To whom it may concern......

[Spinoza]

The class I represent care nothing for politics.
Among my people I seldom hear purely political discussions. When we are discussing pro and con the relative merits of candidates or the relative importance of political policies, the question almost invariably comes down to a matter of business efficiency.

We care absolutely nothing about statehood bills, pension agitation, waterway appropriations, "pork barrels", state rights, or any other political question; save inasmuch as it threatens or fortifies existing conditions.

Touch the question of the tariff, touch the issue of income tax, touch the problem of railroad regulation, or touch the most vital of all business matters, the question of general federal regulation of industrial corporations, and the people amongst whom I live my life become immediately rabid partisans.

It matters not one iota what political party is in power or what president holds the reins of office. We are not politicians or public thinkers.
We are the rich.
We own America.
We got it, God only knows how, but we intend to keep it if we can by throwing all the tremendous weight of our support, our influence, our money, our political connections, our purchased senators, our hungry congressmen, our public speaking demagogues into the scale against any legislature, any political platform, any presidential campaign that threatens the integrity of our estate.

Cheers.

[FishingBack]

Government + business is a bad combo. Large businesses ingrain themselves by government regulation.

It kills any chance of rising competitors and protects the large business in charge.

In Louisiana, florists must be licensed. By the existing florists. Conflict of interest? you bet!

A lot of "licensing" is setup with the willing aid of the existing industry because they know it will only help them.

[Spinoza]

The class I represent care nothing for politics.
Among my people I seldom hear purely political discussions. When we are discussing pro and con the relative merits of candidates or the relative importance of political policies, the question almost invariably comes down to a matter of business efficiency.

We care absolutely nothing about statehood bills, pension agitation, waterway appropriations, "pork barrels", state rights, or any other political question; save inasmuch as it threatens or fortifies existing conditions.

Touch the question of the tariff, touch the issue of income tax, touch the problem of railroad regulation, or touch the most vital of all business matters, the question of general federal regulation of industrial corporations, and the people amongst whom I live my life become immediately rabid partisans.

It matters not one iota what political party is in power or what president holds the reins of office. We are not politicians or public thinkers.
We are the rich.
We own America.
We got it, God only knows how, but we intend to keep it if we can by throwing all the tremendous weight of our support, our influence, our money, our political connections, our purchased senators, our hungry congressmen, our public speaking demagogues into the scale against any legislature, any political platform, any presidential campaign that threatens the integrity of our estate.

Cheers.

The above is a quote......
From a statement made by Frederick Townsend Martin during his testimony before a congressional investigating committee in 1911.
Mr. Martin is described as "an expert witness, an outspoken member of the idle rich", who made his above remarks "with charming frankness".

Source......
The Rise and Development of Westen Civilization, Volumn II, second edition 1972, by Stipp, Dirram, Hollister.

Cheers.

[Spinoza]

And BTW......

Freddy Martin was not only charming and outspoken and wealthy, he could also have been indicted as a traitor to his class......
Because he actually cared about the plight of the poor, as he enjoyed his power and privilege.

Cheers.

[Spinoza]

The class I represent care nothing for politics.
Among my people I seldom hear purely political discussions. When we are discussing pro and con the relative merits of candidates or the relative importance of political policies, the question almost invariably comes down to a matter of business efficiency.

We care absolutely nothing about statehood bills, pension agitation, waterway appropriations, "pork barrels", state rights, or any other political question; save inasmuch as it threatens or fortifies existing conditions.

Touch the question of the tariff, touch the issue of income tax, touch the problem of railroad regulation, or touch the most vital of all business matters, the question of general federal regulation of industrial corporations, and the people amongst whom I live my life become immediately rabid partisans.

It matters not one iota what political party is in power or what president holds the reins of office. We are not politicians or public thinkers.
We are the rich.
We own America.
We got it, God only knows how, but we intend to keep it if we can by throwing all the tremendous weight of our support, our influence, our money, our political connections, our purchased senators, our hungry congressmen, our public speaking demagogues into the scale against any legislature, any political platform, any presidential campaign that threatens the integrity of our estate.

Cheers.

Throughout the vast majority of man's history......
Dominant M I N O R I T I E S have damn near always "ruled" every form of society that has ever existed with their WEALTH, and with the POWER that wealth has always been able to too easily buy.

Why is that so?

Or would anyone care to cite either an historical or present day example to refute the above statement?

Cheers.

