theloniusfleabag

Dear KK, Well said. It is indeed what I, for the most part, believe. Competition is no cooperation, though, unless the end goal of 'free enterprise' was the extincting of species and the destruction of the environment.

Dear August1991, This is the tenet of 'socialism'. This is also how man evolved. This statement regarding human mores also must date back at least 1,000,000 yrs.

Dear August1991, It depends on what one values. My creation is not that of say, Hitler's. He believed he was creating something of value, (to a few) and took away something more valuable from others to attain it. I agree. What most are unwilling to accept is that this idea is 'bi-polar', and the antithesis to morality.

Dear August1991, [quoteAnd CNN loves it! So, you can be sure CNN is going to make it sound that way! BD is a shill for corporate America! (At least CNN generates profits. The CBC just generates smugness.)It seems that the purpose of all US actions it to generate profit. It is their Koran.

Dear August1991, I am incline to agree with Hugo that a 'Stste', especially a totalitarion one, becomes an entity. I believe it has to do with service. Does it serve you or do you serve it? A good gov't, entity or program should serve the people. A totalitarian one has it the other way around. In Canada, we have a system of high taxation, (leaning left toward Marx) but an ever lessening return on our investment.

Dear Moderate Centrist, Those that could be swayed to make a difference are largely the American people themselves. Once the truth comes out, American Media redoubles their efforts to make sure the AmericanPublic changes the channel back to Survivor.

Dear August1991, Sadly, it is for the most part true. University studies have shown that well over 50% of test subjects are willing to 'torture' fellow test subjects, with electric shocks, often far beyond their own moral limits in an environment geared towards absolute obedience. To Dear Hugo: Marx was merely an example of extreme taxation, not of system of law. I believe this is where you err. There are but 4 choices. 1.Totalitarianism 2.Democracy 3.Free Enterprise 4.Marxism(to qualify, 100%taxation) Humans can only mix two of these four things to come up with a system of societal existence. Obviously, only 1 or 2 can be mixed with 3 or 4. The world today exists, in one form or another, obeying the laws of a mixture of all these things, to varying degrees. In this mixture, only 2 and 4, or 1 and 3 can be the 'theoretical end result' if equality is used as the 'judgement factor'.

Dear August1991, I see BlackDog's tagline as being damning to the 'right', not for it. All cultures see truth according to their idiomatic value system. I see BD's quote as pointing this out, not validating it.

Dear August1991, This would be the slogan of the Anarchy Party, which is and would always will be a party of one. Yet it is the message and the dogma of the US and of the right wing. Shows like survivor,et al,put individual greed on the highest pedestal. It is heavily funded and encouraged. It will been as long as technology is used to espouse it's views. Does technology have a 'self defense mechanism'? Does that make it alive?

Dear Hugo, Amen to that. Mind you, what the US espouss through it's actions today have very little to do with god, democracy and freedom, but are all to do with wealth and power. To enable freedom and democracy, we are going to have to hurt the US a little bit. I believe you are confusing Karl Marx's vision and Vladimir Lenin's vision of 'Communism' with modern day hybrid socialism. Having the state collect taxes to properly run (which seems to be, I'll agree, a most difficult proposition) schools, roads and hospitals, hardly can be equated to the tyrannical deaths of one hundred plus million people. Lenin and Stalin bastardized Marx every bit as much as what Martha Stewart and the Menedez brothers have done to the values held by George Washington.

Dear Moderate Centrist, One must keep in mind that America was settled and founded by immigrants from all of those 'European colonialists'. Further, you suggest that America is not 'colonialist', or power hungry, I offer this excerpt from the news tonight, regarding OPEC's decision to cut production... Further, Bush used blatant threats to oil-bearing nations with this... What would he do if they didn't 'open their spigots'? Announce that, as elected president, he would invade the country with the world's largest oil reserve (Iraq) to secure American (first and foremost) interests for OPEC pricing and production numbers? Of course he couldn't say it. He is doing it, though, through Noam Chomsky's method of 'manufacturing consent'.

Dear Hugo, As I have said before, that conquest must come from, and will be, within the individual. Dispersion of power is anathema to the US. It's present goal is to solidify it, to be like colonial England, where all profits are governed by, and fed back to, the powerful. Since Hugo has chosen between God and Man.

