Two Americas and — One Bordello
August 5, 2004
Every politician needs a sound bite. For John Edwards, it’s his “Two Americas” fantasy. The way Edwards sees it, “...under George W. Bush, there are two Americas...One America that does the work, another America that reaps the reward”. It’s a catchy little concept...except that Edwards has it backwards. And...there are really three Americas. Edwards forgot to mention the political bordello.
Let’s take a close look at that one paragraph (the one somebody remembers) and forget the other forty (that nobody remembers). As a tribute to Edwards’ piggybank (trial lawyers), we’ll call it Exhibit 10 (it’s the tenth paragraph in the speech). OK, bite the bullet, here it comes:
Today, under George W. Bush, there are two Americas, not one: One America that does the work, another America that reaps the reward. One America that pays the taxes, another America that gets the tax breaks...One America -- middle-class America - whose needs Washington has long forgotten, another America - narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command. One America that is struggling to get by, another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a President.
Edwards’ mendacity in this paragraph proves only one thing...he is as delusional as Al Gore. Better looking; a whole lot thinner; much more glib; probably smarter; but just as delusional. The jury is still deliberating on who’s the better kisser (Edwards is certainly more PDA prone with Flipper than Gore ever was with Tipper).
When Edwards charges that, “Dividing us into two Americas - one privileged, the other burdened - has been his (Bush’s) agenda all along”, he really meant to say “Conservatives pay taxes and liberals reap the rewards”. Sort of like the Clinton’s rags-to-riches ascent on the backs of American taxpayers.
96.03% of federal income taxes are paid by the top 50% of people who even bother to file tax returns (when it comes to being lost-in-the-system, you never hear liberals complaining about people who drop off the IRS roles). An annual adjusted gross income of about $30,000 earns you the right to enter the top 50%. Of course the bottom 50% claim more than $38 billion in earned income credits. How they actually earn this, other than signing a form, is a galactic mystery.
Taxpayers in the top 10% income range are paying an average tax rate more than 300% greater than a taxpayer in the $30,000 per year range. Of course it gets much better for the 21.7 million people claiming the $38+ billion in earned income credits. They have a negative tax rate...they get the benefits and you pay the taxes.
So who is Edwards speaking about anyways? If it isn’t one of his Two Americas...it must be the Third America--those in the political bordello. You know...not the America that is struggling to get by, but another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a President. Rumor has it that the Third America was in Boston this past week (hint: at the Fleet Center).
Oh yeah, that’s right, the 2004 Democratic Convention attracted “over 35,000 out-of-towners” to Boston last week. Let’s see...about 4300 delegates, maybe 15,000 media people, a bunch of lobbyists, corporate grease-monkeys, all kinds of security personnel and whatever.
Like all Democratic programs, their convention went from an initial estimated cost of $50 million to a final tab of at least $89 million and...Boston restaurant owners lost their financial pants in the bargain. Despite contrary predictions, eateries were mostly empty. According to the Boston Globe, “...Delegates...mostly dined for free at convention events or ate on the cheap-and-quick”. With 415 members of the teachers’ unions as delegates you shouldn’t be shocked that, if it wasn’t free, it would certainly be on the cheap-and-quick.
But don’t fret because the taxpayer is pitching in... Congress moved to increase the federal security contribution from $25 million to $50 million. But that still leaves a deficit of about $40 million. Where does that come from?
Well, the Boston Globe tells us that “the organizers of the Democratic National Convention say they are...focusing particularly on the corporate interests that look to curry favor”. David A. Passafaro, the Boston 2004, Inc. convention committee's president said "We have reached out to lobbyists and some other friends in D.C. who represent these companies on a national basis."
Now I get it, it’s just like a bordello. In Edwards’ own words, the Democratic Party lifted its skirt for the narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command. In an end-run around campaign finance laws...the convention organizer, Boston 2004, Inc., is registered as a 501(c)(03) public charity. Yippee, those narrow-interest donations are tax-deductible!
The Boston Business Journal reported that, “Financial services companies were early players...donating millions of dollars to the cause”. But,like most Johns sneaking around in raincoats and sunglasses, “many financial services firms are keeping their involvement in the Democratic National Convention quiet”. Seems that, “many firms are reluctant to discuss their participation for fear of being seen as using the event to cozy up to political heavyweights and lobbyists”. Seeing is believing.
So let’s get this straight, 35,000 people descended on Boston for a week and the restaurants became ghost towns. The final estimate for the cost of stolen hotel towels is still being tallied.
From Kentucky, The Courier-Journal reported that, “While Kentucky...delegates cheer on John Kerry...they are being wined, dined, omelet-ed and ferried about by corporate interests, some with government business back home or in Washington.” Kentucky delegate Donald Lyons summed it up very simply, “I don't see a harm or a problem with corporate sponsorship...A lot of things are done behind closed doors”. And he ain’t talkin’ about fried chicken.
For a closing argument, I’m going to take a crack at channeling John Edwards’ real message:
“There are two Americas...One America that pays the taxes, another America that gets the tax breaks.”
Yeah, we bleed working Americans for the taxes so we can buy votes with more give-away programs.
“One America -- middle-class America - whose needs Washington has long forgotten, another America - narrow-interest America - whose every wish is Washington's command.”
Why do you think that 22 of my top 25 donors are trial lawyers (#23 is partners with a mob hit man).
“One America that is struggling to get by, another America that can buy anything it wants, even a Congress and a President.”
Well hell, John Kerry (gratis from two rich wives) and I bought our way into the Senate...why shouldn’t we try to buy the White House...with a little help from our friends in the bordello...whoops, I mean special interests.
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