Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?

[GreatestIam]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?


Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.


Do you recognize that fact?


Regards

DL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2

http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-data-reveals-that-congress-doesnt-care-what-you-think?c=upw1&u=94acbbeb6bbd6d664157009a896e71b014efbf27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

Why shouldn't they retain their wealth? Do you believe the mob should be allowed to loot them?

Following those links and educating yourself would have been a good starting position for you to understand the fact that you are a slave to an oligarch.

To your reply.

All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people.

It is not a matter of redistribution from above to below. It is more of a matter of the filthy rich looking to the poor and paying their fair share.

There is a graph in the O.P. If you cannot see how it shows how immoral the socio economic demographic pyramid is, then you do not know how to read one.

Go back and educate yourself, please.

Regards
DL

"All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people."

Who did Henry Ford take advantage of? Steve Jobs? Jeff Bezos?

Labor and the market. Do you know anything about how an economy and business works?

If profits do not come from a workforce and markets for the products, where do you think it comes from?

Regards
DL

You don't prove a point by bleating out some magic words that you think answers all questions. Your theory that profits "come from a workforce and markets for the products" is impossibly vague and meaningless in this context. Your claim amounts to saying the workers are defrauded or cheated in some fashion.

So how are they cheated? Did their employer lie to them about what they would be paid? Where does the fraud come in?

Who said anything about fraud or cheating someone?

If not from taking advantage of the labor force who make the product, and taking advantage of the market/buyers, how else is great wealth gained?

Taking advantage of those two groups is not cheating or fraud. We call it good business.

It seems we are not looking at "taking advantage" the same way. You see it as a negative while I and the economy see it as a positive that must happen if the economy is to work.

How would you create wealth for yourself if not taking advantage of labor and the market place? I know of not other legal source.

Regards
DL

 

[GreatestIam]

o your reply.

All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people.

It is not a matter of redistribution from above to below. It is more of a matter of the filthy rich looking to the poor and paying their fair share.

There is a graph in the O.P. If you cannot see how it shows how immoral the socio economic demographic pyramid is, then you do not know how to read one.

Go back and educate yourself, please.

So I have a transmission problem. I bring it to your transmission shop and pay you fairly for the repair. How did I take advantage of you?

If I decide to buy a car, buy a house, hire a lawn care company, nobody is taking advantage of anybody else because all parties were in agreement.

So if I apply for a job, and the job pays X amount of money and benefits, the employer is not taking advantage of me by me accepting his offer; provided he or she lives up to their end of the agreement.

All great wealth does not happen by taking advantage of anybody. Great wealth is produced by manufacturing a product or service for a profit. That's it.

Exactly, regardless of the anecdotal rendering you put above.

Produced profitably by not paying employees better, which is taking advantage of the work force, then the product is sold while taking advantage of the markets that try to buy cheap and sell dear to the consumer.

IOW great wealth is created by taking advantage of labor and markets.

Regards
DL

Nobody is being taken advantage of, that's my point in the first place.

I go to McDonald's and read the menu. It says I can have a big mac combo for $6.00. I agree to buy that big mac combo for $6.00. Who is being taken advantage of? Nobody, because McDonald's offered me a product for a price I agreed to pay for.

I do not want to repeat. Please read my post just above and opine.

Regards
DL

 

[GreatestIam]

[QUOTE="BuckToothMoron, post: 18291236, member: 57192

You can not change the system or the parties by being a part of them. The only things they care about are your vote and your money. Drop your affiliation! Imagine the narrative coming from these guys if 80% of voters had no party affiliation. You see, they NEED you to pick a side and become loyal to that side, defend that side with your voice (vote) and your money. Don’t be their foolish pawn, drop your party affiliation now.

You are basically locked into a two party system and I agree that that is stupid and unproductive.

If you look at multi party systems where laws need consensus, you will find better laws.

Note how when Trump came into power, he insulted the old electorate that had chosen Democrats in previous elections for certain reasons and for certain laws.

That shows how little he actually cares about the electorate.

If that happened in multi party government, he would never be allowed to reverse what a previous electorate wanted except perhaps in special cases.

Health care could have been one of those cases but Trump screwed that up by not doing a good job. He was anti the Democrat's system but was to stupid to be able to improve on it.

To change a law without having a better one in the wings is insanity and the republicans went along for that insane ride.