[Spinoza]

My VCR died......
So I went to Best Buy to buy a VCR/DVD device.
I asked to speak with the Best Buy employee with the MOST expertise regarding VCR/DVD devices.
His name is Kevin, a white male in his early 20's, and he impressed me (a modern device idiot) as definitely "knowing his VCR/DVD stuff".

My first words to Kevin......
I want to buy a VCR/DVD device that is Made in America.
Kevin immediately informed me that no such animal/device exists......
And he then volunteered the following.
"I don't know of anything here (in the entire store) that is Made in America. There may be a couple of things, but I don't think so. You'd have to ask the manager."

As I was paying my nearly $500 tab for various Best Buy stuff...... None of which was Made in America......
I asked Kevin if it bothered him that NONE of the products he sold were Made in America by American workers who were paying American taxes.

Kevin's response......
"Not really. As long as it's cheaper, it doesn't matter to me where it's made."
Kevin added......
"But my dad is like you. He thinks it's important to buy things MADE HERE!"

I did not ask......
But I suspect that Kevin earns little more than minimum wage, with few if any "benefits".
I did ask if he is paid a commission on his sales. He is not rewarded in any such fashion.

But Kevin appeared to be content.
And I have little doubt that he will next vote (if he votes) for a democrat or republican "puchased senator" and another "hungry congressman"......
And concern himself NOT that less and less is Made in America as every ballot box moment commemorates the political death of Made In America.

Amongst Fred's "people"......
Both past and present......
Kevin is a goodly part of the STUFF that WEALTH relies upon for its continued MINORITY DOMINANCE.

But the Kevin folk of our society are not even close to alone in their PAWN STATUS for continued MINORITY DOMINANCE!

Cheers.

[detltu]

My VCR died......
So I went to Best Buy to buy a VCR/DVD device.
I asked to speak with the Best Buy employee with the MOST expertise regarding VCR/DVD devices.
His name is Kevin, a white male in his early 20's, and he impressed me (a modern device idiot) as definitely "knowing his VCR/DVD stuff".

My first words to Kevin......
I want to buy a VCR/DVD device that is Made in America.
Kevin immediately informed me that no such animal/device exists......
And he then volunteered the following.
"I don't know of anything here (in the entire store) that is Made in America. There may be a couple of things, but I don't think so. You'd have to ask the manager."

As I was paying my nearly $500 tab for various Best Buy stuff...... None of which was Made in America......
I asked Kevin if it bothered him that NONE of the products he sold were Made in America by American workers who were paying American taxes.

Kevin's response......
"Not really. As long as it's cheaper, it doesn't matter to me where it's made."
Kevin added......
"But my dad is like you. He thinks it's important to buy things MADE HERE!"

I did not ask......
But I suspect that Kevin earns little more than minimum wage, with few if any "benefits".
I did ask if he is paid a commission on his sales. He is not rewarded in any such fashion.

But Kevin appeared to be content.
And I have little doubt that he will next vote (if he votes) for a democrat or republican "puchased senator" and another "hungry congressman"......
And concern himself NOT that less and less is Made in America as every ballot box moment commemorates the political death of Made In America.

Amongst Fred's "people"......
Both past and present......
Kevin is a goodly part of the STUFF that WEALTH relies upon for its continued MINORITY DOMINANCE.

But the Kevin folk of our society are not even close to alone in their PAWN STATUS for continued MINORITY DOMINANCE!

Cheers.

Not tonight.... but I will bring an article that is offended by the ignorance of those who believe buying american makes a difference. I picked it up recently at MIT and thought it was interesting.

[FishingBack]

And BTW......

Freddy Martin was not only charming and outspoken and wealthy, he could also have been indicted as a traitor to his class......
Because he actually cared about the plight of the poor, as he enjoyed his power and privilege.

Cheers.

It's perfectly fine to be a good samaratin with your own money. Unless they acquired it illegally, who cares how much money someone has? Is it any less despicable to steal someone elses money if you are "robin hooding" it for someone else?

What we need to be concerned about are large corporations that use the US Government as a shield and bludgeoning device.

I challenge your opinion of the importance of a citizen of one country over another. Wasn't it you who started the large "patriotism" thread?

[Guisslapp]

Not tonight.... but I will bring an article that is offended by the ignorance of those who believe buying american makes a difference. I picked it up recently at MIT and thought it was interesting.

You learn in Econ 101 that economic interdependence results in "gains" from trade which allow both countries to be "richer" than they would have been had they not traded. Generally speaking, if country A can produce an item more cheaply than country B, then country A should sell the item to country B, and country B can use the cost-savings to build a different item (preferably something that they are better at producing).

