As Obama tries to feed division, Americans aren’t necessarily buying it

COLUMBUS DISPATCH EDITORIAL

January 24, 2012

The nation is riven by class warfare, according to recent headlines. That’s a grabber all right, but it also isn’t true.

'Tensions between the rich and poor are increasing and at their most intense level in nearly a quarter century, a new survey shows,' wrote the Associated Press. But the survey, released Jan. 11 by the Pew Research Center, didn’t ask people if they themselves felt greater tension about income differences.

The wording of the question posed to 2,048 adults was: “In America, how much conflict is there between poor people and rich people?” The answers were as follows: 66 percent said the believed the conflicts were “very strong” or “strong.” That’s an increase of 19 percentage points from two years ago. Pew also found rich-poor disputes are viewed as more pervasive than other social flashpoints, including immigration, age or race.  

This perception that conflict is growing likely stems from the Occupy Wall Street protests and the intense media coverage they have received. Meanwhile, attitudes toward the rich remain steady, with no growing resentment. Pew cites a recent Gallup survey that found fewer people today than in 1998 (45 percent vs. 52 percent) think income inequity is a problem that “needs to be fixed.”

These distinctions are important because the economic divide, or perception thereof, is being exploited by President Barack Obama in his effort to   hang onto his own 1-percent lifestyle: employer-subsidized mansion, staff and jet.

Playing the money card could be a tough sell because while Obama is demonizing Wall Street and portraying himself as avenger of the downtrodden, he is Wall Street’s favorite candidate. In the first nine months of 2011, he raised $15.6 million from Wall Street for his re-election effort and for the Democratic National Committee. That’s more than all the early GOP frontrunners combined. He even beat Mitt Romney 2-1 in contributions from Bain Capital, which Romney helped start.  

On Jan. 14, The New York Times took a look at the so-called 1 percent, and found that the $380,000 that it takes to qualify nationally is middle class in some high-cost-of-living communities. “In reality,” the story says, “it is a far larger and more varied group, one that includes podiatrists and actuaries, executives and entrepreneurs, the self-made and the silver-spoon set.”

Further, the top earners pay a quarter of all federal taxes and provide nearly a third of all charitable giving. And three out of five are self-made, reporting no inheritance. One millionaire featured in the story started a charter air service on Long Island; he explained that he works “ 26/9” and sometimes carries luggage for his passengers.  

Certainly, there is a conversation to be had, based on fact, about making sure that people have a fair opportunity to attain the American Dream. But demonizing the successful based on stereotypes and misperceptions for political gain is destructive.

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