The intent of this blog is to promote human equality, human progress, human peace and justice, and optimism. To accomplish this, to encourage the discussion of ideas after identifying and discovering problems, and then creating positive solutions for "we the people," in order to provide for the "general welfare" and "domestic tranquility" of America now and its "posterity" into the future. To encourage an emphasis on separation of religion and state for all, no matter if this is for those "of faith" in a Maker / Creator (Deists, God-loving people, Christians, various people of spirituality) and atheists or agnostics.

Posts tagged ‘Adam Smith’

MISTER DOUG NOTES

Communism.  Communist Manifesto.  Karl Marx.  Friedrich Engels.

Wikipedia describes Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as “political theorists.”  I disagree.  What came out of the “Communist Manifesto” of 1848 was more closely related to economics than to political science.

In this manifesto, was there not an attack on capitalism?  Capitalism is about economics, not politics.  Adam Smith was a  proponent of capitalism as an economic system to replace feudalism and mercantile systems which had existed up to his day.  According to the writings of P.J. O’Rourke and former Congressperson (and Republican), Joe Scarborough, Adam Smith advocated a government intervention and regulation of the excesses of banks and unbridled speculation.  That was Smith’s foray into politics, yet the ultra-conservatives today will call those who advocate what Smith advocated as being “communist.”  Marx and Engels, my friends, came some 50 or so years after Adam Smith, so check your facts, rather than striking out, like bullies, at good people, even if we, too, can make mistakes.

Marx and Engels assessed the economic systems around 1848 and concluded the systems were “capitalist.”  Even with the time period of 50 years following Adam Smith, capitalism had not fully taken root.  As a musician, I see the early 19th-century movement away from the Esterhazy (royalty) patronage of Haydn to the business independence of Beethoven.  But royalty still did run the world, whether Marx or Engels wanted to acknowledge this fact or not (or were just too dumb to see it).

Cuban and Russian exiles are also ignorant to Adam Smith and true capitalism because the czar of Russia and Battista of Cuba both presided over feudal economic systems.  Ayn Rand was mistaken in what she said because she never researched capitalism carefully enough, in order to recognize the wisdom gained by Adam Smith as he endorsed the same type of regulation which eventually became the hallmarks of Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt.  The Roosevelts have also been mis-perceived as “communist,” despite the fact I am able to prove they were following the wisdom of a capitalist named Adam Smith.

The Great Depression and the 2008 Bush Recession were both caused by over-speculation of bankers and investors. This was the same type of over-speculation which Adam Smith observed and thus advocated bridled capitalism in the 18th Century.

If people who are like Marco Rubio and followers of Ayn Rand, the Russian, are so stupid they refuse to see what true capitalism is – even when someone points it out, they remain stubbornly ignorant.  When such people conclude only from their narrow vision of economic systems which were actually reactions to feudalism, they remain stubbornly ignorant.  I don’t want people like Rubio or “disciples” of Ayn Rand running my nation – the nation of the Roosevelts.

The issue regarding the “Communist Manifesto” is about economics, not politics.  One can invoke a similar economic system as the one proposed by Marx and Engels, but have a democratic form of government.  These are called “socialist democracies.”  Tito of Yugoslavia had a more democratic form (politics) of “communism” or “socialism (economics).” Marx and Engels proposed an autocratic “dictatorship of the proletariat.”  HItler’s autocratic dictatorship (politics) remained a capitalist economic system, even if it did favor Caucasians and trashed Jews and other minorities.  But, to white honky racists who trash equality, no form of government or economics is good – except that which favors their pitiful selves.

There are parallels between Adam Smith’s proposal for a controlled capitalism and socialism.  In my mind, capitalism is better because it allows the economy to grow when products and services we WANT are provided in a competitive environment, such as that in Vermont (which denies the building of many big boxes, in favor of the local competitive businesses).  At the same time, we need to acknowledge human needs and, as a society AND government respond accordingly.  The problem is that the politicians, on the take from corrupt lobbyists, have given us a terrible system.  Like Vermont, Washington could deny lobbyist access to legislators, but the refusal to do so is written with dollar signs and green in the eyes.

