In WSJ op-ed, CEO blames Obama for his run-in with a panhandler

[ProSense]

An unintentionally amusing take from Wall Street

By Steve Benen

David Moore is the CEO of Wall Street holdings company, and he has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal today reflecting on a recent run-in with a panhandler. As best as I can tell, the op-ed is not a parody.

As Moore explains it, he was walking down New York’s 55th Street near Park Avenue last week, when a man on the street said, “Here are a bunch of Wall Street guys. Give me some money.” Moore says he handed the man a dollar and walked away. “A dollar?” the panhandler shouted. “You Wall Street fat cats! This is what the problem is with this country. Take your damn dollar.”

Apparently, this is somehow President Obama’s fault.

Like most people I know, I think President Obama’s tax increases on the wealthy would make sense if we believed he was sincere about — and could be successful at — reforming Washington’s overspending, out-of-control entitlements and regulation. Instead, his attacks on Wall Street bankers (“fat cats,” a phrase Mr. Obama now owns and was eloquently repeated by the panhandler on Friday night), Las Vegas, oil companies, jet manufacturers and “millionaires and billionaires” are inflaming both sides and placating no one. They seriously undermine the chances for reasonable compromise.

The president’s incendiary message has now reached the streets. His complaints that rich people must “pay their fair share” have now goaded some of our society’s most unfortunate, including one who felt compelled to refuse money because it was not enough.

Let’s unpack this, because it’s important to realize how misguided the op-ed really is.

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These morons are crawling out of the woodwork.

Speaking of misguided, this has to be one of the best smack downs ever: Open Letter to that 53% Guy

[renate]

1. that "open letter to that 53% guy" deserves its own post

It is truly exceptional.

[classof56]

4. Could not agree more!

I've added to my favorites for future reference. A truly amazing response!

Tired Old Cynic

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. Pres. Obama made the world hate Wall St. fatcats?

:rofl:

[struggle4progress]

3. I think the WSJ is just saying there were no panhandlers before Obama was elected

:shrug:

[libinnyandia]

5. Reagan taxes

It is a sad to think how much we have come to praise Reagan so much lately for his support of higher taxes for the wealthy when of course his policies started the downhill slide to where we are now. The fact is, compared to George W. Bush, he was a moderate. I imagine a world where the left never split, a third party candidate did not make it possible for the SCOTUS to give the election to W and the reversal of Reagan's policies could have started then. The country has shifted so fat to the right that we will never have the taxes necessary to rebuild this country. How so amny people will be willing to elect another taxcutting idiot is beyond me.

[lunasun]

6. WSJ another Murdoch rag isnt it?

[harun]

7. My Republican co-workers are blaming Obama for the highway

next door being expanded to have an extra lane.

Whatcha gonna do?

[JoePhilly]

8. Should have asked for the bailout money back.