Should Billionaires Even Exist?

[Brain357]

End all the near monopolies and wage collusion. Let markets work.

How would you end "near monopolies"? Examples?

America Has A Monopoly Problem

Not really interested in reading an article you might not have even read. I'm suspicious because of your hedging on the term "near" monopolies. If 90% of a given market likes one company best - would you call that a "near monopoly"? If so, what measures would you take to break it up?

Yes I would call that a near monopoly.

So it doesn't really matter whether they're colluding with government or not? If 90% of consumers prefer one vendor, why should government overrule them?

You think that is something that can actually happen in healthy markets? I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I don't see campaign contributions as hosing the people.

You love corporate welfare and being ruled by the rich elites. Of course you don't get it.

Corporate welfare, you mean as in lower taxes? Doesn't everybody want lower taxes? Hell, nearly half of the country pays no income taxes. Who did they lobby for that deal?

Lower taxes, cash payments, regulations that lead to monopolies.... We have lots of issues and you love them all. You are a good sheep for the elites.

Given the fact that the top 20% of earners in this country pay over 80% of all collected income tax, obviously their plan isn't working too well for them. Now if you want to get rid of lobbying altogether, I'm fine with that. But it's not just the corporations that lobby. You have your trial lawyers, insurance companies, environmentalists, unions, entertainment and so on.

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

 

[dblack]

How would you end "near monopolies"? Examples?

America Has A Monopoly Problem

Not really interested in reading an article you might not have even read. I'm suspicious because of your hedging on the term "near" monopolies. If 90% of a given market likes one company best - would you call that a "near monopoly"? If so, what measures would you take to break it up?

Yes I would call that a near monopoly.

So it doesn't really matter whether they're colluding with government or not? If 90% of consumers prefer one vendor, why should government overrule them?

Because markets don't work well when that is the case.

If they're based on voluntary transactions, and there is no collusion or fraud going on, then the markets are working exactly the way the people want them to, exactly according to their choices. There's no justification for government telling consumer's that they're wrong in those choices, to override them with government "takings". People tend to focus on those who amass wealth as though it's the result solely of their ambition. But it's a two-way street. They get rich because people want them to be rich - consumers value what they do and spend their money in accordance with their values.

 

[dblack]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

 

[Brain357]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happen in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

 

[Brain357]

You love corporate welfare and being ruled by the rich elites. Of course you don't get it.

Corporate welfare, you mean as in lower taxes? Doesn't everybody want lower taxes? Hell, nearly half of the country pays no income taxes. Who did they lobby for that deal?

Lower taxes, cash payments, regulations that lead to monopolies.... We have lots of issues and you love them all. You are a good sheep for the elites.

Given the fact that the top 20% of earners in this country pay over 80% of all collected income tax, obviously their plan isn't working too well for them. Now if you want to get rid of lobbying altogether, I'm fine with that. But it's not just the corporations that lobby. You have your trial lawyers, insurance companies, environmentalists, unions, entertainment and so on.

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

What are you suggesting?

 

[OKTexas]

What the hell difference does that make, they have no more obligation as a citizen of this country than you.

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The point was they have the wealth to easily fix the problem. Sorry you are incapable of deciphering the point.

Please don’t take me out of context to fit your screwed beliefs.

No commie, your the one that doesn't seem to be getting the point. The US has spent more than 22 trillion dollars over the last 50 years on the war on poverty, tell the class how that's ******* worked out? Add to that another close to 5 trillion wasted on the dept of indoctrination and you'll quickly see that taking all our billionaires money won't do squat. No citizen should pay a penny more than the law says is owed.

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Are you referencing the debt?

Did I say anything about debt? Perhaps you should learn to ******* read.

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It's funny your number is so close to the debt. Remember when republicans used to care about the debt? Where did your number come from?

I don't find it funny at all, I named two programs. You commies have been so thoroughly brainwashed you think throwing more money at something can fix anything. It didn't work for LBJ and it won't work now. How the hell you think the social safety net became 70% of the federal budget? Millions have come off welfare in the last few years, if you're paying attention at all, you'd know the commies are screaming like someone gutted their grandmother because reductions to the growth in the program has been proposed.

.

 

[dblack]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

 

[Brain357]

The point was they have the wealth to easily fix the problem. Sorry you are incapable of deciphering the point.

Please don’t take me out of context to fit your screwed beliefs.

No commie, your the one that doesn't seem to be getting the point. The US has spent more than 22 trillion dollars over the last 50 years on the war on poverty, tell the class how that's ******* worked out? Add to that another close to 5 trillion wasted on the dept of indoctrination and you'll quickly see that taking all our billionaires money won't do squat. No citizen should pay a penny more than the law says is owed.