Handouts from the government proliferate and such handouts are perpetuated by politicians trying to win elections by determining which politician can provide the most handouts.  Handouts are NOT capitalism and are NOT socialism.  Entitlements are more about a “return on our investments” than about handouts, but people are so damned confused about all of this.

It is unfortunate that so many “big piggies” believe there should be a destruction of the political system called democracy and we should replace democracy with an autocratic plutocracy run by corporations.  The forces behind these big piggies are “human” corporations ruling against the “numbers” (by bean counter standards – the stupid ones with MBAs and JDs), in other words, the “slaves” and “robots” – the common humans who are humans in the FLESH, not pieces of papers about corporations as drawn up by the bean counters.

“We the people,” rich in numbers of people but low in dollar signs, are being convinced we cannot overcome all of this.  Who are the ones with the psychological means and control of the Media, running on the informal money-based “Un-fairness Doctrine,” to convince us of this negative attitude?

I refuse to believe such negatives.  But I have a problem.  Without people shedding that negative attitude, I stand alone and can be damned, can I not?

Mister Doug

Category:

Mister Doug Notes

Tagged with:

THE MISTER DOUG REPORT

“We the people…”

Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed the idea that the words of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution are the greatest part of that document.  “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…”  He recognized, especially through his wife, Eleanor, that subjection of a minority – the African-Americans – by a majority did not accomplish the goal of, “We the people, in order to form a more perfect union…”  But even FDR was afraid of the Bible-belt jerks in the South who interpreted the Bible in a negative way, with regard to African-Americans.  God bless Eleanor, because she truly had no fear of the stubbornly ignorant ones with brains baked by the sun in the South.

Even today, the sun-baked brains of some of Dixie would rather throw away the “we the people…” because they just don’t believe in social equality.

These dimwitted folks have caused pain and suffering to many of us who DO believe in social equality.  How so?  By insisting we should not have Social Security and taking measures to eliminate it.  By insisting we not have Medicare and taking measures to eliminate it.  By insisting we not have state retirement pensions and taking measures to eliminate such plans.  By eliminating corporate pension plans.  In each case, the influence of those who refuse to accept social equality have set up these systems to appear there is a lack of money.  The real reason behind this?  To deny a diverse population to receive these benefits.  These big fat stupid honkies truly believe they alone are the ones who should receive such benefits.  They have even convinced black racists of the same.  The big fat pig honkies have convinced the Uncle Toms of the pleasures of not receiving Social Security, Medicare, or pensions, only because these black folks are the ones with plenty of money to create their own retirement security.  Not all of us have such luck.

And speaking of “luck,” yesterday my sources mentioned the huge amount of money given by a casino owner – and likely a member of the Mafia – to Karl Rove’s PAC.  Karl Rove, a wealthy honky pig from Dixie.  Karl Rove is one of those who have commandeered the party of Lincoln and abolitionists and turned it into a party of cowards, bullies, and pigs.  And the dumb common people follow this party, with wool over their eyes. I resent being forced to live my life according to luck, which is what the casino owners wish would happen.  I had a great-grandmother who said luck is evil.  Until I have seen what “luck” is doing to this nation and “we the people,” by casinos and other forms of disgusting practices, I never would have believed what my wise great-grandmother said.  But then, she had grown up during the Spanish-American War, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the Korean Conflict.  I respect her opinion more than I do the opinions of the fat pigs who dominate our lives today.

Yes, the Mafia of “luck” is aligned with Bible-belt jerks who apparently have missed the scriptures which discuss “luck.” Bible-belt bullies cherry-pick the Bible according to their needs of hatred and self-righteousness and judgment.  They check their brains in at the doors of churches.  They bully the rest of us, dishonoring our own faith by marginalizing us and screwing us over when we defend our own faith.

Near my home is a bails bondsman who has a huge sign in front of his business in support of Rick Scott.  Now why would he support Rick Scott?  I wonder why?  Carlie might be called, “Chain-gang Charlie,” but at least he was dealing with those already in jail.  Thieves and bullies like Rick Scott and Pam Bondi prefer to fill the jails and then deny these are “political prisoners.”  This makes for excessive profits on the part of a bails bondsman.  The more in jail, the more there are for his business.  Why would he NOT support Rick Scott?

