The Global Gilded Age
The Global Gilded Age
3 billion people live on less than 2 bucks a day.
According to a new report, just over 8 million people worldwide control $31 TRILLION in assets. In other words, one-tenth of one percent of the world’s population controls one-quarter of the world’s assets.
A strong global economy gave 600,000 people an entree last year into a highly envied group: the world’s millionaires.
The annual World Wealth Report…found that there were 8.3 million people worldwide with $1 million or more in financial assets at the end of 2004, up from 7.7 million a year earlier.
Their total wealth rose 8.2 percent to $30.8 trillion in 2004, giving them control of nearly a quarter of the world’s financial assets, according to Petrina Dolby, vice president of Capgemini’s wealth management practice.
Read the full report here.
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When do all of us non-millionairs get raises?
June 9th, 2005 at 5:54 pmThe bottom line is we need to outsmart those
‘in charge’.
You must start taking control of your own sensibilites and prove that we can outplay them any day.
Outwit, Outplay and Outlast (Stolen from “Survivior”)
June 9th, 2005 at 6:29 pmThree billion people are spending $2.00 per day to get by. That’s six billion dollars each day injected into the world’s economy. They’re doing their part.
They’re outwitting, outplaying and outlasting everybody. The best things in life are free.
masters of deception
June 9th, 2005 at 7:27 pm… because everyone lives in the same economic situation, right?
June 9th, 2005 at 8:46 pmIn the end, the the Eloi will be eaten by the Morelocks even if they are full and satisfied.
June 9th, 2005 at 9:01 pmI dare thinkprogress to say one thing about the republic, self-governance, or to invoke Thomas Jefferson. I dare you.
June 10th, 2005 at 2:46 amI double dare Thomas Jefferson to say, “Boo”. But I will post a few quotes from old TJ.
“Whosoever shall be guilty of rape, polygamy, or sodomy with a man or woman, shall be punished; if a man, by castration, a woman, by boring through the cartilage of her nose a hole of one half inch in diameter at the least.”
Thomas Jefferson, in the Virginia Bill number 64, 18 June 1779
Oops!
“I do not find in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature…..Millions of innocent men, women and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been burned, tortured, fined and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this coercion?To make half the world fools and half hypocrites; to support roguery and error all over the earth.”
Thomas Jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia
Hmmm?
Here is a pertinent quote from Rev. Bird Wilson, an Episcopal minister from Albany, New York, circa 1831:
“The founders of our nation were nearly all Infidels,
and that of the presidents who had thus far been
elected [Washington; Adams; Jefferson; Madison;
Monroe; J.Q. Adams; Jackson], not a one had
professed a belief in Christianity…”
Infidels!
TJ wrote and spoke prodigiously. Many of his ideas and statements, when taken out of context ,could appear to be wildly contradictory.
http://www.monticello.org/
“I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”
Original Passage:
“I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. I think moderate imperfections had better be borne with; because, when once known, we accommodate ourselves to them, and find practical means of correcting their ill effects. But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the same coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors.”
What’s your point, exactly?
June 10th, 2005 at 5:09 amDid TJ say, “progress”?
http://www.monticello.org/reports/quotes/memorial.html
Why, yes! I think he did! Have you ever even been to the Jefferson Memorial, republic? Or do you just worship from afar, at some libertarian altar of misunderstanding?
June 10th, 2005 at 5:17 amSo, is it going to get worse before it gets better, or better before worse?
June 10th, 2005 at 8:54 amI dare “Republic” to say something that’s actually relevant to what was posted.
June 10th, 2005 at 9:03 amI’m going to buck the trend here and comment on what was originally posted. I’d be very interested in the demographics of these 8 million millionaires, i.e. what percentage of them are living in “The West” (America and Western Europe). Particularly, I’d like to know how many (on average) people working 12-hour-days in sweatshops for $2 a day to create one dollar-millionaire. There must surely be a direct correlation, an equation even: X number of people living on £2 a day = 1 millionaire. If you factored in average dependant families etc., you could work out an Average Guilt Quotient for the millionaires – this presupposes that an average millionaire has a conscience, however; I feel this may be a flaw in the idea.
