Tom Brokaw Warns 'Income Inequality' Could Lead to 'Class War'
Appearing as a guest on Wednesday's Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN ,as he discussed the Occupy Wall Street protests, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw warned that a "class war" could develop unless "income inequality" is addressed. Brokaw:
They've landed on something that I think resonates with a lot of people, and that's the one percent versus 99 percent. Most people, the overwhelming majority obviously, are in the 99 percent. And there is that great concern about income inequality in this country.
In the course of the last three weeks, I've been all over America, 19 cities altogether. And I've had a lot of high-income people come to me and say we really do have to do something about income inequality because that could trigger a class war in this country. And the consequences are not very pretty to contemplate.
A bit earlier, host Piers Morgan brought up Time magazine's decision to designate "The Protester" as its "Person of the Year," which led to Brokaw paying a compliment to the success of the Tea Party movement, although he seemed to try to distance himself from sounding as if he were agreeing with the Tea Party agenda as he noted that "they may not be what you think of as the best interest of the country." Brokaw:
One of the important developments in the protest movement, sometimes gets overlooked. And that's the Tea Party. The Tea Party began as a protest movement. And as I've said on several occasions and I am determined to repeat here again tonight, the Tea Party played by the rules. They got angry. They got organized. They got to Washington. They stayed on message.
And they may not be what you think of as the best interest of the country, but they're driving the debate on the Republican side now more than any other component of the Republican Party. And that's because they are determined to remain disciplined and faithful to what they believe in.
Below is a transript of the relevant portion of the Wednesday, December 15, Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN:
PIERS MORGAN: Time magazine today announced its "Person of the Year," which is always a pretty prestigious and controversial choice normally. They went for a generic, "The Protester." What did you think of that choice?
TOM BROKAW: I thought it was a good call, frankly. I think that there is a lot of unhappiness and a lot of anxiety out there. And, by the way, I think, kind of, one of the important developments in the protest movement, sometimes gets overlooked. And that's the Tea Party. The Tea Party began as a protest movement. And as I've said on several occasions and I am determined to repeat here again tonight, the Tea Party played by the rules. They got angry. They got organized. They got to Washington. They stayed on message.
And they may not be what you think of as the best interest of the country, but they're driving the debate on the Republican side now more than any other component of the Republican Party.And that's because they are determined to remain disciplined and faithful to what they believe in. I think it's an object lesson for other groups who want to get organized or other groups who are not happy with the current condition of the political debate in this country. Take a page from the Tea Party. Go out and get organized, and rally around whatever you believe in.
MORGAN: Do you see, Tom, do you see any kind of synergy between Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring uprisings? I mean, is there a common thread there or are they very different distinct protests?
BROKAW: Well, I think it's a very different. First of all, Occupy Wall Street is not calling for the overthrow of their government. And however many flaws that we have here, we still have a representative government. I think part of the problem with Occupy wall Street at the moment is that they don't seem to have a well defined core. I've been at the rallies downtown in New York and on Wall Street. In Chicago there are only about 20 protesters outside. In fact, it was a very small presence. And Los Angeles, slightly larger.
But, again, it didn't have the kind of electricity that you would expect from that kind of a movement. Certainly, they've landed on something that I think resonates with a lot of people, and that's the one percent versus 99 percent. Most people, the overwhelming majority obviously, are in the 99 percent. And there is that great concern about income inequality in this country. In the course of the last three weeks, I've been all over America, 19 cities altogether. And I've had a lot of high-income people come to me and say we really do have to do something about income inequality because that could trigger a class war in this country. And the consequences are not very pretty to contemplate.
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Comments
True
Submitted by GregE on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 10:56pm.
Income inequality could very well lead to class war, not because of income inequality, but because of obama and other liberal politicians/pundits/columnists/etc pushing the age-old nonsense that rich people are the reason for everyone else's problems, trying to create a rift between American citizens where there is none, and on a basis which is nothing more than dangerous political games.
Big government is the problem. And it's big government people who are trying to create the class war to get the focus off of themselves. They know exactly what they are doing, and why they are doing it.................and we know too.
Democrats are the problem!
Submitted by kg on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 11:40pm.
Democrats are the problem!
