tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post281347597288147689..comments2023-11-05T03:12:10.925-06:00Comments on Renegade Eye: At the Dawn of a New YearFrank Partisanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-62885620645138267432009-01-09T01:35:00.000-06:002009-01-09T01:35:00.000-06:00Blue in Green: Iran is needed to help the US break...Blue in Green: Iran is needed to help the US break with Iran. New relations will be developed soon with the US.Frank Partisanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-22030650033655576362009-01-08T19:37:00.000-06:002009-01-08T19:37:00.000-06:00I am sure Iran has been on the radar for quite som...I am sure Iran has been on the radar for quite sometime as sponsoring Hamas. I mean this may take a very different and surprising turn. I may be wrong but something tells me it may be the beginning of something much more broader. I hope not.?https://www.blogger.com/profile/01992276117548193938noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-12997792417239125032009-01-07T02:10:00.000-06:002009-01-07T02:10:00.000-06:00Dave: This is not my favorite Alan Woods piece. I...Dave: This is not my favorite Alan Woods piece. I posted it for the first half, about how people become involved in change. Holiday Greetings.<BR/><BR/>Pagan: Well said, people have both cooperative and competitive aspects.<BR/><BR/>FJ: If something happens and $$$ is again circulated, it'll go for rent and bills. The productive businesses are in other countries.<BR/><BR/>Larry G:It has evolved that corporations have more rights than people.Frank Partisanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-80253482456537029132009-01-06T13:39:00.000-06:002009-01-06T13:39:00.000-06:00Any good football game, or any other team sport, h...Any good football game, or any other team sport, has to have rules, or you have chaos on the field or court, etc. Pretty soon, it would just be a free-for-all, and the next thing you know, all but the hooligans are leaving in disgust, or maybe just watching in amazement from a safe distance. <BR/><BR/>American capitalism is the same way. As long as there are reasonable rules-regulations-then we all stand to benefit. However, add in too many regulations, and pretty soon you have something that is more trouble than it is worth. Just like no one wants to watch an overly regulated football game. Risks are unrewarded, if not penalized, and before long it becomes more of an exercise in walking on egg-shells. <BR/><BR/>Worse, it discourages competition. In sports, it results in domination by the best-managed and funded teams with the resources to buy the best players. <BR/><BR/>In capitalism, it results in all but the wealthiest corporations regulated out of business. Which is of course precisely the reason many major corporations and CEO's promote certain regulations to begin with. They know they can absorb the shock, and of course pass it on to the consumer, while many of their smaller competitors can't hope to adjust.<BR/><BR/>Still, you need to have some rules and regulations, or ironically you end up with the same net long-term effect, and the consumer and worker pays the price.SecondComingOfBasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03336586430250490679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-23105123507676093752009-01-06T12:17:00.000-06:002009-01-06T12:17:00.000-06:00It's high time we put the Ltd. (limited) BACK in I...It's high time we put the Ltd. (limited) BACK in Inc. (in-corpse-oration).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-6594159025566776002009-01-06T12:10:00.000-06:002009-01-06T12:10:00.000-06:00Whoever has the most toys upon their death, wins!B...Whoever has the most toys upon their death, wins!<BR/><BR/>But "immortals" should never be allowed to play!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-4877793909724344022009-01-06T12:09:00.000-06:002009-01-06T12:09:00.000-06:00One of the biggest mistakes the US government ever...<I>One of the biggest mistakes the US government ever made was in codifying into law the dubious proposition that a corporation should be viewed with the same rights as an actual living human. This has led to a plethora of odious practices."</I><BR/><BR/>Amen! Death to the <A HREF="http://www.jaffebros.com/lee/gulliver/bk3/chap3-10.html" REL="nofollow">Struldbruggs</A>!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-79322551200042812312009-01-06T12:04:00.000-06:002009-01-06T12:04:00.000-06:00...or sublimated it in harmless ways such as games...<I>...or sublimated it in harmless ways such as games or status symbols, rather than made it a virtue as has capitalism.</I><BR/><BR/>You don't see capitalism as just such a "sublimation" with "nice cars" as the trophies of the victors?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-65338775197315207552009-01-06T05:20:00.000-06:002009-01-06T05:20:00.000-06:00This is a shocker from Woods.Was he on something?W...This is a shocker from Woods.<BR/>Was he on something?<BR/>What a ramble.<BR/><BR/>Anyway best for a revolutionary new year.Dave Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12873621971212067467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-75730427612923673592009-01-05T16:09:00.000-06:002009-01-05T16:09:00.000-06:00"One of the biggest mistakes the US government eve..."One of the biggest mistakes the US government ever made was in codifying into law the dubious proposition that a corporation should be viewed with the same rights as an actual living human. This has led to a plethora of odious practices."