Creating a Good Villain

by: Living Liberally

Tue Mar 03, 2009 at 15:15

Every battle needs a good villain.  Not sure if that's a line out of a comic book, or the advice Matt Stoller has often offered on these pages, but it's true.  

There's some healthy debate about whether Rush is the right villain or the wrong target.  Brave New Films has done a great job their War on Greed to make the likes of Henry Kravis into a known nemesis. And in New York, the proponents for Fair Share Tax Reform just realized: why create a villain, if the entertainment industry's already done it for them.

Enter Monty Burns from the Simpsons, a no-goodnik we love to hate, and the new face of the plutocrats looking to sink New York's working class.

In anticipation of a major rally on Thursday, the Working Families Party -- leaders of the Fair Share push -- have turned to satire.  They've circulated a letter from Homer's boss to his fellow fatcats. Who wants to be on the side of Mr. Burns?  Well, except for Smithers, of course.

If you're in NYC, check out the rally -- and below, you can see the whole letter.