Regards
DL

Actually, I blame the republican controlled Congress more than Trump for the failure to replace BOcare. They were unable to put together any legislation. That is not Trumps fault.

I am actually a fan of the 2 party system, I just think it’s time the existing parties are reformed and changed.[/QUOTE]

You call it BOcare while your government cannot seem to shit a better smelling one. You look but cannot see. I am in Canada though and used to better from the get go.

Trump had the promise of repeal and replace as a main part of his platform.

You go ahead and blame others for incompetence if you like as you are right that the Reps are incompetent, but the buck stops with an equally incompetent Trump who now becomes a liar who makes promises but will not do the work required to put up what he should have shut up on.

Regards
DL

 

[whitehall]

When a kid like Clarence Thomas rises from poverty to become a Supreme Court Justice how can you say that "government is a tool of the oligarchs"? Only the lazy and the truly ignorant or the political tricksters would believe such nonsense.

 

[BuckToothMoron]

[QUOTE="BuckToothMoron, post: 18291236, member: 57192

You can not change the system or the parties by being a part of them. The only things they care about are your vote and your money. Drop your affiliation! Imagine the narrative coming from these guys if 80% of voters had no party affiliation. You see, they NEED you to pick a side and become loyal to that side, defend that side with your voice (vote) and your money. Don’t be their foolish pawn, drop your party affiliation now.

You are basically locked into a two party system and I agree that that is stupid and unproductive.

If you look at multi party systems where laws need consensus, you will find better laws.

Note how when Trump came into power, he insulted the old electorate that had chosen Democrats in previous elections for certain reasons and for certain laws.

That shows how little he actually cares about the electorate.

If that happened in multi party government, he would never be allowed to reverse what a previous electorate wanted except perhaps in special cases.

Health care could have been one of those cases but Trump screwed that up by not doing a good job. He was anti the Democrat's system but was to stupid to be able to improve on it.

To change a law without having a better one in the wings is insanity and the republicans went along for that insane ride.

Regards
DL

Actually, I blame the republican controlled Congress more than Trump for the failure to replace BOcare. They were unable to put together any legislation. That is not Trumps fault.

I am actually a fan of the 2 party system, I just think it’s time the existing parties are reformed and changed.

You call it BOcare while your government cannot seem to shit a better smelling one. You look but cannot see. I am in Canada though and used to better from the get go.

Trump had the promise of repeal and replace as a main part of his platform.

You go ahead and blame others for incompetence if you like as you are right that the Reps are incompetent, but the buck stops with an equally incompetent Trump who now becomes a liar who makes promises but will not do the work required to put up what he should have shut up on.

Regards
DL[/QUOTE]

Trump is a political idiot, no doubt, but why don’t you explain to me how he was suppose to sign a bill into law repealing and replacing BOcare that can’t get thru congress. Perhaps as a Canadian you are unfamiliar with our system here. The president can’t just pass legislation, he can only sign or veto legislation which has first been approved by congress.

 

[GreatestIam]

When a kid like Clarence Thomas rises from poverty to become a Supreme Court Justice how can you say that "government is a tool of the oligarchs"? Only the lazy and the truly ignorant or the political tricksters would believe such nonsense.

Follow the links I put, especially that 20 year report on what laws get passed and come back and chat. That link on inherited wealth is an eye opener as well.

Your comment on a judge who likely bought his election with bribes and kick back is of no importance to me as the quality of your judiciary does not seem to be the best because of your election process for the judges.

Regards
DL

 

[BuckToothMoron]

Government isn't a protection racket for the rick. But, government is the tool of the rich to perpetuate their wealth. All of America's "problems" are easy to solve, but solving them isn't in the interest of the rich. Take illegal immigration. Immigrants depress wages of the working natives, while natives are forced to subsidize the immigrants (free schooling, etc.).

When soldiers go to war, the soldiers on both sides are just pawns for the rich. Soldiers on both sides think they're fighting for the side of truth, justice, and freedom.

"Take illegal immigration. Immigrants depress wages of the working natives,"

I can agree with this only partially.

What depresses wages are the employers who pay the depressed wage.

Let's put the blame where it belongs.

Employees do not decide what the wage will be. The employers do.

Your employers are the corrupt ones. Not their workers who take what they can get.