.

Are you referencing the debt?

Did I say anything about debt? Perhaps you should learn to ******* read.

.

It's funny your number is so close to the debt. Remember when republicans used to care about the debt? Where did your number come from?

I don't find it funny at all, I named two programs. You commies have been so thoroughly brainwashed you think throwing more money at something can fix anything. It didn't work for LBJ and it won't work now. How the hell you think the social safety net became 70% of the federal budget? Millions have come off welfare in the last few years, if you're paying attention at all, you'd know the commies are screaming like someone gutted their grandmother because reductions to the growth in the program has been proposed.

.

It's hard to notice since deficits have increased so rapidly.

 

[Brain357]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

 

[dblack]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

 

[gipper]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

We are way past that. Government and big business have been colluding for decades. The billionaires who own or run the big corporations, have bought the politicians. It’s a protection racket the Mafia can only dream of. Drastic action is needed, but it ain’t coming.

 

[Brain357]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

 

[dblack]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

We are way past that. Government and big business have been colluding for decades. The billionaires who own or run the big corporations, have bought the politicians. It’s a protection racket the Mafia can only dream of. Drastic action is needed, but it ain’t coming.

You mean drastic action like eliminating the regulatory regime that created all the collusion in the first place?!?!?

It's a great idea, but it'd be a tough sell in D.C. They kinda like their power.

 

[Brain357]

I really don't think anyone could get 90% without government help....

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

We are way past that. Government and big business have been colluding for decades. The billionaires who own or run the big corporations, have bought the politicians. It’s a protection racket the Mafia can only dream of. Drastic action is needed, but it ain’t coming.

You mean drastic action like eliminating the regulatory regime that created all the collusion in the first place?!?!?

It's a great idea, but it'd be a tough sell in D.C. They kinda like their power.

How about regulations that aren't bought and paid for by lobbying?

 

[dblack]

Then it should be easy to identify how government is helping them and do something about it, right?

But that's not really what you're after, is it?

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches in and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

 

[Brain357]

You didn't answer the question. If you think that can happy in healthy markets give an example and tell how well it worked out.

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

 

[dblack]

Seriously, don't go dodgy on me. Shouldn't the goal be to identify how government and businesses are colluding and put a stop to it? I mean if you could identify and eliminate the cause, there'd be no need to "break them up". The market would take care of it. You remember the market, right? The free market you talked about earlier?

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

If the "help" that is creating these monopolies is removed, the market will take care of things. No need for government dick-waving.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

Corporate welfare, you mean as in lower taxes? Doesn't everybody want lower taxes? Hell, nearly half of the country pays no income taxes. Who did they lobby for that deal?

Lower taxes, cash payments, regulations that lead to monopolies.... We have lots of issues and you love them all. You are a good sheep for the elites.

Given the fact that the top 20% of earners in this country pay over 80% of all collected income tax, obviously their plan isn't working too well for them. Now if you want to get rid of lobbying altogether, I'm fine with that. But it's not just the corporations that lobby. You have your trial lawyers, insurance companies, environmentalists, unions, entertainment and so on.

I don't want anyone buying politicians. They should be working for the people, not a lobby. When they work for a lobby it only benefits a few.

Does it? So without lobbying, they would be paying more in tax, correct? Do you think that when corporations are hit will more expenditures, they just dig deeper into their pockets?

What are you suggesting?

Let's take your cell phone company for instance. They can't lobby, so they can't get any kind of reduction in regulations or taxes. Do you suppose your cell phone bill would stay the same? Seriously?

Now we will look at the other side of the coin. Let's say they can't pass on their losses any longer. What do you suppose that would do to their stocks? Investors would flee. Do you have your IRA invested in the stock market? How about personal investments?

 

[Brain357]

You are the one dodging bro. You ignored the question.

Sure man. Run with that. Also - you're a free market capitalist. We're all squared away now.

Yes I am. And that being the case I don't believe a company could get 90% share without help in healthy markets. You seem to think so, I'm not so sure you believe in markets.

I'm not sure actually. You may be right. I'm just saying that your focus should be on showing how that's happening and doing something about it. Showing how government is helping these companies achieve dominance and banning it. But that's not your focus. At all. You want to jump straight to the part where the government marches and raids the company. WTF is that all about?

Yes that can be done to avoid future monopolies. But something needs to be done about the ones we already have. Do you think monopolies make for good markets?

If the "help" that is creating these monopolies is removed, the market will take care of things. No need for government dick-waving.

I don't think we have time to wait. Monopolies have been broken up in the past and it should happen again.