On Tue, 03 Aug 2004 16:28:47 +0200, Roger Johansson
Yes, that's a "down-side" to America. We work. We work hard
and long. Our work hours are longer than any country except
Japan and perhaps an Asian country or 2. Our work consumes
us. We really get into it.
Americans do work hard. But I do know some would rather work
less, they think that they are spending way too little time
with their kids and family. For example, if a wife does not
want to work and want to stay home and take care of the kids,
she should be able to do so. But nowaday it is impossible.
However, the whole issue is NOT about capatalism vs. someone
would call socialism. It is wrong to even go there.
The problem is that rich (I mean REALLY rich people, including
politicians), are using the term capitalism to define
themselves and hence shield themselves so they can still in
power after the unjust things they did.
We now are looking at cooperationism vs. true capitalism here.
Let me give an example. You are a small potato who run a
small local business, you think you are doing well but one day
chain stores come into town and they have all the purchasing
power. They can buy the products cheaply but you can't and
they have money to lobby to the goverment the policy and tax
cut they like but you can't. Hence your business suffer.
For example, after the mad cow discease, many smaller beef
provider who export beef suffer. In order to be more
competitive, smaller farm business, trying to fit their market
need, asked the goverment to sell them the testing kit to test
their own cows for mad cow disease so they can test the beef
themselves easily and to be more competitive in the exporting
market. You know what, the US goverment say no, and say no
one other than the goverment should monitor their own beef.
The fact is the big cooperation and the USDA do NOT want other
business to be able to test their own beef because then big
beef providers will be forced to do the same to be competitive
The big beef providers in US know that Americans will still
eat beef and does not conern about it (because they sales were
not still managable). If the small business starting to do the
test and raise the product standard in the industry, they
would have to do it and increase the margin of profit they can
earn (would you rather buy safer beef if you found that some
farm in fact can garanteee to you that their beef is safe? I
would of course buy from the safer source if available). That
whole thing is anti-capitalism to me because the big business
use their power to not playing fair.
The fact is some adminstration favor fair business practice
but some favour big cooperations (because the politicians
themselves can gain from them). However, the cooperations
will use the word "capitalism" in "their" sense. Of course
they would love to say that they are all for capitalism but in
the meantime spending money to affect the goverment policy to
put into policy that is of they like.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes, our people are really suffering here. Do you know our
rate of home ownership is the world's highest? Even the
HORRIBLY OPRESSED African-American people have 74% home
ownership. What's the rate in Sweden? The rest of Europe?
The world?
This country has its problems, but it has the best living
standard I have seen.
The poorest households America typically have air
conditioning, cable TV, Play Station, pure water, plenty
of food (obesity is a huge problem in America) and access
to fine schools, jobs, and medical care.
This is largely true when compared to third world countries.
However, the problem is it has gotten worst during the last 15
years. There is not a reason that we can't do better. In
particular, all this living standard are typically paid by
living from paycheck to paycheck and heavy interest loan
payment.
Would you rather a few gray-jacketed dictators rule the
world and commit genocide? Are Stalin and Mao your role
models?
Again, this is irrelevant nowaday. The cold war has ended.
Capitalism does work but we are going into "big
cooperationism" not true capitalism.
We Americans should take better care of our rich guys.
That's because over 90% of all jobs are meted out by the
rich guys, and the poor guys seldom employ anyone.
No, we don't want to take care of the real rich guy simply
because they don't need you to take care of them. We want to
encourge smaller business. So your uncle resturants, your
cousin's stores will be free to earn money fairly. In
addition, the more choices we have, the more consuming power
we will have to affect the market. For example, don't you
want to have more choices for products? But if only one or
two firms get all the market share, you won't be able to find
some product because you are the "minority" in want those
products. Just like you don't want Microsoft to have all the
power.
Rich
guys are usually rich because they work 12-16 hours a day.
No, those are not the rich guys. Those are honest businessman
who work their butt off and they should get rewarded.
Who are the rich guy who actually got the tax cut everyone has
been talking about? Bill gate, Eron CEOs, the Walmart CEOs, a
guy own a typical honest business and work for it for 12 to 16
hours a day are NOT the one who go within the top 1% of wealth
in USA. The politicians want those small business people to
believe that they are "rich" but look, you are nowhere there
unless your compay earn more than a million per year and
unless you actually have a "say" to the government policy like
the oil companies.
If all the rich guys were killed by the Socialists,
everyone would go hungry. Nobody is going hungry right now
Roger. Even the cats are obese in America.
No, not if "THE rich guys" were killed.
If you are owning a small business and you think you are *the*
rich guy, think again.
--
RL
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