Straight from the Devil's mouth

[woodwrite]

An earlier OP (Eridani) has posed the question, "Should this system be saved?" By "system," we're referring to the American system of (corporate) capitalism, with perhaps some cursory dubious glances thrown in the direction of so-called "republican" representative democracy. At least that's how I interpreted the question.

Okay. If you want to fix capitalism, do what Jesus did. Or at least as much was suggested to me by a person acting at the time in behalf of the Prince of Darkness. (No, not Perle,... the REAL Prince of Darkness)

And NO,... I am decidedly NOT religious,.. but I find that our mythology often makes an interesting backdrop for the stuff we actually say and do.

In 1979, I left my last bigtime corporate, three-piece-suit style job. It was a major marketing and fundraising company, particularly fundraising for political and religious clients. Like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. I was the principle writer in the company, though I functioned as an Account Exec, as well. In fact, Falwell was was one my "customers," you might say, but I also handled projects ranging from big emerging home-furnishing and DIY chains,...to Tuna Helper and the American Medical Association. On the surface, the company had a distinctly religious and moralistic tenor, but in actual practice we were crooked as hell.

My boss,.. the company's founder (and herein "Satan's spokesperson") was heavily rightwing. Pushing 65 and on the verge of selling the company to an outfit even more insideous, he told me once that FDR was the closest thing to a dictator the nation had ever had. Though a religious man, he despised Jimmy Carter. He would have personally handled the Reagan campaign's backdoor negotions with the Iranians over the American hostages held there. And yet he also one day mumbled something very telling. He said the economy would be just fine if it weren't for the people who "manipulate dollars."

He was referring to bankers, financiers, Wall-streeters, etc.,.. all those in fact who make money by just handling money. Phil (okay, that was his name) went on to tell me that my first homemade boat was the perfect example of what he was saying,... that I had taken raw wood and produced something of greater value than it had before. Evidently in one of his religious rants, he went so far as to cite the biblical scripture wherein Jesus drove the usurers, or money-lenders from the temple. "Making money from debt," quoth he, "is where all our financial problems come from." (Remember our "manufacturing base?")

So there you have it. Our current capitalistic system revolves around debt. The currency is based on debt (promise to pay?),... we buy houses and cars based on debt. Credit cards are the worst, naturally, because they prey on our worst human flaws and folly,.. wanting something before we can afford it. And I realize that a certain amount of this is necessary, okay? But when I was a teenager, buying a house meant having roughly one-third of the money as a down-payment,.. maybe more. Now it's 10% in a "sound" mortgage,... ranging down to,... well, nothing.

Too many "promises to pay" have been entered on the credit side of the national balance sheet,... and then that mythical money goes on underwrite further debt upon further debt. I find that a casino makes the perfect metaphor for our financial economic system,.. with the big boys in the role of the "House." The House, you will recall, always wins. After all, they win in any draw,... they control the system,... they "manipulate" all the salient stakes: betting limits, credit lines, etc.

The often-alluded to "hardworking" ordinary American is out there trying to actually produce something of worth,.... say a house or a boat or a freaking widgit, for Christ's sake. But on theor backs, they carry the casino-like troupe of parasites known as our corporate capitalistic system,... producing nothing, hindering at every turn,... and being the first (and often only) to get paid.

Reduce the importance and prevalence of debt in the economy,... reduce the number of ways in which unscrupulous wise guys can manipulate dollars,... restore actual production to its rightful place,.. and then maybe we will have taken the first step.

[izzie]

1. I like the system in some parts. Talent should beable to

profit from their talent but as always we need control as we always have the greed. We seem to get into this trouble every time we let the control down and let the greed take over. It seems to be a balance we can not get right. :crazy:

[TWiley]

2. Jesus was a communist by today's standards

He was certainly no capitalist.

[woodwrite]

3. What's in a name?

This isn't a semantic issue,..... it's a math problem. Have you noticed how often the word "sustainable" keeps popping up in discussions of our financial (plight) future? Rising income disparities make the system unsustainable. Business managers and attornies making more money from health care than do physicians make the system unsustainable. Laws (and lawmakers) that give the accounting class incentive to cheat make the system unsustainable. Continually reducing the cash reserve requirements for banks makes the system unsustainable. And it goes on and on. No free lunch? Of course not. But we have certainly elevated the status of the "fast buck," while producing less and less of anything of worth.

Sustainable is when the numbers add up right. Call it anything you like.

[TWiley]

4. Well, I do agree

Funny how the capitalists always wave Jesus around with the American flag isn't it? The strongest supporters of capitalism come from the pulpit amymore

Jesus had no use for money. He lived in a commune, and did not believe in private ownership. He would give you the shirt right off his back because it was meaningless to him.

Thats a far cry from the selfish greed and "me first and all for me only" virtue of the capitalists. They claim that greed and selfishness is a virtue by the way, because they create wealth and economic growth.