June 10th, 2005 at 9:54 amI don’t think these millionares feel guilt over poverty condition of the rest of the world. And why would they? they do not have to live on $2 a day. Much like slavery in the 19th century, sweatshops are justified by saying ” if they did not have this job then they would not be working at all”
June 10th, 2005 at 10:18 amI’d like to know how many (on average) people working 12-hour-days in sweatshops for $2 a day to create one dollar-millionaire
Using math, we can simply divide: 3,000,000,000 / 8,300,000 = 361.45.
So, one millionaire = 361 people who should thank the lord they have a job at all…
June 10th, 2005 at 10:33 amThere are 300 million people in the middle-class in India; that is more than the entire population of the US. They buy McDonald’s hamburgers there for 47 cents each, they won’t pay a dollar for one. Only Americans are dumb enough to pay a whole dollar for a McDonald’s plain hamburger.
Really though, the world works like this.
Didn’t Tommy Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence? That’s a pretty good piece of writing, if I do say so. The other ignorant things he wrote are excusable.
People write and say stupid things all of the time. There ought to be limits to free speech, so says GW Bush. With some of the ridiculous comments he makes, maybe there should be.
Tom Jefferson didn’t believe that there were actually meteorites composed of rock or iron.
People can say anything they want, they have a right to do it. Whether of not it is correct is beside the point.
There have been years where I have made only a couple of dollars a day myself right here in the US of A. It is nothing unusual. When you become unemployed, things can get rough.
June 10th, 2005 at 11:11 amHow about “the love of money is the root of all evil?”
June 10th, 2005 at 12:30 pmThese greedy corporations should definitely pay more. But we need more than that, cause if they are forced to pay more (and they will have to be forced because they are so greedy), then they will just raise prices. So maybe I’ll make $3 a day, but my standard of living is the same.
So we need laws to force them to pay more, but not raise their prices. So I propose the creation of a governmental department to record all prices today (as a starting point) and only allow them to rise when the cost of production (other than wages to workers) increases.
There’s really no other way we can do this. If people are greedy by nature, we need law to stop it.
Anybody have another idea?
June 10th, 2005 at 12:45 pmmike,
June 10th, 2005 at 1:03 pmCompanies would stop producing as many goods and there would be shortages. They would also fire workers since the company is producing less output. Fixing this situation would require a planned economy, like Cuba’s, N. Korea’s, or the Soviet Union’s. Worked out great for them.
Today’s capitalist system won’t change until the “masses” deem it broken. Obviously, the disparity between the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor doesn’t translate to “a problem” to most Americans.
June 10th, 2005 at 1:17 pmMost Americans still think they can become one of the wealthy. That they are one lotto ticket, invention, lawsuit away from “making it”. They don’t want to admit that the “American Dream” doesn’t apply to them (or that they will die before things get really bad.) Greed and envy fuel this ideology. Many who aren’t trying to keep up with the Joneses are trying to outpace them and unless you are one of the wealthy, more likely than not that is a losing game. It’s over folks. For most of us the “American Dream” died we just missed the obit. While we are sleeping let’s dream a new dream.
June 10th, 2005 at 1:55 pmThe disparity between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is simply the number of poor. Any solution should not abridge the freedoms of anyone else.
June 10th, 2005 at 2:04 pm“Sire, I’ve just received word that the peasants are revolting!”
“You said it, they stink on ice.”
June 10th, 2005 at 2:36 pmTony then your solution would be to do nothing. In a just society, the needs of the populace are balanced by the needs of the minority. We know that it is a good thing to infringe on someone’s right to say live in freedom after commiting a crime because it infringes on the victims right be free of bodily harm and duress. An infringement is justified (called for even) when it benefits the most amount of people. This is why we have taxes and minimum wage and other societal buffers.
June 10th, 2005 at 3:30 pmYes I know that this argument can be twisted out of proportion. But just ask yourself if the infringement is proportional to the benefit gained. A lesser infringement to a greater benefit is always welcomed.
June 10th, 2005 at 3:34 pmThe disparity between rich and poor is not the problem. The problem is simply the number of poor. Any solution should not abridge the freedoms of anyone else.
That’s part of the issue of the disparity, Tony.
