Harvard study: America is an oligarchy
POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Sunday, June 2, 2024 12:59
VIEWED: 19307
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Think of this on a smaller level: my Son starts making deals with peeps in my house. He'll do the laundry for this bit of food, the car washing for that bit, the dishes for another, the garbage for another, errands for another, he'll flat out purchase some of it with his allowance, he'll have friends over that we have to provide snacks for, he decides to feed a stray dog every day, etc. I suddenly find out there is no food left for the rest of us. I say, whoah buddy, you're makin' so many deals here I can't keep track, you're back to getting your fair share so WE can eat too.
Is THAT Communism? Am I over-controlling my family's free-market economy? Shouldn't the rest of us just starve because we aren't as good at wheeling & dealing as my boy?
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The National Defense Authorization Act
Do I Even Have Any Rights Anymore?
Should I have any rights? If you wanna talk about complacency of
the common citizen, point at me. I have been an escapist all my life,
even before we had television. But with television ... gee, can't
everyone be lulled into a state of deluded security? Helpless, but
sorta secure.
SO! The Internet replaces TV for a lot of people (less passive people?)
The Internet can gather people for a common purpose. People need
to believe they could have power before they can get it back.
... oooOO}{OOooo ...
I've given up looking for the meaning of life. Now all I want is a cookie.
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
Think of this on a smaller level: my Son starts making deals with peeps in my house. He'll do the laundry for this bit of food, the car washing for that bit, the dishes for another, the garbage for another, errands for another, he'll flat out purchase some of it with his allowance, he'll have friends over that we have to provide snacks for, he decides to feed a stray dog every day, etc. I suddenly find out there is no food left for the rest of us. I say, whoah buddy, you're makin' so many deals here I can't keep track, you're back to getting your fair share so WE can eat too.
Is THAT Communism? Am I over-controlling my family's free-market economy? Shouldn't the rest of us just starve because we aren't as good at wheeling & dealing as my boy?
Not communism, but definitely child abuse!
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Quote:I'm glad you amused yourself. Does that mean you can't make any kind of an argument agreeing or disagreeing with that analogy?
Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
Not communism, but definitely child abuse!
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It means you got your son working like an indentured servant around the house for "bits of food". Lord only knows what he has to do for a hot meal. Poor kid.
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Quote:There is always The Guillotine.
"Happily" because you want it to get done
THHHHWAAACK!
Happiness is a relative term. It can be otained by considering the alternative.
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Quote:I'll take that as a yes.
Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
It means you got your son working like an indentured servant around the house for "bits of food". Lord only knows what he has to do for a hot meal. Poor kid.
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We have the democracy we deserve. Voting - can't see what it matters when the choices are so few. It feels more like a system problem.
And yet, I point to Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as examples where democracy works better. I sometimes think it's due to the parliamentary system - you need to hew to the mood of the voters or you could be out at any time. But the US could employ a similar tactic, just delayed. And there's SignyM's proposal that when the result is a lock you vote third party. Either of the two major parties will notice if their margins go the wrong way, and in what direction they're eroding.
Given all that I still do wonder - if we the voters got smarter and created a real threat to TPTB, how much democracy would we find we really have? I would love to be in a position to find out. Wouldn't you?
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."
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So, how do other democracies manage?
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."
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By 'manage', I mean manage to represent the welfare of the unmonied and non-powerful 99%. Many of these are common, if not universal.
Redistribution of wealth that includes
1) free or inexpensive comprehensive health care for all (even tourists)
2) free pre-school, primary and secondary school, inexpensive college and graduate education (including Mds)
3) free or inexpensive comprehensive public transportation
4) free or inexpensive long-term care (there's distinction to be made between acute care and rehabilitative care provided by the medical system, and maintenance care)
5) minimum standard of living
Plus
6) widely publicly available arts, recreation, parks
7) privacy laws that protect people from the government, corporations, and other people
8) strong action on maintaining the commons, especially pollution and climate change laws
9) strong action on consumer protection and mandated labeling
Now I'm sure compliance isn't so 'happy' that it would be voluntary in the absence of laws. And yet these laws do exist that benefit ordinary folk in the face of the wealthy and powerful.
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."
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