Are we a republic?

[NVR FNSH]

I would think you would welcome the additional victims, er - residents - at the Great Mosquito Festival. Might keep you from being the main attraction... .



We really don't need any more freeloaders out here. We already have enough in the state government. A state rep is proposing a 5 cent/bullet tax to help fund trauma centers. It's amazing that the amount projected to be collected is the same as the amount gray davis cut from the budget that covers trauma centers.....



Brian

 

[mdlowry]

Originally posted by NVR FNSH
A state rep is proposing a 5 cent/bullet tax to help fund trauma centers. It's amazing that the amount projected to be collected is the same as the amount gray davis cut from the budget that covers trauma centers.....

Brian

Time to cast your own.

 

[RonaldLarson]

Ignorance...

breeds contempt. None of the responses to any of the philisophical nor political discussions on this magnificent website are intended to be personally degrading. They are discussions of current interest, which without the internet would be verboten, born with the evolution of the Clinton years. (Not my opinion, just fact).

We constantly engage in meaningfull and important talk about our frustrations with our government. Those of us who believe in the truth and embrace without emotion or guilt, the Constitution of The United States of America, have a lot of trouble with those who do not read and understand the Constitution. That instrument, which declared our independance and specifically outlined the way in which this country is to be governed, has been ignored belittled and lied about in textbooks used in our public schools. It is being ignored and belittled and scoffed at by our current Senate.

Constitutionally mandated laws of incorporation of the United States of America are constantly stomped upon by some members of Congress. Campaign reform (HHaaaaaaaa), and the education bill are prime examples.

Now, Champagne, just what is wrong with being wealthy? Does hard work, opportunity and dedication repulse you? How many wealthy people has the genius of Bill gates created? Thousands. How much wealth have these people poured into the basic enconomic health of this country? How many high paying jobs, healthy families, educational opportunities and quality of life situations have Chrysler, Ford, G. M, I. B. M, Microsoft, U. P. R. R, Santa Fe, Southern, Milwaukee and all the mining, manufacturing and agriculture businesses contributed to America? I was a machine tool salesman and manager for 26 years. When I started,NOBODY gave me anything but encouragement and good products to sell, and I became very successfull. Did the federal government have anything to do with their success: NOPE! Individuals with guts and determination did it all.

There would be no America today, were it not for the people who wanted something a lot better than being a slave to England and it's repressive government. I do not subscribe to being a slave to my government, either, and yet people like you continue to read from the socialist mantra and criticize capitalism. I am a capitalist, hard and proud. I , without a higher education became successfull and made a direct contribution to the families of my salesmen, and just as important, sold some damned fine technology in manufacturing equipment to the CAPITALISTS who built the defense hardware that whipped Russian Communism, Saddam Hussein and Afganistan Al Queda.

I repeat my invitation: head for Great Britain; they have everything you wish for (except freedom).

America: love it or leave it!

Ron

 

[Champane Flight]

Nothing

Theres nothing wrong with being wealthy Ole Ron. And I myself believe in hard work and dedication. But does someone that has not performed for a company and put the company in bankruptsy deserve 8 million in bonuses ( case in point Enron)? There are some serious flaws in capitalisms purest form.



America change it or loose it... ... ... ...

 

[RonaldLarson]

Capitalism

is not defined as greed, misuse of funds nor misrepresentation of financial health. Capitalism is the system which allows anyone who wants to be successfull to be successfull, without government interference. Enron is a classic case of modern day M. B. graduates who desire only to exploit the system to their personal advantage. It is widespread and growing. None of this type of people have one tenth the foresight, long term committment nor responsibility to their chosen field of the great roisk takers who formed what we have (had) for an economy. Capitalism in it's true form, with quality people taking the long term risks, is the only hope for this country.

Ron

 

[Champane Flight]

It is?

Is it not Capitalism that has driven us from a manufacturing based country to a service based country? And is not the same thing that forced millions out of work only to give the jobs to Malaysia and other dollar a day labor forces? All in the name of greed (capitalism). Nike, IBM, And even Chrysler have moved operations not just to make a profit, but to make a killing. I am sorry , but what this nation needs is balance. If you don't get it soon you will have NO middle class. Just the very rich and the very poor... ... ... ... ... . What happens then, is the very poor start to rob from the very rich... ... ... ... ..... To take a risk is fine, but most of the people taking the risk are already millionares, if I had a couple of mill I would be willing to risk a mill on a buisness venture, no problem.....