If there were as few poor as there are really wealthy people, there wouldn’t be a problem with the disparity. Now, it’s time to consider taking your show on the road. Don’t you realize why no one bothers to engage you in civil discourse here? In our universe, which even you grant is larger than yours, though most of us could not be considered poor by global standards, your ideas carry all the weight of tin foil, as in Hat.
June 10th, 2005 at 3:35 pmJustin-
My solution would be voluntary charity. I would even suggest some AGRESSIVE charity. For example a charity could consist of soldiers that would help topple dictators and set up constitutional republics, where the rule of law is followed.
Free market capitalism (where the rule of law is applied equally and life, liberty, and property rights are maintained) is what creates wealth. Dictatorial and statist regimes destroy it. Notice how all the rich people are from free market countries and all the poor are from non-free market countries? The poor from these countries would love to be “poor” in America.
I agree it can be OK to take away freedom to ensure freedom. But taking away freedom to increase people’s wealth is wrong. That is saying, in effect, that one person has the right to another person’s money.
June 10th, 2005 at 4:24 pmDumbass Republican-
June 10th, 2005 at 4:26 pmThe goal should be to elevate the poor out of poverty. Let’s say that happens AND the rich also get richer. Then you still have a wealth gap, but who cares?
Tony,
The goal IS to elevate the poor out of poverty.
That does not get done by pursuing the policies you promote. Never has, never will.
June 10th, 2005 at 4:33 pmNotice how all the rich people are from free market countries and all the poor are from non-free market countries?
Mexico is a non free market country? Tony, you are absurd in the extreme.
June 10th, 2005 at 4:38 pmDumbass Republican-
June 10th, 2005 at 4:42 pmWho said anything about Mexico? The truly poor life in African dictatorships, or statist countries like Cuba, N. Korea, etc.
Tony,
You need to pull your head out of your ass. The average Cuban has a much better life than the average Mexican. Life in Cuba would even be better if this country didn’t spend millions of your tax dollars trying to destabilize the regime of a tiny little island that is nolonger a threat to us and trying to assassinate the head of the government with poisoned cigars, just because he won’t play ball with the corrupt, corporate controlled government here, unlike Mexico. Leave North korea out of this, it’s not even worthy of consideration and it’s a privately owned state. BTW, you are a total loon.
June 10th, 2005 at 4:52 pmDumbass Republican-
According to:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html
Mexico’s GDP/capita is 220% higher than Cuba’s.
Notice how the countries at the top of the list have freer economies, and those at the bottom do not.
June 10th, 2005 at 5:27 pmThe tourism business in Cuba is booming.
“Despite the fact that the government does not “permit,” promote or legalize sex tourism, a handful of underground tour operators are catering to American and European travelers by promoting trips through advertisements in adult magazines, direct-mail solicitations and referrals from satisfied clients. To help the industry thrive, Cuban authorities and government officials look the other way so that the local economy can receive the foreign currency and foreign men that sexualized travel attracts.”
I’ll bet they make more than two dollars per day catering to American tourists.
June 10th, 2005 at 6:24 pmLMAO @ Tony.
June 10th, 2005 at 6:28 pmLMAO@ Tony and the irony of his reliance on the questionable statistics of the very “big gubmint” he doesn’t trust.
Tony, you are a total tool of the state you think you want to destroy.
June 10th, 2005 at 6:31 pmTony, you are a total tool of the state you think you want to destroy because you think it wants to destroy you.
I dub thee…
Pretzel Boy
June 10th, 2005 at 6:32 pm“Repression is for a dictatorship what propaganda is for the democracy.�
Noam Chomsky
“The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism – ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power.”
&
“The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
“We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated Governments in the world – no longer a Government of free opinion, no longer a Government by conviction and vote of the majority, but a Government by the opinion and duress of small groups of dominant men.”
Woodrow Wilson
“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavour to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”
&
“Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so, whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose, and you allow him to make war at pleasure…if, today, he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada, to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him, ‘I see no probability of the British invading us’ but he will say to you, ‘Be silent; I can see it, if you don’t.’”
Abraham Lincoln
“I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country.”
Thomas Jefferson
This is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism … when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other?
