories: Business, Government, Politics, Tech
Economic Left 
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