This brings out two points. Firstly, they fund things because they have money. That's not "unfair"; they have money, they can spend it where they like. So can you. It's no more unfair than their being able to buy a mansion and your not being able to; that's just one of the functions of having money and being successful. Secondly, government shouldn't be giving into lobbyists in the first place. Remember: limited government, limited spending.
Let me see, ways to get wealthy without working hard: 1. Born rich. (no skill) 2. Win the lottery. (luck) 3. Marry the rich. (look) 4. Steal. (skill! but illegal) 5. Strike a unique business (finally skill, but still no hard work) *#5 Mark Cuban selling broadcast.com for 6 billion to stupid Yahoo and now it is absolutely worthless, now that is good business timing, but still not hard work...
No, it cuts against the whole spirit of democracy. Of course people with more money should be able to buy, for example, more expensive cars, etc. But to be able to buy influence over the leaders, that goes against the spirit of the country. Well, here we are in this reality, where rich people can control goverment policy and enforcement much more than other people.
He's referring to donating to campaigns and groups. Why is that wrong? Is it the amount that troubles you? Right...........so my point is proven: we need smaller government, tax cuts, and libertarianism. Not large, oppressive, corrupt government.
it means that no candidate who does not support the agenda and interests of the most wealthy stands a chance of winning a significant position in government especially at the federal level. I suppose they could lie, but this would come back and bite them in the ass. I do agree with smaller government. But I think it should be with smaller countries. I am pretty libertarian in many ways, but I would also limit the size of corporations. I think people should be free, but I see no reason why these behemoths that do not give a shit about people, have the power of governments and are run on fascist lines need to be free. But, again. We need to deal with the situation we have. Right now the wealthy undermine democracy and show no signs of having a problem with this.
Nonsense. The wealthy are the They should be free, but that also means no favoritism or special interests or lobbying. It means that they need to be subject to the free market: let them keep what they earn and do what they will, and their success or failure is dependent on their performance. Government should stay out. No bailouts for inefficient or corrupt businesses. The wealthy don't undermine democracy. Big government undermines democracy.
I assume you'll come back to that one. Even without these things they can bully governments and people and they do. I can never understand why people who are skeptical about big government have no problem with big corporations. The latter have absolutely no constituents, except shareholders who want money. And most of the people affected by these non-democratic organizations are not shareholders. So you essentially have a very powerful organization with power over people it IN NO WAY represents. Corporations are subject to all the potential corruption of governments, in fact, the way they are built they must be corrupt in that they need to care about money and not people. They can control the media - who are are huge corporations - so it is not as if their immoral acts need to come back and bite them in the ass. I have to say that anyone who thinks big corporations are fine but big gov is bad must have some affection for fascism and not so much interest in democracy. Small government and big corporations means that most of the power is not controlled democratically. They are always controlling that market. A corporation cannot keep money. It is not a person. I do not care about its freedom. There is no reason a company has to have a turnover in the billions of dollars. If someone thinks this is a freedom we must fight for their priorities are very strange or they have no idea what the world situation is. Must be why the incredibly wealthy like that big government and have a revolving door with it. The Bush Admin talked the small gov talk, as did Reagan, but they spent enormous taxpayer funds, channeled untold dollars into the corporations. What we have with these turds is an enormous government that outsources many services. All one needs to do to see how the wealthy feel about democracy is look at US relations to Latin America. The large corporations crushed democracy, took out leaders, brought in invasions, taught dictators how to torture and crush native groups and ripped through any legislation BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY that they did not like. That is what your big corporations will do with a total free hand if you keep them big in the US and make the government small.
I'm torn, till very recently, I've been financially crippled. I wasn't too fussed about the rich, they gave me the shits, driving their fat arses around in their fancy cars. Staring down their cocaine ravages snouts at my scrappy clothes and worn out shoes. Lately however, I've hit pay dirt and have become the butt of my very own derision. I'm trying desperately to offload the bucket loads of bucks and press the bones of my arse out the trousers I wear but the trousers are just more resilient these days. I keep trying to run out of petrol like the good ole days but the fandangled new whizzbang vehicle tells me to the kilometre just how far I can go before impending breakdown and fuck me, there's actually credit to apply and I haven't managed yet. I'm distraught, my gut is expanding, my sense of self is evaporating, I've become domesticated and tame and lost that hungry look in my eye that served me so well for all those years. I hate the rich, smug fat fucks.
Oh, Spud, the mere fact of having solid money does not make one a jerk. Some of my best friends are wealthy. Well, two of them, and they are married, to each other that is. But they understand the difference between many of the daily irritations they deal with and the problems people who are not wealthy deal with. (and of course, and probably not coincidentally, they have dealt themselves with some harsh shit, I mean no one is immune.) They are grounded in reality and their money has been made in as non-oppressive ways as one can, though it is hard to avoid indirect exploitation, something they are aware of. I don't think if you have money you should automatically feel guilty as some sort of compensation. Hell, I am rich compared to much of the world's population and so are most if not all posters here. But the system supports the rich and the rich control the system. The one's who wish things were actually better for people in general tend to get marginalized and have less impact than other wealthy people.
Isn't this comment usually followed by some sort of racist or religious slur? Oh, wait, that is what you are doing. Only the target is the rich, which you should already know by virtue of some of "your best friends" - not all of the "rich" are Scrooges. Eh? I have no idea what happens up there in the multi-billionaire club, but down here in the millions, we're still pretty normal - I may have a bigger house/car than you, I may have fresh flowers delivered to the house every Thursday, and I may have household staff. But guess what? If I weren't there, none of these other people would benefit. I have been asked "Why are you taking this personally?" - we are talking about "the rich", not you, specifically - well, I am part of that "class", and so I will stand up and speak for us. (Of course, you never know when WillNever will show up) So, to repeat myself, in the spirit of "maybe you will get it the third time 'round": I am in a better position to help others, through donations, payroll advances, endowments, etc., then i would be had I not been successful. Kapish?
It is unfair if they can lobby government into permitting lobbying, which is what they are doing. It's a revolving door between government and corporate interests, and we won't get proper representation until that ends.
Yup, I meant it as ironic. yup, I do know that. I even said it. Where would that money be if it was not with you? I don't know you obviously, you could be just peachy. Sure. I just wish the wealthy in general would move the US towards being a democracy. At least in that direction.
