Seriously, my theory is that liberals lack the IQ to understand capitalism...

[edthecynic]

My favorite "explanation" of how Capitalism "works" comes from comedian Robert Altman, AKA "Uncle Dirty," in his album "The Uncle Dirty Primer" recorded in 1970.

"You have to buy what you can't get,
With money you haven't got,
And then sell what you never had,
For more than it was ever worth."

 

[Brutus]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???

 

[pinqy]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???

Externalities and public goods. A pure free market (anarcho-capitalism) cannot cope with either.

 

[Brutus]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???

Externalities and public goods. A pure free market (anarcho-capitalism) cannot cope with either.

Brutus: good, even Milton Friedman was for government regulating externalities. Do you like Friedman??

 

[pinqy]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???

Externalities and public goods. A pure free market (anarcho-capitalism) cannot cope with either.

Brutus: good, even Milton Friedman was for government regulating externalities. Do you like Friedman??

Never met him. And monetary theory is not my field.

 

[Brutus]

Externalities and public goods. A pure free market (anarcho-capitalism) cannot cope with either.

Brutus: good, even Milton Friedman was for government regulating externalities. Do you like Friedman??

Never met him. And monetary theory is not my field.

Brutus:
1) who asked if you had met him?????????????
2) our subject had nothing to do with monetary policy?????

 

[pinqy]

Brutus: good, even Milton Friedman was for government regulating externalities. Do you like Friedman??

Never met him. And monetary theory is not my field.

Brutus:
1) who asked if you had met him?????????????
2) our subject had nothing to do with monetary policy?????

1) You asked me what I thought of him. I never knew him, so I don't really have any kind of opinion. I don't know if he was a nice guy or a jerk or had annoying habits.

2) You're seriously asking what connection there is between monetary theory and Milton Friedman???????? And you're criticizing others for not knowing economics?

3) I can't decide if you lack a sense of humor, or are just a bit dense.

 

[Brutus]

Pinqy: 1) You asked me what I thought of him. I never knew him, so I don't really have any kind of opinion. I don't know if he was a nice guy or a jerk or had annoying habits.

Brutus: too stupid!! This is economics forum. Subject was policy, not personality!!! Too stupid!!!

Pinqy: 2) You're seriously asking what connection there is between monetary theory and Milton Friedman???????? And you're criticizing others for not knowing economics?

Brutus: if I seriously asked that I will pay you 10,000. Bet or run away??

Pinqy: 3) I can't decide if you lack a sense of humor, or are just a bit dense.

Brutus: don't tell me you think you were being funny???

 

[pinqy]

Pinqy: 1) You asked me what I thought of him. I never knew him, so I don't really have any kind of opinion. I don't know if he was a nice guy or a jerk or had annoying habits.

Brutus: too stupid!! This is economics forum. Subject was policy, not personality!!! Too stupid!!!

Pinqy: 2) You're seriously asking what connection there is between monetary theory and Milton Friedman???????? And you're criticizing others for not knowing economics?

Brutus: if I seriously asked that I will pay you 10,000. Bet or run away??

Pinqy: 3) I can't decide if you lack a sense of humor, or are just a bit dense.

Brutus: don't tell me you think you were being funny???

Cleary the answer was "both."

And are you now saying your question of what monetary policy had to do with our subject (which was my opinion of Milton Friedman) wasn't a serious question? Interesting.

 

[skeptic]

Brutus is an economic illiterate. He doesn't even realize basic things like the black market in Russia was the epitome of the capitalist free market he imagines that he supports.

Brutus: ah but you miss the most important point. In the USSR there were buyers and sellers. The difference is that under capitalism both parties are acting largely free of government authority. Now you see why we say liberals lack the IQ to understand- right?

 

[Brutus]

Brutus is an economic illiterate. He doesn't even realize basic things like the black market in Russia was the epitome of the capitalist free market he imagines that he supports.

Brutus: ah but you miss the most important point. In the USSR there were buyers and sellers. The difference is that under capitalism both parties are acting largely free of government authority. Now you see why we say liberals lack the IQ to understand- right?

Brutus: of course the black market is illegal, Friedman supported legal capitalism. Sorry!!

 

[Toronado3800]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???

Why regulate it?

Think about what ppl do for money? Now put them in a board room where apparently humans don't thing God can see them and you have some immoral fellas who calculate if fixing a gas tank problem would cost more than loosing wrongful death law suits.

(and I bet Toyota did so too recently so don't think I am picking on Ford)

W/o laws and regulations it would be very dangerous. Not to mention the taxes which tug us towards socialism by out right redistributing some wealth

 

[Brutus]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???[/quote]


Toranado: Think about what people do for money?

Brutus: under capitalism they please their customers better than anyone else in the world or customers drive them into bankruptcy!! That is how we got fro the stone age to here, not through idiotic regulations. Think about that over and over and then ask your Mom to help you understand. Under socialism there is no incentive to love your customer as there is under capitalism. And now you know too. This is a huge day for you.


Toranado: Now put them in a board room where apparently humans don't thing God can see them and you have some immoral fellas who calculate if fixing a gas tank problem would cost more than loosing wrongful death law suits.