Dear Hugo, Only when humans control it. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, yet what is the point of competition if not to win? nonsense. Social equality is a fact (while I disagree on some case-bycase examples) and you and I derive direct benefit from it. It is the basis of law, not 'free enterprise', which is "unobtainable 'responsible anarchy', that you seem to espuse as the 'law of the jungle'. Both can rule, but I maintain that mankind could be above base drives.

Dear FastNed, Actually the US supported the 'murderous dictator of Liberia' to protect their economic investments there. It started in the 80's, to the best of my recollection. (I could look it up in my World Human Rights Guide if you want exact dates).

Dear KK, Gee whiz, France acted exactly as unto the almighty USA. Abetting evil dictators in the name of profit. Was TotalFinaElf profiting for themselves, or fighting the 'red menace' so that Russia would not be the beneficiaries of Iraq's (and the world's largest) oil reserve? I guess the US showed France, the US invaded and took the contracts by force.

Dear Hugo, Once a capitalist helps another, he ceases to be a true capitalist. He has stepped down the 'evil' road to socialist 'hell'. Seriously, though, charity and social values are opposites to individual gain.

Dear August1991, Ownership is control. In itself it makes no distinction. Waste is a key ingredient for capitalism. It helps to maximize profit. Not always waste from the producer, mostly from the consumer. A good business owner would pray that the consumer wastes their product. I can only say that you must have raised them poorly.

Dear Hugo, I have read them all, none of them 'online'. The last two have no relevance to my argument. In fact, they may even support it.I also will suggest that you are mistaken to use the word 'socialism' in your arguments. 'Communism' would be a better fit, and more so 'Marxist-Leninist'. Lenin brought the totalitarianism that was not the dream of Marx. Socialism is, as Mr. Hardner previously pointed out( in a different context), a hybrid system of taxation with the iintent of benefitting all, in a 'controlled' free-enterprise system. Otherwise, 'free-enterprise' means 'everyman for himself'. The 'right wing' believes that they can function as "responsible anarchists" but I tend to disagree.

Dear Hugo, History shows this to be utter bunk. Capitalism was borne on, and thrives on, the lack of these things. They only need to exist, and only to a certain degree, in the nation that most derives its profits from the others.

Dear KK, I must vehemently disagree. If you are talking about self-fulfillment, I would still disagree. Elder, you are very much on track here. It is a concept that is obviously beyond KK, and one can't blame him, for it is indeed beyond most. Buddha, Jesus and ilk left 'self' as a factor behind. Not ignored it, not used it for selfish ends, but pursued noble values that did not include self, and thereby equated 'self' to the value of 'all'.

Dear Hugo, This is the essence of land ownership, a fact that enabled the whites to 'cheat' the 'Originals' out of North America. Thank goodness there were no laws(apart from force) when whitey came! Nonsense. Lies and deceit are merely marketing tools, subject to the belief of the consumer. The majority purchase according to the most reputable, and the 'cheapest' must maintain some degree of credibility or they go thy way of the 'snake oil' salesmen. Ethics is an entirely different animal. Hence my argument that right-wingers cannot seriously be religious,According to the theory of the right wing, Jesus must have been the greatest fool that ever lived. He could have opened a 'Loaf and Fish' store with zero overhead, unlimited supply and equally unlimited demand.

Dear Hugo, It is a fact that capitalism is held in check by these two things. It has been quoted previously, 'capitalism is basically economic anarchy, plus the police'. Monopoly laws, labour standards and human rights are all roadblocks to, and not products of, purest capitalism.I must agree with Mr Hardner, though, that a hybrid system is the best thing that mankind can 'cope' with at this time.

Dear Hugo, A capitalist cannot be a Christian at all. They can only parrot the words. They must set aside Christianity from their actions, for its words and meaning appear in no ledger.What fails to be recognized is that the right believes 'what serves the one helps serve all' according to the 'trickle down theory' of 'Christianity'. What Socialism (and I believe what Christ meant) says is 'what helps all ergo helps the one'. If you believe that there is only two, it makes arriving at the proper answer a whole lot easier.

Dear Hugo, Greed and envy are one and the same, no? Coveting means that you are envious of another's wealth. The driving principle of capitalism, not socialism. Capitalism requires man to throw aside saintly aspirations and serve the other God, one which will give him what he covets. Ergo, one must say that God and the commandments were mistaken.

Dear KK, Good advice. I shall pass it on to the next rape victim I come across. Not sure if this was directed at me or the Bush Administration, lol.