RugbyRebels

Digby wrote:

Stom wrote:

Puja wrote:
I have to say I don't agree. There is a sizeable number of American who believe in The American Dream - that anyone can make it here, no matter who you are or who your parents were - and have corrupted it to believe that success is a function of working hard and thus rich people deserve their wealth. They'd look down on a Lord or Duke, but a businessman like Trump or Bloomberg? They're part of The American Dream and any attempt to tax them or get them to contribute is jealousy from those who haven't made it against those that have.

Someone once said that Americans are perpetually in a state of being "not a millionaire - yet". Wealth taxes might not touch them now, but they're outraged at the very that you would attempt to tax the wealth of a hard earning, red-blooded, American capitalist, cause in their heart of hearts, they think that potentially that could be them if they got the breaks.

Puja

The corruption of capitalism is the #1 problem in the world today. Without it, we'd have better healthcare, better equipped to cope with the Mexican piss water virus, we'd have better support for those who find themselves in any difficulty, and we'd have a far more equitable society, while allowing more and more people to become self-made millionaires.

Without corruption we would indeed be doing better, but we'll have corruption whatever the system

Stom wrote:

Digby wrote:

Stom wrote:
The corruption of capitalism is the #1 problem in the world today. Without it, we'd have better healthcare, better equipped to cope with the Mexican piss water virus, we'd have better support for those who find themselves in any difficulty, and we'd have a far more equitable society, while allowing more and more people to become self-made millionaires.

Without corruption we would indeed be doing better, but we'll have corruption whatever the system

I meant the corruption of the model, not individual corruption.

Digby wrote:

Stom wrote:

Digby wrote:

Without corruption we would indeed be doing better, but we'll have corruption whatever the system

I meant the corruption of the model, not individual corruption.

Then you've a problem convincing people across Europe of your argument, still less in America. Not that capitalism is perfect but that the other models look and have proved so much worse.

Stom wrote:

Digby wrote:

Stom wrote:
I meant the corruption of the model, not individual corruption.

Then you've a problem convincing people across Europe of your argument, still less in America. Not that capitalism is perfect but that the other models look and have proved so much worse.

OK, I have to explain, obviously.

I love capitalism. It works. But it relies on the central premise of: NO MONOPOLIES!

We don't have that anymore. We have giant corps that make themselves richer by simply buying their competitors because there's no way to refuse and survive. These companies make disgusting amounts of cash for people who provide nothing for the consumer at all.

That sounds like a broken system to me.

It's meant to be that anyone can create a business and become a millionaire, not that any millionaire can become a billionaire!

Digby wrote:

Stom wrote:

Digby wrote:
Then you've a problem convincing people across Europe of your argument, still less in America. Not that capitalism is perfect but that the other models look and have proved so much worse.

OK, I have to explain, obviously.

I love capitalism. It works. But it relies on the central premise of: NO MONOPOLIES!

We don't have that anymore. We have giant corps that make themselves richer by simply buying their competitors because there's no way to refuse and survive. These companies make disgusting amounts of cash for people who provide nothing for the consumer at all.

That sounds like a broken system to me.

It's meant to be that anyone can create a business and become a millionaire, not that any millionaire can become a billionaire!

It doesn't for me mean the system is broken, it just means corruption is rife, and the people in charge typically benefit from the corruption leading to a less beneficial outcome. Along the lines of there's noting wrong with wanting your centres to pass, indeed it's good idea, but if you then pick Tindall and Noon you'll get a less beneficial outcome

Stom wrote:And, for me, it's insane that more parties aren't running this...

As the concept of: Capitalism is for everyone, not just the few. is something people could get behind.

Puja wrote:

Stom wrote:And, for me, it's insane that more parties aren't running this...

As the concept of: Capitalism is for everyone, not just the few. is something people could get behind.

For the many, not the few?

Puja

morepork wrote:Tiny, tiny little man. Have we had enough yet 'Murrica?

Digby wrote:Of course for all we're mocking Trump, and deservedly so, he hasn't been plumbing the depths Iran has over this. Obviously lots of people in America would like to promote the clergy over science as they do in Iran, but there is something of a gap still

morepork wrote:It is being reported that the slow response of the gummint to implementing aggressive testing and follow up for THE VIRUS is that Jared Kushner has been tasked with researching the issue, which he is doing by way of a Facebook group he had his brother's father in law (who is a physician) set up.


I shit you not.


https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/1 ... ook-127941