<BR/><BR/><BR/>Thank you Pagan Temple! I have been saying that for years. You can also add to it the limited liability fraud.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-82057910075637396102009-01-05T16:07:00.000-06:002009-01-05T16:07:00.000-06:00Farmer, There would be no greater enemy of "Christ...Farmer, There would be no greater enemy of "Christianity" than Jesus. There would be no greater enemy of so-called free market ideology than Smith, there would be no greater enemy of most "Marxism" than Marx...Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-68151636707673892632009-01-05T16:04:00.000-06:002009-01-05T16:04:00.000-06:00I agree Pagan, its just that some people reduce hu...I agree Pagan, its just that some people reduce humanity to its competitive aspect, ignoring the cooperative, and then try to rationalize domination and exploitation as being a logical outgrowth of that innate competitiveness. Furthermore, most cultures historically have limited internal competition, or sublimated it in harmless ways such as games or status symbols, rather than made it a virtue as has capitalism.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-42969173184017184622009-01-05T12:50:00.000-06:002009-01-05T12:50:00.000-06:00"Mohamedhassan, humans as innately competitive is ..."Mohamedhassan, humans as innately competitive is an 19th Century myth called social Darwinism. It is a rationalization for the existing system just like the myth of racial inferiority was a rationalization for imperialism. Humans survived as a species through cooperation. Where competition did occur is between groups of humans not within the groups. Internal group competition would have weakened the group and thus made it less likely to survive. Examine the anthropological evidence with hunting and gathering bands - a premium is placed on cooperation within those groups."<BR/><BR/>All of this is right, but it only tells half the story. Humans are more complex than you make them out to be. Group cooperation is an essential part of our make-up, but so is competition both within and without the group. <BR/><BR/>Life is like a football game, or any other group competitive sport. You have competition between the two opposing forces, but cooperation within each of the teams. When cooperation within one team falls apart, you generally have a rout. <BR/><BR/>That's the way life is. We evolved under competitive circumstances. We competed with animals for food and with the natural forces for food and shelter. It's so ingrained within our DNA it will never be eradicated-nor should it be. <BR/><BR/>Success requires cooperation and at the same timer competition, and a healthy balance between the two. So hast it ever been, and so mote it be.SecondComingOfBasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03336586430250490679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-55766532268110633172009-01-05T12:38:00.001-06:002009-01-05T12:38:00.001-06:00Had Smith lived contemporaneously, he would have i...Had Smith lived contemporaneously, he would have issued the same admonition warning against legislation proposed by idealistic elected representatives.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-38473474439123093862009-01-05T12:38:00.000-06:002009-01-05T12:38:00.000-06:00That's exactly why I've always been a believer in ...That's exactly why I've always been a believer in and proponent of some regulations, though they should be temperate and moderate, yet to that point enforced to the letter. Otherwise, you are actually giving power to what amounts to an unelected class of people who will then proceed to rule the roost. <BR/><BR/>One of the biggest mistakes the US government ever made was in codifying into law the dubious proposition that a corporation should be viewed with the same rights as an actual living human. This has led to a plethora of odious practices.<BR/><BR/>At the same time, I am by no means against accumulation of wealth or against corporations per se. I'm not against leopards either, but you have to keep them contained, or you're going to have some problems.SecondComingOfBasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03336586430250490679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-75585452994516006442009-01-05T11:37:00.000-06:002009-01-05T11:37:00.000-06:00FJ Adam Smith said: "The proposal of any new law o...FJ Adam Smith said: <I>"The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order [the capitalists], ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it."</I>Frank Partisanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-40168163755105406172009-01-05T08:54:00.000-06:002009-01-05T08:54:00.000-06:00Not a force for progress? I suspect that absent g...Not a force for progress? I suspect that absent government profligacy, it's as great a force today as it has ever been. Have you ever seen the illustrations for avarice in Dante's Inferno? Think Sisyphus.<BR/><BR/>But then again, why should the avaricious apply themselves when governments will supply all their wants in exchange for nothing? <BR/><BR/>But then again, I'm not from the political party that favours increasing our sixty trillion dollar unfunded national debt by offering free medical care and extended unemployment benefits.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-41897185995564393432009-01-04T23:37:00.000-06:002009-01-04T23:37:00.000-06:00Larry: I've noticed that the rightists we talk to,...Larry: I've noticed that the rightists we talk to, aren't with the establishment like Bush. Bush isn't above expediency.