Hardly a day goes by without a shocking new statistic about America's vast and growing wealth inequality.
At some point, the pain level for average citizens will get high enough that they're going to start connecting the dots and realizing that they're getting badly screwed. And that's going to create a significant public relations problem for the upper upper crust.
The plutocrats didn't get where they are by being stupid. And surely they've seen this potential problem bearing down on them for some time now. And surely they are making plans to deal with it. Don't you wonder what they have in store for you and me?
The consequences of wealth disparity are getting harder and harder to hide. It's even conceivable that the corporate media might start reporting on the problem. (If this should happen, of course, it won't be because of any real sense of outrage, or concern for the people suffering, or even because our gigantic wealth disparity is bad for all Americans, the rich included. No, it will be because these seven-figure talking heads smell an opportunity to advance their careers by following a hot story.)
Any political response by the ultra-rich will pretty much have to take place through their true servants, the Republican party. But currently there are problems with that, since the party has been taken over by crazies and is in a state of confusion. Their legendary discipline is getting harder to enforce, what with the proliferation of Teabagger-backed candidates, and a social conservative wing that is finally getting fed up with receiving nothing but lip service on their issues.
So what's an aristocracy to do? For one thing, I'll bet you that they have already laid the foundations of a truly massive PR campaign to convince the rubes that they have only our best interests at heart. In fact, we're already seeing this in the constant (and mendacious) portrayal of the rich as society's "job creators".
Can they pull it off? I'd hesitate to bet against them. Keep in mind that these are the people who managed to convince the ordinary man on the street that the "death tax" was the #1 problem facing America (never mind that this "problem" only affected a tiny handful of rich families).
They do face some challenges. It's going to get harder to convince Americans that we all need to tighten our belts and make sacrifices, and give up dreams like retirement security and access to health care and education for our kids, when at the same time they're lining up for bigger and bigger tax cuts.
Speculation can take a darker turn, too. What plans are being made to combat civil insurrections? Wildcat strikes? Is a new "Pinkerton army" now being formed?
Not to be paranoid here, but think about it: you're a top tenth-percenter and you want to keep what you have from the grasping masses. Wouldn't you be making some plans?
What do YOU think is being planned for you?