[internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington

Tony Spencer tony at tonyspencer.com
Thu Jul 22 01:31:32 EDT 2004


"Therefore, capitalism does not naturally  concentrate wealth and power into
the hands of the few."

What?!  You are crazy.  My premise is simple.  Name me one nation that has a
greater percentage of its population living better than the US.

After your rant you conclude "your second premise, that America is a
capitalist economy, is not true."
So we are a socialistic economy?  I'd better close shop tomorrow.  :o


T O N Y  S P E N C E R
Notsleepy LLC
6512 Six Forks Rd.
Suite 502-B 
Raleigh, NC 27615
Phone: 919.848.0691
Mobile: 415.637.6481
tony at tonyspencer.com 

  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: internetworkers-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org 
> [mailto:internetworkers-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf 
> Of Paul Cory
> Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 1:23 AM
> To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> Subject: Re: [internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington
> 
> 
> > My argument is not at all flawed.  I very simply state that 
> we are a 
> > capitalistic society and we have a greater percentage of 
> our society 
> > living outside of the realm of poverty.
> 
> Not exactly. You stated that in an attempt to discredit the 
> statement that "Capitalism, by it's very nature, concentrates 
> wealth and power into the hands of a very few, and those few 
> are loathe to give it up."
> 
> Your argument then, was:
> 
> America has a great percentage of its population living 
> comfortably; America is capitalist economy; Therefore, 
> capitalism does not naturally  concentrate wealth and power 
> into the hands of the few.
> 
> And, in reply, I pointed out we don't live in a purely 
> capitalistic economy. Our society, through government, 
> actively works to ameliorate capitalism's tendency to 
> concentrate wealth and power. This produces a mixed economy.
> 
> Thus, you cannot use America's general prosperity to undercut 
> the statement that capitalism concentrates wealth and power 
> because your second premise, that America is a capitalist 
> economy, is not true.
> 
> Which brings me back to: your argument is flawed.
> 
> Unless, of course, you meant to imply a different argument. :-)
> 
> Paul
> 
> >
> >
> >
> > T O N Y  S P E N C E R
> > Notsleepy LLC
> > 6512 Six Forks Rd.
> > Suite 502-B
> > Raleigh, NC 27615
> > Phone: 919.848.0691
> > Mobile: 415.637.6481
> > tony at tonyspencer.com
> >
> >
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: internetworkers-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
> >> [mailto:internetworkers-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On 
> Behalf Of Paul 
> >> Cory
> >> Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 12:52 AM
> >> To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> >> Subject: Re: [internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington
> >>
> >>>> "Capitalism, by it's very nature, concentrates wealth and
> >> power into
> >>>> the hands of a very few, and those few are loathe to give it up."
> >>>>
> >>> I'm dumbfounded by this statement.  Name one nation in this
> >> world that
> >>> has a greater percentage of its population >living< more
> >> comfortably
> >>> than American's do.
> >>
> >> Your argument is flawed, because America doesn't practice "pure"
> >> capitalism. In this country, capitalism's tendency to concentrate 
> >> wealth and power has been reigned in by government action: 
> labor laws 
> >> (minimum wage, overtime pay, collective bargaining 
> rights), antitrust 
> >> laws, regulation of monopolies (such as power companies), estate 
> >> taxes, and a progressive tax code that, combined with a welfare 
> >> system for the poor and elderly, redistributes wealth from 
> the rich 
> >> to the less fortunate.
> >>
> >> Please also note that over the past 24 years, as the 
> Republicans have 
> >> gained ascendancy, they have greatly weakened government 
> efforts in 
> >> all the above areas.
> >> Predictably, over the same period of time, wealth in this 
> country has 
> >> become more greatly concentrated.
> >>
> >> Paul
> >>
> >> ---
> >> Come and play at the InterNetWorkers Web site!
> >> http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> >> You are currently subscribed to InterNetWorkers mailing list To 
> >> unsubscribe visit 
> >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/internetworkers
> >>
> >>
> >
> > ---
> > Come and play at the InterNetWorkers Web site!  
> > http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> > You are currently subscribed to InterNetWorkers mailing list To 
> > unsubscribe visit 
> > http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/internetworkers
> >
> 
> ---
> Come and play at the InterNetWorkers Web site!  
> http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
> You are currently subscribed to InterNetWorkers mailing list 
> To unsubscribe visit 
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/internetworkers
> 
> 




More information about the InterNetWorkers mailing list