Would Adam Smith be a Republican or a Democrat today?

Free trade without oversight or controls leads to very bad things.

What "bad things" would you be referring to? Be specific.

Things no American actually wants.

How do you know what Americans actually want?

We know this because we lived through it in the late 19th century and we saw what free-market laissez faire capitalism can result in without oversight and controls.

What do you think that was? When has any nation actually practiced the 18th century concept of laissez faire capitalism?

Trust me: YOU would not be one of the robber barons. You'd be with the rest of us living in a crowded disease-infested tenement working 7 days a week 18 hours a day (as well as our children) and the food you bought at the store was just as likely to kill you as nourish you.

I am constantly amused by this lame argument that corporations want to kill the very people they rely on to make a profit. How does that work exactly?

Americans stood 4-square against that and DEMANDED controls be put on the markets. WE DEMANDED IT.

Really? We'll need a citation and link to this laughably false assertion.

We continued to demand it throughout the 20th century as we asked for worker safety to be included, consumer safety, hazardous waste management (the kind that didn't wind up with masses of children with strange brain cancers dying horribly).

See above.

All the "regulations" you Trumpists scream about all the time WERE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE AMERICANS DEMANDED IT. WE DEMANDED IT.

What "regulations" are Trump supporters screaming about?

YOU demanded it.

Demanded what? Be specific

You know how I know?

I don't think you know much about anything. But you do fabricate, flap your gums with bovine excrement and pound those tiny little fists on the table a lot.

Let me ask you: do you think a chemical company should be able to poison your drinking water without any real guilt on their part? How many of your children would you allow to die from cancer before you thought regulations were a good thing?

Who has ever argued that they think companies should be able to poison our drinking water?

If we can find out how many of your kids you are willing to watch writhing in agony as they die of cancer then maybe we can figure out what a good regulatory scheme is that works for you!

More laughably triggered bullshit. See above.
 
What "bad things" would you be referring to? Be specific.



How do you know what Americans actually want?



What do you think that was? When has any nation actually practiced the 18th century concept of laissez faire capitalism?



I am constantly amused by this lame argument that corporations want to kill the very people they rely on to make a profit. How does that work exactly?



Really? We'll need a citation and link to this laughably false assertion.



See above.



What "regulations" are Trump supporters screaming about?



Demanded what? Be specific



I don't think you know much about anything. But you do fabricate, flap your gums with bovine excrement and pound those tiny little fists on the table a lot.



Who has ever argued that they think companies should be able to poison our drinking water?



More laughably triggered bullshit. See above.
do you think the 8 hour work day and middle class in general was NOT a result of unions?

you think it was unbridled free market regulation free crony capitalism?

learn history.

supply side thinking is idiotic neocon fascist trash.
 
do you think the 8 hour work day and middle class in general was NOT a result of unions?

Do you actually think that Unions are a good thing? How many industries in the US have Unions successfully destroyed.

Here's the REALITY idiots like you cannot possibly comprehend; in this country, no one can force you to work harder than you care to work. No one can force you to work in an environment you feel is unsafe.

That's the amazing thing about a democracy; you don't have to do anything you choose not to.

you think it was unbridled free market regulation free crony capitalism?

I am amused you think we ever had an unbridled free market system or that anyone is indentured to be forced to work for anyone. Quite amusing.

learn history.

Apparently, you have not learned history or know much about it. But you have Marxist demagoguery down pat. ;)

supply side thinking is idiotic neocon fascist trash.

How so? Be specific.
 
when the government bails out private businesses its not market capitalism.

That's not what I asked you.

it's textbook fascism.

Wrong.

Fascism : a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition

supply side is for ignoramuses.

How so? Be specific.
 
Do you actually think that Unions are a good thing? How many industries in the US have Unions successfully destroyed.

Here's the REALITY idiots like you cannot possibly comprehend; in this country, no one can force you to work harder than you care to work. No one can force you to work in an environment you feel is unsafe.

That's the amazing thing about a democracy; you don't have to do anything you choose not to.



I am amused you think we ever had an unbridled free market system or that anyone is indentured to be forced to work for anyone. Quite amusing.



Apparently, you have not learned history or know much about it. But you have Marxist demagoguery down pat. ;)



How so? Be specific.
yes.

unions created the middle class.

it wasn't because corporations are naturally nurturing of people.

individuals have the right to unify their bargaining power, right?

or do you hate individuals?

are some unions now gone too far?

yes.

that will also correct itself.
 
What "bad things" would you be referring to? Be specific.