Regards
DL

That’s silly. The market decides what the wages will be, not the employer or employee (government mandated minimum wage excepted). I own a business and employ contract labor. I can not dictate to my installers what I will pay them, nor can they demand what ever pay they want. There is a going rate for their labor set by the market, and I have to pay that price or something very close to it, and they have to accept that price or something very close to it. If I refuse to pay that wage, they will work for someone else, if they demand a higher wage, I will use another installer.

 

[GreatestIam]

[QUOTE="BuckToothMoron, post: 18291236, member: 57192

You can not change the system or the parties by being a part of them. The only things they care about are your vote and your money. Drop your affiliation! Imagine the narrative coming from these guys if 80% of voters had no party affiliation. You see, they NEED you to pick a side and become loyal to that side, defend that side with your voice (vote) and your money. Don’t be their foolish pawn, drop your party affiliation now.

You are basically locked into a two party system and I agree that that is stupid and unproductive.

If you look at multi party systems where laws need consensus, you will find better laws.

Note how when Trump came into power, he insulted the old electorate that had chosen Democrats in previous elections for certain reasons and for certain laws.

That shows how little he actually cares about the electorate.

If that happened in multi party government, he would never be allowed to reverse what a previous electorate wanted except perhaps in special cases.

Health care could have been one of those cases but Trump screwed that up by not doing a good job. He was anti the Democrat's system but was to stupid to be able to improve on it.

To change a law without having a better one in the wings is insanity and the republicans went along for that insane ride.

Regards
DL

Actually, I blame the republican controlled Congress more than Trump for the failure to replace BOcare. They were unable to put together any legislation. That is not Trumps fault.

I am actually a fan of the 2 party system, I just think it’s time the existing parties are reformed and changed.

You call it BOcare while your government cannot seem to shit a better smelling one. You look but cannot see. I am in Canada though and used to better from the get go.

Trump had the promise of repeal and replace as a main part of his platform.

You go ahead and blame others for incompetence if you like as you are right that the Reps are incompetent, but the buck stops with an equally incompetent Trump who now becomes a liar who makes promises but will not do the work required to put up what he should have shut up on.

Regards
DL

Trump is a political idiot, no doubt, but why don’t you explain to me how he was suppose to sign a bill into law repealing and replacing BOcare that can’t get thru congress. Perhaps as a Canadian you are unfamiliar with our system here. The president can’t just pass legislation, he can only sign or veto legislation which has first been approved by congress.[/QUOTE]

I know that but it is to Trump, after promising it, to provide a system that congress can pass.

The political idiots, FMPOV, are the people that elected a man based on his B.S. and hate. Some of that was justified but not nearly the amount that Trump was selling.

The American public has been Trumped.

Regards
DL

 

[bripat9643]

Why shouldn't they retain their wealth? Do you believe the mob should be allowed to loot them?

Following those links and educating yourself would have been a good starting position for you to understand the fact that you are a slave to an oligarch.

To your reply.

All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people.

It is not a matter of redistribution from above to below. It is more of a matter of the filthy rich looking to the poor and paying their fair share.

There is a graph in the O.P. If you cannot see how it shows how immoral the socio economic demographic pyramid is, then you do not know how to read one.

Go back and educate yourself, please.

Regards
DL

"All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people."

Who did Henry Ford take advantage of? Steve Jobs? Jeff Bezos?

Labor and the market. Do you know anything about how an economy and business works?

If profits do not come from a workforce and markets for the products, where do you think it comes from?

Regards
DL

You don't prove a point by bleating out some magic words that you think answers all questions. Your theory that profits "come from a workforce and markets for the products" is impossibly vague and meaningless in this context. Your claim amounts to saying the workers are defrauded or cheated in some fashion.

So how are they cheated? Did their employer lie to them about what they would be paid? Where does the fraud come in?

Who said anything about fraud or cheating someone?

If not from taking advantage of the labor force who make the product, and taking advantage of the market/buyers, how else is great wealth gained?

Taking advantage of those two groups is not cheating or fraud. We call it good business.

It seems we are not looking at "taking advantage" the same way. You see it as a negative while I and the economy see it as a positive that must happen if the economy is to work.

How would you create wealth for yourself if not taking advantage of labor and the market place? I know of not other legal source.