Benjamin Franklin, referring to the proposed American Constitution.
On December 3, 1888, President Grover Cleveland delivered his annual address to Congress. Apparently Cleveland had taken notice of the Santa Clara County Supreme Court headnote, its politics, and its consequences, for he said in his speech to the nation, delivered before a joint session of Congress: “As we view the achievements of aggregated capital, we discover the existence of trusts, combinations, and monopolies, while the citizen is struggling far in the rear or is trampled to death beneath an iron heel. Corporations, which should be the carefully restrained creatures of the law and the servants of the people, are fast becoming the people’s masters.”
June 10th, 2005 at 6:37 pmI don’t feel so good…
June 11th, 2005 at 1:33 pmWhat’s amazing is that so many past presidents have warned us about this. He left out Eisenhower and a few others. All flaming liberals and commies, right?
June 11th, 2005 at 1:56 pmTony why is money or wealth any different from any other freedom?
Have you read the story of the soup stone? Nice story that. Here’s the jist.
There was this villiage of people. They were all hungry all the time and since they were hungry they wouldn’t share what they had. Then one day a traveller came to the villiage with a stone. He told them that the stone could make the most amazing soup in the world. All he asked was a small portion of food from everyone to put in the soup. Amazed and curious they did. And to their surprise it was the most amazing soup that they had. Everyone went to bed that night filled.
The moral is that it’s better to pool your resources so that everyone can benefit more than they could if they all hoarded it to themselves.
June 11th, 2005 at 2:56 pmHmmmm? Where to begin? Even pretzel boy with his specious pretzel logic will rip you a new one with that little fairy tale. Start here, please:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
Now, pay attention, please. There are some folks who don’t come here to debate. They come to preach already refuted nonsense and hate, refuted and rejected by most people who are ideologically and politically aligned with them in any case. Paul, Buckshot, Commander Ding Dong, whatever name he is using, is a White Nationalist. That’s a nazi any way you slice it. Tony is not, I like Tony, but his notions are just plain drivel. Thank you.
June 11th, 2005 at 3:33 pmI like the “tool of the state” comment.
June 11th, 2005 at 5:25 pmGood one!
Thanks, Susan. I ain’t had much book learnin’, but I try.
June 11th, 2005 at 8:02 pmJust curious here. What do you people do for a living? Anyone here self employed like myself?
I happen to own and drive an 18 wheeler. Started off working for other people, lived modestly, saved money and eventually worked up a buisness plan after collecting enough data to convince an banker to loan me the money to purchase my first truck, and am now reasonably comfortable despite only having a high school diploma. My costs vary daily with the fluctuations in fuel prices. I happen to be a big supporteer of Biodiesel to replace fossil fuels. I buy my own health insurance and life policies and hire a good accountant to do my taxes quarterly. I save religiously and avoided the stock market crash by using common sense and not investing in vaporous companies. There are no secrets to making money in this country. You have to be willing to work more than twelve hours a day and say no to yourself more than most other people that indulge in any impulse or fad that comes along. I am 36 years old and after learning lots of hard lessons am quite certain that short of a freak accident or other disaster I will eventually be a cash millionare before I turn sixty. I invested in my own buisness and now own Four trucks besides my own and the drivers that work for me make on average at least eight hundred per week. I pay them on a percentage basis just like I was when I got started. It is a much better incentive than hourly labor. I give them no other instructions other than not to run the truck out of fuel or let it overheat. They deal with the booking agent themselves and choose the run they want. All are paid on a 1099 as subcontractors. They are essentially self employed and rent my equipment from me as a percentage of gross revenue.
Do you consider me an evil corporate boss? How so? Because I don’t provide insurance or paid vacations? Should I feel guilty for exploiting people? How do I do that? I don’t think that I am.
If I find a qualified driver I will buy him or her a truck to drive. There is more work to be done in this job area than there are people willing to do it. I meet many immigrants to this country that love this kind of work and are grateful to have it. They cannot believe how many lazy people there are here in this country that complain about their situation without having the perspective that they have.
I am good friends with another owner operator that escaped from Cuba in 1994 on a raft that he built from patched together inner tubes to get to this country. He was afloat for three days. Those of you that are so enamored of Cuba need to get to know someone that escaped from there.
