Going After the Stupid Vote

According to a recent poll by the Gallup organization, more than six in 10 Americans (63 percent) think the United States benefits from having a class of rich people.

There may be something in this for President Obama to consider since his campaign for re-election is be based on dividing Americans based on how much money they make.

Despite all the shots he’s taken at the so-called rich, despite all the times he’s told us they’re not paying “their fair share,” most Americans not only think the country benefits from having rich people around, but a majority of Americans (another 63 percent) -- who do not consider themselves rich now -- would like to be rich if they had their choice.

None of this should surprise anybody.  Of course most people would like to be rich.  Why wouldn’t they?  And what kind of dolt would think the United States does not benefit from having rich people around.

Well, I’m glad I asked that question.

According to Gallup, while 80 percent of Republicans think the country benefits from having a class of wealthy Americans, and while 59 percent of independents feel that way, a measly 52 percent of Democrats agree that the United States benefits from the rich.  And here’s the number that is so fascinating (and I mean that word in the worst possible sense): 46 percent of Democrats -- no doubt the most liberal in the party -- say the country does not benefit from having wealthy people around.

Let’s remember that the top 1 percent of working Americans pay about 40 percent of all federal income taxes, and the top 5 percent pay about 60 percent.  So, without a class of rich folks, who would finance construction of interstate highways and pay for the military and help seniors with retirement income and the poor with medical care?

Not the bottom half of wage earners, since they pay only about 3 percent of all federal income tax.

So, what should we conclude from all of this?  I think it’s fair to surmise based on the Gallup numbers that Republicans are the smartest Americans, that independents come in second, and that 46 percent of Democrats are too stupid to vote.

The bad news is a lot of them do.  In fact, without the “stupid vote” Mitt Romney would win in a landslide.