The priorities of the Obama administration and its Democratic allies are on display with every waiver granted. The list of beneficiaries in Mrs. Pelosi’s district, for example, belongs in an episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Mrs. Pelosi, champion of the unions and no stranger to hypocrisy, has amassed a fortune as part owner of Napa Valley Auberge du Soleil resort – a luxurious nonunion shop. Now her luxury boutique colleagues also can benefit from her “do as I say” politics. The “four-diamond luxury” hotel Campton Place; Tru Spa, Allure magazine’s “best day spa in San Fransisco”; Boboquivari’s and its $59 porterhouse steaks; and Cafe des Amis, “a timeless Parisian style brasserie,” are among her beneficiaries.
The depth of corruption and mendacity of these people is unfathomable.
Why aren’t these “four diamond” places willing to pass along these increased costs by raising their prices? Sure seems like their clientele isn’t going to notice that the “$59 porterhouse steak” is now $64, right? Why wouldn’t that be a “tax on the rich”, an example of “trickle up” regulation and taxation? Besides, these are mostly the same people who want to inflict this monstrosity on the country, so why shouldn’t they volunteer to lead by example?
Go the crony-socialist route? “Yes we can!” These are people deserve an exemption, unlike the rest of us little proles.
Is there any “socialist” society that didn’t end up with an upper caste aristocracy/nomenklatura who behave this way? Maybe the trolls can provide a counter-example, or tell us why this time, this version of socialism really is going to be different. But they won’t, because at this point all the Progressive Left has left to justify their actions is the Brezhnev Doctrine, which is self-justifying.
Raoul, allow me to fill the void:
I don’t care! Obama is awesome!
The depth of corruption and mendacity of these people is unfathomable.
It’s by no means limited to Democrats however.
About a week ago, I ran across an old book I had read once, called “Zaibatsu: The Rise and Fall of Family Enterprise Groups in Japan” by Hidemasa Morikawa. His book covers the time from the Meiji Reformation (which came after Perry’s visit to Japan in 1853) to the end of the Second World War and the dissolution of the zaibatsu by the US occupying force.
One of the interesting aspects of the Meiji era was the existence of “political merchants” or seisho (with a long “o” on the end, I understand). A few zaibatsu were originally very successful seisho. The interesting thing is that despite the corruption of the times, the political merchants didn’t do that well in the long term. The seisho usually did well when his allies were in power, but then they were punished when the enemies of his allies were in power.
I see similar circumstances in our times. In the US economy today, every business has to play the political game to some degree. But most businesses are businesses first, fundamentally earning a profit by providing goods or services of value. But some businesses are almost pure political merchants. I think they’ll find that being dependent on political largess isn’t a viable strategy in the long term.
I think they’ll find that being dependent on political largess isn’t a viable strategy in the long term.
Government employee unions might beg to differ. In a quarter century they’ve gone from !7% of the unionize workforce to 52%. Recycling government union dues in to Democratic campaign coffers has returned quite gravy train of largess.
“It’s by no means limited to Democrats however.”
Yet, they seem intent on making it a monopoly.
Oh, it’s not unfathomable, Rand. All you need is a long enough rope and an anchor.
Preferably tied to a few necks.