We all support or vote for a candidate due to our own financial stability.  But the bails bondsmen and many who support Rick Scott are those who wish to achieve  windfall and excessive profits for THEMSELVES and could care less about society. These pigs do nothing for society, only for themselves – and vote likewise.

Such people are not happy with just having their own excessive profits, but somehow convince everyone that government needs to stop collecting revenues in order to balance budgets.

What about the bails bondsman’s family?  Is it the perfect picture, as drawn by James Dobson, the proclaimed “family” expert with the Bible cherry-picking tongs and the egotistical divine rights he gains from excessive amounts of money?

I, too, wish to receive benefits for myself.  But, on the other hand, I weigh the various problems and situations in our lives against what is best for more people?  Taking pensions away benefits only a small number of people – those at the top.  Common folk who don’t have pensions believe, out of pure jealousy, that those with pensions don’t deserve them.  Yet, they fail to step back to see the larger picture, jealous of the ones who REMOVE the pensions in the first place.  How stupid and unintelligent are these common folks.

For generations, my own family has existed on the idea of making a profit, but not necessarily excessive profits and those built on greed.  I grew up with a wonderful family.  I am talking about both my immediate and extended families.  Oh, there was no perfection.  My dad was a single owner of a private business – self-employed, as described by the IRS.  He did not seek excessive profits and he helped his own family along the way.

My dad and mom were once on the same road as a Republican who worked his way to wealth and fortune.  My parents supported him and provided assistance to him, when he had nothing.  However, my parents have received absolutely no appreciation for what they did to help that man along the way.  Yet, like other Republican pigs today, they insist they are “self-made” and had no help from others, especially never acknowledging the help of the government.

Rick Scott likely had similar situation in his past.  He probably passes off the “little people” after they helped him along the way.

People like Scott and the Republican I have described above – pigs – are unappreciative people.  They take and take and expect the little guy to keep giving, with no regard to a family budget.  Just be a “good family man,” as defined by James Dobson.  We family-oriented people are supposed to ignore the fact that monopolistic private enterprise can dictate high prices, worse than taxes.  And when the government is stripped down, the means for communicating with a representative government are ended.  These anti-government, egotistical, money-worshiping, money-loving pigs remove the means for the common people to stop the excessive greed of monopolistic corporations with CEOs making 200% more than the lowest-paid employee (it was 25% gap in the 1970s, before Reagan).  These pigs are destroying pension plans for the average guy.

Profit in the family budget?  Why, only those with a “divine right” and those who own most of the resources in this nation are apparently allowed to make profits (according to Rick Scott and others) – and boy, the profits they make.  Rather than SPREAD OUT the OPPORTUNITIES for the average family to benefit from the PROFITS OF CAPITALISM, the bullying greedy selfish honky pigs deny the equality of capitalism. These pigs then wonder why madmen like Castro and Stalin come to the forefront.  Even those who defend capitalism, but do not wish to have unbridled capitalism are called “communists” solely on the belief that the disagreement with the pigs labels us as “communist.”  FDR is one.  Eleanor Roosevelt was one.  I am one.  And I will quote Adam Smith from the 18th Century – many years before the “communist manifesto” was written, to defend placing some reigns on capitalism.  Adam Smith, the original capitalist, advocated the type of “bridled capitalism” advocated by FDR.  Like FDR, I, too, don’t accept ideology.  I accept solutions which will work.

I did not go into teaching because of a promise of excessive profits.  I did not go into teaching for the money.  The guy who was helped along by my parents to the fortune he has today, told me, as a kid, I was stupid – on two counts:  (1) I should not admire FDR and (2) why would I become a teacher?  I should go where “the money is…” dentistry or medicine or engineering.  I am so stupid not to recognize that the future was going to be controlled by idiots like him – with money and a perceived divine right.  What a dingleberry I was – apparently.

I have worked in both public and private educational organizations.  I have worked in a corporation.  I have worked with and without a union or tenure.  I am here to tell you that a non-union corporate model has more unethical political protections of some employees, while others got no protection.  It was not always based on how well the employees performed, either.