Brutus: too stupid. Under captitalism your reputation is everything!! Underr socialism it does not matter. Now you know a key element in why the USSR failed!!! This is huge for you!!!

Toranado: W/o laws and regulations it would be very dangerous.

Brutus: too stupid !!!OMG the danger was living under regulation in the USSR and Red China where companies had no incentive to please their customers.


Toranado: Not to mention the taxes which tug us towards socialism by out right redistributing some wealth.

Brutus: sorry, no idea what you mean there

 

[Toronado3800]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???


Toranado: Think about what people do for money?

Brutus: under capitalism they please their customers better than anyone else in the world or customers drive them into bankruptcy!! That is how we got fro the stone age to here, not through idiotic regulations. Think about that over and over and then ask your Mom to help you understand. Under socialism there is no incentive to love your customer as there is under capitalism. And now you know too. This is a huge day for you.


Toranado: Now put them in a board room where apparently humans don't thing God can see them and you have some immoral fellas who calculate if fixing a gas tank problem would cost more than loosing wrongful death law suits.

Brutus: too stupid. Under captitalism your reputation is everything!! Underr socialism it does not matter. Now you know a key element in why the USSR failed!!! This is huge for you!!!

Toranado: W/o laws and regulations it would be very dangerous.

Brutus: too stupid !!!OMG the danger was living under regulation in the USSR and Red China where companies had no incentive to please their customers.


Toranado: Not to mention the taxes which tug us towards socialism by out right redistributing some wealth.

Brutus: sorry, no idea what you mean there

Brutus, do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?[/quote]

Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?

Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.

 

[Norman]

Toronado: Face it, capitalism is simple. Regulating it is difficult and necessary as power corrupts both the regulator and the successful.

Brutus: so why regulate it then???


Toranado: Think about what people do for money?

Brutus: under capitalism they please their customers better than anyone else in the world or customers drive them into bankruptcy!! That is how we got fro the stone age to here, not through idiotic regulations. Think about that over and over and then ask your Mom to help you understand. Under socialism there is no incentive to love your customer as there is under capitalism. And now you know too. This is a huge day for you.


Toranado: Now put them in a board room where apparently humans don't thing God can see them and you have some immoral fellas who calculate if fixing a gas tank problem would cost more than loosing wrongful death law suits.

Brutus: too stupid. Under captitalism your reputation is everything!! Underr socialism it does not matter. Now you know a key element in why the USSR failed!!! This is huge for you!!!

Toranado: W/o laws and regulations it would be very dangerous.

Brutus: too stupid !!!OMG the danger was living under regulation in the USSR and Red China where companies had no incentive to please their customers.


Toranado: Not to mention the taxes which tug us towards socialism by out right redistributing some wealth.

Brutus: sorry, no idea what you mean there

Brutus, do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?

Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?

Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.[/QUOTE]

I didn't read the above post, while anarchists of course argue that threats of jail and etc. maybe not needed or emerge some non governmental way, I don't think capitalists argue that. They argue that government needs to guarantee only the "classic rights".

Capitalist would argue that there is no needed regulation for led toys as parents themselves would just simply not buy toys which were not guaranteed to be safe, and/or if injury happened would sue the company. I think there is nothing wrong with this way of thinking. "Capitalists"/libertarians prefer liberty and responsibility over handing those to government.

Same for auto emissions, since they directly hurt you, you don't really need government to take care of the emissions for you as rather you can just sue the auto company that pollutes yourself. For emissions government regulation may be a better choice, because the source is not very clear. But that too has problems.

Global warming is a bit more problematic, but it is very problematic with or without government regulations. (and no I am not talking about if it's true or not).

Anyway I don't find capitalists arguing that emission isn't bad - it's just that there are many ways of dealing with things. Sure some so called capitalists think that you should be able to do anything to get cash and do away with rights of others, but these are really fascists.

 

[Brutus]

Toranado: do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?[/quote]


Brutus: Too stupid. If the government governs what business can sell then you have a few regulators in DC, as opposed to 311 million
everywhere! And now you know the secret of how freedom makes a nation strong and prosperous. Ever hear that a nation is only as strong as its people? If the government takes the responsibility the people grow weaker and weaker!


Toranado: Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Brutus: whats to understand. If you redistribute you kill the incentive of both the giver and receiver. And now you know why 50 million slowly starved to death under Mao. As soon as they switched to capitalism 10's of millions were almost instantly saved. Its been in all the papers.

Toranado: Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?


Brutus: Too stupid!!! You assume the liberal government must regulate the evil people who don't know any better. This is the process Mao used to kill 50 million.

Toranado: Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.


Brutus: yes you seem like a Nazi or Communist with your blind, stupid faith in government. I'm sad for you but history produced millions of brainwashed statist fools doesn't it?

Now you see why we are sure the liberal wil lack the IQ to understand capitalism. To a liberal the government has a magic wand. Like a child the liberal will believe in Santa Claus government.

 

[idb]

Toranado: do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?

Brutus: Too stupid. If the government governs what business can sell then you have a few regulators in DC, as opposed to 311 million
everywhere! And now you know the secret of how freedom makes a nation strong and prosperous. Ever hear that a nation is only as strong as its people? If the government takes the responsibility the people grow weaker and weaker!


