Glenn Beck's 'restore honor' rally...

[mookiemookie]

Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl

Other than your apparent disdain for corporations*, you'd fit right in as a libertarian I can see where you're coming from, though. I used to hold many of the same opinions you do until I became disillusioned with the system. The 541t just don't seem fair, does it? All this inequality isn't right. How does one ever justify a CEO making more than a hundred times what a line worker does? How does one justify any associated circumstance? How could a responsible person even allow such things to happen? You'd think some sense of human decency would compel them to redistribute their own wealth. How much does one freaking person or family need, anyway? From here, I could go on to further describe inequality but I think you have pretty much the same view.

IMO, you'd be pretty much on the mark (no pun intended) if everyone was as thoughtful and intelligent and compassionate as you. Problem is, they aren't. Without diving into human biology, evolution, sociology, and philosophy, you can see this, even if you don't know why. If you'll excuse the somewhat incorrect simile, I feel like an engineer explaining electronics or physics to a brilliant, yet decidedly optimistic visionary. The stuff just don't work that way. People like you don't get elected to office, and they don't make policies.

Before I go on, are you with me so far?


* - For libertarians, this is a case of misplaced blame. One cannot rationally expect a company or the people who comprise the same to do anything other than what is beneficial to themselves. That includes giving them the means to outlaw competition through licensures, quotas, and taxes.

I'm with you, and for as much doodie as I give you about it, I actually do respect and agree with a lot of libertarian ideals. But libertarianism can be as idealistic as anything else.

My disdain for corporations is not because of their self-interest. Indeed, if a corporation wasn't sociopathically self interested, it wouldn't make much money for its shareholders. My disdain comes from allowing them the power to direct and influence our government and laws as much as they do. Government and laws are made for the people. Not to protect and enhance a corporate bottom line. The founding fathers sought to limit corporate power and influence. Originally, their charters could be cancelled by the states if they exceeded their authority or caused public harm, they were banned from making any kind of political contribution or influencing the lawmaking process. It wasn't until the days of the big industrialists like Carnegie and Rockefeller that corporations started to truly exert their influence.

I find it offensive and the biggest threat to our personal liberties in this country that corporations can buy and sell laws and lawmakers at will.