I obtained student loans in New York state for both public and private institutions of higher education.  The loans for the private institution were far worse than for the public institution.  Rather than purposely default and have more money available to me to invest in my future, I faithfully paid back those loans – while raising a family.  I am not griping, but just pointing out that there were those in my generation who DELIBERATELY defaulted, thus causing all of us more expense, while those people might just be the Karl Roves and Rick Scotts of the world who were able to save for their own retirement.

Many greedy, selfish, egotistical, money-loving, money-worshiping Republican bullies have no conscience to understand the human story behind what I am saying.  Money-worship blinds these pigs and they merely marginalize people like me (and Eleanor Roosevelt, in past years) as being griping lunatics.  They refuse to understand the point I make, as they then remove whatever I have been able to work hard to attain – a pension for retirement.  Under these conditions, why would I not endorse the axing of all Bush tax credits for the wealthy? Who is causing class warfare?  We have all been working smart and hard to attain what we set out to do, only to find the wealthy pulling the rug out from beneath us, while these pigs add more and more to their own coffers.

In reality, these wealthy pigs are not the “self-made men,” as they like to portray themselves.  In reality, people like me are the “self-made men AND WOMEN” of the world.  I quietly worked, became a company man when it was required, figured out how to go around hurdles presented to me, solved problems, and fathered a family.  I had many successes, but also overcame failures, too – learning from my failures.  I am not perfect and often do not toot my horn as much as greedy, selfish, egotistical money-loving, money-worshiping people do, as they attack their fellow human beings.

 

“Piggies” by Lennon / McCartney and the Beatles; White Album

Have you seen the little piggies
Crawling in the dirt
And for all the little piggies
Life is getting worse
Always having dirt to play around in.

Have you seen the bigger piggies
In their starched white shirts
You will find the bigger piggies
Stirring up the dirt
Always have clean shirts to play around in.

In their sties with all their backing
They don’t care what goes on around
In their eyes there’s something lacking
What they need’s a damn good whacking.

Everywhere there’s lots of piggies
Living piggy lives

 

“We the people…” are more important than the “big piggies” and don’t enjoy being the slave-like “little piggies.”

Mister Doug

Category:

Commentary, Mister Doug Report, New Comments

Tagged with:

Republicans Who Support Tea Party are Traitors to This Country

The tea party is attempting to turn people against our Constitutional-based democratic-based country, attempting to destroy our U.S. Constitution which is described by former Israeli prime minister, Menachim Begin, as one of the greatest documents ever written.  The Constitution begins with “We the people…”  The tea party wishes to change it to, “We the corporate monopolists…”  I refuse to accept that this nation is a “republic,” as die-hard Republicans try to claim.  It is NOT a republic, it is a democracy of “We the people…” as stated in the first line of the U.S. Constitution.

Attempting to tear apart “We the people…” is a method of “divide and conquer” so as to tear apart all the accomplishments of Teddy Roosevelt and his “trust-busting” which resulted in one of the greatest nations on earth.  These tea party people and the Republicans who support them suck.  The suckers are those who accept without thinking this attitude to tear apart our government.  This U.S. government has proved successful over many years and needs to be bolstered.

The white racist suckers who take sides with the treasonous tea party are also divisive, playing into the hands of a fascist group of people who promote greed, love of money, and anarchy.  They are wrong.

To be positive, I have positive solutions not based on ideology.  But first, this is the damage being done by the treasonous tea party and their billionaire / millionaire friends (Koch brothers, Rove, Limbaugh, Scott, Walker, Armey, Cheney, Bush family … and others).

1. Removal of the long-term investments in real estate, due to de-regulation of banking and other financial institutions (by Reagan, Bush, and others).  This once provided opportunities for the Middle class, rather than the caste system imposed by these wealthy pigs who are supported by dumb ignorant Middle Class people who have no wisdom.  A home in 1988 could go up only 1% in 8 years.  That was good because one had to wait for the long-term.  But layoffs by greedy tea party type pigs resulted in losing a long-term investment.  Then, the de-regulation of banks encouraged a fiasco in finance between 2002 and 2006 – four years.  The price of real estate became a short-term investment, rising 125%.  Yet, people who lost out STILL will vote Republican.  What dumb jerks, because it was the Republicans who CAUSED it – de-regulation – and did nothing about it when the market moved to slum lords who could “flip” houses.