Regards
DL

You're using two definitions of "taking advantage of." One definition means to con or defraud someone, as in "the used car salesman took advantage of the teenager and sold him a heap for twice what it was worth." The other means simply to employ something, as in "I took advantage of my day off to mow my lawn."

You're trying to use both definitions at the same time. On the one hand you imply that capitalists are doing something shady, but then you deny it when you use the term in your economic theory.

If it's not a a form of fraud, then how are the poor entitled to anything the rich have earned?

 

[BuckToothMoron]

[QUOTE="BuckToothMoron, post: 18291236, member: 57192

You can not change the system or the parties by being a part of them. The only things they care about are your vote and your money. Drop your affiliation! Imagine the narrative coming from these guys if 80% of voters had no party affiliation. You see, they NEED you to pick a side and become loyal to that side, defend that side with your voice (vote) and your money. Don’t be their foolish pawn, drop your party affiliation now.

You are basically locked into a two party system and I agree that that is stupid and unproductive.

If you look at multi party systems where laws need consensus, you will find better laws.

Note how when Trump came into power, he insulted the old electorate that had chosen Democrats in previous elections for certain reasons and for certain laws.

That shows how little he actually cares about the electorate.

If that happened in multi party government, he would never be allowed to reverse what a previous electorate wanted except perhaps in special cases.

Health care could have been one of those cases but Trump screwed that up by not doing a good job. He was anti the Democrat's system but was to stupid to be able to improve on it.

To change a law without having a better one in the wings is insanity and the republicans went along for that insane ride.

Regards
DL

Actually, I blame the republican controlled Congress more than Trump for the failure to replace BOcare. They were unable to put together any legislation. That is not Trumps fault.

I am actually a fan of the 2 party system, I just think it’s time the existing parties are reformed and changed.

You call it BOcare while your government cannot seem to shit a better smelling one. You look but cannot see. I am in Canada though and used to better from the get go.

Trump had the promise of repeal and replace as a main part of his platform.

You go ahead and blame others for incompetence if you like as you are right that the Reps are incompetent, but the buck stops with an equally incompetent Trump who now becomes a liar who makes promises but will not do the work required to put up what he should have shut up on.

Regards
DL

Trump is a political idiot, no doubt, but why don’t you explain to me how he was suppose to sign a bill into law repealing and replacing BOcare that can’t get thru congress. Perhaps as a Canadian you are unfamiliar with our system here. The president can’t just pass legislation, he can only sign or veto legislation which has first been approved by congress.

I know that but it is to Trump, after promising it, to provide a system that congress can pass.

The political idiots, FMPOV, are the people that elected a man based on his B.S. and hate.

The American public were Trumped.

Regards
DL[/QUOTE]

Trump is not good, and knowing what I know today, I’d still take him over the evil pantsuit bulldyke. We only had 2 choices, turd sandwich or giant douche bag.

 

[dannyboys]

o your reply.

All great wealth come from taking advantage of the work force and the market. IOW, from taking advantage of people.

It is not a matter of redistribution from above to below. It is more of a matter of the filthy rich looking to the poor and paying their fair share.

There is a graph in the O.P. If you cannot see how it shows how immoral the socio economic demographic pyramid is, then you do not know how to read one.

Go back and educate yourself, please.

So I have a transmission problem. I bring it to your transmission shop and pay you fairly for the repair. How did I take advantage of you?

If I decide to buy a car, buy a house, hire a lawn care company, nobody is taking advantage of anybody else because all parties were in agreement.

So if I apply for a job, and the job pays X amount of money and benefits, the employer is not taking advantage of me by me accepting his offer; provided he or she lives up to their end of the agreement.

All great wealth does not happen by taking advantage of anybody. Great wealth is produced by manufacturing a product or service for a profit. That's it.

Imagine you have a transmission problem. There are two transmissions shops. You can bring it to my shop, I pay full taxes and it'll cost you $500 to fix. But Big Fuckios down the road, they're a multinational shop and they'll charge you $350 to fix the transmission. They can do this because they don't pay much tax at all.

Which one are you going to go to? Is this a fair thing to happen in society?

I have absolutely no idea what your comparison is. Wages are not set by national vs multinational companies, wages are set on the ability for an employer to hire a worker for the lowest offer they can.

As for taxes, multinational companies pay the same as national companies. Multinational companies don't pay American taxes on money they made outside of the US provided they don't bring any of that money back to the states. It's a problem that Trump has highlighted since he took office.