"DumbAssity of Dope"
Womber iff Browkahh ever read...
Submitted by Hog_Flambe on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:13am.
Tocqueville's take on the sorts of despotism that democratic nations have to fear?
Probly, but it obviously had no effect on his judgement.
But, hey he's on the tee-vee...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEA6oRPSmUA
Give Brokaw some points
Submitted by zenman1661 on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 10:47pm.
for having not only a respectable opinion of the Tea Party but also a realistic one about the minor effect of the OWS protests and that there was no similarity with the Arab Spring. But I think he is confusing income inequality with the public's basic frustration on how slow the economy is growing due to Obama's bad economic policies.
The irony of Brokaw's point
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:08am.
BROKAW: " . . . One of the important developments in the protest movement, sometimes gets overlooked. And that's the Tea Party. . . . "
Overlooked by whom, Mr. Brokaw? Certainly not the politicians, who either embraced it or vilified it. The MSM deliberately played down the positive influence of the Tea Parties and instead demonized it.
For as much as the MSM rooted for OWS, OWS has produced nothing but arrests, court appearances, filth, and some injuries. The Tea Parties have actually impacted election outcomes. That impact was not overlooked, but it was painted as an evil trend toward anarchy by many in the MSM.
BROKAW: " . . . The Tea Party began as a protest movement. And as I've said on several occasions and I am determined to repeat here again tonight, the Tea Party played by the rules. They got angry. They got organized. They got to Washington. They stayed on message. . . "
A very adequate description.
BROKAW: " . . . And they may not be what you think of as the best interest of the country, but they're driving the debate on the Republican side now more than any other component of the Republican Party. And that's because they are determined to remain disciplined and faithful to what they believe in."
A fine tribute to some dedicated American citizens, who DO have the best interest of the country at heart.
"Income inequality" has always been a liberal catchphrase.
Submitted by KyWriter on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 10:53pm.
What it really means is that there isn't sufficient money flowing from taxpayers to non-taxpayers to satisfy liberal dreams of a classless society. But there has never been and will never be a classless society. Russia spent most of the Twentieth Century proving just that.
Can't get enough Milton Friedman
Submitted by GregE on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 11:04pm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwG-5xCTGyI
GregE........I am a fan of Milton Friedman as well. The
Submitted by Rush Fan on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:17am.
Friedman link you provided is appropriate, as it ruins the core of the Left's income equality nonsense.
We Know
Submitted by Maytag on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 11:20pm.
These idiots really do not care about us that work 40 -50 hours a week they want to give more "rich" money to welfare non workers. Guys I work with are laughing at these protest clowns. Even the young guys understand these punks want something for nothing. This is totally a fabrication of the media. If someone blocks me from my paycheck they can talk to my bumper. JUST SAYING these people are assho-es
HUH?
Submitted by Fredy on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 11:30pm.
Brokaw: But, again, it didn't have the kind of electricity that you would expect from that kind of a movement.
- - - - -
Did he just admit the occupy movement was a media ploy with few people and little substance?
Who cares what Dumb (Morgan) and Dumber (Brokaw) say
Submitted by djwolf12 on Sun, 12/18/2011 - 11:39pm.
Right now Kim Jong Il is now ribjobbing Saddam, Gaddhafi, Hitler, and Stalin..
"Income Inequality"
Submitted by rockyracoon on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:02am.
Well...let's start with TV News Anchormen ie newsreaders. Does Tom think him & his collegeues earn too much?
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
Todays analysts*
Submitted by cajun2 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:20am.
People like Brokaw are celebrities not journalists. They cover stories that fit in between commercials and fill it with one liners looking for the one line that will make headlines. Twitter is a godsend to these people.
If you actually look at statistics, even those from official government websites, the story is quiet telling. The % of wealthy in this country have gone down. The number of "middle class" have also decreased. What has increased is those who are considered "poverty" and non tax paying low income wage earners.
Truth is, we have actually taken a road toward income equality in the past decade. We shall have more and more in the poverty level, a decreasing middle class with smaller differences in income levels, a decreasing "rich" class. Though the very rich will get richer. The "poor", through entitlements, actually will live an equal quality of life to low income and middle class wage earners with no participation in the efforts to support that lifestyle. If you invest nothing, nothing has value.