2.  CEOs began pilfering the nest eggs of Americans, claiming “there is no money for pensions.”  That is the talk of hoodlums and goons and pigs.  There IS money for pensions, but these pensions were used to increase the gap between CEOs and the lowest paid employees by more than 1000% between 1974 and today.  There IS money for pensions, but the CEOs have become a bunch of deceptive liars – and CREEPS.  They forced the average worker into 401(K) plans – NOT DESIGNED FOR RETIREMENT PLANS.  They forced the average worker into a risky market while the CEOs sat by in comfort of their HUGE bonuses which were stolen from employee pensions, even when the BASTARD CEOs failed at their business.  And the boards of directors of these perverted corporate leaders went right along.  Just read Ellen Schultz’s book, RETIREMENT HEIST.

3.  George Bush, traitor as resident of the White House, trashed parts of Medicare and AARP went along.  The man quotes from Nazi propaganda minister, Goebbels, twisting information and mocking and scoffing at those who expose the truth – like a good Hitler propaganda master, with whom Bush’s grandad HELPED to attain power in Germany.  FASCIST dictators, not men of the people.

4.  With Medicare gutted, people have less for retirement.  People laid off after 55 pay the highest for health insurance, but are unable to secure jobs – as the CEO pigs scrap their pension plans.  And now the tea party assholes wish to remove the pools which COULD reduce the cost of insurance to people in this age group whom they have screwed (unless they are brats with lots of money).  Nice opportunity which only Ebeneezer Scrooge could agree.  These bastards attempt to turn the fiction of Charles Dickens and Ayn Rand, too, into reality.  Go f*** off, you bastards.  Someone go for their deep pockets, please!   Bastard snots who don’t even recognize who or what (the government) helped them ACHIEVE what they did.  Bastards.  Low life scum with lots of money.  Even a fiery hell is too good for them.

5.  Tea party attempts to scrap Medicare, Social Security, and Obamacare.  This after removing all capitalist market abilities (pensions and long-term investments in real estate) for the Middle Class to seek opportunities.  These people are attempting to carve a caste system in America into stone.  And what do so many people do? They go along blindly, rather than object.

6.  A former jerk of a Republican senator advertises the biggest screwing Americans can receive – to replace long-term investments in real estate.  The “Reverse Mortgage” is designed and embraced by tea party brats and snots to put people in their places in old age, never allowing children to receive a return on the investment their parents made in a long-term investment.  The banks own those homes in “Reverse Mortgage,” so therefore this also makes it more difficult for young people to obtain housing.  These homes are passed to slum lords with the ability to monopolize and control the prices of homes and RENT.  F*** them.  Screw them.  Someone file a class-action lawsuit against all these people, please!

And to the Democrats.  Stop with this stupidity of “American Dream.” STOP IT.  Get down to the brass tacks of what is really happening.  Speak to the American people who are enterprising people, you dumb jerks in the Democratic Party leadership.  Speak to the ones who are like Congressman Patrick Murphy.  The DREAM makes it sound like people are “ENTITLED” to this.  Dead wrong.  Nobody is entitled to these things unless they INVEST and receive a RETURN on the investments.  Get down to the brass tacks of talking about INVESTMENTS and RETURN ON INVESTMENTS.  A major financial enterprise (Charles Schwab?) once ran advertisements about gaining money “the old fashioned way; we earn it!”  The tea party has REMOVED these things from the “common human,” within the capitalist system and this is wrong.  They pit people against a government which COULD protect them in this capitalist economy.  People are stupid jerks who follow the line of reasoning of a bunch of scoundrels called “tea party.”  Democrats do NOTHING to challenge these notions.  Just continue with “the American Dream.” F*** the American dream and do something different with your approach, you jerks.

The man who defined capitalism (not socialism), following an 18th-Century Scottish banking crisis about on par with the Bush one in 2008 (created by the Republican de-regulation of a decade or so earlier) was a Christian man expecting business people to “naturally” regulate themselves.  But after this banking crisis, Adam Smith changed his mind.  He noticed so many of these Christians were actually hypocrites and determined there should be some regulation.  The tea party quotes this man in claiming no regulation.  They are wrong.  They are dead wrong.

