Plutocrats by Chrystia Freeland

The subtitle of the book sums it up: "The Rise of the New Global Super Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else".  I am posting this review on Christmas Eve because I think the current trend in wealth distribution is something that is far out of keeping with the teachings of the prophet who is celebrated during this season.

I would like to start with a quote from Senator Ted Cruz' non-filibuster in September, 2013:

“What we have here is our core values as Americans and Christians slipping away into this facade where we should take care of our poor, sick, and disabled,” said Cruz in hour 19 of his filibuster. “It is disheartening to know that the nation our forefathers built is no longer of importance to our president and his Democratic counterparts. Not only that, we are falling away from core Christian values. I don’t know about you, but I believe in the Jesus who died to save himself, not enable lazy followers to be dependent on him. He didn’t walk around all willy nilly just passing out free healthcare to those who were sick, or food to those who were hungry, or clothes to those in need. No, he said get up, brush yourself off, go into town and get a job, and as he hung on the cross he said,”I died so that I may live in eternity with my Father. If you want to join us you can die for yourself and your own sins. What do I look like, your savior or something?” That’s the Jesus I want to see brought back into our core values as a nation. That’s why we need to repeal Obamacare.”

That is a misrepresentation of what Jesus represented, and I am pretty sure the current Pope would concur.  The super rich share Ted Cruz' same values.  There is nothing shocking in here to anyone who reads the news.  There is an income gap in America that exceeds any we have seen before, including the  early 20th century, which was the last time it was this extreme.  What was shocking to me was that it was colonial America that had the least income disparity, even when including slaves.  That is depressing.  The super rich believe they are better than everyone else, and that they deserve their money.  They pay people wages that they cannot live on and then are contemptuous that 46% of people do not pay income tax--actually, they can fix that.  They believe they should not have to pay taxes, but should rather be free to give their money to causes they believe in.  They are, in their own minds, better than the rest of us, and they are shocked and hurt that we do not agree with them.  This book will not put you in the holiday spirit, but it is well worth reading and thinking about.