We can't pretend Kerry isn't rich it won't work

[dsc]

Kerry is rich. It is as simple as that. He alone makes more money than 99% of Americans. Add in his wife, and they have more wealth than 99.99% of Americans. So what.

Newsflash, Americans like wealthy people. We claim to want politicans who were born poor but that is just bunk. We read about, watch, and follow the lives of the rich 24/7. Kerry is rich. Bush is rich. Life goes on.

Kerry isn't going to win or lose this race based on who does or doesn't think he is rich. It is simply foolish to think he is. He want skiing. The vast majority of people associate skiing with realatively weathy people. Bush owned a baseball team. Most people associate owning baseball teams with realatively wealthy people.

There are vastly more important issues than where Kerry vacationed and how much money he has. Get over it. Don't pretend he is something he is not.

[movonne]

1. The Kennedy's are very rich....and they are good Democrats

[jpgray]

2. Yep. He shouldn't run away from this or the term 'liberal'

Kennedy gave a great answer on MTP concerning the 'liberal' moniker, but Kerry should just wear it. He can even do the 'if balancing the budget is liberal' lines if he wants, but the attempts at disassociation are worse than the label, in my opinion.

As far as the vacation, I don't think anyone really cares about that crap.

[Adelante]

3. So right, dsc!

:thumbsup:

[Dr Fate]

4. FDR, The Kennedys, LBJ, Jimmy Carter, Gore- all wealthy Democrats...

I agree-No point in pretending that Democrats cant be great Public servants, rich or poor.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. And the GOP can't pretend Bush isn't a liar - it won't work.

[sandnsea]

6. Rich doesn't mean elitist

Nobody is arguing that the Kerry's are rich. Howard Dean is rich. I would never say Howard Dean is an elitist though. And neither are the Kerry's. And going skiing doesn't put them in that category either. When you live in mountain states, people go play in the snow. And that means skiing and snowboarding at ski resorts. Even Ketchum Idaho.

[Hav]

7. Who pretends that Kerry isn't rich?

Is that directed to the Kerry campaign or supporters here because I never heard someone disputing here Kerry's wealth.

I can't talk for Americans but for me going skiing doesn't tell me much about wealth.Sure, the absolutely poor don't go skiing but it shouldn't be a problem for the average middle class. Maybe it was the location where he was skiing (I have no idea) ?

[dsc]

9. This is in response to the skiing is for poor people crap

Kerry is rich, he partakes in activiities that rich people partake in. Pretending skiing is a sport of the huddled masses is totally assine.

[Robb]

11. Rich people ski at fancier places.

"Huddled masses", no, of course not. But people with 9 to 5's take vacations, and a lot of them ski.

Contrary to popular belief, all skiing and boarding does not take place at Aspen. If you live near cheap skiing, you ski. I know miners who ski. :shrug:

[dsc]

12. not many people live near skiing

Sure, in places like Alaska, Colorado, Vermont, etc., skiiing is common. Just like boating is in my neck of the woods. But for the vast majority of the voting public skiing is percieved as a rich person's sport.

[Robb]

16. That's a big brush there.

I haven't seen where the "vast majority of the voting public" weighed in on skiing as a rich person's sport. There are almost 800 ski areas in North America. There are "real" resorts in 32 states, almost 55 million skier-visits every year.

So, I guess I disagree. :)

[seaglass]

15. I guess it really does depend on where you come from.

In MA and NH it isn't considered a rich person's sport either. Probably not in ME or anywhere else where there is snow for at least 3-4 months of the year and hills.

Yes it's expensive but my son plays youth hockey and that costs us 1200.00/year - he could probably get in a lot of skiing for that price.

We are not rich, my husband is a firefighter and I'm unemployed.

But to your main point, no there's nothing to be ashamed of if one is rich and there's no reason to pretend he isn't.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

30. So this thread is in response to my thread and I'm asinine? OK

:hi:

[Nite Owl]

8. And the Bushies aren't very rich?

Who was the last one of them to ever work a real job? Ken Lay--pretty rich, and just what did he do for hard working Americans? Their argument is lame. Kerry bing rich has nothing to do with anything. We need to be offensive and not defensive about it.

[dsc]

10. Did you read my post?

If you didn't please do so and then respond. If you did then please reread it. I said Bush is rich in the post.

[Fleshdancer]

13. It's what you do with your money that counts

let's compare charitable donations between John/Theresa and George/Pickles.

[TomSeaverr]

14. All Politicians are rich.

Big Deal? What does it have to do with anything?

