April 14, 2009, - 4:42 pm

Conservative?: Sean Vannity Pimps Class Envy Song

By Debbie Schlussel
I try to make it a point not to listen to the Sean Hannity radio show. The show is great the first time around . . . when it’s called “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” After that, it’s simply a warmed over, cheap imitation. Who needs a a Yugo, when you already have a Lamborghini? Plus, I can only take so many phony “You’re a great Americans” at one sitting and hearing someone read word-for-word from various websites and newspaper columns (including my own) without credit.
But today, I forgot to change the station as I came out of a store while doing errands. And, when I turned on my radio, the Great Ego Pumpkin was blathering on about his presence at a tax day tea party in Atlanta, tomorrow. Vannity went on and on praising and then playing a song, “Shuttin’ Detroit Down,” that he says John Rich of “Big and Rich” will perform on his show, tomorrow.
But the song is full of Obama-style liberal class envy. It’s bad enough that businessmen couldn’t wear suits and ties during the G-20 Summit in London, in fear of loss of life or limb. And that employees in Germany took their supervisors and managers hostage. And that at least half of the French think it would be okay to harm their bosses.

seanhannity.jpgjohnrich.jpg

Hypocrites/Limousine Populists:

Sean Vannity & John Rich Preach Class Envy/Hate the Rich

Now, pseudo-conservative Vannity is in on the act with his friend John Rich. It’s funny–the song whines against executives taking bonuses. But John Rich and Sean Vannity–both multi-millionaires–get bonuses for ratings and sales, respectively. Apparently, it’s okay for them to make millions and take bonuses. But not okay for business executives, whose companies actually produce goods and provide services.
Here are the hypocritical, class envy lyrics:

Shuttin’ Detroit Down
My daddy taught me that in this country everyone’s the same
You work hard for your dollar and you never pass the blame
When it don’t go your way
Now I see all these big shots whinin’ on my evening news
About how they’re losin’ billions
and how it’s up to me and you
To come running to the rescue
Well pardon me if I don’t shed a tear ’cause they’re selling make believe
And we don’t buy that here
Cause in the real world they’re shutting Detroit down
While the boss man takes his bonus pay and jets out of town/
And DC’s bailing out the bankers
as the farmers auction ground,
Yeah while they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town,
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down.
They’re shuttin’ Detroit down.”
Well that old man’s been workin’ in that plant most all of his life
Now his pension plan’s been cut in half and he can’t afford to die
And it’s a crying shame, ’cause he ain’t the one to blame
When I look down and see his calloused hands,
Let me tell you friend it gets me fightin’ mad
Cause in the real world there shutting Detroit down
While the boss man takes his bonus pay and jets out of town/
And DC’s bailing out the bankers as the farmers auction ground,
Yeah while they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town,
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down.
They’re shuttin’ Detroit down.”
Instrumental solo
Yeah while they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down
Here in the real world there shuttin’ Detroit down
In the real world they’re shuttin’ Detroit down, they’re shuttin’ Detroit down.

Hey, you know who’s “livin’ it up” in those “criminal” private jets that John Rich rails against in a song Sean Vannity thinks is so great?
That would be John Rich and Sean “G-6” Vannity. But I guess it doesn’t count when the people who pay to go to Freedom Concerts are footing the bill for Vannity to upgrade himself and his posse to a G-6 private jet.
Yet, Rich has the nerve to whine on about working class farmers and calloused hands. PUH-LEEZE. Like he or Sean Vannity knows from this? This is a multi-millionaire with a mansion, several fancy cars, and better accoutrements than anyone outside the top 1% of American wealth.
Talk is cheap, Sean Vannity and John Rich. Lyrics are apparently even cheaper. And more hypocritical.
Hey, I think I’ve found two uber-examples of a new phrase I’ve coined, “Limousine Populist.”
And you know who else is a similarly multi-million endowed hypocrite populist? Sean’s brownshirted, swastika’d friend, Pat Buchanan.
Those people who fly jets, get bonuses, and work on Wall Street will be the ones paying a good percentage of the taxes tomorrow on Income Tax Deadline Day. And they deserve the perks of the good life every bit as much as Sean Vannity and John Rich. It’s a shame that Sean Vannity and John Rich won’t face facts.
Real conservatives don’t begrudge people on Wall Street and other corporate execs the money–and, yes, bonuses–they earn. That’s capitalism. And that’s what we believe in. That, and the free market.
And, by the way, as someone who lives in suburban Detroit and has most of my life, I am confident in saying that this “overpaid” (according to the class envy he preaches in his dumb song) hick, John Rich, hasn’t a clue about the reasons Detroit is shutting down. Executives who get paid bonuses and people on Wall Street who make money have nothing to do with it.
Dumb, clueless country songs don’t help. Neither do songs attacking “New York,” and I think we know to whom he’s referring–Pat Buchanan’s least favorite religion.