Toranado: Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Brutus: whats to understand. If you redistribute you kill the incentive of both the giver and receiver. And now you know why 50 million slowly starved to death under Mao. As soon as they switched to capitalism 10's of millions were almost instantly saved. Its been in all the papers.

Toranado: Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?


Brutus: Too stupid!!! You assume the liberal government must regulate the evil people who don't know any better. This is the process Mao used to kill 50 million.

Toranado: Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.


Brutus: yes you seem like a Nazi or Communist with your blind, stupid faith in government. I'm sad for you but history produced millions of brainwashed statist fools doesn't it?

You're a "black or white" kinda bloke, aren't you?

 

[Toronado3800]

Toranado: do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?


Brutus: Too stupid. If the government governs what business can sell then you have a few regulators in DC, as opposed to 311 million
everywhere! And now you know the secret of how freedom makes a nation strong and prosperous. Ever hear that a nation is only as strong as its people? If the government takes the responsibility the people grow weaker and weaker!


Toranado: Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Brutus: whats to understand. If you redistribute you kill the incentive of both the giver and receiver. And now you know why 50 million slowly starved to death under Mao. As soon as they switched to capitalism 10's of millions were almost instantly saved. Its been in all the papers.

Toranado: Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?


Brutus: Too stupid!!! You assume the liberal government must regulate the evil people who don't know any better. This is the process Mao used to kill 50 million.

Toranado: Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.


Brutus: yes you seem like a Nazi or Communist with your blind, stupid faith in government. I'm sad for you but history produced millions of brainwashed statist fools doesn't it?

Now you see why we are sure the liberal wil lack the IQ to understand capitalism. To a liberal the government has a magic wand. Like a child the liberal will believe in Santa Claus government.

Brutus, if not for government intervention folks in St Louis may still be using coal to heat their homes. Do you disagree? How about the leaded gas thing?

(This is not a defense of all environmental regulations, those are hundreds of other matters and all our ppm's are up for debate. Most folks believe in some version of environmental laws though)

 

[Brutus]

Toranado: do you really not understand how dangerous a world it is w/o the threats of jail or fines for business who injure folks? Think lead in toys. Which companies were they from again?


Brutus: Too stupid. If the government governs what business can sell then you have a few regulators in DC, as opposed to 311 million
everywhere! And now you know the secret of how freedom makes a nation strong and prosperous. Ever hear that a nation is only as strong as its people? If the government takes the responsibility the people grow weaker and weaker!


Toranado: Do you really not understand selective taxes being used as a means to redistribute wealth?

Brutus: whats to understand. If you redistribute you kill the incentive of both the giver and receiver. And now you know why 50 million slowly starved to death under Mao. As soon as they switched to capitalism 10's of millions were almost instantly saved. Its been in all the papers.

Toranado: Can you really not think of any reason to regulate things like auto emissions?


Brutus: Too stupid!!! You assume the liberal government must regulate the evil people who don't know any better. This is the process Mao used to kill 50 million.

Toranado: Ug, this is going to be an uphill battle.


Brutus: yes you seem like a Nazi or Communist with your blind, stupid faith in government. I'm sad for you but history produced millions of brainwashed statist fools doesn't it?

Now you see why we are sure the liberal wil lack the IQ to understand capitalism. To a liberal the government has a magic wand. Like a child the liberal will believe in Santa Claus government.

Brutus, if not for government intervention folks in St Louis may still be using coal to heat their homes. Do you disagree? How about the leaded gas thing?

(This is not a defense of all environmental regulations, those are hundreds of other matters and all our ppm's are up for debate. Most folks believe in some version of environmental laws though)

Brutus: where is your Nazi Communist liberal faith in government?? Jefferson wanted little to no government because government caused all the evil in human history!! Most conservatives are ok with some environmental regulations but even that is potentially problematic because it assumes liberal bureacrats know better than citizens. Do they serve citizens by being better, superior, smarter, much the way a King would?

You see that BO has no limits on how big he wants government don't you??? PS: Coal is no biggie. NYC is the most liberal city in the USA and they are only now getting rid of coal in the schools.

 

[Toronado3800]

Calm down Brutus, 99% of folks even on this site are not on the Nazi or Communist/Socialist ends of the horse shoe. Like you say most conservatives (and liberal/conservative are touchy titles) are ok with some environmental regulations. They believe through scientific reasoning liberal bureaucrats and the rest of the government can come up with things like CAFE standards which will tug the population forward.

It isn't that the common man does not care, he/we are just in the midst of life and will buy the cheapest reliable car even if it uses leaded gas because "my little bit" doesn't make that much of a difference.

Coal, liberal or not (what does that have to do with it?) should not be used to heat your home where it can be avoided. It also took regulations to stop that in St Louis and I bet elsewhere across the country. Our grandparent's generation wasn't filled with terrible folks, they just needed that nudge to do what they knew was right. Sometimes them laws create a certain economy of scale. Think of it like "now everyone has unleaded gas" and it is cheaper.

Are we in any disagreement on these points?