Hey, I can't help it if the current administration is in the pocket of the investment banks.
The role of the government should be to define and enforce basic workplace safety, tolerable environmental rules, and as a last resort, break up monopolies. You can think of IP and the misuse of patents as a form of monopoly.
OTOH, companies should be able to fire and hire completely at will, pay anyone anything they want, write-off dividends as an expense, close or offshore plants at any time.
Government is here to provide a basic playing field, not to guarantee a minimum standard of living.
The current administration Try every administration since Nixon.
And actually, every government of every developed nation does try to guarantee a minimum standard of living - food, shelter, basic healthcare. There's more to life than just trying to survive or die in the corporate machine.
Look at it another way, the countries that enjoy the most happiness, health and highest standard of living are all heavily invested in government regulation of industry and channeling it towards advancing society and the public good. The more the US follows your path, the faster it declines. Why would you support that?
Posted 12/18/2011 12:55 pm
Sadly we all continue to write the same complaints and venting out the same frustrations. We as a society (Americans) have allowed to this to happen be voting in mediocre (at best) officials that have grown too cozy with industry.
We should all understand that the Obama and the 99% are not asking for socialism, but a mere change for industry (as a whole) to start re-investing into our own local economy and not the pockets of a few (the 1%) which only perform by downsizing and making the shareholders happy.
Posted 12/18/2011 12:56 pm
We live in a meritocracy where some people are saturated with connections and resources that enable them to do very well for themselves while others, not so much. Get over it. One of these days, I'm going to make my $15/hour into something magnificent.
Posted 12/18/2011 12:59 pm
When the powers that be in Russia refused to listen to their citizen's call for jobs, decent wages, and human rights, the Revolution of 1917 happened. Very, very bloodily.
That's why when the poeple rose up in 1991, the Soviet Union went relatively quietly. They knew what happened when people in power ignore people with nothing to lose.
The U.S. needs one of these events in it's historical memory and unless the people in power make a radical change and start responding to the public, it's coming
Posted 12/18/2011 1:00 pm
Oh this is rich. The scumbags earn a massive pay rise but lay off workers by the thousands and still they want more tax breaks?? And if you disagree with them you are an unemployed, socialist, commie, hippie.
Posted 12/18/2011 1:08 pm
So glad I got laid off last week so my boss could afford to keep his convertible Bentley. I can sleep soundly now. Who knew I was such a burden with my measly wages and bare bones benefits?!
