"Jerry Kraus" <jkraus_1999@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:2e92275e-b16e-400f-8a13-6b6bd4929ede@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Feb 12, 10:26 am, "Taylor" <tay...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> "Jerry Kraus" <jkraus_1...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>
> news:fffc99e7-b54f-4acc-945e-bcebd768ad6d@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
>
>
> > Now that Generalissimo George Bush has pushed through his "stimulus
> > package" -- basically, shuffling around 1% of our annual GDP from the
> > government's coffers to the hot hands of tax-paying individuals -- we
> > must ask ourselves what effect, exactly, this is likely to have. As I
> > speak, the stock market is up 200 ooints on the cheering news that
> > Warren Buffet -- the richest professional investor in the world -- is,
> > not surprisingingly, willing to put up his substantial forturne to try
> > to prevent the bond market from collapsing completely.
> > Simultaneously, major auto makers and Swiss banks are announcing
> > massive cor****ate losses.
>
> > Now, the problem with the world economy is, of course, that there are
> > no markets left, there are no consumers left, because the wealth has
> > become too concentrated in the hands of too few individuals, largely
> > through the efforts of neoconservative loons like Generalissimo Bush.
> > So, how likely is it that shuffling around 1% of our GDP is likely to
> > significantly change this state of affairs? Not very, I would
> > submit. Nor can Warren Buffet, on his own, stem the tide for long.
> > Although, he may be Wall Street's greatest hero, and his efforts may
> > cheer investors for a time.
>
> > I would suggest, however, another approach. There are 8 million
> > millionaires in the United States, currently. Eight million
> > millionaires, and 290 million poor people. Now, the total assets of
> > all these millionaires would far surpass the TOTAL GDP of the United
> > States. Wouldn't it make some sense to redistribute some, or all, of
> > the ill gotten gains of these worthless parasites into the deserving
> > hands of the worthy American people? Think of the wealth that could
> > be generated by increasing the assets of the average Amercain TENFOLD,
> > TWENTYFOLD, THIRTYFOLD!!! Education, research, new technologies,
> > jobs. The possibilities are endless.
>
> Your suggestion was tried by the Soviet Union, and we know how well that
> turned out.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Well, actually, average life expectancy was higher in Russia under
Stalin than it is now, Gulags, purges and all. Capitalism kills
hundreds of millions through sheer neglect, you know. And, communism
has worked rather well in China -- yes, they're still communist, with
a highly regulated market sector, government still owns all the land
-- making that country the world's economic superpower. And,
actually, this is more or less the system that exists in Scandanavia,
the closest thing to paradise on this planet -- yes, I know, "why
don't you go there"!
"If" China did not embrace capitalism, then your claim would be correct,
but
it isn't.
It is possible to combine freedom with an equitable distribution of
wealth. You just have to be a bit careful about it. In any case,
we're hardly likely to make more of a mess of things than exists now!
No, you cannot combine freedom with an equitable distribution of wealth.
In
order to have an equitable distribution of wealth, you have to take away
someone freedom.
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