And to the dumb ones who follow Karl Marx.  Karl Marx was a jerk, too.  He blamed capitalism when it was monarchical monopolism which he SHOULD have blamed.  So the tea party twists this to their favor, while re-establishing a type of monarchical monopolism, but indeed this system today, given a blessing by a stupid Supreme Court led by a stupid man named Scalia, is a corporatist system no different from monarchical monopolism.  It’s also no different from the Soviet and Chinese forms of communism and the hierarchical top-down arrangement of the Roman Catholic Church – from Vatican City.

Democracy takes thinking people who understand civics, not politics.  Who understand how a democratic government works.  This takes work on the part of the masses.  We once had masses who were NOT lazy and would embrace this system.  Too many lazy people have poked fun at this system, particularly among my own age group.  They are disgusting people and allow the tea party to rape all of us up the ass.

Scalia believes in the Roman republic and has no idea what the American democracy is about.  Scalia and his fascist friends endorse the idea of slavery, including the corporatist movement to re-make education in order to create slaves, rather than thinking people who understand a broad array of topics from science, math, engineering, technology, social sciences, to physical education, humanities, arts, and yes, the CIVICS of democracy.  These are what education is all about, not the slavery endorsed by colleges with the name, “CAREER.”  Education was designed with a pedagogy which prepared for careers AND lifelong learning.  Just because a bunch of lazy loudmouth Baby Boomers have decided on their own that education has parts which are irrelevant – this is irrelevant to the design of education.  I say to all these jerky SOBs – LAZY ones – to go take a hike and institute their ideas in some third world developing nation, rather than create a lazy one here.  Everyone has the slave attitude of being “entitled” to things slaves receive.

Even BS loudmouth artist, Limbaugh, once said, “slaves have it good because they work and someone takes care of them.”  The SOB “troll” snotty Limbaugh misses the point of the human spirit.  We wish to advance ourselves, no just take care of others.  The Chinese COMMUNISTS impose a system whereby, rather than working towards retirement investment – LONG TERM – the young people are told to get a career (as a slave) and take care of their parents.  What about the AMERICAN WAY, you dumb bastard, Limbaugh, where we are NOT always dependent on children or others.  That we can achieve an independent security.  YOU BASTARDS of the FOURTH REICH.  GO TO HELL.  You bastard remove all abilities for humans in America to achieve a financial independent security and GIVE IT ALL – INDEPENDENT SECURITY  – to the top-level snots who worship money.  YOU BASTARDS.  You destroy something which made America a successful nation – in the name of your stupid f***ing ideology.  Screw you.

I have used some language to suggest solutions.  But are these rejected due to the language?  I never abused the 10 Commandments, but I proposed and supported the ideas of Jesus Christ as he violently demonstrated his anger at deceptive wealthy business people.  To summarize my SOLUTIONS (in case you missed them or were not able to pull them out of what I wrote), here I go.

1. Rather than reduce Medicare, cut some of the military budget and provide Medicare from cradle to grave.  Put our tax dollars to work for the LIVING, not creating the dead.  People in territories like Puerto Rico need to pay into it, or declare independence from the USA.

2.  Stop scrapping Social Security and bolster it.  Keep it at the same age levels.  Force people in territories like Puerto Rico to pay FICA (if they don’t already).  If Puerto Rico does not pay it’s fair share, shove them off in their own independent nation.

3. FIle lawsuits against the billionaires who are scrapping our government.  Whether that be a class action suit or lawsuits by the government.  File a series of lawsuits against Stop the “personal injury” lawsuits which pit the common man and woman against the common man and woman, and direct this dirt against those with deep pockets.  Instead of hurting ourselves, hurt those who are truly hurting us.

