better educate yourself and watch "Too Big To Fail" on HBO [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUQmRZMCYU"]YouTube - HBO Films: Too Big To Fail Extended Trailer (HBO)[/ame] This is what you get with unregulated free market capitalism.
lol, uhhh hurr derp, better educate yourself. don't like wiki? here, What Is the Free Market? - Murray N. Rothbard - Mises Daily
Does a "free-market" have a federal reserve system (aka central bank)? Why no, it does not.... What libertarian likes the Fed? What Constitutionalist likes the Fed? What free-market economist likes the Fed? Uh, I think the answer is None? I'm sorry......"what is" none? *ding ding ding* That's DEFINITELY what happens when you have crony capitalism. Go big government! Go corruption! "How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think." - Adolf Hitler
1.Shout opposition to position 2.Back up with minute thirty long trailer 3.Act high and mighty because you watch a television drama 4.Troll efficiently If it's not a troll then dear God, somebody help him by ripping his ass a new one(gonna happen either way). I might print screen the OP for later hilarity......
Yea, the entire premise of this thread is hilarious. Educate yourself by watching an HBO series, as if that's the pinnacle of economic enlightenment.
Yeah the movie (or series?) or whatever it is is based on Andrew Ross Sorkin's book, which is actually very good. I started on it yesterday and it's mind blowing thus far. It's amazing how dangerous mathematics can be in the hands of greedy people. Regulation FTW.
Yeeeaaaaahhh, that seems to be working out GREAT for us right now (or at least the major players in the banking systems )
It is a movie, and i agree with you good sir. It is a must see. I must buy Andrew Ross Sorkin's book very soon.
Like others are saying, America is not an example of a free-market economy. Nor are they participants in what could legitimately be called free trade. They're ultra protectionist and many of their regulations and subsidies exist because special interest lobbying groups pushed for them. So basically your government is bought and paid for by big business. Libertarianism is a naive, pipe-dream, though. I will say. I've read Ludwig von-Mises, Friedman and the rest of them ... there is a very attractive internal logic to the philosophy (that's what it is, it's not a science people, nor is economics itself a hard science due to the unpredictability of markets caused by the enormous amount of variables). It's especially attractive to ambitious, young individualists who believe in an inherent biological urge for competition. The facts are against them; however. The vast majority of civilization is made up of people who genuinely don't wish to enter into the cut-throat business world and just want to do their own thing. The world is also full of completely morons who can be convinced into buying products they don't desire by having companies tell them that they do desire them. All of the libertarian organizations and think tanks are funded by WAAAY out there right-wing ideologues and enormous private industry. Like the Koch Brothers. Ayn Rand appealed to many young people and helped the libertarian movement grow as well. I won't go on ... and I don't wish to start a debate ... but you should really read more about libertarianism and the alternatives before taking too hardline a stance.
What? It's very intriguing, in depth, and well written. $9.99 on iBooks if that pertains to you at all.
You're talking about 3rd/4th generation consumers/producers in a centrally planned economy, so of course they're retarded. Not sure why people wouldn't be able to "do their own thing" in a free market tho.
Small governments can just as easily be bought out by special interests. Keep that in mind. That paradigm is never going away, hence why an actual free-market will never happen. It's a great idea for a perfect system, not so much in a corruptable, imperfect system. Explain how America would transition to a free market economy from its current position? How would an average Joe start up a business in this atmosphere? Who would protect them from being crushed by the monopolies (I realize monopolies aren't supposed to exist in a libertarian fantasy land, but we're talking real word now)? What if one of these monopolies buys up all of the parks in America and says minorities aren't allowed on the premises? If America was to simply deregulate and cut taxes they would have to get rid of most if not all of their social programs. What kind of private firm is going to offer affordable medical care to people with pre-existing conditions? What happens when genetic diseases which don't display symptoms until later in life are identifiable at birth? These people won't be able to get health care either because the companies have to keep their profit margins in mind. Your comment about "of course they're retarded" I don't really understand what you're talking about here. Do you expect average people to actually bother to understand the complexities of the business world when the system switches over to free market? Most of them will remain clueless and uninterested and therefore will be buried by manipulative corporate power. And like I said, I'm not looking for a debate. I already know that libertarians have a counter to every single point anyone can ever make criticizing their ideology but none of these arguments ever lead to either party becoming wiser. Ideological debates aren't worth the effort. People need to realize that their ideologies will never be implemented because regular people have no influence in the currently undemocratic political system.
What would special interests get out of small government? If they don't control the money supply, fix prices or regulate everything... then what's to gain? Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Consumer preference is essentially democracy without coercion. Consumers would either support or boycott monopolies and racist institutions. If a monopoly serves consumers well then nothing is wrong there. If a majority of voters support a free and equal society then so should a majority of consumers. There would have to be a transition where the government weans people off the tit. I assume you're talking about health insurance, not medical care, but people with pre-existing conditions should have to pay more for health insurance, or not have health insurance at all. Would you sell home insurance to a man who's house is on fire? Medical care would be cheaper in a free market, that is undisputable. Church hospitals would rise again and care for the poor. Good point, and that's why I don't think the transition can be made voluntarily. The system will collapse and all the stupid people will either die off or adapt. "Greater than the tread of mighty armies is an idea whose time has come" Hopefully the day will come when people recognize big government as fail. Until then I'll keep fighting for your mind.
So you're for removing regulation altogether, then. I see. Oh, and social darwinism ... You're also underestimating the powerful's ability to influence consumers in a fashion akin to brainwashing. No, no ... I will not be continuing on in this thread. Good day, sir! You have every right to fight for my mind but libertarians actually make me lose parts of it.
So long as nobody is coerced or defrauded then nothing is wrong. Do you deny that we are shaped by society? It's less powerful than the state, which holds a coercive monopoly on their services. Consumers would have competitors to choose from. Nobody claims it to be a perfect system, only a less imperfect one. See ya.