I have NO problem with Bill Gates or the owner of Gateway, and others who have made it by being in the right place at the right time and working their butts off. I have problems with people who worship the almighty dollar and would do anything, including sacrifice good people for the dollar. And people with huge egos and small narrow minds... ... ... ...

 

[Bill Lins]

Re: It is?

Originally posted by Champane Flight

Is it not Capitalism that has driven us from a manufacturing based country to a service based country?

Actually, the labor unions and government overregulation had a lot to do with it.

 

[baby.driver]

Bill

You should reverse the order here placing Gov't regulation at the top.

Labor unions, getting worse every year, never could do the damage the Gov't still does.



Jay

 

[Champane Flight]

Unions

Labor Unions started to decline in the early seventys. Now less than 10% of Americas workforce are Union and that number declines. Large Corps still use that feeble excuse everytime they go bankrupt or move their operations overseas. It ain't so, in most cases the Union employees have already taken cuts and are willing to take more to keep the jobs.



How do you compete with a dollar to five dollar a day workforce and a corrupt goverment with NO labor laws? Not to mention children of ten working on assy lines?

 

[mdlowry]

Looks like someone else was thinking along the same lines I was when I first posted.



http://www.federalobserver.com/index.php?section=American+<i>Odyssey</i>

 

[RonaldLarson]

One last Champagne utterance..

and I'll puke! Government regulations are driving industry offshore, not capitalism! This week, Home depot ordered all stores to discontinue doing business with ANY federal government office, division or employee charging any purchases on federal credit cards. No purchase orders from fed will be accepted. Why? The regulations and record keeping nonsense are unacceptanble to running a profitable enterprise.

Read my lips: Capitalism is the financial system which awards individual desire, hard work, inventiveness and financial risk taking to achieve success.

Your poorly chosen words about SS recipients certainly puts you in the spotlight! I am an SS recipient, and by God, if I could have invested the same amount of money in my own retirement savings account, I would be a wealthy man. Instead, I have meager monthly income from that source, and thank God, I saved a substantial amount of my high earning days so that I can live a good life. I earned that, being a self employed capitalistic salesman in the capitalistic machine tool business in the capitalistic years when the capitalists destroyed the Russian socialists. I think a great conservative, Ronald Reagan, a great capitalist, made that happen, EH?

My God, you continue to quote from the same old crap in the socialists mantra , and ignore bald faced facts.

I will give you this, however: you are entertaining!

Love it or leave it.

Ron

P. S. Where do you receive your pay check from?

 

[Champane Flight]

One last here too.

Geez Ron, didn't mean to upset you so. Must be touching on the truth a little huh? Capitalism rewards a few for the efforts of many. The few in most cases are the ones with their heads under the desks of the higher ups. Don't give that mamby pamby bull about it being the best thing since white on rice. Great American? Regan? Give me a break, he was a mediocre president at BEST. He did much better as a movie star. I would put Nixon WAY out in front for being a great president, he just got caught.....



You do live in a make believe world if you believe that we destroyed Russias socialist republic. It destroyed itself, just like we will if we continue in true Capitalist form as you you speak. If anybody has their head in the sand its you my friend. You are entertaining also though. A balance is what is needed, period... ...

 

[The patriot]

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[93 1TON]

Champagne Flight; I don't think it is necessarily the fault of capitalism as much as the congresses' fault for not enforcing current laws or not enacting sensible trade/ business laws which give these corporations incentives to manufacture overseas. I guess that by bribing I mean "lobbying" congressmen, that IS capitalism. Ultimately, it is the fault of all of us for putting up with it. Maybe tricky Dick was a bad example because he was the one that opened up trade with China. ? I'm not trying to anger you C. F. just my observation. Rich

P. S. Do not believe for a second that Communisn was beaten

 

[NVR FNSH]

Hmm, I work for a major tele-com test equipment company and AFAIK we have NO unions in the our US based facilities. Yet, the majority of our production is moving to Malaysia. Could it be because my counterparts over there work for 1/5 the salary I get? We are being pushed to source our fabricated parts from SEA by our Malaysian counterparts because the cost is ~1/2 of what it costs here in the US... ... Can you say no labor or environmental laws?



Brian