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  • From: Paul Cory <pwcory AT mindspring.com>
  • To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington
  • Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 19:32:30 -0400

Right on. So Paul, in the mix, which is more preferred in your mind?
Capitalism or Socialism?

The two need to be balanced. Neither capitalism nor socialism, in their pure forms, works well. However, a blend of the two, such as exists in America, seems to work really well.

Right now, I feel the balance has shifted too far towards the capitalism end of the spectrum, with deleterious results for the country. We can safely slide the balance point back towards the socialism end of the scale without ruining the economy or crushing entrepreneurs.

Obviously, it would be possible to go too far in the direction of socialism - in which case I'd be campaigning for moving the balance point towards capitalism.

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 1:45 AM
To: Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/
Subject: Re: [internetworkers] from the desk of Arianna Huffington


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.
Several folks have already proffered examples of such nations.

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

No, I said we are mixed economy. There is a land between pure
socialism
and pure capitalism, and you're living in it.

And that was not a rant, at least not as I understand the term. :-)

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 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

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