In the discourse we now know as the class war, we see some of the same characteristics of prejudice applied to economic classes.

We see the rich demonized.  All of the wealthy are held accountable for the behavior of the worst among them, but are not credited with the virtues of the best among them, which number far, far more than the worst.  They are not seen as individuals.

When the mindless criticize corporate America as if they are a single cohesive group, they follow this same form of prejudice.  There is no corporate America with a single agenda.  Corporations compete with each other.

The oil companies compete with electric companies.  Banks compete with other banks to loan to customers who want to borrow at the lowest rate.  Home Depot competes with Lowes, McDonalds competes with Wendy’s and Burger King.  To think that the CEO’s of the large corporations unite to conspire against the best interest of the general population is just juvenile and foolish.

Even those who contend that ‘corporate America’ controls the media deny the reality in front of their face.  MSNBC competes with CNN and FOX. And they all compete with professional and amateur bloggers.  Does anyone really think that MSNBC and FOX conspire in any way about the media’s message to dupe anyone?

Those who criticize the wealthy, too often refuse to define exactly who the wealthy are.  Is it those who earn $1,000,000 or more per year? Do they have to earn it consistently for years or do they just earn it in a single year when they sell their business?  Is Elizabeth Warren who earns over $400,000 a year as a Harvard Law Professor, plus that much again as an expert witness, and government consultant, not to mention the tidy profits made from flipping expensive homes really part of the 99% as she claims?

And even among the very wealthy, are we to believe that the Koch Brothers conspire with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to dupe America for their personal gain?

If there is a conspiracy it is not among the wealthy themselves, it lies in the corrupt relationship select corporations have with this government.  It lies with the 1100 unions and companies that were able get exemptions from Obamacare.  It lies with the campaign contributors who get government loans and grants that no free market lender would oblige.

Populists prefer demons to solutions.  Sometimes our problems are complicated and require some thought and analysis.  But some just prefer to find a demon to blame.  If they can’t find an ethnic or religious group to blame then just reach for the next best thing- the wealthy and the corporations.

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