Our country has done a lot for many. It made it profitable for American companies to produce products overseas and sell them back to Americans. It made it cost effective to ignore safety and loss of life and property by making fines/penalties for oil spills, pipe breaks, mine explosions, and loss of life in many industries inconsequential compared to profits. It allowed bankers to ruin our economy with risky investments and made it possible for companies to invest on futures in which those same companies had the ability to effect those futures. It determined that a business could be too big to fail or prosecute. It determined that a company was a person with the right to influence elections but not be arrested when found to have violated laws and regs. It made it so politicians can choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians. It made it easy of companies to drop pensioners and retirees from their financial responsibilities and still give the executives bonuses. When it does fine a company for doing something wrong, it has provided tax relief to compensate for those losses caused by penalties. It has made it acceptable and profitable to hire Americans to work for wages that are far from livable.^It also gave food stamps, unemployment benefits, housing, and healthcare to people effected by all of the aforementioned gifts, and apparently, according to conservatives, it’s these last items that have hurt our nation most.^I was listening to the radio over the last few weeks and noticed that there are NO song that actually celebrate greed, intolerance, or hate. No hymns that call on us to turn aside from those who are in need. No lyrics that tell us that people WANT to be poor, uneducated, and disenfranchised. But there are a lot of people who seem to think that the majority of Americans are lazy, even though employment offices are full and college grads are desperate to find work.Volunteer at a homeless shelter people. Help out at a soup kitchen. Go with a church group when they do neighborhood outreach. Help out at a senior center, or volunteer at a daycare or even as a school bus monitor.There are stories out there you are either not hearing, or choosing to ignore. If it is the former, then you have a chance to learn. If it is the latter, then you may be part of the problem.Respectfully,C.
During the years of the depression, a crime wave swept the nation from east to west. Prohibition made millionaires out of mobsters and bank robbers became folk heroes. Unions grew in power, and corruption, for protecting the workers who could hold on to the few jobs there were. The Dust Bowl states saw massive migrations of farmers leave for the “promised land” of California where the sudden increase of population had dire consequences on the environment as well as towns. Churches across the nation provided food to millions daily – sometimes just watery soup and bread. In Washington, massive public works projects from dams to national parks to roads were created in order to provide jobs.The Depression was created by rich people who gamed the system and collapsed the economy and the suffering was epic.In their efforts to take every dollar and enslave the citizens to debt and indentured service in their companies, the very wealthy nearly broke the back of the economy and only the efforts of politicians and businessmen who didn’t see taking their money to another country and starting over changed the downward spiral our nation was taking.Now our wealthiest citizens don’t mind leaving America with their money and the politicians know that they can also leave the country when they leave office. There is no loyalty to people, just to money and power. The enslaving is still taking place, Zipi. You just don’t see it.Sadly,C.
You’re close, Ansonia.I believe people should go into business providing goods and services to people who need/want them and while doing so, pay employees a living wage so they too can buy those goods and services. Your question seems to ask, “Why get into business if you can’t win and take as much as you can without giving back anything in return.” Are you really so short sighted and calloused? Our communications in the past made me feel you were a compassionate conservative. Was I wrong?Curiously,C.
I’m a progressive moderate and my disappointment with Mr. Obama makes your question sadden me a bit. Were I the President, I would like to think I would be more Jeffersonian or perhaps like Lincoln. Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite President Those men surrounded themselves with opponents as well as allies and reached out regularly to those in the legislature. I might also take a note from Huey Long and sit in on the Senate and HoR in order to glare at those not acting in their constituients best interests if I found those people unwilling/unable to convince me how their actions benefited our nation.Mr. Obama is too “hands off”.Another thing a President should do is invite some of the citizens visiting the White House, or hanging out by the gates, to come into a meeting room once a week in order to answer questions and listen to advice/ideas/criticisms from which more thoughtful and well rounded opinions could be formed. You’re not a fool, Mr. Snare. And you’re opinions are too often well stated for you to be so self deprecating.Respectfully,C.
