Whiny Liberals Are Merely Envious! (Or not?)

Are Whiny Liberals Merely Envious?  

A federal bankruptcy judge finalized the liquidation of Hostess Brands on Thursday and approved a bonus plan for senior executives involved in the wind-down of the company.

You can imagine the range of comments to this story.  Read them yourself at the link above.

Here's a good one:

Lots of class envy posts from the whiny liberals. I guess Obama winning didn't make them rich or get rid of their jealousy.

"Class Envy" 

This particular story, the ongoing saga of the Hostess liquidation, doesn't directly have anything to do with who lost or won the election.  But it does emphasize the whole issue of the state of American workers vs. corporate owners in this country.  It highlights issues of income and wealth inequality and the increasing problems of people in the middle class.  And it demonstrates one of the biggest right wing talking points:  That the only reason those nasty "liberals" complain about the low taxes and excesses of the rich is just "envy".

I guess people who write those kinds of comments assume that everybody is as selfish, greedy, and as utterly lacking in humanity or compassion as they are.  But no, not true.  So my reply to Mr. "Govtcheese" above:

I'm really, really sorry that you just don't plain get it.

It's really sad that people who think as you do exist in this country.

Photo of homeless girl from Rock Center by Ann Curry

I read a story yesterday (many of these same kinds of stories day after day, year after year) about a working American middle-class family who is now homeless. Health problems, loss of pay, and a period of unemployment caused them to lose their home.

Papa John's CEO's castle. More here 

I also saw a few pictures of some mega homes that were built by an uber-rich working family. Moats, multiple wings, massive garages and swimming pools, "coach houses" that are twice as big as the average home. 

Bangladesh workers march after deadly fire.

Then there were the stories and related pictures of thousands of  workers marching in Bangladesh in protest after 112 garment workers met their fiery deaths making cheap clothing for Americans while earning a whopping $38 a month. 

These various images are seared into my consciousness tonight, juxtaposed into a very disturbing medley of thoughts. 

It's not envy, Mr. Cheese. It's disgust, frustration, anger. My question to you:  Why aren't YOU disgusted, frustrated, and angered? Why do you think that this kind of disparity is just fine? What's wrong with YOU?

Something Wrong Here

I can't help but feel that something is seriously, deadly WRONG with our country when people defend the mega-rich and chastise the working poor and middle class people who are down on their luck.

How do we fix this?