As illustrated in our movie "Heist," the far right, on behalf of the very rich, has been waging a war on the middle class for over thirty years. Class war is described as the tension or antagonism which exists in society due to competing socioeconomic interests between people of different classes. Throughout history class war has always been waged from the bottom up, working people versus the elite, moneyed class. We are witnessing an astonishing twist of this in the headlines today. Through co-opting Congress and the media, big money’s message machine has inexplicably managed to turn the tables and perpetuate class war from the top down—the super rich waging it on working people! Incredibly, they are crying “class war” and unfairness in response to President Obama’s proposed “Buffett tax” that will levy a tax on those individuals making 1 million or more per year. This is a political tactic by the far right to rally their greedy, trickle down obsessed and ideologically driven base.
Donald Goldmacher
Producer/Director, "Heist: Who Stole the American Dream"
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
“Heist” World Premiere!
What an incredible five-year journey it has been to create "Heist!" We are honored that “Heist” has been chosen as an official selection to the 2011 Mill Valley Film Festival. "Heist" tells a story that you won’t hear on Cable TV or read about in The Washington Post. Unlike the 24-hour news cycle, “Heist” “connects the dots” for working Americans, exposing the truth about how big money corrupted our politics and restructured the U.S. economy for its own personal gain over the last 30 years -- abandoning American workers and almost everything the United States once stood for.
We made “Heist” because there is a HUGE disconnect between what we know to be true from our own experiences in the field and in our personal lives, what we hear from our family and friends, versus what we hear the political class and the headlines telling us. For example, does anyone really think Macy’s creation of thousands of minimum wage, temporary jobs at Christmas is big news and a real solution to our tragic unemployment problems? “Heist” offers a fact-based, well-researched explanation of why so many good paying jobs with benefits have been outsourced.
We could not sit on our hands and watch House Majority Leader John Boehner create a fake debate on the budget as justification for not extending unemployment benefits. Nor were we content to sit and click as politicians on both sides of the aisle called for Social Security reform, in effect taking benefits from our elders to pay for obscene tax cuts for the super rich and unjustified wars.
In "Heist" we offer actionable solutions to the current crisis. At Mill Valley, we are so pleased to be a part of their Active Cinema program which allows us to showcase important groups that are helping to put the country back on track towards democracy and the values we all hold dear, justice and fairness.
There is great angst throughout the country and indeed the world. Our leaders have stopped listening to us so we must force them to listen through our actions. Throughout history, people power has always triumphed over hubristic politicians or a greedy, power crazed oligarchy. Look at the example of the Arab uprisings. We hope “Heist” inspires you to act as it did us. As Gandhi once said, “a good diagnosis is three-fourths of the remedy.” We now know what happened and what we are up against. The next steps are up to us.
For more information on our world premiere screenings at the Mill Valley Film Festival, please visit: http://www.heist-themovie.com/screenings.html
Frances Causey
Director/Producer
“Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?”
We made “Heist” because there is a HUGE disconnect between what we know to be true from our own experiences in the field and in our personal lives, what we hear from our family and friends, versus what we hear the political class and the headlines telling us. For example, does anyone really think Macy’s creation of thousands of minimum wage, temporary jobs at Christmas is big news and a real solution to our tragic unemployment problems? “Heist” offers a fact-based, well-researched explanation of why so many good paying jobs with benefits have been outsourced.
We could not sit on our hands and watch House Majority Leader John Boehner create a fake debate on the budget as justification for not extending unemployment benefits. Nor were we content to sit and click as politicians on both sides of the aisle called for Social Security reform, in effect taking benefits from our elders to pay for obscene tax cuts for the super rich and unjustified wars.
In "Heist" we offer actionable solutions to the current crisis. At Mill Valley, we are so pleased to be a part of their Active Cinema program which allows us to showcase important groups that are helping to put the country back on track towards democracy and the values we all hold dear, justice and fairness.
There is great angst throughout the country and indeed the world. Our leaders have stopped listening to us so we must force them to listen through our actions. Throughout history, people power has always triumphed over hubristic politicians or a greedy, power crazed oligarchy. Look at the example of the Arab uprisings. We hope “Heist” inspires you to act as it did us. As Gandhi once said, “a good diagnosis is three-fourths of the remedy.” We now know what happened and what we are up against. The next steps are up to us.
For more information on our world premiere screenings at the Mill Valley Film Festival, please visit: http://www.heist-themovie.com/screenings.html
Frances Causey
Director/Producer
“Heist: Who Stole the American Dream?”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)