<BR/><BR/>He's rarely mentioned.Frank Partisanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-614801465478663642009-01-04T23:32:00.000-06:002009-01-04T23:32:00.000-06:00Mohamed: This is not my favorite post.If you read ...Mohamed: This is not my favorite post.<BR/><BR/>If you read this post, and instantly turned Marxist, I would be suspicious.<BR/><BR/>When I list specific proposals, that's what should be discussed. This post was mostly to talk about the times in history, when masses join the world stage.<BR/><BR/>FJ: Not more odious, just not a force for progress like it was. <BR/><BR/>I don't think a Marxist critique would attack avarice. It would acknowledge it as a natural part of capitalism. Marxism doesn't deal with ideas of capitalists as the behavior. People are different under feudalism or a slave society, than under capitalism.Frank Partisanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03536211653082893030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-82675212467865191182009-01-04T17:53:00.000-06:002009-01-04T17:53:00.000-06:00Farmer, I apologize for my previous statements. Re...Farmer, I apologize for my previous statements. Re-reading your posting, I found that I read it too quickly the first time and came to the conclusion that you were blaming the entire crisis on loans to the poorer sections of the populace and letting the system off the hook a la Ann Coulter, which, of course, would be irrational position to take. <BR/><BR/>Your position is more complex than hers.<BR/><BR/>Nonetheless, social psychology is a handy tool for understanding why people hold irrational views, though perhaps you might disagree.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-15931243889214061662009-01-04T17:06:00.000-06:002009-01-04T17:06:00.000-06:00So while any Marxist "critique" of capitalism will...So while any Marxist "critique" of capitalism will resoundingly condemn avarice, it completely ignores and excuses the prodigal and offers them no incentive to ever mend their ever profligate ways.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-9233539642822004482009-01-04T16:16:00.000-06:002009-01-04T16:16:00.000-06:00If you wish to redistribute wealth, then tax it. ...If you wish to redistribute <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nicolas_R%C3%A9gnier_-_Allegory_of_Vanity_(Pandora).JPG" REL="nofollow">wealth</A>, then tax it. Don't try and devise a system that can fairly distribute it. Plutus always was, and always will be, blind. There's no reforming him, or healing his eyesight at a sacred temple of AsclepiusAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-80899172657915271292009-01-04T15:56:00.000-06:002009-01-04T15:56:00.000-06:00An "analysis" of your opponent's motives and/or ps...An "analysis" of your opponent's motives and/or psychic state is hardly a refutation to an argument, gambonehead. And additional ad hominems will forever fail to yield additional argument. So try again, gamboner.<BR/><BR/><I>Now we're in a period when capitalist greed emphasized wealth for the sake of wealth, speculation, selling debt etc. </I> <BR/><BR/>Ren, do you REALLY expect anyone to believe that the nature of "greed" has evolved and become somehow more "odious" in the past sixty years?<BR/><BR/>Yes, members of both parties participated in an excursion from capitalism in a vain attempt by regulators to expand access to housing (wealth) and capital to minorities without capital. But as the housing market has demonstrated, that "excursion" from market realities (and its' attendant moral hazards) has proven to be the greatest financial mistake in modern history. <BR/><BR/>So the solution to our financial predicament is not to go off on an even greater digressive experiment in regulatory excesses in some vain attempt to overpower and directing the "invisible hand" towards rewarding the the inept and incapable, but rather to face the simple Maltheusian truth that poverty and vice are the only limits inherently greedy and selfish human beings will accede to in limiting both their conspicuous over-consumption and population growth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-54365863020479282172009-01-04T11:53:00.000-06:002009-01-04T11:53:00.000-06:00Marxism is a critique of capitalism, not an econom...Marxism is a critique of capitalism, not an economic system. Socialism is actually a very simple idea – that those who do the work should be the ones to own and control the means of wealth production. Full socialism would not occur overnight, it would take generations to develop. Its first step would not be the imposition of some abstract model of an economy, but popular power through workers and neighborhood councils.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11704331.post-32824049631076759112009-01-04T11:17:00.000-06:002009-01-04T11:17:00.000-06:00Mohamedhassan, humans as innately competitive is a...Mohamedhassan, humans as innately competitive is an 19th Century myth called social Darwinism. It is a rationalization for the existing system just like the myth of racial inferiority was a rationalization for imperialism. Humans survived as a species through cooperation. Where competition did occur is between groups of humans not within the groups. Internal group competition would have weakened the group and thus made it less likely to survive. Examine the anthropological evidence with hunting and gathering bands - a premium is placed on cooperation within those groups.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.com