David Brooks, The Wealth Issue and Bain of Lost Dreams

By Contributor Ernesto Tinajero

Below is a poem I wrote in response to “The Wealth Issue,” a recent column by David Brooks of The New York Times. ~~~ Hear, oh hear David Brooks proclaim preach and teach the lessons of our sin of envy. “Mitt Romney is no spoiled rich boy. He toils long and hard for his spoils. Look at his family, ignore that Mormon part, and see the struggles, which boggle and hobbles the mind. Google them, I dare you and you will see that none of your envy works to be. Admire his industry, his family’s flight and fight in Mexico, again ignore the exploitive parcel and part. He earned the bain of his existence, and any resentment of his privilege is down right un-American.” Yes, we hear you David, less we fall into the pit of envy, one the big seven sin, you see. But I ask, “Mittens, Mittens who envies the Mittens?” He slipped down the poles like incompetent firemen, but, really, oh great Brooks, only because people lust after his wealth? Or, maybe the shadow world private equity that squeezes our bucks from cruel manipulation of money and not creating products, services or jobs paints in tainted shades. Then we find the widow’s mite is more than the pittance Mitt paid in taxes, follow, then, his offshore shelters that smack more of Madoff like sleaze. Especially, think David please, this after all our Wall Street’s welfare and bailouts. We cover his ilk tushes to tune of how much? Maybe, just maybe, open-minded Mr. Brooks, the mighty Mitt has fallen into disgust out of the disgrace in our abandonment of our middle class, by Ronnie Reagan’s lie, that tax breaks, coddling googooing guys like Romney would bring and lead to greater wealth for all? Romney renovates his residence like Nero’s violin, while the American Dream burns up in ashes. We have violated the terms of biblical mandate that to those given much, much is expected, and this and this and this is the issues of 99 percent.