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Do we have to accept that? Stoicly, like the Russians? Funny you should mention Russia. My SO's Master's Thesis is on the Russian Economy and we were discussing them this morning at breakfast. Apparently the life expectancy in Moscow right now is 55! Democratic Capitalism has not brought Russia a damn thing except corruption, misery and a short lifespan. Lifespan in the U.S. has plateaued at 70 and any year now we will see definitive evidence of a decline. If there were and are not examples of systems of government with better outcomes for humanity I would have to passively accept the status quo as "as good as it gets" but.... I cannot.
That's a result of Socialism... The U.S. never held that philosophy... I doubt they ever will except for Social services. That's the way it should be.
Like in countries like Sweden where taxes pay for everything and they have 0% Unemployment. They get 6 weeks vacation and get a year and a half paid leave every time they have a child...
Who feeds you your information? And do you even fact check it to see if you're close?
Do we have to accept that? Stoicly, like the Russians? Funny you should mention Russia. My SO's Master's Thesis is on the Russian Economy and we were discussing them this morning at breakfast. Apparently the life expectancy in Moscow right now is 55! Democratic Capitalism has not brought Russia a damn thing except corruption, misery and a short lifespan. Lifespan in the U.S. has plateaued at 70 and any year now we will see definitive evidence of a decline. If there were and are not examples of systems of government with better outcomes for humanity I would have to passively accept the status quo as "as good as it gets" but.... I cannot.
H
Do we have to accept that? I've got a reputation for being hard nosed spending my life working predominantly with males but my feminine voice never disappeared. Often times in life it's far more pragmatic to work with the tide than fight it. That is to say unless you have a clear map identifying which policies of governance were crafted as a weir to benefit the few at the expense of the many your energy will be squandered. The better you articulate that the more effective the creative alternative solutions. I welcome constructive suggestions but do not lend my ear to the tactics used by both extremes of ideologies cutting down all others.
As for corruption in Russia- I didn't learn about it in a book or an article. I was there first hand and broke bread with many of them. Corruption flourished under communism and has abandoned every last pretense by dominating the culture in capitalism once a power vacuum was established. It's put a serious damper effect on investment for decades. People fear the KGB building even as it stood empty but they fear the Russian mob far more. The Achilles heel of communism was it's lack of check and balance and that remains the case in capitalism. Present tense here in USA our own checks and balances are so badly hobbled that democracy, the very republic, is threatened. Instead people are perpetually misdirected to fear crazy Ivan communism, instructed to stab at/ undermine our own checks and balances that protect the democracy they claim to be defending. The patriot act is one of a long series of erosions, meanwhile, they're lead to obsess over social security program as the scourge of democracy.
No, you aren't speaking to a hysterical rw ninny with her head under a school desk waiting for the A-bomb to drop. No, I haven't spent a moment of my time attacking Scandinavians or vilifying socialism. I think they've done fairly well for themselves. I think they've done well for themselves adopting some free market/ capitalist principles too. I think they (and all industrialized nations) have equal moral dilemmas on their hands with a reckless application of globalization as a result of unregulated capitalism. I'm unwilling to negate the value of capitalism. We aren't practicing capitalism right now. We're corporatist, crony capitalism, and it needs to end. I believe much of your laundry list of complaints could be addressed if crony capitalism were abolished. Don't fall into the same hole rw did with misdirected attention.
...We aren't practicing capitalism right now. We're corporatist, crony capitalism, and it needs to end..
Truer words were never spoken.
The latest blatant examle of crony capitalism is that the Sec'y of HHS has total discretionary power to decree who may ignore the law of Health Care Reform and who must follow it or be punished. Neither due process nor objective standards enter into it.
Whatever you call this outcome, it certainly is not consistent with the idea of liberty and the concept of the rule of law.
Which novel best describes the future as you see it, if your theory is correct?
1984?
Animal Farm?
Brave New World?
Farenheit 451?
No matter what heights we reach in productivity and labor-saving devices, there will always be a highest and best use of our time. If we retain an economic system that continues to reward each of us in proportion to our usefulness to the rest of society, the future is as bright as ever.
"Usefulness" is measured by free people voting with their dollars in a free market. It is not a question of innate human value or dignity, simply an objective measure of how useful we are to others.
People aren't valued by their usefulness and there's no objectivity going on presently. Farmers, teachers, cops, military personnel and doctors do not get paid for their real value contributing to our higher standard of living. Those who can maximize exploitation of systems are rewarded most in crony capitalism. The real brains behind the computer you're on right now did not reap the lions share of rewards. Fat dumb and lazy is a reputation we've earned as a nation and hard work is punished far too often.
because capitalism is not about just rewards, it's about gain any way you can even if it means leaving others to suffer or nothing. capitalism without ethics will always result in the haves and have nots.
The latest blatant examle of crony capitalism is that the Sec'y of HHS has total discretionary power to decree who may ignore the law of Health Care Reform and who must follow it or be punished. Neither due process nor objective standards enter into it.
Whatever you call this outcome, it certainly is not consistent with the idea of liberty and the concept of the rule of law.
Hard as it may be for you to see the bigger picture going on for decades the cost shifting of health care has grievously harmed unions and anyone (even non union and mgmt) with employer sponsored insurance. Unions and these larger employers have in effect been carrying the whole of America on it's back.
The premiums have escalated out of control to compensate for non union workers without health care plans, under employed, unemployed, and catastrophic care. Small biz bears the brunt of denial & shoddy coverage by most of insurance industry cost shifting because they lack bargaining power. The real fleecing happens not by squeezing these turnips, but by squeezing the larger employers. Fleecing happens not just by insurance industry but also by vendors of health care. We need to address all of it with brutal honesty and we aren't there yet.
I welcome your suggestions for honest accounting if fair play is your motive. I've worn both hats (union and mgmt) and neither are the intrinsic villains they've been made out to be. Sooner everyone realizes we're all in the same boat the sooner we'll find a better way than irrationally poking holes in the hull.
because capitalism is not about just rewards, it's about gain any way you can even if it means leaving others to suffer or nothing. capitalism without ethics will always result in the haves and have nots.
It's far worse than just that phenomena. It threatens stability & sovereignty of nations, including our own. Take a look at what unfettered globalization is doing all over the planet... Globalization and Its Impact on Human Rights
The article is centered on womens rights but it's equally applicable to men as well.
Consider the face of America is being represented as a bully commandeering a womans farm land, exploiting desperate people by purchasing their children for sex slavery trade, locking them in factories to burn to death so wealthy industrialized kids can have an italian stuffed animal for Christmas. Look at what gets done in our name as a source of strife on the planet creating terrorists. Our name is being used by corporations who neither represent us nor obliged themselves with loyalty to our constitution. For all intents and purposes they're a legally mixed bag of high seas merchants and pirates using ports of convenience loop holes.
They get 100% Unemployment benefits... No one feeds me any info... Add to that... the Population in Sweden is only about 9 Million...
Wow - if the US paid 100% UB we'd have a 100% unemployment rate!
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