The Very Few vs. Freedom

Sierra Times ^ | 5/26/2006 | Nancy Levant

[expat_panama]

you're hot to raise her income taxes to pay for "free trade"?

Why thank you.  I think you're hot too.

But that's not important now, lets talk about something else we agree on --taxes.  We agree that all taxes need to be cut --the more the better, and that all forms of federal government welfare, subsidies, and protection should be eliminated.

Any time you see our taxes paying for anyone's trade --free or otherwise, let's vote to eliminate it.  Deal?

[hedgetrimmer]

`United States Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the Americas'-$250,000,000.The Fund shall be used to provide assistance to reduce poverty.

To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for voluntary contributions on a grant basis to the Organization of American States (OAS ) to establish a Center for Caribbean Basin Trade and to establish a skills-based training program for Caribbean Basin countries.. up to $10,000,000

[Mase]

Our continued worship of false idols, like wealth and the wealthy, has permitted the likes of global elites to tear down freedom and rights not only in America, but also all over the world. Everything they plan, orchestrate, and do revolves around the continuance of personal wealth and power and their undisputed claims to intellectual and moral superiority – and all at the expense of humankind.

Does the author of this article claim to be a conservative? The reason I ask is because it sure sounds to me like she's arguing here in favor of a centralized economy. Do you think the author has any statistics showing the percentage of people in the world living in freedom today vs. 50 years ago? Do you think she knows how many countries are democracies today vs. 50 years ago? Does she have any grasp of real per-capita GDP in the world today vs. 50 years ago?

This is one bizarre individual with some very scary ideas.

[Mase]

Corporations are empowered because they have made decisions to serve their market in such a way that they've attracted and maintained consumers; consumers with free will

Maybe I'm reading her wrong but the authors statement you replied to sounds like an indictment of the profit motive of corporations. Milton Friedman said that in a free society there is but only one social responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to create profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud. It is people, not businesses who have responsibilities.

Then there is Williams' law: Whenever the profit incentive is missing, the probability that peoples wants can safely be ignored is the greatest. If a poll were taken asking people which services they are most satisfied with, for-profit organizations would dominate the list while non-profit organizations would be at the bottom.

In a free economy, the pursuit of profits and serving the people are one in the same. The system isn't perfect but it is the closest we've come to it. Why more people (especially here) don't recognize this remains a mystery.

[LowCountryJoe]

Well written!

And to this:

The system isn't perfect but it is the closest we've come to it. Why more people (especially here) don't recognize this remains a mystery.

I reply, "Amen!"

[expat_panama]

United States Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the Americas'-

--and aren't we glad that it died in commitee:

H.R.953
Title: To authorize the establishment of a Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the Americas to provide assistance to reduce poverty and foster increased economic opportunity in the countries of the Western Hemisphere, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Menendez, Robert [NJ-13] (introduced 2/17/2005)      Cosponsors (30)
Related Bills: S.682
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Now, if only we could have all those other protective welfare programs die in committee too...

[hedgetrimmer]

For your information democracy <> freedom.

Americans are less free than they were 50 years ago, arguably then there is less freedom in the world than there was 50 years ago.

[hedgetrimmer]

The reason I ask is because it sure sounds to me like she's arguing here in favor of a centralized economy.

Thats funny because its really the "free traders" who are centralizing the global economy.

[FerdieMurphy]

Lake Shark is just paranoid about helicopters.

[Nightrider]

agreed

[Nightrider]

i don't necessarily disagree, but isn't 'waiting for the other guy to step up' a form of laziness??

[OpusatFR]

"i don't necessarily disagree, but isn't 'waiting for the other guy to step up' a form of laziness??"

I don't think so. Organization, ability, verbal and mental acumen, and most of all, fearlessness, have to be present in someone for decisive action.

Those qualities are rare in one person. Most people have no idea of their own abilities since they have not been tested or tried.

INO, leadership on a grand scale

[1rudeboy]

I'm not sure if she is arguing for a centralized economy. She sounds like more of a "Third Way" type.

[Mase]

She sounds like more of a "Third Way" type.

Could this be the Capitalism with a face I keep hearing about?

[1rudeboy]

Birkenstocked Burkeans: Confessions of a granola conservative [Free Republic]

[1rudeboy]

I forgot to add that I don't know what kind she is, but she does appear to be peculiar.