Who's Job is it?

[henschman]

I absolutely agree with Lurker that it is terrible that corporations (or more accurately, the owners and management of corporations) exert influence on government and are able to secure special benefits for themselves at the expense of others. Hell, that is the whole point of a corporation -- it is an "entity" that is chartered by the government in order to give special benefits to the people who own and run it. This collusion between business and State is such a bad problem because the State has the power to regulate the economy and make or break businesses. This power gives big business a huge incentive to exert influence over politicians. It is an issue of diffuse costs and concentrated benefits -- the benefits are concentrated in a powerful few who have a strong incentive to lobby for their pecuniary interests, while the costs are spread over every productive individual in society, who each bear a small enough portion of the liability that they have a relatively weak incentive to fight it. Besides, productive individuals are being drained by ten thousand other concentrated interests, who all want some sort of special State benefits... it is all a bit much for an individual person to fight.

But take away the power the government has over the economy by erecting a barrier of separation between economy and State, and the corruption goes away. If the pols don't have the power to make or break anybody in the market, there would be no reason for anybody to lobby them for corrupt legislation. If I had it my way, there would be no corporations. You could put together a business that operates in a somewhat similar way through good old fashioned contracts if unfettered freedom of association were allowed, but there would be no government permission slip, or special benefits/duties. The owners and operators of a business would have the same rights as all other individuals, and no more.

 

[dennishoddy]

Each and every individual's who values those things.

Reading the OP's post, I read your comment while scrolling the thread.

This is exactly what I've live my life by since I can remember. I've never looked for a union for support. Never hired anybody to support me, just worked my ass off.

As individuals we live in a micro world where we don't have a direct effect on the op's post about who protects our rights.



To protect Individual Rights?
Who protects citizens from religion?
Who protects Religion?
Who protects the American worker?
Who protects the company?
Who protects a minority?
Who protects the majority?
Who protects a community from a State?
Who Protects a State?
Who protects a voter?
Who protects the poor?
Who protects the rich?
Who protects the middle class?
Who protects the Liberal?
Who protects the conservative?
Who protects the Moderates?



We can only protect ourselves. The country's founders knew that a true democracy wouldn't work. We had to have a method of representation. We elect our representatives and they listen to us, and vote accordingly.

Well, over the years, our reps have quit being representatives and evolved into politicians, making sure they have a means to be re-elected.

Yet, we are all still responsible for our own futures. If one decided to be on the Gov Teat, there is nothing we can do at this point.

If your a responsible person, you will work for a living, contribute to society, ***** about those that won't and go on with your life.

 

[Lurker66]

Lurker, I'm sure your a nice person. Just misguided. My labor would not be free. That would be volunteering. I would be happy to loan you some of my old Econ textbooks. However, you have shown before that you do not grasp even the basic principles of a free market, nor the consequences of a closed market. Do you feel entitled to wine with that government cheese?

Hoov you right, I'm a good guy but I don't need your old Econ books. I'm just a dumb Okie that doest have a clue.

Are you still drawing a paycheck with your great knowledge of how free markets work?

Yes I'll take wine with my cheese.

 

[Blinocac200sx]

Not sure I understand. It's not that they prevent any of that. What they do is influence government into giving them an unfair advantage over the workforce, thus controlling things like wages, benefits, and the overall economy. Which impacts the citizenry in a somewhat negative way.

Every child born is a potential worker that can be exploited. Now tell me that every company except an individually owned and operated one person shop doesn't exploit a worker or take advantage of the labor force.

You prove my point right there. They use the government. Ultimately it is the government you need protection from.

 

[LightningCrash]

You prove my point right there. They use the government. Ultimately it is the government you need protection from.

Partly... in the absence of the government you can need protections from the corporations as well. This is why unions were started.
I do agree with you in that I think the biggest threat by far is the government.

 

[Blinocac200sx]

But ultimately, even unions are people protecting themselves. You don't like the working conditions, you quit working. If they are bad enough to merit everyone quitting, you may get some changes.

 

[Lurker66]

Partly... in the absence of the government you cand protections from the corporations as well. This is why unions were started.
I do agree with you in that I think the biggest threat by far is the government.

And this is where we are going wrong. We blame the Govt yet how many time has Colburn and Imhoff been reelected...or our state reps? Although the Govt bears some blame, they are the ones getting played and manipulated. The manipulaters are to blame and they bear the most responsibility.

Much like Teddy Roosevelt did, we need to hold corporations accountable. Do that and we can start righting the ship.

 

[henschman]

Partly... in the absence of the government you can need protections from the corporations as well. This is why unions were started.
I do agree with you in that I think the biggest threat by far is the government.

Absolutely... and a union, ideally, is nothing but a voluntary association of people who get together to pool their bargaining power to get a better deal for themselves. No need to resort to force or government.

 

[Shootin 4 Fun]

And this is where we are going wrong. We blame the Govt yet how many time has Colburn and Imhoff been reelected...or our state reps? Although the Govt bears some blame, they are the ones getting played and manipulated. The manipulaters are to blame and they bear the most responsibility.

Much like Teddy Roosevelt did, we need to hold corporations accountable. Do that and we can start righting the ship.

Personal responsibility would go a long ways toward righting the ship.

 

[ASP785]

The biggest threat to this country is apathy of the people, not the government.

#AmericanIdol, #DWTS, #Hashtagsarestupid