This story is by Anna Stewart and was part of our 2016 Winter Writing Contest. You can find all the Winter Writing Contest stories here.
There has always been a disparity between the rich and the poor. Is this disparity a necessary evil in the grand scheme of life? If there were not the rich, how would this country build? If there were not poor, who would do the labor for the rich?
The answer is in the desire to conquer and dominate that lies within man. Since the beginning of time, war has raged across lands all over this World. Had no continental migration happened, had others not saw with others had, and waged war in order to obtain those properties, then what would the world be like today? I’d say it would not change.
It’s inherent for man to conquer what others have, and for the rich to ban together to keep that wealth for themselves. According to Robert Reich, in a Newsweek article entitled “The Real Reason for the growing gap between the Rich and the Poor”, the fact that the rich in the United States make the political rules which govern how this country is ran, is a very obvious fact that demonstrates that the rich will continue to hold onto the wealth they have, and the poor will have to suffer the effects of those decisions, decisions based on how the rich can continue to pool the finances of the poor to keep building their wealth. Reich went on to talk about how the United States has the highest pharmaceutical cost. Why? The pharmaceutical companies slip some cash in the pockets of the rich senator, and they both stay rich. Poor people, what are we going to do? Seems like we don’t have a chance in this current system. Shall we wage war?
The fact that the rich run the country in the United States, has been demonstrated in the last few elections. The first time I became discouraged in the election process was when Al Gore lost in the 2000 election to George W. Bush. He was clearly the favorite of the masses, and yet, he lost. That’s when the term electoral votes were brought to the attention of many, that despite it was a part of the election process, people did not understand the rules of the role of the electoral vote. How the electoral vote out trumped (no pun intended), the vote of the masses that make this country run. Or do they?
As I was writing my thoughts on this subject, I went to get some facts from Wikipedia, and a message popped up requesting donations to keep their site going. I found that interesting, and felt it hit home about how funding keeps good thing’s going, and without the backing of others, there would be no success, so in order for the poor to change the disparity in this country, they have to band together, pool their resources, and change the position of the haves and have not’s in this country to make thing’s better for all in the United States, and not just a select few rich. And yes, I did donate three dollars. I used the site, so I feel I should pay my dues for having someone do the heavy lifting for me. To my dismay, after donating, I found that Wikipedia has money falling out their pockets, enough so that they have money for a lobbyist. They have their hand in the political arena. Everybody but us have not’s.
With all that said, if the poor (and when I say poor, I mean the average American working to just hold on to their homes, cars, and put food on the table), would work together to get an interest in the political realm, and equalize the way this country is ran, then thing’s could be better for all.
Easier said than done. There has to be a common thread to bring the masses of America together to get interest in political positions to work for making this country a place where all the citizens can enjoy living, and not struggle to live. But, finding that commonality is what the have not’s will struggle to come together on. The rich have a commonality, that is to stay rich. Those without money struggle to hold on to their piece of mind, religion, property, sexuality, education, wages. So while the masses support their small piece of the big picture, the have’s continue to come together for their interest, to stay rich, and ensure that they keep the cards stacked in their favor, the have not’s will continue to suffer.
Some may not think they are in a bad position, but we, the have not’s have been lulled to sleep. Look at how retirement plans have diminished. You can’t count on working for 30 years, and getting a nice retirement plan to carry us through our golden years. When I see sixty plus year old employees working in McDonald’s, I get pissed off. That could be me, and some teenager is out of a job. Then teens are out scrapping to get a job, or finding illegal alternatives. It’s the effect of supply and demand. How can these companies continue to make more and more, but the worker bees make less and less. Politics. Until the have not’s crack the code on changing political decisions in our favor, it’s going to continue to get worse. The have’s get greedier, and greedier, and the have not’s get more and more complacent, like sheep in a field of grass getting smaller and smaller. How can America continue to be the great nation we once were, and function with the people that live here getting less and less of the great American pie. Something is fundamentally wrong with this picture.
The greatest country in the world is being affected like all other nations where the political leaders are watching out for their own benefit, and the individuals with the monetary backing to have a say are only speaking on their own behalf. But, what happens when American’s jobs are all transferred to other countries, what will the have not’s do? An article in the Scientific, written by Nicholas Fitz, “Economic Inequality: It’s Far Worse Than You Think”, talks about a joke by the comedian Chris Rock, and how the comedian states that if the masses in America knew just how rich the rich are, there would be riots in the street. Get ready to riot have not’s.
I believe a consciousness amongst the have not’s is beginning to grow. We still struggle with letting go of our personal little needs that we find so important. Not until we are all so poor that eating is the commonality, will we finally bond together. But that’s too late. Look at other countries that have suffered the greed of their political leaders. There is lots of poverty, lack of jobs; doesn’t this sounds like America? It’s not coming, it’s here. Time to get together have not’s, or regardless of our little comforts we want to be protected, we will all starve together. All people starve the same regardless of religion, skin color, or sexuality. So, we better let go of the irrelevant stuff, and start fighting for the thing’s every American deserves, a job that pays wages that allows families to live good lives. Jobs that gives insurance to keep American’s healthy. The money is there, we just have to demand our share of it.
How do we do this? Stop supporting the companies that are not paying their employees fairly. Why do you have to shop at name brand stores, and there are Mom and Pop shops in your community that sell the same thing. If they won’t give money to us, let’s not give money to them. We have to bring the politically empowered corporations to their knees and let Goliath know that David is coming for them. We won’t accept being grateful for the meager handouts we get for the hard days work we put in. Out time is valuable, and we want our money.
The have not’s need to work together. Everyone doesn’t have to have their own home, families need to stick together, save their money, and build wealth. Stop spending money on thing’s you don’t need. If the big business feels the pains of not having their products sell, then the have not’s can start to exercise their power, we are the reason’s companies can exist. We buy the food, clothes, car’s, and homes. If we don’t buy, they don’t get rich. We have become a want nation. We need to be a necessity based nation. You don’t need a 5000 square foot home. Start buying what we need, and not what we want. Make the changes that make big business do what they were intended to do, provide services. Serve you and me, not serve themselves.
So, back to where I began. Have not’s, we are in a war, and losing. It’s not a physical war, it’s an intellectual war, and we are having our butt’s kicked. The rich have the politician’s in their pocket, so we need to take the money out their pockets by controlling where our money goes. If a business is overcharging, don’t buy the high price items. Go to a cheaper retailer. Don’t forget Mom and Pop shops. They need us, and we need them. They make life more affordable for us. So, let’s wage war, have not’s, spend your money wisely and we can win.
Leave a Reply