Image via Twitter/nychange
Man, it’s hard to be a billionaire these days. It’s the summer of Covid, so you’re out at your oceanfront (or nonoceanfront, in the case of Bloomberg) Hamptons mansion, sitting on your solid gold throne, thinking about taking back the reins of your hedge fund, when a big rabble of the Poors shows up wielding pitchforks. (Sorry, guys, we may have given out your addresses.)
We have to admit, the pitchforks are a nice touch. We personally would have carried a burning torch, as in all the best revolts, but maybe the fire department frowns on that. Yesterday, about 200 people chanted “Tax the rich, not the poor!” outside of Bloomberg’s Southampton home, which he bought in 2011 for $20 million. Given that Ballyshear is 35 acres, who knows if Bloomberg heard them or if he was even there.
That said, the protestors have a point. Wealth inequality is a growing problem in the United States and Covid-19 is only making it worse. Working class people can’t just conduct Zoom meetings at home during this pandemic. The stock market is thriving, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Lines at food banks are depressingly long and the unemployment rate is 11.1% today. Taking the rage out on individual people (who may not have even been home) isn’t necessarily fair, but this is a serious issue that our elected officials would be wise to listen to this November.
And remember what John Ball said back in 1381–though he got his head stuck on a pike on London Bridge for his trouble:
When Adam delved and Eve span, Who was then the gentleman? From the beginning all men by nature were created alike, and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of naughty men.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.