The "class warfare" that he thinks is coming will be coming from a totally different direction. The wage earners will be the ones to start protesting the theft of their hard earned efforts to give to the majority of do nothings. The rich will be a small % of the population and wont be involved. The middle class IS the majority in this country, at least, for the time being.
Of course these tools WANT a class war
Submitted by djwolf12 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:10am.
They favor stealing money from me since I have a job and give that money to idiots who claim their job is yelling "We are the 99 Percent", go to jail for assaulting police officers and stinking up the place. Yeah, those people are scumbags, and so is Piers Morgan and that phony Tom Brokaw.
class warfare?
Submitted by MidAmerica on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:29am.
So now it's income inequality that's our biggest threat. I guess panic about the Global Warming disaster is melting faster than an arctic glacier. hahahaha
OWS is anti-rule of law. The Tea Party is pro-Constituion.
Submitted by big.league.slider on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:38am.
The common MSM lie about the Tea Party being "anti-government" must be stopped. The Tea Party is not "anti-government", it is "pro-Constitution". This distinction is important in the United States. Consider that members of the US military, the President, and members of Congress all take an oath swearing to "uphold and defend the US Constitution", not the federal government.
Occupy Wall Street wants to overthrow the Constitution using government force.
Of COURSE "Tom Brokaw warned
Submitted by amyshulk on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:44am.
Of COURSE "Tom Brokaw warned that a "class war" could develop unless "income inequality" is addressed." This is what they decided would work to get Pres. Obama re-elected, so by gum, they will pull out ALL the stops to ensure it!!!
Ronald Reagan
Not what you think Brokaw
Submitted by Bill Brasky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:59am.
Brokaw says; "...a lot of high-income people come to me and say we really do have to do something about income inequality because that could trigger a class war in this country. And the consequences are not very pretty to contemplate." Not pretty indeed, but not in the way you think Brokaw. If the occupy clowns want to press their luck with the class warfare issue, they will be shocked to discover that the "bitter clingers" will be armed to the teeth and ready to destroy them. Real Americans will stand up against these occupy morons and protect Americans of all income levels. Go ahead punks, make our day.
Tommy's got room...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:11am.
...at his spacious ranch in Montana. Why doesn't he adopt these fine, upstanding, OWS folks and have them come and camp at his Ranchero Deluxe?
Oh yeah "They've landed on
Submitted by amyshulk on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:24am.
Oh yeah "They've landed on something that I think resonates with a lot of people" means that the left HAS suceeded in guilting the lefty 1%.
While there are "Keeping up with the Joneses" types all across the spectrum, my observations have led me to conclude that *most* people worry more about what they have & how to keep it vs. wanting what others have and how to take it.
I have noticed this talk of class warfare has suceeded in getting people to pay attention to what the D's don't want noticed - that our "poor" usually have more "stuff" than their neighbors by dint of their needs being met by various welfare programs, so they are able/willing to spend their $$$ on wants.
Those working 40+ a week, or more than 1 job to keep afloat also notice the public sector workers crying in their beer about pay freezes.
I seriously doubt the "smartest guy in the room" thought this particular war through!!!
Ronald Reagan
C'mon Tom - not blatant
Submitted by amyshulk on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:31am.
C'mon Tom - not blatant enough - how are the OWS'ers supposed to get it when you call them out?
"I think it's an object lesson for other groups who want to get organized or other groups who are not happy with the current condition of the political debate in this country. Take a page from the Tea Party. Go out and get organized, and rally around whatever you believe in."
I mean jeez Tom, that would require, you know, like, WORK!!!
And good job at the backhanded compliment with:
"And they may not be what you think of as the best interest of the country, but they're driving the debate on the Republican side now more than any other component of the Republican Party.And that's because they are determined to remain disciplined and faithful to what they believe in."
Sounds like the TP has you "journolistas" running scared!!! So much for them being small and powerless, huh?
Ronald Reagan
Soon everyone will realize
Submitted by Captain Repus on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:54am.
