[QUOTE=Asuri;47966]I’m getting into this late, so I will just start with thomas most recent post. I agree that part of the problem in our economy has to do with labor unions. But look at the kinds of unions you are talking about: police, fire, teachers, government clerical workers. These are all fairly well educated people, which is why they still have unions. They know that without them, they would be having just as hard a time as the people who actually have to work for a living. Except for a few pockets of skilled trades, protections for these people are all but gone.
We do not have “confiscatory” taxes in this country. In fact, taxes on the wealthy are at their lowest levels in decades. But have we seen that money go into economic development? No. It goes into whatever scheme produces the most short-term profit. And when they finally bring us all to the brink of disaster, they’re first in line at the government hand-out trough. Except for their mouthpieces on the sidelines, who kept preaching that we should allow the economy to collapse into depression. What sense would that make? That would allow them to depress wages even further.
I have to agree with thomas’ other statement too, that the squeeze on the middle class isn’t caused by capitalism. It’s caused by capitalists. The middle class was not created by capitalists. It was created by far-sighted people who knew that an educated middle class is necessary for democracy, and who made education widely accessible. When the middle class becomes weakened, then it will be much easier for the wealthy to rule unencumbered. How often have you heard them say that they just want government to get out of the way? Of course they do.
Mind you I’m not advocating the destruction of the free market system. I think it has lots of advantages. But I think its high time that the government did its job and reigned-in these extremely powerful economic interests. I believe these interests are really our worst enemies. They live right here with us and profit from us every day, yet they have no allegiance to their countrymen. Their only allegiance is to money.[/QUOTE]
Although I disagree with a few points here and there, kudos to your post.