With that said, country B will not have the value to exchange to country A unless country B generates something else of value.

[Spinoza]

It's perfectly fine to be a good samaratin with your own money. Unless they acquired it illegally, who cares how much money someone has? Is it any less despicable to steal someone elses money if you are "robin hooding" it for someone else?

"Unless they acquired it illegally"......

How do you think VAST FORTUNES end up in the hands of individual human beings?
Do you believe they simply work very very hard, and shun all dishonest behavior like a nun supposedly abhoring sex with men?

Research the past of damn near any historical monarch......
And you will discover a path of murder and theft and greed that lead to each throne and crown......
And a path of more murder and theft and greed that sustained all such ancestral WEALTH and POWER for every day and hour possible.

Or how about the Papacy?
Do you believe the WEALTH and POWER of the Catholic church was achieved by "religiously" following the teachings of Christ?

And then there's America's "royal families"......
Morgan, Rockafellar, Kennedy, Ford, Edison, Getty, Dupont...... To list only 7 of America's supposedly "magnificent" clans.
Would you care to even suggest that these lads, or any of their ilk, acquired their WEALTH and POWER honestly, with nary an illegal effort or act to bolster any greedy bottom line?

What the hell is the difference between outright BRIBING a "purchased senator" or a "hungry congressman" in Fred's day......
Or "legally" padding the campaign chest/fund of a "purchased senator" or a "hungry congressman" today?

AND......
If you believe that any truly WEALTHY and POWERFUL American might be a "good samaratin" with their "own money".....
(that's WEALTHY, and not merely rich)
Simply NAME that American of WEALTH......
Make your best case for ALL such WEALTH being acquired LEGALLY......
(making it their OWN MONEY, and not money taken from others)
AND......
If you would truly like to annoit any such TRULY WEATHY fellow with your "good samaratin" seal of their own money approval......
Feel free to also tell me that their "good samaratin" dollars were not "donated" for purposes of their personal prestige and glory......
And then USED QUIETLY as a qualified tax deduction against any legal tax debt.

Cheers.

[Spinoza]

What we need to be concerned about are large corporations that use the US Government as a shield and bludgeoning device.

AND......
ALL POLITICIANS who obediently serve WEALTH in exchange for massive campaign chests......
With reelction first, and damn everything else as their personal priority.

Cheers.

[detltu]

You learn in Econ 101 that economic interdependence results in "gains" from trade which allow both countries to be "richer" than they would have been had they not traded. Generally speaking, if country A can produce an item more cheaply than country B, then country A should sell the item to country B, and country B can use the cost-savings to build a different item (preferably something that they are better at producing).

With that said, country B will not have the value to exchange to country A unless country B generates something else of value.

Very true. I think I took Econ 215 or something though.

It is however an incredibly simplistic view that ignores some complex economic phenomenon.

[Spinoza]

I challenge your opinion of the importance of a citizen of one country over another. Wasn't it you who started the large "patriotism" thread?

I do not recall any "large patriotism thread"......
But it sounds like the kind of topic I would enjoy dissecting.

As for your "challenge"......
(if I understand it correctly)
I cannot imagine any common citizen of any basically decent country who would not eagerly support his fellow citizen's welfare, over that of any other national collection of human beings...... Anywhere on our tiny planet.

And obviously......
Given their KNOWN track record......
I do not include WEALTHY americans, or most american politicians over the last few decades as having any "common citizen" status.

Cheers.

[Guisslapp]

Very true. I think I took Econ 215 or something though.

It is however an incredibly simplistic view that ignores some complex economic phenomenon.

You are right. It was Econ 215.

[Spinoza]

You learn in Econ 101 that economic interdependence results in "gains" from trade which allow both countries to be "richer" than they would have been had they not traded. Generally speaking, if country A can produce an item more cheaply than country B, then country A should sell the item to country B, and country B can use the cost-savings to build a different item (preferably something that they are better at producing).

With that said, country B will not have the value to exchange to country A unless country B generates something else of value.

I have never pretended so much as any basic Econ 101 expertise......
And I shall not pretend to do so now.

But unless someone convinces me otherwise......
I seems to me that it should be obvious to even the most casual observer (per year after year of truly massive trade deficits) that America has not been generating something else of equal (or greater) value for decades...... And probably never will do so again if the current political (both democrat and republican) climate continues to gut America of its once overwhelming supremacy in technology and manufacturing.

Cheers.