That Nonsense That The Rich Are Evil

One political tactic President Obama and his political party have embraced over the past six years, demonizing the economically successful person, is starting to wear thin with some of the targets of their wrath. The premise taken by the left wing in politics is that those who are successful are evil and those who have failed economically are "victims" of "the rich" who allegedly keep them from rising economically. Personal responsibility, the biggest attribute a person must have in a capitalist system, is forgotten and blaming the successful for the failure of others is the replacement. It's a cheap, dishonest view that unfortunately wins votes. Obama frequently cites the "99%" (non wealthy) as victims of those who are successful. He embraced  the class warfare narrative so  successfully that most left leaning politicians use it routinely to pander to their voting base.

The result is those who are economically successful (Obama calls them all "the rich") are publicly excoriated, blamed for others failures and forced to go into a form of exile where they try to hide their affluence. But one of those super wealthy people who worked hard and used his ability to become successful is finally fighting back. Billionaire hedge fund manager Leon Cooperman is sick of disingenuous politicians criticizing him for being rich, and would prefer that his success story be held up as "an example" to be followed. "I think that my life should be used as an example to the 99% of what could be achieved,"  said in a recent taping for the capitalist groupie television program "Wall Street Week". "These youngsters can see what can be accomplished with some hard work.

"To tell the 99% they are being screwed by the 1% is just wrong," said Cooperman, who is valued at $3.7 billion.
Good for him! In this age of entitlement, an age in which the individual thinks that society is responsible for his or her welfare, a jolt of reality is a good thing. Hillary Clinton has decided to campaign on the rich are evil mode too. It's preposterous when one looks at Clinton's own bank statements. Bashing Wall Streeters and the rich is part of Hillary's strategy of remaking her image to appear more sympathetic to middle class voters, while also appealing to left-wing Democrats. But how insincere that is!  Hillary and Bill Clinton have earned hundred's of millions of dollars on speaking fees alone. A one hour speech by Hillary goes for about $300,000. Hillary fails to mention her own wealth when demonizing the wealthy.

So are voters just plain stupid in not seeing the shallowness of the issue, the falsity of it, the insincerity of politicians who campaign on it? Apparently that or they like being pander to. Income inequality, or concerns of a rising wealth gap between the rich and everyone else, has become a hot topic on the campaign trail for both the left leaning Democratic and some right wing Republican candidates who don't want to be left behind by the voters in the ruse.
Cooperman grew up poor in the Bronx as the child of immigrant parents. He was the first one in his family to attend college and he worked hard for his success. But I guess that doesn't comfort the voter who is mired in poverty because of his or her own negligence to achieve more.