There is much sense in what you are saying Don, but it's not enough. Nor, of course, is much of the critique. There is an argument that all US corporate taxes go in funding the military and for pretty obvious reasons. Britain did much the same in the past. What we never seem to bottom is why and whether it is worth it, even in basic economic terms, and whether freedoms we think we have are illusions.
On 27 Jan, 00:29, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > Ian, what it comes down to is "who is paying for it?" and "where do > we go from here?" Give the folks free stuff and they will love you > until the free stuff runs out. Then who repairs the failing oil > industry? Answer: America does. That is American tax-payer > subsidized Exxon with help from tax-payer subsidized Haliburton. > Because we need the oil. We'll do this not with war but with trade. > Give us oil contracts and we will fund the repair. So doth I > foretell. > > That is unless China beats us to it. Ah, there's the rub. > > -Don > > > > On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 6:32 AM, Ian Pollard <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Don, it's not all about the United States (believe it or not). What you > > think works for your country is not a good fit elsewhere. It's not that > > simple. > > > In Venezuela, where the poor account for 80% of the population, I think > > there are better ways of developing the economy and taking care of the > > people. Chavez has brought education and healthcare to these people. He has > > also involved them in a political process from which they have historically > > been excluded. Certain freedoms which you think are incredibly important, > > others see as less so when compared to free availability of healthcare, > > education, and price controls on food and resources. > > > Chavez has done anything but run his country into the ground (despite > > America's attempts to destablise the country), he has taken them so far > > forward from where they were. Quite aside from what he has achieved in his > > own country, you have to love him for being one of the few world leaders to > > stand up to America's imperialism. > > > Ian > > > 2010/1/25 Don Johnson <[email protected]> > > >> How much better off would S. America be without the ruinous influence > >> of the new dictator for life and Castro clone Chavez? How bad must it > >> get before you see the dangers inherent in a system that rewards > >> incompetence and punishes accomplishment? I know capitalism isn't > >> perfect but it's the best and fairest way towards progress. Vam makes > >> his point very well and I agree in principle with what he says in > >> regards to the U.S. political swinging system. But not on the world > >> stage. Even the swinging from business interests to social interests > >> has been heavily favored towards a socialist agenda since the Great > >> Society. Maybe since the New Deal. I'm thinking a return to early > >> 20th century capitalism may be our only way to pull us out of the > >> economic doldrums we now face. Surrendering to a global socialist > >> system would be a disaster for the U.S. and probably the world. > >> Absolute disaster. As bad as we are doing for ourselves at the moment > >> imagine how bad it would get with some world body like the UN in > >> charge. *shudder* > > >> Looks like I've gone off the reservation again. Sorry. I can't help > >> but think with a prominent and free press we can make capitalism work > >> much better then it did 100 years ago. Better and more humane. One > >> need only look to the massive puplic support towards the people of > >> Haiti to see this is so. > > >> All I am saaaaaying, > >> Is give Capitalism a chaaaance...... > > >> ;-) > > >> -Don > > >> On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 10:31 AM, Ian Pollard <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > > >> > 2010/1/24 Don Johnson <[email protected]> > > >> >> It saddens me that many of you probably support this kind of fascist > >> >> leadership just so long as that leadership is in favor of wealth > >> >> redistribution. How can anyone like ANYTHING about this shameful thug > >> >> Chavez? I just don't get it. He's running his country into the > >> >> ground and blaming America and getting totally away with it. Tell me, > >> >> which is better. Unrestricted free speech(barring the obligatory > >> >> "Fire" in the theatre) or blatant suppression/forced control over the > >> >> content of that speech? I'll take the first one. Every time. > > >> > Of course he's blaming America, Don, after all the U.S. did support a > >> > coup > >> > d'état to remove him from power in 2002. :) > > >> > Chavez is a hero and beacon of hope for South America and 3rd world > >> > counties > >> > more generally. > > >> > Ian > > >> > -- > >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> > Groups > >> > ""Minds Eye"" group. > >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> > [email protected]. > >> > For more options, visit this group at > >> >http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. > > >> -- > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >> ""Minds Eye"" group. > >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected]. > >> For more options, visit this group at > >>http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > ""Minds Eye"" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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