at it's heart, the conflict in America today is:

[leftofthedial]

[Mnemosyne]

1. A bizarre combination of the first 3. n/t

[MADem]

3. Yep, I see it that way as well...NT

[bullimiami]

11. how i see it too.

probably driven by the corporate super cabal but the conservative and fundamentalist freaks are willing but unwitting players.

[AndyTiedye]

16. A Coalition of Fundies and Robber Barons

It isn't nearly as monolithic on either side as "the rich" vs "the poor" would imply.

A large swath of the poor are induced to vote against their own interests, either
because the Republicans appeal to their bigotry, or because the preacher says they must.

I doubt that ** garners majority support even among the wealthy anymore.
He's bad for business, as even a cursory glance at economic indicators over his term of office will show.
Low taxes and cheap labor aren't everything. Especially when you have alienated all of your foreign markets.

Bush**'s true base are oil barons who want to corner the market, and the Walmarts of our nation, who
still adopt a plantation mentality towards the workforce. For them, driving down labor costs trumps
all else, and a theocracy or near-theocracy is ideal, because history has shown that theocracies are
completely immune to popular uprisings. It is not a very effective business plan, as Walmart's rather
dismal financials reveal, but some still follow it, and they control our government.

[corkhead]

2. A coalition of the greedy and the stupid against everyone else

[TahitiNut]

4. The wealthiest 1% own 40% of financial wealth; bottom 80% less than 9%.

Read http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

[leftofthedial]

17. it has gotten much, much worse

since 2001

[TahitiNut]

19. I agree. The entitlement to profit from the labors of others ...

... is the single most pernicious cancer in our society, imho. "Working class" has become an epithet to many. Earned (from one's own labor) income is taxed at more than double the rate of unearned (from the labor of others) income. Income from the death of another is, many claim, not to be taxed at all - including the totally untaxed capital gains such estates may include. Labor in the S&P500 is currently compensated for merely 1/3rd of its value, the rest going to 'ownership' interests. It's an abomination of economic justice.

[Jade Fox]

5. This.....

http://www.philipslater.com/

[Bluerthanblue]

13. THAT- was

worth the read.
And articulated what has been nibbling around the corners of my thoughts very well.

Thanks!-
peace,
blu

[Jade Fox]

15. yr welcome!

[Yollam]

6. It's the first choice, PLUS...

It's also the rich & middle class vs. the poor.

EVERYONE shits on the poor.

[Bluerthanblue]

7. A sign that society is failing ...

... to address the needs of its citizens. We have lost our focus- our passion for life. And the restlessness that is within each one of us, can't be quieted- we try and 'fill' our lives with 'stuff' or seek to have 'power' over others in a desperate search for meaning and significance.
There is little real satisfaction, and contentment in people today- We don't have to fight as hard as most people in other countries simply to SURVIVE- (I'm talking actual survival, basic necessities, clean water, enough food to exist, simple shelter-) And the contentment that comes with being able to 'meet our needs' in a visceral, tangible way- where after a hard days work, we can SEE the results, isn't there- so we search to fill that void... with sex, drugs, video games, escapism, consumerism, religion, thrillseeking- all sorts of 'stuff'-
And it isn't working-

at least thats my saturday morning soap-box 'deep thought'-

Honestly, I do think we are 'empty' much of the time. And it's only gotten worse as technology seperates us from our own .... reason to live???

ah, I'm blathering.
peace-

[idgiehkt]

8. electronic voting vs. the american public

also right-wing controlled media vs. everyone else

if we fixed these two, the others would take care of themselves

[alfredo]

9. Have you ever noticed that it is "Class Warfare" only when

we fight back?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. A multi-faceted conflict of competing self-interests.

Which, in the future, hopefully, be looked upon with amazement and derision by a wiser generation.

[Union Thug]

12. Class war. Working class are hit first, middle is now feeling it...

But, as I've said before, Americans have become too sheepish and brainwashed by the corporate media to respond in any meaningful way.

14. divide and conquer

the neo-cons are taking the differences and making them huge in order to create 2 sides and sneak off with the pie while no one is looking. Those fundies would rather eat sand than allow abortion or gay marriage. The neocons and their lapdogs are scheming right now on how to make it look like Iran is an aggressor, and also how democrats have no morals.

[Deja Q]

18. Certain Americans being cruel toward other Americans.

Usually for greed... but anyone who thinks America is united is a fool.