4.  Stop the corporatization of education and health care.  These are NOT commodities, they are necessities.

5.  Give all stock holders of public-traded companies equal votes, not just the ones at the top with the most money, as we watch those bastard pigs take away from those who invest their money in the company – and they don’t have any conscience what so ever.  If they were truly being rewarded due to the same “merit” systems these pigs wish to impose on a new slave class, then this would not be necessary.  But these guys have no morals what so ever, figuring they can do anything they wish, like the kings of Europe who felt their power was “heaven sent.” That was BS then and it’s BS now.  There is not “divine rights,” you bastards at high levels.

6.  Regulate the banking and real estate industries to allow moderate long-term growth in housing prices.  This is not a dream.  This is not an “entitlement,” either.  It is just plain common sense for creating opportunities, rather than the type of lopsided top control like that of Haiti and many banana republics, as well as many developing nations.  Corrupt money-worshiping people control these governments – permeated by evil people who perpetuate this crap.

7.  Create a system of retirement security for hard-working people to achieve and I guarantee it would cost LESS than the one which has been created with bonuses and golden parachutes for myriad corporate money-sucking pigs and money worshipers.  I don’t care how this happens, but the best system would be a national pension system bolstered by 401(K) or 403(B) plans – as originally intended.

8.  Stop giving away money in the Social Security system to those who have not contributed or abuse the system with their “disabilities.”  Create another fund for these people.  Primarily, I speak about immigrants who never contribute.  If I go to other nations, I am treated this way.  I suggest a United Nations regulation of this aspect (not an international pooled fund).  It is not right for some people to come to America’s shores and be given money they have come to believe they are entitled to, but me and others recognize we ARE entitled to this money (because we helped fund it) and also recognize we are NOT entitled to funds in Canada or Britain or other Western nations.  Go f***, you people who think you are entitle do our American money.  F*** those who abuse it through corruption.  Strong words?  I resent America being turned into a third world nation, as we accept third world nation people.  Perhaps the corrupt leaders in Haiti and other nations need to take care of their own and stop the corruption.  NIgeria – stop your f***Ing corruption.  Stop it now.

9.  Stop blindly funding wars around the globe which the American people and our government DO NOT have the funds to do so.  Stop listening to an AWOL jerk like George Bush as he flagrantly spent money which he did not have to spend on wars, funding his friend, Dick Cheney (Halliburton), and other munitions companies with OUR (“We the people…”) funds.  STOP IT NOW.  I support President Obama’s diplomacy and think he makes a strong leader.  F*** those who think he is weak because their opinions are BS.

10.  Create an energy-independent America and shed our relations with pigs like Saudi Arabian sheiks.  PERIOD.  Without our military might, the Saudis would be NOTHING.  So make them pay.  The Saudi pigs take advantage of this nation, using traitors like the Bush family and Dick Cheney.  Stop this BS NOW.  Charge Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and other nations with wealthy sheiks for every dollar we lose due to wars in the Middle East.  If they don’t pay, withdraw our military support.  Make this EVIDENT to the American people, despite a f***Ing media which refuses to expose the truth – supported by the [false] divine right corporatists and Scalia.

Category:

Commentary, New Comments, Political Commentary, Religion

Tagged with:

Humble Pie or Truth be Hiding – by Deceptive People?

Humility is tough when eating crow.  But do I eat crow and acknowledge a mistake?  Or is there another answer?

Andrew Carnegie.  In my brief look at Andrew Carnegie’s life, I am impressed.  His Scottish-Presbyterian background places him in a better position than the Koch brothers or other super-wealthy today because, at the very least, he believed in Christian principles.  Yes, he was against unions during the time of the robber barons and formation of trade unions in the USA.  But did he actually state his opposition to unions or go along with “management ID” and “management groupthink” of his day?  Unions were perhaps untested in his day, so did this influence Carnegie’s thinking.

The problem with the web today – and I am just as guilty – is the Vannevar Bush syndrome of “hypertext.”  When I read something on the web, I place it in my brain and often forget to document it.  This is a problem for which perhaps causes me to eat humble pie.  Or does it?

I recall reading a quote attributed to Andrew Carnegie.  It went in one of two ways:  “Wealth is created by society, not individuals.”  The other way:  “Wealth is not created by individuals, but by society.”  This quote was either in an op-ed in a newspaper like The Palm Beach Post or it was on the Internet.  It was most likely in the newspaper.  Nevertheless, the Internet has become so pervasive that one can typically find the quote again later.

