Maybe MSNBC was trying to deflect some of the controversy surrounding Melissa Harris-Perry's previous "Lean Forward" promo by pushing out a new one. MH-P had provoked outrage in that earlier promo by proclaiming that "kids belong to their communities," not to their parents.
But if anything, the new promo aired during today's Morning Joe just adds fuel to MH-P's socialist fire. While claiming to defend meritocracy, Harris-Perry could only grudgingly admit that the most successful should earn "a little more." She then proceeded to proclaim as a right "health care, education, decent housing and quality food at all times." From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs, anyone? View the video after the jump.
MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY: Americans will always want some level of inequality because it's a representation of a meritocracy. People who work hard and sacrifice and save their money and make major contributions: we think that they should earn a little more. And they should have more resources. And that's fine. But we also however have to have a floor under which nobody falls. And if you're below that, especially if you're a child and you're below that, we are not going to accept that. You do have the right to health care, and to education, and to decent housing and to quality food at all times.
