A Plea for Shared Injustice

In this stock photo, the scales of justice are
incorrectly depicted in equilibrium

In these times of economic flagellation, many of us will suffer inequities and inconveniences. But we will not share in this lumpy distribution of misery equally.  The Haves will escape the slightest annoyance, while the Have-Nots will bear the brunt of every burden.

Why, you ask? Remember that "politics" is the process that determines who gets what and how much.  And who controls politics? The Haves of course. The Haves will not tolerate any irritant within their political body.

Instead, the pain must be pushed down to the powerless. Who are they? Poor folk and people of color of course. People with no money to buy politicians or political ads on TV.

The strategy is simple. The poor must be demonized. If they're poor it's their own fault. They're lazy. Black people want "free stuff." They're alcoholics and drug addicts. Never mind that studies show that the rate of illicit drug use is lower among the poor than the general population (because the poor can't afford drugs.) To drive home the point, politicians (i.e., the Haves) pass laws requiring drug testing as a qualifier for public benefits to humiliate the needy and justify their own claim to a painless existence.

In fact, most poor people work harder than I do. They just don't get a fair wage for it. Walmart employees need food stamps and section 8 housing to survive on a full time job. Losers, right? The important thing, according to our politicians, is that the CEO is left with no itch to scratch.

The Haves complain that they "pay all the taxes." Quoting absolute dollar figures, they state - correctly - that they pay the largest share of revenue into the treasury. Of course they do. They have all the money.

Let's analyze it. For simplicity, let's set up this thought experiment, which captures the essence of how it works:

• I make $1000 a day, you make $10 a day
• We pay our taxes daily
• We each pay 10%

So I pay $100 in taxes, you pay $1. I gripe that it's unfair. I pay "all the taxes." Let's look at it. After taxes, I have $900 to meet my expenses and otherwise spend or save as I like. You have $9. Can you live on $9? By the way, you work for me, and that's all I'm willing to pay you. If I raised your wages, I whine that I will "go out of business."

Indeed, you should be paying no taxes, and hopefully some of my $100 is currently routed to alleviate your suffering. But why should it be that way in the first place? Why, because that is the system I maintain through the politicians I own. Because I am not willing to countenance the slightest challenge to my privileges.

The economic ship of state cannot be righted until the Haves (otherwise known as the "one percent") are willing to shoulder their share of the burden; their share of the injustices in life. Currently, those burdens fall exclusively on the Have-Nots.

We must bring pressure to bear on the American Oligarchy to accept change. A good start would be to apply pressure on Congress to pass a Federal Minimum Wage bill. But we need to work on their morals too. Pope Francis provided an elegant, and even non-sectarian, framework for that during his recent visit. The Have-Nots have some feeble momentum. Let's keep pushing.