starman2003 wrote:I don't like capitalism, since it is designed to satisfy individual desires instead of great common endeavors.
Right, because my function on Planet Earth is to service you.
That's why I chose to be incarnated on Earth, so that I might exist solely to subsidize your life-style as your slave. I would weep bitterly, if I couldn't slave my life away to ensure you had luxuries.
Individuals must become self-actualized. Only when one becomes self-actualized, will they be able to help other people in common endeavors. People spend their entire lives trying to achieve self-actualization, and the great majority fail, usually due to petty fears, but also often as the result of trauma.
The purpose of Conservative ideology, Capitalist Property Theory and the Free Market Economic System is to create the stability necessary to foster personal growth, so that people may become self-actualized and then help others.....
if they so choose to do so. If they choose not to do so, they are neither evil nor selfish, in spite of your misconception that the world revolves around you.
Torus34 wrote:An earlier post noted that Capitalism meshes will with human nature. This pocm agrees, and notes that properly restricted by well-drawn laws, Capitalism is capable of channeling the human drive to 'get ahead' [Ed.: Some do away with niceties and simply say 'greed'.] into channels which benefit the entire citizenry.
No, wrong. Capitalism is a Property Theory. Capitalism in no way implies that there ought to be Free Markets, any more than Socialism or Communism makes the same implication, or implies that there ought to be Command Markets.
There is nothing in Conservative ideology that bars regulation of Free Markets.
Free Markets are about Freedom of Choice. Consumers of all classes engage in consumer transactions which are 100% voluntary. There is no coercion, force or threat of force. If two Consumers choose to involve a 3rd Party in their consumer transaction, then that is a choice they voluntarily make, not one that is forced upon them.
Now that you know exactly what a Free Market is, then you surely you understand that you can regulate the Markets, provided you do not compel or force involuntary consumer transactions.
Torus34 wrote:The trick is to keep the capitalists from corrupting the legislators.
So, what the Socialists and Communists get a free pass to corrupt?
No tricks are necessary, it only requires the application of common sense.
Joe Liberty wrote:You can't. That's like trying to keep moths away from your porch light. The real answer is to prevent the legislators from having much power, so that when the cronyists (not capitalists) come bribing, there isn't very much power the legislators can sell.
I can...but you can't. It is manifestly grotesque to impose your personal limitations and short-comings on others. Real campaign finance reform is simple, and easy: if you cannot legally vote for a candidate or a ballot issue, then you cannot tribute money or anything in kind to a candidate, or a ballot issue. I'm not sure which is more shocking, the fact that Life is so simple, or that people go out of their way to make Life as difficult as possible.
Who may contribute monies to presidential elections? Only natural-born or naturalized US citizens. General Motors is not a natural-born or naturalized US citizen, so it cannot contribute.
Who may contribute monies to senatorial elections? If you live in the State of Florida, you shall not contribute to the senatorial races in the State of Georgia, since you cannot legally vote in Georgia.
Who may contribute monies to the elections of federal representatives? Only those US citizens who live in that specific congressional district may contribute. If you live in the 6th District in New Jersey, you cannot contribute to a candidate in the 2nd District, since you cannot legally vote for that candidate.
Who may contribute monies to gubernatorial elections? If you live in the State of California, you shall not contribute to the gubernatorial race in the State of Ohio, since you cannot legally vote in Ohio.
Who may contribute monies to the elections of county or city officials? Only those persons who are legally able to vote may contribute. If you live in San Diego, you cannot contribute to the campaign for the mayor of San Fransisco, since you cannot legally vote in that election.
Who may contribute monies to ballot issues? Only those persons who can legally vote on the issue.
Nothing like having your sovereignty and rights violated by "foreigners" funding elections.
The enemy numbered 600-including women and children-we abolished them utterly, leaving not even a baby to cry for its dead mother. This is incomparably the greatest victory that was ever achieved by the Christian soldiers of the United States. Mark Twain