Soon everyone will realize the very dangerous spot we in the U.S. are in - we are quickly approaching the point at which more than 50% of Americans have reached the parasite level at which they pay NO TAXES and can then elect their democrat daddy's to every position in government.
This, Mr Tom, will trigger 'class warfare' in this country, not the worthless freeloaders $hitting on police cars and strewing used condoms and needles in our parks.
Keep in mind that the remaining 49% who do pay taxes can easily quit buying iPods and invest in 2nd amendment enforcement equipment instead.
Bring it on, baby... I'm ready for you
It's the Governments reckless
Submitted by TerryWest on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 5:24am.
It's the Governments reckless and dysfunctional failure in handling money and the business of running America that will bring a war, not the wealthy who are not in the position nor have the power to put the country in such dire straights. Nor will pointing fingers or taking more from the wealthy cure the problems for the poor and working class struggling to survive.
Historical spending and nothing to show for it yet these jokers have the gall to rally for more? It's insutling and ignorant.
Most people living on lower income comprehend the real problem, it's to bad our countrys liberal jouranalist can't confront the reality and stop enabling failure.
This is classic "NewSpeak" as predicted by Orwell.
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 9:15am.
Income Inequility is just a different way of expressing the Marxist principle "from each according to his ability to each according to his need". It is interesting to study the illogic and contradictory nature of Marxism. I prports to strive to eliminate all economic classes in true economic equality, however it requires there be a clear and distinct class differentiation in order to sow the dissent that will result in the lower and middle classes rising up to conquer and overcome the upper classes.
In the United States (without a progressive income tax system) there is no class distinction and ones income is limited only by their ability and luck, ability being clearly more important. Of course the best way to perpetuate the distinction of class is to have the government impose a tax system that is based on it and that impedes the people from climbing into higher "classes" of income. This is the purpose of a progressive tax system. It is easier to speak about classes if there are distinct groupings (caused by the tax system and statistically gathered and publicized by the government) than if there were a smooth continuum of incomes.
The media's fixation and enthusiasm to use the class warefare strategy and to always talk about income inequality tells you that they are assisting in the perpetuation of the class myth in order to use it as a political tool.
People came to America (and still do) because they see that it is the only place where they and their children can escape from the class-stifled society of Europe and other regions and succeed on their own merrits. Where else in this world can ones grandparents be part of the "huddled masses" and their grandchild become the owner of his own company, or CEO of a world-wide conglomerate or President of the country? There is no class distinction here, there should never be and anyone who tries to artificially create one is trying to undermine the basic foundation of this nation.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Income Inequality is a subset of Social Justice
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:31pm.
And to the advocates, justice has nothing to do with equal treatment under the law. It has to do with taking of value from one person to give to another, all determined by an elite that deems itself more intelligent than the average citizen. .
Brokaw a Bit Late to the "Income Inequality" Party
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:40pm.
Hey Tommy,
When you were making 7 figures at NBC, why didn't you bring this to light? If you were really concerned then or now, you could have asked NBC to reduce your salary by 90%, but quite the opposite, you were too busy building your nest egg so that you never have to worry about another paycheck and are now free to sit around and "worry" about the same class warfare you are (perhaps unwittingly) now promoting....
Note to Brokaw: You are a 1%er!!!
For the record, nobody handed me a damned thing. I came from very modest beginnings, had to pay my own way through college, only getting a 2 year degree and really didn't begin my professional career until I was 30. But I busted my tail, made lots of sacrifices and have had a very fruitful 30 years at a variety of good jobs in the defense sector. I'm not "rich" but I have put away a lot of cash and can comfortably retire whenever I want.
Why?
Because I lived in America, which WAS still a place where you could be rewarded for hard work. A place that is getting harder to find as time goes on under Comrade Downgrade, and a place that will cease to exist if we are driven by the lowest common denominator.
A responsible society has a safety net, not a "guarantee' of income equality.
And maybe if you would quit pandering to this populist bullshit, maybe we can still call you a journalist.
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
The problem, actually, is envy
Submitted by Unsane on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:49pm.
I'm sorry. The stupid idea of "income inequality" would be laughable if not for its potential to cause bloodshed by whipping up the most stupid of all human emotions: envy.
Res quantum valorem tantum vendi potest.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)