What has happened is this.  I have quoted this from the piece of paper where I wrote the UNDOCUMENTED quote down.  In other words, I wrote the quote attributed to Andrew Carnegie, but not the source of the quote.  I have quoted this piece of information several times on my blog.  Now I attempt to locate this quote as associated with Andrew Carnegie and the only place this is to be found on Google is the three times I have included it in my blog.

What gives here?

In doing research of this question, I have reviewed numerous writings by Andrew Carnegie himself (http://www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/rbannis1/AIH19th/Carnegie.html, June 1889) and others:  (1) well-referenced article by Nicole Notario (http://learningtogive.org/papers/paper80.html) for a graduate research paper; (2) a Fordham U. essay (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1889carnegie.asp); and various others.  One might conclude from this material (and others) that Carnegie might have made such a statement.  But an actual attribution would take further research.

I am puzzled who wrote this quote and claimed attribution to Andrew Carnegie.  I did not dream this up on my own.  I did not just write this down out of thin air because, at the time, I barely knew diddley squat about this man, except to recall a library at my alma mater, Syracuse University, named after Carnegie and an entire university in Pittsburgh bearing his name.  QUite frankly, having a library named after this man placed him in high regard.  So when I read a supposed quote attributed to him, I took it very seriously.

I am not an idealogue, so I would have had no presumptions or biases.  I found it fascinating that a wealthy tycoon of the late 1800s would make such a statement.

I have also read (and again, perhaps I need to document this) that Carnegie sold his steel companies to a ruthless man named J.P. Morgan in order to devote his time to philanthropic measures.  It was J.P. Morgan (now part of the name of one of the largest banks – one which has screwed consumers with regard to mortgage loans) who gave Franklin D. Roosevelt a hard time, as the Koch Brothers do today to Barack Obama.  It was J.P. Morgan who purportedly (unproven, just word of mouth to me) had his servants cut out pictures and stories of FDR from the morning newspaper each day – before Morgan sat down to read it.  Sounds like the fans of Fox Noise – “don’t tell me anything else but what Fox Noise says.”

Nevertheless, perhaps it was Morgan who was more anti-union than Carnegie?   A hypothetical question.

Ayn Rand has ruined this nation by creating a strong groupthink of selfishness and greed via a fantasy tale.  The visual Media, in particular, has grabbed this extreme fascination with greed and selfishness which causes materialism among the people.  Madison Avenue is a shameful group of hyenas who lack any human qualities whatsoever, as they endorse the principles of greed and selfishness, clouding the picture of what true capitalism, as defined by men like Adam Smith, Andrew Carnegie, Teddy Roosevelt, and others had to say about it.  Jeff Jacoby’s op-ed this past May in the Boston Globe is a tribute to the stupidity of people who view the world only in black and white.  These people say, “either President Obama is a socialist or capitalist, but never can anyone be in the gray areas between and call themselves problem-solvers.”  Like narrow-focused religions – Roman Catholic and Mormons, for instance, there can be no consideration of “gray” areas.

Nevertheless, if I am wrong in attributing this quote about individuals, society, and wealth, then I stand corrected.  However, my admission that I am wrong is more than what egomaniacs in the wealthy class would be willing to do as they hide their money overseas and refuse to divulge their tax information.

BTW.  My scathing remarks about specific religious denominations should not be taken personally, except perhaps those who are hypocrites within those churches.  Perhaps they feel guilty, so therefore take it personally.  But then, imagine the berating my own denomination took in 2008, at the brief glimpse of statements made by ONE of the myriad pastors and clerics within my church.  Double standards in America which remove my liberty and freedom – and the separation of church and state.  Are we afraid to speak about the Christian beliefs of Adam Smith and Andrew Carnegie because such Presbyterian beliefs go against the grain of the dogma and doctrines of huge hierarchically-based churches with strong dictatorial leadership?

Is it humble pie for me or the truth being hidden – by deceptive people … no… deceptive egomaniacs – who seek power and control first,  before reasoning and rationality?  I would like to know.

Category:

Commentary, New Comments

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud