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Posted on Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 1:38 p.m.

Eric Cantor greeted with Halloween-style protest upon visit to University of Michigan

By Ryan J. Stanton

A group of about 70 local workers and students rallied today in Ann Arbor to protest a speech by U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia.

In honor of Cantor's Halloween visit to the University of Michigan, numerous groups joined together to hold a "Funeral for the Middle Class," an event outside of the Michigan League filled with mockery of Cantor and his stances on economic and social issues.

Protestors, including some dressed as zombies, carried tombstone-shaped signs with statements like "R.I.P. 99%," "R.I.P. Public Education," "R.I.P. Health Care," "R.I.P. Living Wage," and "R.I.P. Workers' Rights."

U-M graduate student Joel Batterman impersonated Cantor during a faux funeral procession and eulogy. Batterman's long-winded speech about the death of the middle class drew laughs and applause from the pseudo-rich crowd, culminating with a ceremonial hammering of the final nail into a wooden coffin labeled "American Dream."

Eric_Cantor_protest.jpg

Protestors, including some dressed as zombies, chant in protest of Eric Cantor outside the Michigan League.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

"You, my friends, are the top 1 percent, and we're gathered here this Halloween for a truly momentous occasion — the burial of the American middle class!" Batterman shouted during his speech. "It is altogether fitting and proper that we should celebrate the demise of the middle class here in Michigan, the state which did so much to give it birth."

The real Cantor was invited to speak as part of a lecture series organized by the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Facing protest, Cantor canceled another speech on income inequality planned earlier this month at the University of Pennsylvania.

At several points, the crowd chanted in unison: "Eric Cantor, you can't hide! Eric Cantor, we're outside!" Another repeated chant was: "One, two, three, four — if you're hungry, eat the poor! Five, six, seven, eight — you'll be next to fill our plate!"

"Basically, we don't want to let Eric Cantor come to our campus unopposed — we don't want to let him get the impression that people approve of his policies, especially not the University of Michigan," said protestor and U-M student Ian Matchett, a member of the Washtenaw Community Action Team and Student Socialist Union.

"The university is trying to frame it like he's a respected public figure and we should just be happy to have him at our campus," he said. "And we want to make it clear that, though he may be a large voice in the national discourse, he's not a great or respectable voice."

Local workers and students urged Cantor to protect all working families, not just “the people at the top.”

Organizers cite a new report released by the Congressional Budget Office that shows the nation’s richest citizens almost tripled their incomes between 1979 and 2007 as the inequality of the distribution of wealth expanded.

The report showed the top 1 percent saw their inflation-adjusted earnings increase by 275 percent, while the bottom 20 percent had earnings grow by 18 percent.

"We're concerned that Eric Cantor represents the 1 percent and there's no one really speaking for the 99 percent, so we're out here because his voting record is anti-middle class," said Janella James, organizer for the Lecturers' Employee Organization at U-M.

"He's voted against equal rights and women's rights," she said. "And his voting when it comes to housing, he's not helping the middle class."

Stuart Dowty, former vice chairman of the Washtenaw County Democratic Party, said the protestors came to get an important message out about Cantor.

"He's one of the leaders in Congress for proposing a budget that helps the 1 percent," he said. "Those policies from Bush through the Republicans in the House today are what caused the recession and they're preventing a recovery from it. Trickle-down has never worked, and any economist who knows how to put a sentence together will tell you that."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.

Comments

LarryJ

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8:40 p.m.

It is unavoidable that government policies will influence the distribution of wealth. Rather than ignoring that, we should seek policiies that are fair, that work for the many (not just the few), and that help our overall economy to thrive. There is a term describing societies where wealth is highly concentrated in the hands of the few, and that is FEUDALISM. It didn't generate a strong economy in the Middle Ages, nor will it help us to rebuild our economy now. Those who think that the 11% who are unemployed are welfare cheats, unwed mothers spewing out babies, and people without motivation are people with their heads buried in the sand. Most of these people are wanting a job so that they can feed their families and enjoy participating in a strong America. The rise in unemployment has nothing to do with lower motivation among workers--it is because the funds to pay them, and to grow our economy, are sitting in the accounts of the wealthy.

grye

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.

I agree that there needs to be some policy changes. The wealthy do not need tax exemptions. The unemployed need help in finding a job or learning a new career. Health care should be for everyone. But the OWS people only want the 1% to give it all up. Not fair.

J Galt

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:48 p.m.

When money is taken away from those who have managed to accumulate it through their own hard work, to make it more "fair" for those who have failed to do the same, it kills the incentive to work among the most productive of our world. It makes no sense to reward those whose only justification is some foggy idea of fairness and need.

Aaron Wolf

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 9:48 p.m.

J, your logic is good but your premise doesn't correspond with the situation in question. Money has not been accumulated at the top through hard work alone. Money accumulated at the top through hard work that was partly aimed at playing the system and taking unfair advantage of loopholes and chances to exploit others and manipulate consumers. And the bigger implication you have is VERY TRUE, that being that unfair systems are demotivating. Your final sentence is also very true. If you decide to talk with the protestors, you would find that a large portion, probably the vast majority, have very concrete and thoughtful understandings, not anything foggy.

leaguebus

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.

If you look at the percentage of my salary that I take home, it is far less than the percentage that the richest of Americans take home. If the pain was equal for all, I would not be writing this. I work for the U and my largest raise in 10 years is about 3%. My evaluation says every year, I should get the max raise. Our administration has given themselves 10%, two years in a row, to get their salaries to where the salaries of other Universities are. What incentive do I have to work other than to pay my bills and watch my salary stagnate? But I still work. Sorry, the large wage earners are in control for a while, but thanks to the Occupy people, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

leaguebus

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:43 p.m.

Its nice all the supply siders saying that the bottom 99% are ignorant and lazy, but what they fail to recognize is that government policy (tax codes) has made the top 1% richer and richer each year since Reagan. We now have a royalty that basically work to perpetuate their status and the status of their heirs by spending money on lobbyists who get more laws passed that keep their Royal status. They have minimized the amount of tax they pay in several ways, minimize inheritance taxes, and, when their is not enough money to run the government, add taxes to the lower 99% like slick Rick did this year. My tax accountant said that I was going to pay much more state tax this year than last. This does not affect the rich because all of these raises are to deductions that they don't get, like property tax credits, etc. Now they want to raise auto registrations by $10 to get $1.5 billion for state roads. Why not raise the gas taxes, instead? Oh, thats right, the rich and businesses would have to pay more. Just pile on the regressive taxes as fast as they can legislate to keep the "job creators" fat and happy.

grye

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 1:55 p.m.

No one ever said all the 99% are ignorant and lazy. However those that are whining about the 1% are doing anything about advancing themselves other than complain about the 1%. I suggest they try harder at being successful.

guyfroma2mi

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:42 p.m.

Grye, Top Cat, et al: if you think this is about redistribution of wealth, or attacking those that have worked their way to the top on their own merits, or free handouts to those that choose not to apply themselves, you've been spending too much time listening to Fox News and not enough time listening to what's going on in the real world. This is about the top 1% hoarding the wealth instead of rewarding those that earned it for them by producing the products that made them rich. We have millions of people working 50-60 hour work weeks yet barely getting by, families that no longer have the option of one parent staying home, and declining "real" wages as companies slash retirement and healthcare benefits. This despite soaring employee productivity, corporate profits that are through the roof, and executive compensation up in the stratosphere. Nothing is trickling down. This is NOT what America is about, nor is cutting programs designed to provide opportunity to achieve the American Dream for kids whose only sin in life was to be born into the "wrong" family. Nor is it a sustainable economic model; we're headed for the monopolization of all of our major industries, which suppresses innovation, small businesses, and development of new products. We're about to be passed by both China and India in terms of economic power, and they are outspending us by huge margins on investment in public education, research into emerging technologies, and building up the public infrastructure that supports economic growth. And what are we doing here? Preserving a tax system that encourages investors to dump money into "paper" investments that create no jobs, and encourage companies to slash jobs to boost short-term earnings. And cutting spending on domestic programs that pump money directly into local cash registers, in favor of giving it to those that already have enough money to buy whatever they want- so they invest it in things that work against our eco

grye

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.

So let me get this correct. If I am in the top 1% and I keep my wealth, it is wrong? I should be required to give it back to the people who helped me earn it in addition to the salaries they earned (and deemed acceptable when they hired on as an employee)? So America should be about everyone earning the same regardless of what they do? A doctor should not earn more than a janitor? A cancer researcher should not earn more than a fast food employee? Then why go to school, earn a degree, apply yourself, work extra hours, take chances at owning your own business? You should get the same as everyone else. Dream on.

ChelseaBob

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:41 p.m.

These students are poorly educated shills if they think democrats are more friendly to the middle class. Both parties sold out long ago. Free trade with China, a centrally controlled communist dictatorship, is an oxymoron. You cannot have free trade with a nation like that as they subsidize whereever they please. That was one big step to destroying the middle class, eliminating manufacturing. The dems and republicans both liked that. In addition, there has not been a significant antitrust action since the Reagan administration. Big corporations have bought both parties, and they are being protected. Mega corporations are poison to the free markets. Oligopolists abhor competition, and in eliminating it, they destroy productivity and growth that would allow upward mobility. The third factor is the no-brain environmentalism over the past 30 years. For example, we didn't like mines because they created some pollution, so we closed our mines. They opened them in South America, Eastern Europe and the East and the pollution from these mines is much greater than anything we had here. Our air and water is being poisoned at an accelerated rate, and we lost middle class jobs. But the NIMBY folks are happy, because the don't see the pollution close up. Dems and Republicans are equally guilty for the decline of the middle class.

leaguebus

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8 p.m.

Same old saw, regulations make it harder to do business. I say, how about the lack of regulation on Wall Street? Where did that get us? Same with the lack of regulation on oil drilling in the Gulf? Where did that get us? Its not environmentalism that has closed mines here, it the fact that most anyplace else they pay miners nothing and don't care if a few hundred die each year from preventable causes.

JVG

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.

To DJM12652 who said "So how do the wealthy govern our lives? They get elected to office." Really? Who elected David Koch, Exxon or GE? When over 75% of the population believes the Bush tax cuts were a mistake and should be repealed, but the GOP will go down to the wire to never let that happen, then who are they looking out for? They are simply a proxy for their big donors. And that ain't right.

Atticus F.

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:30 p.m.

Grye, The main point is that our economy is unsustainable when a very small minority of people reap huge profits, without contributing enough to sustain the economy that they have thrived in.

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.

"the psuedo-rich crowd"? How about the quasi-intelligencia crowd ? Same thing...both trying to portray something they are not! However, I will say is that his constituents voted him into office; if you don't like his policies, dont move to Virginia.

Arborcomment

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 11:51 a.m.

Yes please don't move to Virginia, you will scew their unemployment rate (half of Michigan's), blemish their recognized business friendly environment, and cause a drain of their state budget surplus.

nekm1

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:12 p.m.

Let's get past the rhetoric. Would everyone who thinks that some don't pay enough, pleas STEP UP and pay more! You are not limited to what you pay in income taxes, and you are not limited in taking in a family in need. If you really feel that folks aren't paying in enough, than be responsible and pay in more yourself! Or take in a poor family! Don't point fingers at others. Step up and do the right thing. As far as the "middle class" goes...what is your definition of middle class? Welfare cheats? Single mom's that keep having kids, or high school dropouts that want a free handout? 2 1/2 years of unemployment checks, really? Call them welfare checks because that is what they are!

Larry Houle

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 2:19 p.m.

I don't want to pay more, but I would like to see the top 300 CEOs paying at least the same percentage of their income to federal taxes as I do. When you factor in the hedge fund managers (who also don't pay any SS taxes) because they don't have any earned income also pay less to the IRS than I do. Now I feel that because I have been paying into SS since 1958 & most years it was the maximum amount I am entitled to those benefits, but so many people nowadays think that this entitlement is a bad thing.

guyfroma2mi

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.

Let's get past the rhetoric; the rich would still be very rich, and people would still pursue wealth and invest in solid business opportunities, even with a much bigger tax increase than what is being proposed by anyone. If anything, it might encourage them to pull money from paper-trading pyramid schemes in favor of long-term investments that actually create jobs. I think that our Good Christian flag-waving nation has forgotten that those "welfare cheats" and single moms have kids that have done nothing wrong, and are every bit as deserving of a shot at the "American Dream" as a rich guy's kid. "Don't point fingers at others. Step up and do the right thing" by the victims of the class warfare that's been going on for the past 30 years. I wonder how many potential Henry Ford's have fallen by the wayside already- kids that had to drop out of school to support siblings, in a society where you practically need a Bachelor's to manage a burger joint- and how many millions more will be denied the opportunity to make something of themselves because of budget cuts at their expense. I could accept that folks like Eric Cantor have at least a little moral integrity if they would engage in a discussion of how to improve the social service system so no kid wants for basic needs and opportunity to get a good education, without encouraging irresponsible behavior by their parents- instead of simply gutting the social safety net and Pell Grants, in favor of cutting taxes on those that already have the means and social connections to send their kids to the best schools and have a job waiting for them upon graduation. Not to mention continued subsidies to highly profitable companies ("Call them welfare checks because that is what they are!"), bargain-basement capital gains rates for "paper" investments that create no jobs and inflate consumer prices, and tax writeoffs for companies that shift production overseas.

Atticus F.

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:39 p.m.

Most would rather give to Charity... But the main point that I think that you are missing, is that we cant just let people choose whatever they want to pay for taxes...Because many would send their kids to public schools, drive on public roads, relay on public services like police/fire, and still pay nothing.

Aaron Wolf

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:34 p.m.

nekm1: The idea of voluntary contribution doesn't work. This is basic economics. We all want roads, clean water, law enforcement, etc. etc. and we can all benefit the most if we all contribute. If you make it voluntary without a system for really enforcing community trust, society fails. Here's a simplistic game version: say 4 people have $100 each. In this set-up, investing into a group pot creates a payoff that doubles the investment (figures are extreme for illustrative purposes). So if we all put in all our money, the group pot is $400, gets doubled to $800, and we each get $200 when we split it back up! But if YOU keep your $100 while everyone else puts in theirs, then the group pot is $300 which is doubled to $600. Then when it is split among the 4 of us, we each get $150, so you end up with $250 and everyone else gets $150. We all benefited, but you did best — and better than you would if you'd chipped in. If you chip in some but less than others, it's the same deal but not as extreme. As soon as I see that you did better and didn't contribute, I'm A. pissed at you for being a freeloader, and B. recognizing that maybe I would do better to contribute less myself. If one person puts in while everyone else doesn't that one person actually LOSES, they get back less than their input, while everyone else freeloads. End result is nobody contributes and no investment and growth occurs. So, as this illustrates, you cannot get complex investment like education or other socially-funded necessities by asking for voluntary donations, unless you can be sure everyone will volunteer (which we can't). The single mom's kids... it hurts all of us if those kids become a public nuisance instead of getting educated and staying healthy, so we all need to ensure that or we all suffer. We can and should debate the best strategy, but it doesn't involve relying on charity.

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.

umm question...for those families that are generational welfare recipients...yes it is a family business...are they in the middle class or upper middle class? I know they get more in funds than I do. I've never used a Bridge card to get money at the casino....and yes I've seen it done before. But then again I've never had food stamps. Even when I was a struggling single mom.

JVG

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.

To Top Cat and others who believe that only the wealthy "go to work" and work hard... How many poor people work 2 or 3 jobs, get up at dawn and barely see their families because they work far away? Have you ever heard of the working poor? Or the idle rich? Working hard and being treated fairly in society have little to do with each other. We will always need menial work done, but that doesn't mean that workers life is any less valuable than a rich person, no matter how either one got there. Trust fund babies (hello Koch brothers) and others who are born fortunate, or even the wealthy self-made person, do not deserve more voice in how our lives are governed. They have plenty of percs in life, dictating the political agenda should not be one of them.

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.

you're right, their lives are no less valuable than a wealthy person; just what they contribute may not have as much value. You do realize that we have a wealthy President, now and in previous years. So how do the wealthy govern our lives? They get elected to office.

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:04 p.m.

On a side note, wasn't there any classes today? Seems a number of students, as well as those from the Silver Brigade, in attendance to this attention grabbing schtick...I mean seriously, would anyone take the viewpoint of a protestor dressed as a zombie as valid? Or did the Halloween parties keep someone from showering and changing their clothes?

Jake C

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:48 p.m.

"I mean seriously, would anyone take the viewpoint of a protestor dressed up as a 1700's-era peasant as valid"? Or do these rules not apply to Conservatives?

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:03 p.m.

Must be a slow news day in Ann Arbor!

USRepublic

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:56 p.m.

Hack Job....Fail Another example of Annarbor.com one sided liberal reporting bias.... Can't even begin to think about covering the substance of Congressman Cantor's speech? Used car salesman have more integrity.... at the risk of sermonizing used car salesmen! Give me a break!

USRepublic

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 12:22 a.m.

Did you read the "report" on your own website? The Prosecution rests..... Report the news.......fairly.....and more will pay attention.....you might even sell some more ads when the hits keep on coming.....

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.

which of course will get second billing to the normal rantings of Ann Arbor's numerous not in class, or retired peeps...just a chirping away.

Ryan J. Stanton

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:03 p.m.

Don't be so quick to judge. We're covering the speech.

GoBlue1984

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:54 p.m.

Get out of my state and take Snyder with you!

L'chaim

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:31 p.m.

At the Michigan Legion? The Legion? Legion?

Ryan J. Stanton

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:55 p.m.

The typo in the photo cutline at the top of the story has been fixed. Thanks.

bruceae

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.

Looks like a group from the local senior center. That old guy with the cane probably hasn't worked in 20 years.

JVG

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:15 p.m.

Does that mean he can't be concerned about the direction of the country, or his grandchildrens future? He may not want to see America become a two-tier country like so many in the third world. This may come as a surprise to you, but some people aren't only motivated by personal self-interest.

Aaron Wolf

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:09 p.m.

Retired folks had more time to show up, of course. But lots more agree with the protestors.

grye

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:18 p.m.

Atticus: Do you think that is it right to take money away from people who have honestly earned it and give it to people who haven't tried to apply themselves, who sit on their backsides with open hands waiting for govt assistance? If you had worked hard and earned more money than others, would you rather keep it or be forced to give it to someone else? If you think you deserved it since you put in many hours of your own time, would you feel slighted that the govt said you didn't deserve it and they were going to give to to someone else? Your Robin Hood utopia of exists in communist controlled countries where govt says how much you can have. Suggest you go there and see how prosperous life can be.

grye

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:54 p.m.

Whoa to those who who think that the 99% do not have access to good eduction, that good work ethic and the desire to succeed are twisted fantasies, and that all of the 1% have earned their riches through lucky stock deals and inheritence from mommy and daddy. There are many people in the 1% who own their own businesses through long hours of labor and self sacrifice. I will grant to you that some of earned their riches though the ricky stock market deals but remember that they are accepting a risk that the market might turn against them and they could lose it all. There are many of us (me included) in the 99% who work hard, pay our taxes, have debt for homes, cars and children's education, who are not complaining. I strive to get ahead and be one of the 1% but I will never make it. However I will never whine about how many of the 1% got there from the 99% and would not want to take from them more than their fair share just because they made it. There are changes that should be made to exclude the wealthy from tax exemptions and increase educational opportunities for struggling areas of the country. Health care needs to change and since we are now paying for those that are uninsured, why not have a single payer system. But you all sound as though we should take 90% of the wealth from the wealthy and distribute it to the 99%. You come across sounding as if all of the 99% do not have adequate access to good education. You are wrong. Focus on fixing the things that need to be fixed. Quit generalizing the situation. And strive to be one of the 1%. Success will come to those who are willing to work hard. Whining is annoying.

Atticus F.

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.

grye, do YOU think it's fair that people without access to a good education can work 2 jobs and still not be able pay for medication housing and food? Also, you should note that the reason the wealthy have become so wealthy, is because they have access to a population of workers who can read and write thanks to "socialized public schools", they also enjoy protection from organized crime, extortion, ect because we have a justice system paid for by tax dollars. Perhaps you would rather see this country more like Mexico? Where the wealthiest person in the world lives (Carlos Slim), and the other 99.999% percent of the population live in uneducated poverty?

Aaron Wolf

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:08 p.m.

It's easy to just make up facts and caricature people to fit whatever fantasy you want to believe. It's harder to find objective evidence. People who got rich doing various schemes with stock trading did not earn their money honestly. And the complaints are about them, not about the few honest-hard-working wealthy folks. And the people who sit and wait for assistance? Well, when you invent your fantasy world of these mythical people you can say anything you want about them because it is your fiction. Real people prefer jobs and meaningful work to getting handouts. And I mean real as in people who exist. Your fictional lazy slob on welfare is nonsense. A few anecdotal bad apples says nothing much.

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:59 p.m.

I am in that 99%, the 99% of working middle class people. What I don't need is someone that is more willing to not do anything but complain about the economy, rather than work to make it better, think they are speaking for me. They're NOT! The wealthy have not destoyed our country, they have worked hard to acheive what they have. Oh wait, wasn't the late Steve Jobs a billionaire or did he give it all away? Wasn't he entitled to his wealth? He worked for it, just like the majority of the 1%...there are very few silver spoon babies folks. Just people willing to put forth everything they could to be successful...but not everyone can do that, not everyone is a leader...there a more followers than leaders...and that is the majority of the 99%. And to the 1%...just keep my meager retirement growing, I appreciate it!

fjord

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.