[rocktivity]

17. BUSH is the one who masquerades the blue-collar everyman

His attempts to hold it against Kerry that he's rich, from New England and a Ivy Leauger are hypocritical to the point of making him look mentally unstable. One of Bush's operatives tried to stress this on Hardball--Kerry is into snow and water sports; Bush not only likes something as lowbrow as baseball, he likes it so much he purchased a team! What kind of sense does that make?

P.S: Skiing is only a rich man's sport if you have the time and money to do it whenever you want.

:headbang:
rocknation

[incapsulated]

27. And what's worse is...

That bullshit actually worked. People bought the idea that he was some sort of joe-everyguy that would love to sit down and have a beer with you and talk baseball.

Only Democrats have to "prove" this relationship with ordinary people by coming from desperate backgrounds and needing to hammer that fact home every five minutes.

And skiing is not a rich mans sport, not if you come from anyplace where there is snow. Several people in my family like to ski, especially the younger members, and we are working to middle class. They just have to drive for many hours to get to the slopes. My mom did the same thing in her little VW beetle when I was a kid, and she was a student. I hate skiing, myself. :)

[Hippo_Tron]

18. Bush is rich...

And he hadn't worked a day in his life until he became Governor of Texas.

[Arkana]

19. Yes, but...

Kerry is rich, I will not deny that. The Heinz Ketchup fortune, courtesy of Teresa, coupled with the money Kerry makes, will keep them in a higher tax bracket for the rest of their lives.

But Kerry isn't crooked about his wealth. He's not trying to pretend he's a poor, down-home guy, whereas Bush* has to pay people to stand in crowds to prove that exact point. Kerry doesn't feel that he needs to convince people he's just a regular guy, but the fact that Bush* does shows just how out of touch his administration is with the real world.

[Nicholas_J]

20. Cant pretend that the Keenedy's and LBJ were not rich either

But that didnt prevent them fromdoing a great deal to help the poor, the elderly and the disabled.

Kerry has been on the bandwagon to help these groups as well for a very long time.

In fact having a great deal of money can make the right people immune to the temptations to take more.

[looking glass]

21. George Washington wasrich, too.

And it wouldn't break my heart to be rich myself, someday.

Poverty isn't noble - it's just . . . poverty.

[KittyWampus]

22. Americans Labor Under The Delusion They Too Will Be Rich

Anyway, It's not the Wealth... it's what you do with it.

Do you:

Hoard it and use it to enrich yourself and cronies?
Use it to help those with fewer advantages so others can develope to their fullest potential?

[cally]

23. Yes, he's rich

Most of his wealth comes from his marriages. It would be absurd for him to pretend anything else. Through his wife, he will be the richest President in history. So what? :shrug: The man heads out to ski at a home he owns. I've learned a lot from posts on DU, but it is not seen as a rich person's sport where I live or where I grew up. As someone else posted, sure those working 9 to 5 for minimum wage don't ski but many middle class folks do. The resorts offer packages and many teens do ski.

[Trajan]

24. There is a name for this fallacy ...

Argumentum ad lazarum
The fallacy of assuming that someone poor is sounder or more virtuous than someone who's wealthier. This fallacy is the opposite of the Argumentum ad Crumenam. For example:

"Monks are more likely to possess insight into the meaning of life, as they have given up the distractions of wealth."

So: .. Kerry's wealth has NO BEARING whatsoever on his ability to serve his nation: AS LONG as he personally stays connected to people .....

[JI7]

25. totally agree

he is who he is. and he is rich, but not elitist. he was priveledged yet he served in the military unlike the other rich privledged candidate gwbush. and he is rich but he cares about others and he knows being rich is not an excuse not to care about others who lose jobs and need help. that should be the message rather than try to be something he is not.

[Jacobin]

26. And Bush is Poor?????

How can repukes bang Kerry on the head for being rich?

[TomSeaverr]

28. I find it stupid

articles are being written about the amount his houses cost. As if they think a man married to a woman with 300mill would be living in 200,000 dollar houses. Its absurd

[shivaji]

29. I ski....so I must be rich!......hmmm good to know that LOL

[dsc]

31. With all due respect to many of those who answered

but do some of you people know how to read? Several of you took the time to point out Bush is rich. Here is what I wrote about Bush.

Bush is rich. snip Bush owned a baseball team. Most people associate owning baseball teams with realatively wealthy people.

Now maybe the words Bush is rich were too subtle. Maybe they mean something different when I say them than when you do. Or maybe, just maybe, the several people who brought that up didn't bother to read my post.

Others talk about other rich Democrats. Please point out one word in this post or any other where I say rich Democrats can't represent us. I have said over and over and over and over and over again that they can. Do a search before you smear. Is that too much to ask? Since actually reading the post evidently is I guess so.