I can't believe I have to describe the Gilded Age to you. I actually sort of described them in detail in the body of my post. But since I only have a short time to explain a HUGE amount of American history to you I will simply point you to some resources. Hit up the library and read about:

1. The Gilded Age
2. Robber Barons
3. Labor strikes (like the Homestead Strike in which Carnegie allowed Pinkertons to kill striking workers, there are about a billion other examples from the time, like Matewan, VA and many many others)
4. Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906
5. Love Canal, NY
6. Woburn, MA
7. PG&E Contamination of drinking water in Hinkley, CA

That should be enough to get you started.

How do you know what Americans actually want?

Because they campaigned for things like the Pure Food and Drug act of 1906, they conducted work strikes to get better conditions (and were often gunned down by the owners of the company and the Pinkertons). Because thousands of families across the US have demanded repeatedly that chemical companies be highly regulated and control how they get rid of haz waste.

I am constantly amused by this lame argument that corporations want to kill the very people they rely on to make a profit.

They don't want to kill, but they also don't want to pay extra if they can just dump that chemical in the creek out behind your house.

Really? We'll need a citation and link to this laughably false assertion.

Radium Girls (good book, worth a read if you have a strong stomach)
Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906
Labor actions throughout the early 20th century
The various law suits and class action suits brought by countless families in the US after they found their drinking water contaminated

The list goes on.

What "regulations" are Trump supporters screaming about?

You write a post complaining about regulatory oversight on the markets and you ask this question?

I don't think you know much about anything. But you do fabricate, flap your gums with bovine excrement and pound those tiny little fists on the table a lot.

Just because I know more American history than you do and have a career's worth of work in the chemical industry should not be a threat to you.
 
Free trade without oversight or controls leads to very bad things. Things no American actually wants. We know this because we lived through it in the late 19th century and we saw what free-market laissez faire capitalism can result in without oversight and controls.

Trust me: YOU would not be one of the robber barons. You'd be with the rest of us living in a crowded disease-infested tenement working 7 days a week 18 hours a day (as well as our children) and the food you bought at the store was just as likely to kill you as nourish you.

Americans stood 4-square against that and DEMANDED controls be put on the markets. WE DEMANDED IT.

We continued to demand it throughout the 20th century as we asked for worker safety to be included, consumer safety, hazardous waste management (the kind that didn't wind up with masses of children with strange brain cancers dying horribly).

All the "regulations" you Trumpists scream about all the time WERE PUT IN PLACE BECAUSE AMERICANS DEMANDED IT. WE DEMANDED IT.

YOU demanded it.

You know how I know? Let me ask you: do you think a chemical company should be able to poison your drinking water without any real guilt on their part? How many of your children would you allow to die from cancer before you thought regulations were a good thing?

If we can find out how many of your kids you are willing to watch writhing in agony as they die of cancer then maybe we can figure out what a good regulatory scheme is that works for you!
I didnt say free trade without oversight did I? I really hate talking to people that only reply to the thoughts in their heads.
 
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People who rescue stray cats, people volunteer who in animal rescue shelters, people who volunteer to stock and maintain church food pantries for the poor are not acting out of self-interest.
Of course they are. You're assuming that acting self interest is bad. It can be if that's your only interest but please let's not play pretend.
 
Of course they are. You're assuming that acting self interest is bad. It can be if that's your only interest but please let's not play pretend.

Actually I agree with you. I think that when people volunteer to help they do it not only for the chance to do good but because it makes them happy to do it and as such is self-interest.

This is why I think altruism is largely a myth per the technical definition of altruism.

Now, that being said, it should NOT be taken to mean that helping others is a purely selfish thing. It is a good thing and it's good that we are the kind of animal that gains pleasure from helping others. It is likely that if we didn't have that experience we would be much worse than we already are as a species.
 
yes.
unions created the middle class.

Unions barely make up a tiny percentage of the middle class or workers in the US. Another dopey claim.

But, we do have a lot of evidence of how many industries they have driven from our shores with their insane demands and Marxist leadership.

it wasn't because corporations are naturally nurturing of people.

That wasn't my comment. I said I am amused by moronic arguments that essentially suggest that companies can thrive by killing their employees or customers.

individuals have the right to unify their bargaining power, right?

Apparently, they don't have the right to refuse to bargaining under Marxist Democratic leadership.

or do you hate individuals?

Moronic strawman. :palm:

are some unions now gone too far?
yes.

Indeed, even to the degree of violence and murder.

that will also correct itself.

It does when individuals tire of the Marxists who are the leaders demanding they give up a large chunk of pay so that they can buy $800 suits, live in mansions and drive around in Bentleys.

The idea of collective bargaining is a good and powerful one, until you get to the ideals of their leadership and then it goes out the window.
 
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