I can think of nothing the Republicans have done for ordinary people in the last 40 years. Indeed their signature policy is based on Ayn Rand bullshit: cut taxes on the rich. Yet they still get elected.
As Adam Smith pointed out in the same year as the US Constitution - and don't forget, Smith was the father of capitalism - you ha…
I can think of nothing the Republicans have done for ordinary people in the last 40 years. Indeed their signature policy is based on Ayn Rand bullshit: cut taxes on the rich. Yet they still get elected.
As Adam Smith pointed out in the same year as the US Constitution - and don't forget, Smith was the father of capitalism - you have to tax the rich at rates that are higher than the less wealthy, otherwise the truly wealthy will take over the government and distort the market, rendering capitalism inefficient. There is little doubt that Smith was in favor of redistributing wealth. By doing so, the wealthy could not become rapacious, the market would be protected by strong government, and those lower down the food chain would have money to spend on the products the capitalists were producing. An 18th Century win-win.
To paraphrase John Stuart Mill, "I will never say that anyone voting Republican is stupid, but I can say that all stupid people vote Republican." Of course Mill was talking about Victorian Britain, and about the Tories, not the Republicans. But the point is the same. The masses then and now were manipulable because they are religious, and because they are taught to believe that only conservatives know how to run an economy.
Michael, It is hard watching Republicans keep collecting voters when they have no intention to pay attention to Adam Smith or anyone else who actually understands how economies work. They are addicted to money and power and it won't matter how they get it. They will steal, manipulate, cheat, and more while blaming everyone else for the results of their bad behavior. Religions that espouse conservatism are designed to tell people who are suffering through the bad behavior of others that they don't have to worry since when they die, they will go to heaven for their suffering (it worked to keep many enslaved persons in line along with the violence done to those people) or be reincarnated as one of the haves. That is such a clever way to take from the poor and give to the rich, reverse Robin Hoodism and there is a lot of that around. Why people don't rise up more often is a surprise until one realizes that keeping people malnourished, resentful, and angry deprives them of the energy to protest or bring about any meaningful change. We, at least do have the vote, but when people are cowed to the extent the "real" Americans have been, Republicans don't have to worry because they have their votes locked up along with their whining, resentments, fear, and hatred (OK, not very Christian, but they will be forgiven, right?)
Agreed. But Smith pointed this out when he admonished: Never let corporations get together with other corporations or with the government, for it is inevitable that they will collude against the public interest.
And what do we see in modern America? The corporations have colluded to rig prices, and the corporations have bought the government. Hence "corporate welfare" as you so aptly put it.
Ironically, the way back to a working form of Smithian capitalism comes from the left.
KD, I am not sure that it matters whether salvation is based on deeds or something else because this new brand of believers thinks whatever they do is forgiven with no questions asked and that really, god is OK with what they are doing because it is "for the greater cause," whatever they say that cause is. Heck, they believe Donnie is a kind of Messiah or savior like Xerxes and other absolute nonsense, but there are a bunch who are really into it. Now, DeSantis is trying to get people to believe he is anointed by god to rule. Hogwash, but again, look at the election results in Florida and you'll see how many people believe that or at least big parts of it. Not at all Christianity as I understand it, but then, I am not a white male trying to prove his connection to god to get "god" to let him do whatever he wants and convince followers they should go along with it.
It is beyond disgusting how the Maggots have blasphemed. How they did that, and continue to do that, is beyond me. No one with any authority (and I can't stand authoritarianism in any form, including religious hierarchy, just so you know :-) ), e.g., the Pope, has called them out on ANYTHING. I read that they are saying that the Orange Sadist is at a "higher rank" than Jesus, because Jesus was born of man whereas the O.S. was born of God. It is so sick. Almost impossible to believe -- at least for me.
Ruth:
I can think of nothing the Republicans have done for ordinary people in the last 40 years. Indeed their signature policy is based on Ayn Rand bullshit: cut taxes on the rich. Yet they still get elected.