15 Responses

Gotta play the class warfare card like the Left. If Vannity was a real conservative, he wouldn’t be doing it. When you have to rip off the Left, they ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. There’s a reason “conservatism is in exile.” Its the guy promoting it who doesn’t have a clue as to what its really all about any more than he knows “Shuttin’ Detroit Down” is an attack on the very capitalist system responsible for American prosperity and greatness. Oh and executives and their bonuses have nothing to do with why the economy is in such a mess today. Go look in the mirror, Vanity!

NormanF on April 14, 2009 at 6:06 pm

Real glad this was mentioned today. Getting angry for the sake of being angry against capitalists will accomplish nothing but make us drift farther to the left. People have got to actually think. For those who have forgotten, this process involves calming down and then using your brain for detailed analysis. Then maybe we can see once again how capitalism works, how good it is, and how we benefit from it. And Mr. Hannity, please do not come to Detroit. You didn’t even think about these lyrics before you played that song.

rickster on April 14, 2009 at 6:21 pm

Additionally, I will say to Mr. Hannity, that it’s obvious you are pandering to us. One minute you say that we shouldn’t be blaming Wall Street for our problems, and the next minute you are playing this song. It’s like I hear it said by Mr. McNamara all the time, on the overnight program, you must think we are all really stupid.

rickster on April 14, 2009 at 6:58 pm

Most conservatives I run into would be considered Populists. Teddy Roosevelt was the father of Populism. I consider myself a populist. I dont agree with free trade and open borders, but that is what Dems and Republicans sold us down the river with saying it was good for the economy. It was going to grow our economy they said. Shipping good paying jobs to China. Sure we aren’t entitled to a good paying job, however corporate CEOs repealed tariffs at our expense so they can have higher profit margins for their cheap products they brought in. It is up to our elected representatives in Congress to decide what tariffs we can levy. Free-trade, because anything “free” must be good. Yeah right? I am for everyone pulling their own weight but I am not for government working with rich fucks to screw me and then say I am envious because they walk away with the loot. I wasn’t born with the word SUCKER stamped on my head.
“Executives who get paid bonuses and people on Wall Street who make money have nothing to do with it.” Debbie I disagree, if they liked the faux-capitalist system they created let them live with the havoc they created. Their lobbying to deregulate necessary banking laws (Glass Steegal repeal in 1999) led to outrageous speculation that broke Americans who now can’t buy cars. Yes even Japanese cars aren’t selling. Let it all come crumbling down. Let the Wall Street Empire fall. So defending the rich Wall Streeter also means let them take no money from us. Where would their companies be? ALL BANKRUPT!! So when they take our tax dollars to keep them going and then saying we are calling it class envy. You got to be kidding. So when I get upset when my tax dollars go to other low income welfare recipients they should say it is class envy as well. They are both welfare recipients. The American people also deserve blame for believing the lies of corporations. They could have said no.
Peter Schiff had it right from Day 1.
http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?id=81&type=schiff
http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?id=84&type=schiff
Yes Vannity and Rich are hypocrites but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a “class envy’ issue going on. We got screwed at both ends. By the banks, coporate elite and low income welfare and illegal aliens. Well I guess a $20 Trillion debt looks possible. Thanks for the bill.
For John Rich’s song. My song for the whole crisis would be Tool’s Aenema.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCEeAn6_QJo

californiascreaming on April 14, 2009 at 7:09 pm

Debbie, dear…thank you so much for sayin’ it all the way you say it. Loved your style the first time I heard you & love it even more now.
Okay, let’s get back to work, everyone. There are a lot more cockroaches out there on whom we need to shine a very bright light. **Wink & smile**.

nicksmom on April 14, 2009 at 9:14 pm

californiascreaming……
I agree with your post
For years Wall Street has waged class warfare on Main Street America. Read Karl Denninger. These credit default swap crooks need to be put behind bars. They are as much capitalist as Somali pirates are

dennisw on April 15, 2009 at 1:41 am

Well, Debbie,
Usually he rips stuff off Conservatives. Ain’t it great to see him ripping stuff off Liberals? 😉
Also, even better is Hannity on Islam
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/025600.php
Ya’know, the difference between Islam and ‘Radical Islam’.

