This scenario reminds one of the book and movie, “The Hunger Games.” In the “Hunger Games” there is a very, very small, elitist set of people in the seat of power, far away from the common folks, both in geography and life style and options. The elitists have manipulated their government so that vast amounts of taxpayer wealth flows to this seat of power to the detriment of the rest of the country. Those in the seat of power enjoy self enrichment, status, pomposity, and gluttony, in its many forms, all on the backs and hard efforts of the rest of the citizens out in the country and hinterlands.
As the wealth flowing to the ruling political class and their business cronies increases, they become more and more out of touch with the plight, challenges, and issues facing the very constituents they are supposed to be helping. They are more wrapped up in their own self enrichment, comfort, and wealth than helping the rest of the citizenry.
Consider just a handful of recent examples of this Hunger Games mentality in Washington:
- According to news reports, New York-based designer Thom Browne designed the dress that Michelle Obama wore during her husband’s second inauguration ceremonies, a dress that was estimated to cost at least $10,000. The average American household would probably have to work 3-4 months to afford such a dress.
- As we have reported previously, the entire inauguration event likely cost American taxpayers around $150 million. How many homeless Americans could that $150 million have fed as opposed to a one day, self-congratulatory waste of Washington inaugural parties and balls?
- During the Christmas season, the White House was decorated with 54 Christmas trees. Many Americans could not afford a single Christmas tree, given the economic conditions that still exist in places throughout the country.
- Robert Keith Gray, the author of "Presidential Perks Gone Royal: Your Taxes Are Being Used For Obama’s Re-election," has done some math and claims that the American taxpayer is annually hit with $1.4 billion worth of perk expense incurred by the Obama family, orders of magnitude greater than the $58 million that the English spend on the ENTIRE royal family expenses in one year.
- But the details under that $1.4 billion, as claimed by Gray, are even more grotesque:
- This President flies Air Force One with a whopping twenty-six cabin crew members on board when in operation.
- Included in the twenty six member crew are five chefs.
- For the White House theatre, two projectionists are always present, sleeping in the area of the theater, in order to remain on duty at all times, in case a First Family member or guest wants to see a movie.
- A dog walker is also always on duty to walk the First Family dog, one of which was on salary for $102,000.
- On at least one airline trip, paid for by taxpayers, the only passengers aboard were the First Family’s dog and his handler.
- In 2009, the military payroll at Camp David was $8,000,000. These men and women were not part of the protection detail or there in place of the Secret Service to protect the President, but rather to serve the First Family and its guests.
- Obama has appointed 43 high-priced “czars” to his White house staff, a number far greater than any previous President.
- None of these czars was voted to office by taxpayers or approved by any other governmental body or official.
- During his first term in office, Obama has also appointed 469 White House bureaucrats, with 226 of them being paid over $100,000 a year and 77 of them paid as much as $172,000 a year.
- These acts of tax evasion are not to be confused with the tax evasion antics of Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former Senator Tom Daschle (income tax), current HHS Secretary Kathleen Sibelius (income tax), Senator John Kerry (tax avoidance on his yacht), and Senator Claire Catskill (tax avoidance on use of an airplane).
Thus, not only do these political elitists get all of the Hunger games benefits, they try to avoid paying their “fair share” into the overall government taxation pot.
- A November 27, 2012 article from USA Today actually asked the question we are discussing, “Are We Living The Hunger Games?” Quotes from that article are so appropriate on this topic:
- Washington is rich not because it makes valuable things, but because it is powerful. With virtually everything subject to regulation, it pays to spend money influencing the regulators.
- You're likely to get a much better return from an investment of $1 million on lobbying than on a similar investment in, say, a new factory or better worker training.
- P.J. O’Rourke is quoted in the article: "When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."
- Ross Douhat is quoted in the article: “But it doesn't seem like a sign of national health that America's political capital is suddenly richer than our capitals of manufacturing and technology and finance, or that our leaders are more insulated than ever from the trends buffeting the people they're supposed to serve."
This is government out of control, ego out of control, spending out of control. This is truly the Hunger Games.
Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:
www.loathemygovernment.com
It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:
http://www.reason.com/
http://www.cato.org/
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://realpolichick.blogspot.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w
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