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Edited on Sun Mar-01-09 06:42 AM by woodwrite
An earlier OP (Eridani) has posed the question, "Should this system be saved?" By "system," we're referring to the American system of (corporate) capitalism, with perhaps some cursory dubious glances thrown in the direction of so-called "republican" representative democracy. At least that's how I interpreted the question.
Okay. If you want to fix capitalism, do what Jesus did. Or at least as much was suggested to me by a person acting at the time in behalf of the Prince of Darkness. (No, not Perle,... the REAL Prince of Darkness)
And NO,... I am decidedly NOT religious,.. but I find that our mythology often makes an interesting backdrop for the stuff we actually say and do.
In 1979, I left my last bigtime corporate, three-piece-suit style job. It was a major marketing and fundraising company, particularly fundraising for political and religious clients. Like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. I was the principle writer in the company, though I functioned as an Account Exec, as well. In fact, Falwell was was one my "customers," you might say, but I also handled projects ranging from big emerging home-furnishing and DIY chains,...to Tuna Helper and the American Medical Association. On the surface, the company had a distinctly religious and moralistic tenor, but in actual practice we were crooked as hell.
My boss,.. the company's founder (and herein "Satan's spokesperson") was heavily rightwing. Pushing 65 and on the verge of selling the company to an outfit even more insideous, he told me once that FDR was the closest thing to a dictator the nation had ever had. Though a religious man, he despised Jimmy Carter. He would have personally handled the Reagan campaign's backdoor negotions with the Iranians over the American hostages held there. And yet he also one day mumbled something very telling. He said the economy would be just fine if it weren't for the people who "manipulate dollars."
He was referring to bankers, financiers, Wall-streeters, etc.,.. all those in fact who make money by just handling money. Phil (okay, that was his name) went on to tell me that my first homemade boat was the perfect example of what he was saying,... that I had taken raw wood and produced something of greater value than it had before. Evidently in one of his religious rants, he went so far as to cite the biblical scripture wherein Jesus drove the usurers, or money-lenders from the temple. "Making money from debt," quoth he, "is where all our financial problems come from." (Remember our "manufacturing base?")
So there you have it. Our current capitalistic system revolves around debt. The currency is based on debt (promise to pay?),... we buy houses and cars based on debt. Credit cards are the worst, naturally, because they prey on our worst human flaws and folly,.. wanting something before we can afford it. And I realize that a certain amount of this is necessary, okay? But when I was a teenager, buying a house meant having roughly one-third of the money as a down-payment,.. maybe more. Now it's 10% in a "sound" mortgage,... ranging down to,... well, nothing.
Too many "promises to pay" have been entered on the credit side of the national balance sheet,... and then that mythical money goes on underwrite further debt upon further debt. I find that a casino makes the perfect metaphor for our financial economic system,.. with the big boys in the role of the "House." The House, you will recall, always wins. After all, they win in any draw,... they control the system,... they "manipulate" all the salient stakes: betting limits, credit lines, etc.
The often-alluded to "hardworking" ordinary American is out there trying to actually produce something of worth,.... say a house or a boat or a freaking widgit, for Christ's sake. But on theor backs, they carry the casino-like troupe of parasites known as our corporate capitalistic system,... producing nothing, hindering at every turn,... and being the first (and often only) to get paid.
Reduce the importance and prevalence of debt in the economy,... reduce the number of ways in which unscrupulous wise guys can manipulate dollars,... restore actual production to its rightful place,.. and then maybe we will have taken the first step.
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