"Atticus: Do you think that is it right to take money away from people who have honestly earned it and give it to people who haven't tried to apply themselves, who sit on their backsides with open hands waiting for govt assistance?" Yes, that's exactly what the 99% are: people who haven't tried to apply themselves, who sit on their backsides with open hands waiting for government assistance. Only the top 1% ever did an honest day's work. If you could only see my eyes rolling. grye, if you insist on operating in a world of false premises, you will always reach false conclusions. It may make you feel better to base your worldview on delusions, but that doesn't help anyone — least of all yourself.

L'chaim

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:40 p.m.

You've described a twisted fantasy in much the same way that Ronald Reagan and his ilk described the world. Yes, tax the rich; feed the hungry; nationalize the banks; bring all troops home now and end military spending entirely.

Top Cat

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:11 p.m.

The best way to preserve anyone's middle class status is to go to work on Mondays, go to class on Mondays or look for a job on Mondays. Obviously this group is more interested in engaging in this burlesque than doing anything productive.

Aaron Wolf

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 7:02 p.m.

Yeah, Top Cat, you're right. That's why the crowd at the protest wasn't enormous. Despite far more people equally appalled at Cantor's politics, the vast majority were in class or at work or looking for work. But some folks who were retired, some who had a break between classes, or some who have a schedule that otherwise fit decided to make a public statement. Somehow you are trying to call them hypocrites?

djm12652

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:52 p.m.

that's funny smaive...there isn't one office holder right now that I voted for, on any level, outside of one school board member...so if they're not doing their jobs, we need to speak to those that hired them and request they fire them, with just cause!

SMAIVE

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6:40 p.m.

They are doing more than the legislators who have a job, show up on (some) Mondays and yet ought to be looking for a job cause they sure aren't working.

Atticus F.

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 6 p.m.

When money is more evenly distributed among the middle class, it usually passes from one hand to another, stimulating our economy. People buy groceries, go out to eat, remodel homes, pay rent, maybe sit down at the bar and drink a beer. This is all money that goes to pay rent, employees, farm workers, small business owners, employees, ect.. On the other hand, the policies of Eric Cantor, usually put more wealth in the hands of a small few...The problem with that, is that the ultra rich often let money sit in offshore bank accounts, and invest huge sums of wealth into commodities, which in turn falsley over inflates the price of things like gold, oil, heating fuel, electricity, ect.

alternativeview99

Tue, Nov 1, 2011 : 3:23 a.m.

Atticus....I think you make it too complicated. Having a majority of the population sitting around, unable to find meaningful work to be productive, is simply a waste. Those people should be productively employed creating something.....anything of value. But, the question is what these people will accept in return for their labor. Cinnabar may be arguing that they should be content with a minimum wage job of poverty serving a privleged class of this society. (I don't think Cinnabar argued this but it might be inferred from what was said..) What people are getting angry about is that the middle class is rejecting what is being offered (imposed) on them. And, I keep hearing the words of the heros who started this great nation...."Give me liberty or give me death!". Now, I don't want to die. But, I am not going to accept a minimum wage job (or less) while people born to privlege are allowed to make money for doing nothing. They play at business taking risks that are not risks at all because they come whining and crying to the American taxpayer like little spoiled cry-baby children when they can't get what they want demanding that we pay for their poor decisions and get them out of paying the consequences. It is disgusting. And....let's be clear. You are not a demon because you are rich. Warren Buffet is NOT a demon. Americans respect those who have EARNED their mony by working hard and made a contribution. We are talking about the "rabid corporations" that have made money by playing the game of business in a way we do not condone. We need to eliminate the rabid corporations.....and those who would use them for ill gain.....not the rich. Yes, I know it is just words....but words seem important these days.

Arborcomment

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 10:27 p.m.

Atticus, in honor of Halloween, you're right. The rich are ghosts. They don't eat out, in fact, they don't eat at all. They are truly wandering spirits - they don't live anywhere, yet they never go out, and of course never remodel. They have no staff or employees. They purchase no luxury goods, jets, or yachts. happy halloween.

Atticus F.

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.

That's not neccesarily true cinnabar. Wealth is an abstract notion in which people are given a note in exchange for goods and services. Those people then take that note and get others to give them goods and services in exchange...It's essentially a form of measurement. The important thing is people build things and preform services for others... wealth is just the medium by which we record how much we should do, and how much we are entitled for what we do.

cinnabar7071

Mon, Oct 31, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.

Your argument would hold water if wealth was finite, but since its not it doesnt matter where or how its used. You can creat your own wealth no matter what other people do with theirs. You just want something for nothing.

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