Mikey, a couple months ago you said the Euro was OK

[Michael Tee]

<<Then count the liberal millionaires and get back to me on "class warfare".>>

Liberal millionaires are a real exception to the rule.  My guess is that most of them, probably the vast majority, are Jews who never forget their origins, as slaves in the Bible if they still believe in it and in any case as the persecuted outcasts of Europe.  They will always promote the interests of the little guy against the rich and the powerful for as long as they can, but IMHO, if push came to shove, like everyone else, they'd probably shrink from sacrificing the family fortune on the altar of what's good for mankind. 

Usually when a guy is rich, he tries to hang on to all he can of it, and that means voting Republican, or, if he sees a Blue Dog Democrat, then Democrat.  The labels don't mean as much as the conservative/liberal labels mean for someone with money.  Wealth is concentrating in the US, the upper tiers are increasing their distance from the lower tiers with each passing year .  Arguments like "liberal millionaires" are pretty stupid - - they're basically anecdotal and depend on the exception to the rule.  As both parties claim to be trying to capture "the centre" they are really both trying to blur the appearance of class war but in reality are only blurring the distinction between themselves, and the reality that they really - - at least in the class war - - both represent only one side.

Fidel Castro of course is a very rare kind of "liberal millionaire"  - - he sacrificed his fortune and the wealth of his entire family to the Revolution, incidentally earning the undying hatred of his sister for so doing.  You won't find too many "liberal millionaires" of that stripe; Soros for all  his liberalism still has the core of his fortune intact.  No reason not to, IMHO.  He's no fool - - the sacrifice of the whole bundle would still leave the US a crypto-fascist sham "democracy" still trying to subjugate the rest of the world and he'd be left with no influence at all in trying to slow it down and turn it around.

[Plane]

There are periods in which the "gap " between rich and poor shrinks.

WE call these periods < recessions>.

I think it tipical of Liberals to imagine that there is no social utility in the existance of fortunes , let alone admit the social benefit of there constantly being more of them.

[Plane]

Fidel Castro of course is a very rare kind of "liberal millionaire"  - - he sacrificed his fortune and the wealth of his entire family to the Revolution,....

By what definition of wealthy is Fidel Castro otherwise?

[Michael Tee]

<<By what definition of wealthy is Fidel Castro otherwise?>>

The Castro family's estate was confiscated by the Revolution.  I am not aware of any of the indicia of wealth that Fidel possesses.  He dresses simply in combat fatigues, is transported in Army vehicles rather than his own limousines, has no large estates, horses, islands, private planes, etc. that are the usual signs of wealth.  Moreover, he's a dedicated communist, so I would assume the pursuit of great wealth would not be an activity that he could justify in any way.

I remember very well the confiscation of the Castro lands by the Revolution.  It was an unprecedented event.  Latin America had seen many revolutions, but up to that time it was generally understood that one side did not attack the family property of the other side even after a "revolution."  Castro's action was truly "revolutionary" and ultimately led to the desertion of his sister Juana to Miami, and her undying hatred for her brother and his Revolution.

It doesn't seem very likely to me that Castro would allow the Revolution to nationalize the family estate and at the same time privately enrich himself.  He's a genuine hero to the whole world, so why would he risk any blemish on his historical legacy by grabbing a little wealth on the side?  What need would he have for it anyway, when the Revolution provides for all his earthly needs?

[Plane]

<<By what definition of wealthy is Fidel Castro otherwise?>>

.............when the Revolution provides for all his earthly needs?

Exactly Fidels wealth is hidden in plain sight , he owns Cuba.

[Michael Tee]

<<Exactly Fidels wealth is hidden in plain sight , he owns Cuba.>>

The problem with that theory is that it just is not true.  He does not own Cuba.  If he did own Cuba, every Cuban would have to ask Fidel's permission to use the public beaches, they would all have to pay rent to Fidel for the homes they live in, he would be personally responsible for the salaries of all employed Cubans, every cigar produced by Cuba's cigar factories would be his, every bottle of Cuban rum, etc.

You're just talking nonsense.  Fidel owns nothing and doesn't want to own anything.  He's a real Communist, all the way.  He'll die without a cent to his name.

[Michael Tee]

Incidentally, plane, the idea of Fidel owning Cuba reminds me of a joke about a businessman who was just as naive and gullible as you seem to be.

A businessman in Vegas for a conference is out walking one morning and sees a hooker coming towards him on the sidewalk.  Although he has never messed around with hookers in his entire lifetime, this one is so gorgeous and sexy that he can't help himself.  As they draw abreast of one another, their eyes lock and the guy just blurts out, "How much?"

"Well, the hooker says, a hand-job costs $500."  The businessman is kind of taken aback.  "Five hundred bucks for a hand job?  You're beautiful and I mean no disrespect, but . . . "

"Look," the hooker says, "you see that Hard Rock Cafe across the street?"

"Yes."

"And about two blocks down on the same side, you see another Hard Rock Cafe?"

"Umm, yes."

"Well," the hooker says, I own both of them and also a third Hard Rock Cafe here in town.  And the reason that I own them is, I give a hand-job that is worth $500."

The businessman can't resist.  He and the hooker go up to his hotel room, and (long story short) he gets the best hand-job of his whole life, worth every bit of his $500.

So he's lying on the bed in his room and he asks the hooker, "So what's a blow-job?  Fifteen hundred?" and the hooker replies, "No, it's $2500.  But before you say anything, let me ask you this:  Did you happen to notice, as we headed across the lobby to the elevators, the name of the casino here in your hotel?"  The guy says, "Sure.  It's Diamond Lil's."  And the hooker asks him, "And who do you think is Diamond Lil?"  The guy says, "You?  You're Diamond Lil?"  And the hooker says, "Yep.  I'm Diamond Lil and I own that casino because I give a blow-job that's worth $2500."

What the hell, the guy figures it's once in his life, the hand-job was unbelievable, so he springs for the $2500 and gets his blow-job.  Every bit as fantastic as promised.  And afterwards, lying on his back on the bed, he says to the hooker, "I know I can't afford it but I have to ask anyway - - how much for a little pussy?"  The hooker, standing by the window, just says to the guy, "C'mere" and beckons him to the window.  "You see all those lights out there?  You see all those hotels, those nightclubs, those theatres and concert halls?"

The guy can't believe it; he says to the hooker, "You . . . you own Las Vegas???"

And the hooker says, "No.  But I would if I had a pussy."