Hello Mr. Churchill,No arguments from me, sir. In my comment, I was pretty much considering the time period from the end of WW1 to the late 1930s. You are right to point out there were more reasons than the one I offered for the Depression. I have a tendency to over focus, and also over generalize. Thank you for adding to the debate. There is a wide swath of opinion that states it was WW2 that lifted us completely out of the depression, it would appear you share that opinion and again, I’ve no argument.I have to admit to being ignorant of Mr. Harding and will endeavor to read up on him on your advice. I think I might enjoy looking at your book shelves.Thank you again for a well stated and educational reply.Sincerely,C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
Our country has done a lot for many. It made it profitable for American companies to produce products overseas and sell them back to Americans. It made it cost effective to ignore safety and loss of life and property by making fines/penalties for oil spills, pipe breaks, mine explosions, and loss of life in many industries inconsequential compared to profits. It allowed bankers to ruin our economy with risky investments and made it possible for companies to invest on futures in which those same companies had the ability to effect those futures. It determined that a business could be too big to fail or prosecute. It determined that a company was a person with the right to influence elections but not be arrested when found to have violated laws and regs. It made it so politicians can choose their voters instead of voters choosing their politicians. It made it easy of companies to drop pensioners and retirees from their financial responsibilities and still give the executives bonuses. When it does fine a company for doing something wrong, it has provided tax relief to compensate for those losses caused by penalties. It has made it acceptable and profitable to hire Americans to work for wages that are far from livable.^It also gave food stamps, unemployment benefits, housing, and healthcare to people effected by all of the aforementioned gifts, and apparently, according to conservatives, it’s these last items that have hurt our nation most.^I was listening to the radio over the last few weeks and noticed that there are NO song that actually celebrate greed, intolerance, or hate. No hymns that call on us to turn aside from those who are in need. No lyrics that tell us that people WANT to be poor, uneducated, and disenfranchised. But there are a lot of people who seem to think that the majority of Americans are lazy, even though employment offices are full and college grads are desperate to find work.Volunteer at a homeless shelter people. Help out at a soup kitchen. Go with a church group when they do neighborhood outreach. Help out at a senior center, or volunteer at a daycare or even as a school bus monitor.There are stories out there you are either not hearing, or choosing to ignore. If it is the former, then you have a chance to learn. If it is the latter, then you may be part of the problem.Respectfully,C.
Enoki over 10 years ago
With Obama it’s more like:.“Ask what your country can give you for free not who’s going to pay for it!”
chazandru over 10 years ago
During the years of the depression, a crime wave swept the nation from east to west. Prohibition made millionaires out of mobsters and bank robbers became folk heroes. Unions grew in power, and corruption, for protecting the workers who could hold on to the few jobs there were. The Dust Bowl states saw massive migrations of farmers leave for the “promised land” of California where the sudden increase of population had dire consequences on the environment as well as towns. Churches across the nation provided food to millions daily – sometimes just watery soup and bread. In Washington, massive public works projects from dams to national parks to roads were created in order to provide jobs.The Depression was created by rich people who gamed the system and collapsed the economy and the suffering was epic.In their efforts to take every dollar and enslave the citizens to debt and indentured service in their companies, the very wealthy nearly broke the back of the economy and only the efforts of politicians and businessmen who didn’t see taking their money to another country and starting over changed the downward spiral our nation was taking.Now our wealthiest citizens don’t mind leaving America with their money and the politicians know that they can also leave the country when they leave office. There is no loyalty to people, just to money and power. The enslaving is still taking place, Zipi. You just don’t see it.Sadly,C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
You’re close, Ansonia.I believe people should go into business providing goods and services to people who need/want them and while doing so, pay employees a living wage so they too can buy those goods and services. Your question seems to ask, “Why get into business if you can’t win and take as much as you can without giving back anything in return.” Are you really so short sighted and calloused? Our communications in the past made me feel you were a compassionate conservative. Was I wrong?Curiously,C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
Read the band’s story behind that song, Tigger.C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
I’m a progressive moderate and my disappointment with Mr. Obama makes your question sadden me a bit. Were I the President, I would like to think I would be more Jeffersonian or perhaps like Lincoln. Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite President Those men surrounded themselves with opponents as well as allies and reached out regularly to those in the legislature. I might also take a note from Huey Long and sit in on the Senate and HoR in order to glare at those not acting in their constituients best interests if I found those people unwilling/unable to convince me how their actions benefited our nation.Mr. Obama is too “hands off”.Another thing a President should do is invite some of the citizens visiting the White House, or hanging out by the gates, to come into a meeting room once a week in order to answer questions and listen to advice/ideas/criticisms from which more thoughtful and well rounded opinions could be formed. You’re not a fool, Mr. Snare. And you’re opinions are too often well stated for you to be so self deprecating.Respectfully,C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
Hello Mr. Churchill,No arguments from me, sir. In my comment, I was pretty much considering the time period from the end of WW1 to the late 1930s. You are right to point out there were more reasons than the one I offered for the Depression. I have a tendency to over focus, and also over generalize. Thank you for adding to the debate. There is a wide swath of opinion that states it was WW2 that lifted us completely out of the depression, it would appear you share that opinion and again, I’ve no argument.I have to admit to being ignorant of Mr. Harding and will endeavor to read up on him on your advice. I think I might enjoy looking at your book shelves.Thank you again for a well stated and educational reply.Sincerely,C.
chazandru over 10 years ago
I know the song is about greed, Tigger, but is it CELEBRATING greed? Is it encouraging greed as a positive trait?Curiously,C.