The problem, of course, is that “the people” don’t agree with each other any more than the representatives. Replace one set with another, and you still get the same mess.
As long as people want simple “solutions” to complex problems, neither the people nor their representatives will have a shot at making any sense. When we add to the mix the babble inserted by people or organizations with selfish and/or profit-driven agendas, that there is chaos is not a big surprise.
The single worst corrupters of honest public discourse since the mid-1800s are the corporations, where there is no practical limit on their greed and inherent corruption due to the profit motive. Ford Motor Co. chose not to spend $6.00 on a part that would have prevented turning their Pinto into a four-wheeled barbecue. That is a FACT discovered during the lawsuits which followed the deaths of hundreds of Pinto owners/passengers/drivers. The recent deaths of the WV coal miners once again drives home the fact that when lives and safety get in the way of profit, lives and safety are jettisoned. The mining company deliberately, knowingly, and cynically chose NOT to obey safety regulations requiring proper ventilation of the mines. That is a FACT.
Profit-driven organizations simply cannot be trusted to operate transparently and ethically.
It is beyond amazing that people will listen to the lies and propaganda of big corporations which emerge whenever ANYTHING is proposed which might possibly diminish their power or profits. Want examples? Google “Corporate Scandals Exposed” for the following:
ENRON;
Bernie Madoff;
AT&T is paying claims in the amount of $18 Million to settle charges it charged unusually high and unfair rates to its customers;
After Billions of dollars were paid to top company executives of Merrill Lynch the Bank of America is now accused of attempting to cover it up;
27 bank executives have been ordered arrested in Venezuela by the courts. These have been implicated in come of the largest frauds in commercial banking history;
Bank Fees Illegal
Banks are coming under fire for charging customers hidden fees. Fees they don’t share and certainly don’t want people to realize.
General Electric Ordered to Pay $50 Million
GE is set to pay more than $50 Million over charges by the SEC that it engaged in improper accounting practices. According to the SEC this is the fourth time GE has committed such violations since 2002.
Pixsurguy, I certainly hope it isn’t your suggestion that we replace a free market economic system with a greater federal government role in our lives. A free market, capitalist, economic system, even with it’s abundant flaws, is still far superior to some top down, central planning-oriented, mega-government for fulfilling the majority of the needs of it’s citizens. For examples of the latter, we can ruminate about the lives of the people in China, the former Soviet Union and it’s satellite countries, the Third Reich, Mussolini’s Italy, etc. Corporations aren’t the sole province of corruption and degradation. “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”, isn’t an empty platitude…unfortunately, we, the people, need to keep our heads on a swivel and keep a sharp eye on all the bureaucracies (public and private) that come with this republic of ours. We can’t simply put our faith in “the government” to look out for our well-being.
When I saw that my bank was charging me 30¢ every time I used my check card to make a debit purchase, I started using the credit option. Then, since I was depriving them of that revenue stream, they suspended the card. So I switched banks.
Wherever I can, I avoid the megacorps and megabanks. There are still a few mom and pop businesses left that deserve out support so much more.
Instead of just jumping on your hackneyed use of the same ol’, same ol’ Republican Koolaid, I’ll simply say that our “free market” economy isn’t and hasn’t been for many years. But for you “free market” types, we wouldn’t have allowed the Republicans to basically gut regulation of Wall Street and, worse yet, we wouldn’t have allowed the Republicans to deregulate banking. Prior to them allowing interstate banking, we did not have just a few huge banks (BOA, Citigroup, etc.) dominating the financial landscape and intercoursing us every day in every way. We had small town banks. We had medium sized banks. We had state-wide banks. What we had was many, many banks who were forced to compete for our business and could not get away with sneaking in itsy bitsy charges for everything we do but fart. We could deal with actual American humans, either in person or by telephone. We did not have to attempt to understand Ms. Gupta from Calcuta who didn’t know us from Adam and could not have cared less about us as individuals. You “free market” lovelies finished that for us. Gee, thank you so much.
wetdog2 over 14 years ago
The price of democracy. Sigh…
ksoskins over 14 years ago
That is the whole point of having a representational democracy.
lewisbower over 14 years ago
The representatives have spoken and they make less sense.
cncomicfan over 14 years ago
Just because it’s not what you want to hear, does not mean the people are not making any sense.
alanrussell59 over 14 years ago
our goverment makes absolutly no sense!
cdward over 14 years ago
alanrussell59 are you suggesting another system?