Infidel Pride on April 15, 2009 at 3:28 am

http://www.federaltimes.com/index.php?S=4034396
Looks like the Post Office will soon get in the banking business and we’ll all get REASONABLE CREDIT CARD RATES—5 to 18%
Since Stern’s on vacation & i gotta go to work early, i’m now listening to Imus, and HE [disingenuously] LOVES Sean Limbaughnista Lite.
You gotta remember though, Hannity is hardcore Catholic, which means he comes from a tradition of thieves which hasn’t had an original thought since they created the UBERself-hating Jew, Saul of Tarsus.

EminemsRevenge on April 15, 2009 at 8:02 am

When I herd(sic) the “shuttin’ detroit down” for the first time, I felt a giant tidal wave. A wave of nausea. Here is a guy who is blatently exploiting our pain for a buck. Pandering is right. He prolly drives a full size toyota tundra. I, too, have detected a false conservative bravado regarding faux conservatives who copy leftist tactics. I wrote an email to a weepy talk show host when he complained that GM’s problems were caused by “GREED” I share it now, with a slight edit :
“I have been following your Project and trying to get people’s attention on the matter. I was extremely disappointed to hear you parrot the leftist mantra that GM is teetering on bankruptcy because of “Greed” and “legacy” costs. It is really a shame to hear that lying verbiage come out of your mouth. If GM were selling their cars for $10,000.00, they still wouldn’t be selling at the rates of even a year ago. The credit market has collapsed, in case you haven’t heard. This is an Economic Tsunami! When the entire US Economy tanked, GM just could not tread water any more. (By the way, what products have You ever produced?) GM products are among the Best and Safest in the World. You may think that “legacy” costs are a problem at GM, but, correct me if I am wrong, don’t you think that many people , Automotive Engineers, Inventors, and Innovators, (not just union workers), deserve a pension and health care after more than 30 years at the same company? Are you that narrow minded and self-centered? That’s all right, you might think that certain sectors in the economy are protected, but no sector is immune. The jobs are going out, and they are Not Coming Back! Do you think that you are the only man in America that deserves to have the means to raise, care for and protect their family? The beginning of the end for American Workers came when NAFTA was rammed through and when Clinton granted China Most Favored Nation status. Manufacturing, our Industrial base and producing actual products that are our true wealth is now being shipped off shore. To deny that American Workers are competing with Chinese and South Korean workers is to deny reality. That is what happened to GM. In less than 20 years we have sunk from General Motors to Dollar General. Way to go! And speaking of Greed, do you work for Free?
P.S. What about the Teachers Unions, why aren’t Conservatives complaining about the forced indoctrination of U.S. Young People, by the NEA, whose “legacy” costs actually are huge?”
True Conservatives never go along, just to go along. We all need to heighten our critical thinking skills. THANKS…

Roads Skolar on April 15, 2009 at 9:30 am

You have to be kidding. Do you expect me to feel bad for CEOs that failed? Hannity and Rich are not being paid bonuses with our tax-payer dollars. These criminal CEOs, many of which caused their companies to fail through bad decisions, are receiving bonuses with our tax-payer money. You sound like Obama and Pelosi by saying Rich’s song is about “class warfare” because it is not. It is about CEOs that FAILED being given charity money out of our pockets to help them maintain their standard of living. Captialism is about equal opportunity, not equal results. The song is also about the government’s role in this mess because of NAFTA, a 35% business tax rate on companies in America, and too much power to unions, including the teachers union.
EminemsRevenge: Stop being an anti-Catholic hater. The Jews have created brilliant scientists. I, and many others, have always had a good relationship with the Jewish people, so I would suggest not purposely pissing us off in order to take a cheap shot or we may just not help you the next time the jihadist Muslims come after you.
Roads Skolar: So you are more pissed at a guy exploiting Detroit in a song for personal gain than the greedy Wall Street types exploiting your wallet for personal gain through their bought and paid for prostitue politicians in DC? This is the problem. You are directing your anger at a singer who needs people to BUY his song instead of at the criminal politicians and their enablers on Wall Street that actually STOLE your money. Stop defending the rich bankers just because you think they are “conservative” or “Republican.” Follow the money. The criminal Wall Street types have given far more money to Obama in a shorter period of time than they have to any “conservative” or “Republican.”
I am in full agreement with you about the teachers union.

Devil Dog on April 15, 2009 at 11:02 am

Hannity is pathetic. I cannot stand him for all his hypocrisies and “unoriginality.”
Ironically, he WAS the guy GM tapped to promote their products for the last couple years on “conservative” talk radio. GM must realize now–dumb choice!