Oh yeah by the way he made over 80K last year and only worked ten months to make that. It helps that his truck is paid for. He is somewhat representative of the blue collar self employed and our disdain for crybabies.
Talk to some hard working plumbers,electricians,steelworkers,fishermen or any similar tradesmen and you will find out that there are not enough people out here with a strong work ethic anymore. These guys and ladies often work alone because other people cannot keep up with the pace or the long hours.
Minimum wage laws are a joke. You cannot get anyone around here (Metro Atlanta, GA) to do construction for less than ten dollars an hour just to spread pine straw. If you live in an area that is in a downward trend then do whatever it takes to move. On that note, I am for better physical control of the borders coupled with a revision of immigration policies that make it the preferred choice to enter this country legally through a recognized border crossing point. If there were no jobs in this country then people would be leaving rather than risking life and limb to get here.
The Mexicans that I meet when I get loaded at a chicken processing plant sure seem happier than a lot of the people that post here.
What do they know that others don’t?
June 12th, 2005 at 2:56 amThe Mexicans that I meet when I get loaded at a chicken processing plant sure seem happier than a lot of the people that post here.
LOL! To each his own, pal! Hey, is that legal?
June 12th, 2005 at 3:46 amHypo,
Aside from the fact that your post reads like a late nite info-mercial, something from Carlton Sheets, you assume that the posters here are as concerned with money as you are. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of them are as comfortable and have to work less than you do. You really assume too much about the people who might read and post here. You also assume that the whole world ought to be the way you see it. There are many people with Ph.D.s who suffer from the same character defect, egocentrism, so education, wealth or class have very little to do with it. I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised if we see something resembling your story as a late night info-mercial on TV soon. Your basic message is this: Me and my money and how you can make it, too. Your understanding of the world around you is as limited and narrow of your own vision of life. You are not special. You have not done anything remarkable. You don’t matter in the grand scheme of things, and you think you are, to borrow a phrase from that awful movie, the King of the world. You are insignificant, like everyone you know.
June 12th, 2005 at 4:51 amBut I am nowhere near as bitter as you.
Yes I do love the infomercials.
And I do have a sense of humor.
As for my small view of the world: How many places outside of your country, State or town have you been?
I meet new people everyday from all walks of life and professions. That is one of the reasons I like my job. From deliveries in Canada up North of lake Ontario, which I especially like in the summer, to the desert southwest into Guadalajara I have over the last twelve years gotten a good perspective of how many folks on this continent live.
When it comes to money that is an extra for me.
My material possessions that matter fill up one duffel bag that I take with me on the road. That is how I am able to save. I can get by principally because I have no ties to hold me back and am free to travel unencumbered.
Now I know that I don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things and it doesn’t bother me at all.
As for the people I know how do you know whom I know?
What make a person insignificant?
?
Is significance reserved only for the ruling elite class?
Those who are Party members?
What about the commoner? The Proletariat?
It seems to me that from what I have read that the working class is to be elevated by progressive thought and not to hang their heads in shame. That is the gist of what I got from Marx’s work.
Our Bill of right’s exists to affirm and protect the significance of every individual in our country.
I also would hope that it is the guide for how our government deals with all people.
Its ideals are better than the totalitarian ones of Marx, who put the state and group above the individual, making all under those systems insignificant.
Which do you prefer?
Have fun with this one folks.
June 12th, 2005 at 1:44 pmHey folks,
If Hypo isn’t Commander Cupcake or one of his spetznatz snackin’ cakes, watch as the neophyte, cheap labor capitalist gets mugged by Super Wal-Truck when they move into his market (which he has just advertised) and drives him out of business. Of course, he is selling something other than the trucking biz.
June 12th, 2005 at 3:42 pmActually I subcontract to them already.
They do not want to hire any more drivers than they have to.
BTW an average Wal-Mart Driver makes over 50K per year. I’ve met some that have done quite well with Wally World stock over the last twenty years.
Define cheap labor? Is it less than 100K per year? How about market rate?
My guys make at least 40K on average. If they don’t then they usually quit and take a local job paying around $12 per hour. Have fun driving a dump truck.