I do not agree.
Over the years I have hired a lot of employees.
I paid them what they were worth.......period.
I've had employees doing the same job as the person beside them but paid them twice what the other employee was getting.
These people were paid twice because they were providing me with exemplary work.
They provided an excellent example to other employees. The highly paid employees NEVER told anyone about how much they were making.
Smart employers know how to treat their best employees.
THAT's how people get rich in business.

 

[JoeNormal]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?

That's about as succinctly put as I've ever seen.

 

[JoeNormal]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?


Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.


Do you recognize that fact?


Regards

DL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2

http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-data-reveals-that-congress-doesnt-care-what-you-think?c=upw1&u=94acbbeb6bbd6d664157009a896e71b014efbf27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

Why shouldn't they retain their wealth? Do you believe the mob should be allowed to loot them?

Why not, they loot the mob.

 

[bripat9643]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?


Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.


Do you recognize that fact?


Regards

DL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2

http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-data-reveals-that-congress-doesnt-care-what-you-think?c=upw1&u=94acbbeb6bbd6d664157009a896e71b014efbf27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

Why shouldn't they retain their wealth? Do you believe the mob should be allowed to loot them?

Why not, they loot the mob.

How? Did someone point a gun at you and force you to buy an iPhone?

 

[BuckToothMoron]

When a kid like Clarence Thomas rises from poverty to become a Supreme Court Justice how can you say that "government is a tool of the oligarchs"? Only the lazy and the truly ignorant or the political tricksters would believe such nonsense.

Follow the links I put, especially that 20 year report on what laws get passed and come back and chat. That link on inherited wealth is an eye opener as well.

Your comment on a judge who likely bought his election with bribes and kick back is of no importance to me as the quality of your judiciary does not seem to be the best because of your election process for the judges.

Regards
DL

Mr Canadian, you need to learn a bit more about the greatest country on earth before you speak out. We don’t ELECT judges. They are appointed.

Here is a link I suggest you read very soon, it will keep you from embarrassing yourself anymore.
FAQs: Federal Judges

 

[JoeNormal]

Yes. People in power use their power to make themselves more powerful.

IT seems that some Americans still want to give government even more power at their own expense.

We need full-auto weapons to keep these 1%ers from fucking us over.

Plenty of weapons out there already. I haven't seen that they ever been used in this country on the plutocracy.

 

[GreatestIam]

[

That’s silly. The market decides what the wages will be, not the employer or employee (government mandated minimum wage excepted). I own a business and employ contract labor. I can not dictate to my installers what I will pay them, nor can they demand what ever pay they want. There is a going rate for their labor set by the market, and I have to pay that price or something very close to it, and they have to accept that price or something very close to it. If I refuse to pay that wage, they will work for someone else, if they demand a higher wage, I will use another installer.

Hogwash. Look at the large picture and not your small one.

Buy cheap, sell dear is what those who buy and sell go by. If you could get cheaper labor, you would use it. If you could sell your product for more, you would.

A company that finds a product it can do that with does not pass down it's windfall to employees not does it give the buyer a break. That is were advantage is taken by the rich.

Regards
DL

 

[Bush92]

Establishment government political office holders protect their own interests. Look at problems anti-establishment President Trump is having with establishment politicians in his own party. They wanted low energy Jeb who they could control. Instead they got a sonofabitch that fights for the American people!

 

[JoeNormal]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?


Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.


Do you recognize that fact?


Regards

DL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2

http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-data-reveals-that-congress-doesnt-care-what-you-think?c=upw1&u=94acbbeb6bbd6d664157009a896e71b014efbf27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

Why shouldn't they retain their wealth? Do you believe the mob should be allowed to loot them?

Why not, they loot the mob.

How? Did someone point a gun at you and force you to buy an iPhone?

There are certain goods and services that people can't live without (an iPhone isn't one of them). The corporations and financial industry currently have people over a barrel in the way they provide them.

 

[danielpalos]

Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?


Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.


Do you recognize that fact?


Regards

DL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo

http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-americans-are-completely-wrong-about-this-mind-blowing-fact-2

http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-data-reveals-that-congress-doesnt-care-what-you-think?c=upw1&u=94acbbeb6bbd6d664157009a896e71b014efbf27

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu66tE&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

The right wing has nothing but repeal when it is about increasing costs for the rich.