BB on April 15, 2009 at 11:07 am

I’m offended as a lyricist.
NEVER use “the boss man” and I can’t even bring myself to hear “in that New York City town.”
Yeesh!

bleechers on April 15, 2009 at 3:55 pm

Our Economy is crashing because of the CFR Trade deals Like NAFTA, CAFTA, FTA and others. Sean Hannity supported them all in the name of global free trade.
The whole reason we are facing a depression is that all of our jobs have been shipped offshore thanks to the Politicians in Congress.
If we returned to a America first capitalism that this country was founded on and ran just fine for 200 years, we would not be looking at this mess.
You can thank Presidents that started this with Jimmy Carter and right up to Barry Soetoro including GWB. They all want this New World Order where Americans will be paid the same as Chinese sweat shop workers.
This is the plan of the Rockefeller CFR/Trilateral Commission elite that have bought and paid for Congress to do their bidding and have elected every President since Jimmy Carter to sell out the American Middle Class.
Why do you think the borders are wide open and Americans loose their jobs to a never ending H1B Visa programs being renewed? They are systematically destroying the middle class.
I am glad to see some of you are waking up and going to the Tea Parties. We need to stop this sell out of America before it is too late.
We need to throw out every single Politician that has sworn an oath to the CFR/Trilateral Commission, which is in direct opposition to our Constitutional Republic.
BTW-Barry Soetoro appointments are 90% CFR/Trilateral Commission members. Obamaís top foreign policy advisor is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the co-founder of the Trilateral Commission with David Rockefeller. Obama picked Trilateral Commission former CFR Federal Reserve Bank wonder boy Timothy Geithner to be Secretary of the Treasury. The rest of the team are protÈgÈs of Robert Rubin, also a Trilateral and former Treasury Secretary under Clinton. (www.augustreview.com)
These actions are nothing short of Treason and all of them are Traitors.
Your papers please comrades.

ScottyDog on April 15, 2009 at 4:09 pm

Somewhat of a mixed bag for me, actually.
I do agree that fostering class warfare is a bad thing that true conservatives should avoid. If we’re to stand up and say we believe in capitalism, we shouldn’t demonize those who have made the best of the opportunities a capitalistic economy offers.
At the same time, I see (and feel) the outrage when people who have loyally done their jobs well are getting laid off, whilst those whose decisions made their companies lose millions get rewarded by contracted bonuses paid directly from bailout dollars.
Is this faux conservatism, capitalizing on populist emotions? Quite possibly. I do think, though, that there’s a good chance that the “big shots” being demonized in these lyrics are a lot more specific than those caricatures of the “evil rich white men” in liberal/populist hatemongering.

BoDiddly on April 20, 2009 at 2:21 pm

I find it so ironic that people will actually demonize anyone who makes a lot of money at least anything that equalizes to more than they are making. I have no qualms with how much money anyone makes whether it be because they just happen to find that one vocation that sells or especially if they should reach the upper tiers of their profession i.e. Corporate Executive or CEO and those bonuses that everyone despises are rewards for accomplishing goals that were established for their business to be a success and willingly paid by the corporation because of the profit they generate. There are some that do it illegally and those should be put in jail and many of them have but there are still others out there and they need to be apprehended and convicted. The people that are the biggest complainers are the ones that wish they had some of those rewards but have never had the fortitude or the drive to put their failures and discouragements behind them and continue on to achieve their goals, it is just easier to blame everyone else. I say this from first-hand experience as someone that has worked my way into my profession to a level that I am comfortable with and to know that my children are as proud of me as I am of their accomplishments of which I would like to think was because of the example I set for them. I now have a very nice home and many of the luxuries that come along with success but I also remember the time when during a New York winter we were living in our car with 3 children. I see many people putting down the song that John Rich wrote and yes he is making money from that song just like so many who wrote songs before him and will after him, it is just a song people, it expresses the feelings of how some people feel so get over it and get on with life. I would bet if someone was to write a song about how rich song-writers and singers get that make these songs it would not sell, but if it had a good beat you may be able to dance to it. As for Sean Hannity, I believe that he is a stand-up guy who is putting out a message to people that want to hear the truth and it is those people that will (with God’s help), make this country right again in spite of all the liberals who want socialism for us and elitism for them. Besides I see people like Sean who are at least trying to help people with venues like the Freedom Concerts when the liberal left is only looking for a powerbase using handouts with money that people like me pay to support our country. I may not be the most eloquent writer but I feel better in saying how I feel.

D: Um, read the lyrics of the song–the song Vannity is promoting. It–not I–attacks people who make money. And as far as Sean’s “Freedom Concerts,” almost none of the money goes to the troops’ kids. It’s a scam, which I’ll be writing about in the next day. Things are not always as they seem or how Sean Vannity tells you they are. DS

Don Machovoe on August 6, 2009 at 2:34 pm

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