How many of you have ever been in the position of trying to hire a decent employee?
Believe me nobody is going to take as good care of your equipment as you do unless they understand that it is in their best interest to do so. If one of the guys that work with me wants to buy the truck, I will sell it to them at my depreciated value rather than the market value.
For those communists out there, this is more of a cooperative arrangement rather than an employee employer one. If they are not working enough to make a decent living then they are not generating enough revenue to cover the depreciation expense and upkeep.
Most people will not live in a truck for a week at a time unless they are making enough money to justify it. Seems to be over 40K per year.
The industry had a 136% turnover in the first quarter for the big companies.
Lots of people think they can cut it but then they get into the business and find out that they just wasted $5000 learning how to drive. It is a lifestyle that you have to like or resign yourself to toughing out because you need a job that doesn’t require more than a high school education to do.
Enough of this trucking talk.
I know it bores most people.
I’m not selling anything.
Just responding to those who say that the American dream is dead.
Lets go back to the original topic.
This column seemed to be trying to make the reader feel guilty for having a first world standard of living.
Why didn’t it suggest ways to improve the conditions of Third World Countries?
Compare birth rates between rich and poor countries. Lingering tribalism in Africa, and
Caste systems that persist in India despite advances in education there don’t help.
What role do oppressive thug regimes like Mr. Mugabe’s have in keeping people poor?
Can totalitarian governments do the job?
Perhaps.
China is catching up fast since they have adopted a pseudo-capitalist market economy.
The People’s Liberation Army and its front companies is the biggest player there.
That is quite an oxymoronic name since they use conscription and slave labor.
The new middle class in China seems to be motivated by both Greed and Nationalism.
Sounds like a familiar combination.
Worked here. Or did it?
Eventually they might get enough well fed folks with extra time on their hands to get around to forming an opposition party and create a new class of worthless politicians. That will slow them down fore sure.
The poor countries obviously need better governments and an infrastructure capable of supporting a higher standard of living.
Of the two, Building the infrastructure is the easiest. Improving lifestyles come next after reaching a level of development that keeps starvation at bay. Individual initiative will pull most people up once they get an opportunity to do so.
Hopefully they can enjoy the fruits of their labors.
The biggest drains on working people are corrupt governments, which are often in the sack with exploitive labor practices and monopolies.
Darn I am starting to talk the talk.
Can’t ignore the reality that exists in some areas.
I prefer to be an optimistic realist if there can be such a thing.
June 13th, 2005 at 12:45 amKeep talking. You do a better job refuting your own arguments than I ever could. Besides, I live in a van down by the river.
June 13th, 2005 at 4:38 amHypo,
You asked many good questions.
Here is a site that may answer some of your questions about the world. It is down at the moment. I hope that is temporary. I have introduced some very right wing people to this info before and they have thanked me.
http://www.petersworldmap.org/
This is a similar site geared to a younger audience with some basic intro info about the maps. The original site will be quite a shock to you.
http://www.petersmap.com/
Remember the name Arno Peters, and try the first site later. Or google it to see what else you find.
June 13th, 2005 at 8:47 amThank you for the feed back.
Got to go to work now. Be back next week.
I understand what you mean by concentration of power.
I see small scale capitalism as the future.
Large scale capitalism goes through many cycles as technology changes faster than big organizations can. It is in the corporations best interests to maintain the status quo.
Same for big government.
Unmitigated greed can be as totalitarian as anything else out there. Some people lust for money, others for power. Each can be interchanged for the other.
Sort of a political E=mc^2.
Yes, sometimes when I just type away I can get into some circular reasoning.
My job allows me plenty of time to just think when I am cruising along in the middle of nowhere at 2:00 am.
Lots of hurry up and wait also.
Thanks to the reasonable people out there.
My vote is not set in concrete for one party or the other next election cycle.
The party that makes the most sense will get it.
Remember that simple hard working people are easily turned off by name calling and the denigraton of their personal efforts or hometown.
Control medical expenses,kill terrorists, maintain a level playing field for small start up companies, and let people keep more of the money that they earn, and most Americans can take care of themselves.
Later.
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