MLM Directory

Liberals, can you explain to me why you have such disdain for free markets?

I honestly would like to know. It's confusing to me that you claim to hate corporations, yet the unintended consequences of Government regulations kill the small businesses. Well meaning regulations intended to help others only benefit the Wal-Marts of the world. Please explain why you believe free market capitalism is bad. Anybody that says greed, please explain why that is so bad. That is the idea of a trade. You need milk more than you need that $2. The corner store needs the $2 more than he needs the milk etc. I really want to understand your beliefs. I am fiscally conservative because I hate corporations and I value individual liberty. Why have so much faith in the Federal Government and bash employers who issue you paychecks? Why am I wrong? -edit- thanks for the civil discourse, but please stae facts and cite them. Please no Wall Street answers, as Free Market principles says nobody is too big to fail. Free market advocates are against all corporate bailouts. Regarding wealthiest 1%, they paid 28.3% of overall taxes in 2006. They do not own 40% of wealth in America. Sorce- Congressional Budget Office via US News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2009/04/10/americas-richest-1-percent-paid-283-percent-of-overall-taxes-in-2006.html Thanks for keeping it civil.

Public Comments

1. Because Wall Street shows such distain for us - such utter greed and incompetence, coupled with a total lack of concern for what happens to this country.
2. I don't understand how we are killing small business. The rich should be taxed that is exactly what we are doing. The people you are supporting, the incredibly wealthy, want to skip out on paying taxes that is why they disagree so much. If you are a small business you will only be taxed if your using the money for your own gain, if it is going into your business there is not tax to worry about. The tax depends on your personal income.
3. Free market capitalism doesn't exist, there have to be rules or the market itself doesn't work. The only question remaining is who those laws benefit most. As for the federal government, it can break down the big corporations and has done so in the past. Walmart for example, was preceded by another chain early last century (I believe it was A&P) that worked on a similar model, but wasn't half as evil honestly. Anyway, congress had a debate on the subject and decided that isn't how we wanted America to work, so created regulation to keep such megachains from operating, which were subsequently broken down over time as most honest regulation usually is. Anyway, I don't want to get off topic, but the federal government is the only one capable of controlling the market and making it work for everyone instead of a few rich people. Of course we have to hold our politicians responsible for making government work. No institution is inherently moral, but we can make institutions work in a moral fashion by grassroots pressure. Either way, I think we agree that we need to counter the monopolistic tendencies of corporations and ensure enough competition to keep things at least somewhat fair. Without regulation or with poor regulation, that task becomes a lot more difficult (especially as some resources are easy to create natural monopolies with).
4. Do you want to buy your milk from Charles Manson? I know that statement is a bit over the top... but the point is how do you know that the milk you are buying isn't tainted? Take a walk through the grocery store and tell me where all that food is coming from ... who is growing it, how is it processed, how is it packaged. Not all of these people can be trusted to just "do the right thing" In fact many people would gladly sell you tainted food if they thought they could get away with it.
5. 45% of all the income in the United States is held by 1% of the population. This wealth is made on the backs of the working poor. There is an ever widening abyss between the rich and the poor. The corporate head of United Healthcare has made to date 3/4 of a BILLION dollars in salary and benefits. They will raise premiums by double digit percentage points this year. Wonder why the poor and uninsured may need an alternative? I have a Masters degree, I have never made more than 13$ an hour. Three months ago my husband and I lost our house, car and had to declare bankruptcy when his business went under. We never voted for Bush yet we paid dearly for his deregulation policies. We currently have no insurance. Bush and deregulation for 8 years has run this country into the ground.
6. Capitalism works just as well as Communism. There is no such thing as a free market... guidelines are needed unless it all goes up in smoke, as it just did... because the late Pres.George W. took away housing/mortgage regulations and let the boys on Wall St. go crazy for a few years. People are naturally greedy, that's why Capitalism(True Free Market) and Communism do not work. You're $2 milk theory has nothing to do with this. Or maybe simply put, someone has to be getting screwed for a true free market to work well, I guess that's the cow in your analogy. In real life it would also be the people drinking the homogenized/antibiotic filled milk. Work your butt off at two full time jobs at minimum wage without health care or any vacation or sick days and then ask yourself what is the difference between slavery and life being poor. Individual Liberty in the U.S. means nothing anymore accept "The Rights of the Rich and Powerful" By the way the federal government is a huge corporation, many of them. You are fighting against yourself in your argument. The Free Market is Walmart.
7. Free market principles are based solely on supply & demand. If you have the money to support the cost of the good or service you have access. If you do not have the money you are denied access, unless you can steal the merchandise. The problem is that from a governmental standpoint there are times when that using only that economic model is great for the company, though over time they could experience shrinking revenues as an economic gap could form and decrease their customer base. Depending on what the good or service is and the need for people to have access presents problem in the form of costly social unrest, or in the case of health care people waiting until the last minute to get care which most of the time cost more to treat the aliment. Honestly, we do not live in a free market economy. We have a mix economy. There are some government controls and private entity controls. Roads, bridges, communications infrastructure are not solely controlled by free markets. Why, because they are a part of our national security interest. Maintaining roads while great for vacations was designed to allow civilian and military personnel the ability to efficiently relocate should problems occur. As a person who lives in the Washington DC area, the problem we had on 9-11 with the gridlock expericed was not due to government per se, but allowing the free market to over populate a region that when quick transport was need the volume was unmanageable. The emergency boradcast system is controlled by the government, and can take control of stations if necessary. Sorry that the soap opera was interrupted, but that is the way it goes. There are other examples, but I think that is enough. The bottom line is the idea that we are operating in a free market economy is false. Also, companies are in the business of doing what is in the best interest of their shareholders. Governments are in the business of doing what is in the best interest of the population. Lastly, what were the overall taxes collected in 2006 and what is the dollar value associated with 28.3%? What was the average amount of money left to those individuals? How who paid the other 71.7%, and do they own 60% of the nations wealth? What is the old saying, "There are lies, damn lies and statistics" (LOL). The real answer in America is how to achieve the correct balance to meet the needs of private corporations and those of the American populace. We do not live in a free market society, we live in a mixed economy.