As Adam Smith pointed out in the same year as the US Constitution - and don't forget, Smith was the father of capitalism - you have to tax the rich at rates that are higher than the less wealthy, otherwise the truly wealthy will take over the government and distort the market, rendering capitalism inefficient. There is little doubt that Smith was in favor of redistributing wealth. By doing so, the wealthy could not become rapacious, the market would be protected by strong government, and those lower down the food chain would have money to spend on the products the capitalists were producing. An 18th Century win-win.
To paraphrase John Stuart Mill, "I will never say that anyone voting Republican is stupid, but I can say that all stupid people vote Republican." Of course Mill was talking about Victorian Britain, and about the Tories, not the Republicans. But the point is the same. The masses then and now were manipulable because they are religious, and because they are taught to believe that only conservatives know how to run an economy.
Michael, It is hard watching Republicans keep collecting voters when they have no intention to pay attention to Adam Smith or anyone else who actually understands how economies work. They are addicted to money and power and it won't matter how they get it. They will steal, manipulate, cheat, and more while blaming everyone else for the results of their bad behavior. Religions that espouse conservatism are designed to tell people who are suffering through the bad behavior of others that they don't have to worry since when they die, they will go to heaven for their suffering (it worked to keep many enslaved persons in line along with the violence done to those people) or be reincarnated as one of the haves. That is such a clever way to take from the poor and give to the rich, reverse Robin Hoodism and there is a lot of that around. Why people don't rise up more often is a surprise until one realizes that keeping people malnourished, resentful, and angry deprives them of the energy to protest or bring about any meaningful change. We, at least do have the vote, but when people are cowed to the extent the "real" Americans have been, Republicans don't have to worry because they have their votes locked up along with their whining, resentments, fear, and hatred (OK, not very Christian, but they will be forgiven, right?)
Agreed. But Smith pointed this out when he admonished: Never let corporations get together with other corporations or with the government, for it is inevitable that they will collude against the public interest.
And what do we see in modern America? The corporations have colluded to rig prices, and the corporations have bought the government. Hence "corporate welfare" as you so aptly put it.
Ironically, the way back to a working form of Smithian capitalism comes from the left.
It depends on whether you view salvation as based on deeds, as opposed to superficial (generally not real) "faith".
KD, I am not sure that it matters whether salvation is based on deeds or something else because this new brand of believers thinks whatever they do is forgiven with no questions asked and that really, god is OK with what they are doing because it is "for the greater cause," whatever they say that cause is. Heck, they believe Donnie is a kind of Messiah or savior like Xerxes and other absolute nonsense, but there are a bunch who are really into it. Now, DeSantis is trying to get people to believe he is anointed by god to rule. Hogwash, but again, look at the election results in Florida and you'll see how many people believe that or at least big parts of it. Not at all Christianity as I understand it, but then, I am not a white male trying to prove his connection to god to get "god" to let him do whatever he wants and convince followers they should go along with it.
It is beyond disgusting how the Maggots have blasphemed. How they did that, and continue to do that, is beyond me. No one with any authority (and I can't stand authoritarianism in any form, including religious hierarchy, just so you know :-) ), e.g., the Pope, has called them out on ANYTHING. I read that they are saying that the Orange Sadist is at a "higher rank" than Jesus, because Jesus was born of man whereas the O.S. was born of God. It is so sick. Almost impossible to believe -- at least for me.
well they're Dominionists
and just like Manifest Destinyeers
whatever tf they Do is already pre-Sanctioned
by their God who somewhat suspiciously looks just
like they do or maybe a little Better but He IS God. ffs.
.
which OBVIOUSLY gives them Full LEGAL RIGHTS
which coming from GOD obviously trumps
'yours' and Whatever they SAY Is The LAW.
bonus? you don't even gotta Agree.
.
yes -- THIS is who
we're Up against:
.
christian
fascists
.
the Rich have
co-opted the
Fanatical.
"their God who somewhat suspiciously looks just like they do or maybe a little Better but He IS God." I LOVE this! Too true!
Absolutely.