The problem, of course, is that “the people” don’t agree with each other any more than the representatives. Replace one set with another, and you still get the same mess.
grapfhics over 14 years ago
BIg companies says it’s the finest government that money can buy
Pixsurguy over 14 years ago
As long as people want simple “solutions” to complex problems, neither the people nor their representatives will have a shot at making any sense. When we add to the mix the babble inserted by people or organizations with selfish and/or profit-driven agendas, that there is chaos is not a big surprise.
The single worst corrupters of honest public discourse since the mid-1800s are the corporations, where there is no practical limit on their greed and inherent corruption due to the profit motive. Ford Motor Co. chose not to spend $6.00 on a part that would have prevented turning their Pinto into a four-wheeled barbecue. That is a FACT discovered during the lawsuits which followed the deaths of hundreds of Pinto owners/passengers/drivers. The recent deaths of the WV coal miners once again drives home the fact that when lives and safety get in the way of profit, lives and safety are jettisoned. The mining company deliberately, knowingly, and cynically chose NOT to obey safety regulations requiring proper ventilation of the mines. That is a FACT.
Profit-driven organizations simply cannot be trusted to operate transparently and ethically.
It is beyond amazing that people will listen to the lies and propaganda of big corporations which emerge whenever ANYTHING is proposed which might possibly diminish their power or profits. Want examples? Google “Corporate Scandals Exposed” for the following:
ENRON; Bernie Madoff; AT&T is paying claims in the amount of $18 Million to settle charges it charged unusually high and unfair rates to its customers; After Billions of dollars were paid to top company executives of Merrill Lynch the Bank of America is now accused of attempting to cover it up; 27 bank executives have been ordered arrested in Venezuela by the courts. These have been implicated in come of the largest frauds in commercial banking history; Bank Fees Illegal Banks are coming under fire for charging customers hidden fees. Fees they don’t share and certainly don’t want people to realize. General Electric Ordered to Pay $50 Million GE is set to pay more than $50 Million over charges by the SEC that it engaged in improper accounting practices. According to the SEC this is the fourth time GE has committed such violations since 2002.gbasye over 14 years ago
Pixsurguy, I certainly hope it isn’t your suggestion that we replace a free market economic system with a greater federal government role in our lives. A free market, capitalist, economic system, even with it’s abundant flaws, is still far superior to some top down, central planning-oriented, mega-government for fulfilling the majority of the needs of it’s citizens. For examples of the latter, we can ruminate about the lives of the people in China, the former Soviet Union and it’s satellite countries, the Third Reich, Mussolini’s Italy, etc. Corporations aren’t the sole province of corruption and degradation. “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”, isn’t an empty platitude…unfortunately, we, the people, need to keep our heads on a swivel and keep a sharp eye on all the bureaucracies (public and private) that come with this republic of ours. We can’t simply put our faith in “the government” to look out for our well-being.
runar over 14 years ago
When I saw that my bank was charging me 30¢ every time I used my check card to make a debit purchase, I started using the credit option. Then, since I was depriving them of that revenue stream, they suspended the card. So I switched banks.
Wherever I can, I avoid the megacorps and megabanks. There are still a few mom and pop businesses left that deserve out support so much more.
Pixsurguy over 14 years ago
gbasye:
Instead of just jumping on your hackneyed use of the same ol’, same ol’ Republican Koolaid, I’ll simply say that our “free market” economy isn’t and hasn’t been for many years. But for you “free market” types, we wouldn’t have allowed the Republicans to basically gut regulation of Wall Street and, worse yet, we wouldn’t have allowed the Republicans to deregulate banking. Prior to them allowing interstate banking, we did not have just a few huge banks (BOA, Citigroup, etc.) dominating the financial landscape and intercoursing us every day in every way. We had small town banks. We had medium sized banks. We had state-wide banks. What we had was many, many banks who were forced to compete for our business and could not get away with sneaking in itsy bitsy charges for everything we do but fart. We could deal with actual American humans, either in person or by telephone. We did not have to attempt to understand Ms. Gupta from Calcuta who didn’t know us from Adam and could not have cared less about us as individuals. You “free market” lovelies finished that for us. Gee, thank you so much.