A basic idea and a new phrase: small-scale capitalism (1 Viewer)

[Craig234]

I want societal issues decided by elected government, acting in the public interest. I want capitalist businesses, operating within the constraints of the public interest - serving a public good, with fair wages, safe working conditions, not over-polluting, and so on, being profitable for the owners and employees while benefiting society.

That first part means I don't want mega corporations bigger than most countries, or associations of companies that are, that are so powerful that they change who is elected, and replace the public interest with their interests in government policies.

Take climate change. I want a government asking scientists, what is true? What are the best policies? I don't want Exxon pending a billion dollars on a massive propaganda campaign that corrupts our politics and public opinion so that bad policies against the science and public interest are enacted.

Instead, imagine a lot of smaller companies, each functioning in a capitalist system that's competitive, profiting by providing value, and saying out of the public policy setting and elections except when asked for narrow input.

It's a more complicated topic - but an important one. That's what we need: democracy and capitalism, which we could call small-scale capitalism, capitalism as it was intended, instead of a corporatocracy, plutocracy, corruption and the people powerless and harmed for others' interests.

 

[Michael Cole]

I want...

Stopped right there.

How does it feel to want?

 

[Bullseye]

I want societal issues decided by elected government, acting in the public interest. I want capitalist businesses, operating within the constraints of the public interest - serving a public good, with fair wages, safe working conditions, not over-polluting, and so on, being profitable for the owners and employees while benefiting society.

That first part means I don't want mega corporations bigger than most countries, or associations of companies that are, that are so powerful that they change who is elected, and replace the public interest with their interests in government policies.

Take climate change. I want a government asking scientists, what is true? What are the best policies? I don't want Exxon pending a billion dollars on a massive propaganda campaign that corrupts our politics and public opinion so that bad policies against the science and public interest are enacted.

Instead, imagine a lot of smaller companies, each functioning in a capitalist system that's competitive, profiting by providing value, and saying out of the public policy setting and elections except when asked for narrow input.

It's a more complicated topic - but an important one. That's what we need: democracy and capitalism, which we could call small-scale capitalism, capitalism as it was intended, instead of a corporatocracy, plutocracy, corruption and the people powerless and harmed for others' interests.

We have most of this already. Do you realize most big companies started out as small ones? They become larger by producing goods and services people want and doing it at prices lower than their competitors.

 

[SkyChief]

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote.” - Marvin Simkin

 

[HIP56948]

I certainly like what you say. The cornucopia of problems starts with humans that would not agree with your scenario. Not because you are wrong but
because certain types of people would not see a "Take/Give" in such a world. Take advantage. Give little back to society.
Plus, certain media outlets would turn your noble ideas into something that would be akin to Your-babies will be eaten by dingos.
But you (sadly) know that already.

 

[PirateMk1]

I want societal issues decided by elected government, acting in the public interest. I want capitalist businesses, operating within the constraints of the public interest - serving a public good, with fair wages, safe working conditions, not over-polluting, and so on, being profitable for the owners and employees while benefiting society.

That first part means I don't want mega corporations bigger than most countries, or associations of companies that are, that are so powerful that they change who is elected, and replace the public interest with their interests in government policies.

Take climate change. I want a government asking scientists, what is true? What are the best policies? I don't want Exxon pending a billion dollars on a massive propaganda campaign that corrupts our politics and public opinion so that bad policies against the science and public interest are enacted.

Instead, imagine a lot of smaller companies, each functioning in a capitalist system that's competitive, profiting by providing value, and saying out of the public policy setting and elections except when asked for narrow input.

It's a more complicated topic - but an important one. That's what we need: democracy and capitalism, which we could call small-scale capitalism, capitalism as it was intended, instead of a corporatocracy, plutocracy, corruption and the people powerless and harmed for others' interests.

There are a few ways to go about achieving the goal of having corporations be held responsible for their actions and promoting small business. Some suggestions.
1. Take away the notion of personhood for a corporation. They are a legal entity enabled by the government and therefore can be constrained by the government via regulation and have limited rights.
a. The government should regulate as a matter of principle corporations as it regulates itself and any laws regarding equity in hiring record keeping excetra should apply equally.
b. The corporate officers and board members should be considered culpable for any unlawful actions performed by the corporation and held personally liable for any criminal liabilities of the corporation and civilly liable for any claims resulting from proven malfeasance. Limited liability at all times only applies to shareholders not on the board or partaking in decision making. Otherwise limited liability applies under conditions where actions were lawful and made in good faith.
c. The US corporation must have at minimum at minimum 60% ownership by US citizenry and be based in the United States and does not import into the United States from foreign countries in order to be taxed at a favorable rate and be considered a US corporation. All other corporations doing business in the United States will be subject to foreign corporation tax rates as well as importation tax if they import goods from foreign nations.
2. Sole proprietors, and partnerships which do not have limited liability legal protections afforded by government are persons and have all rights accorded them and therefore able to exercise their rights as they see fit including speech, association, religion, contracts excetera. They are only subject to criminal law and civil lawsuits brought by aggrieved parties.
a. Sole proprietors and partnerships in order to be considered a US business must have a minimum ownership by US citizenry of 60% be based in the United States and does not import into the United States from foreign countries can be taxed at a favorable rate . Sole Proprietors and partnerships not meeting the aforementioned criteria are subject to foreign business tax rates as well as importation taxes if they import goods into the United States.

 

[aociswundumho]

I want societal issues decided by elected government, acting in the public interest.

Forget it. Everybody acts in their own interest, including politicians and bureaucrats. It can't be any other way. There are no saints seeking political power.

Take climate change. I want a government asking scientists, what is true? What are the best policies?

Scientific facts do not tell you what you should do. You cannot derive an ought statement from facts.

Furthermore, politicians don't care about facts anyway. For just one example, it's 2022 and marijuana is still a schedule 1 drug, right alongside heroin. They don't care about facts.

Instead, imagine a lot of smaller companies, each functioning in a capitalist system that's competitive, profiting by providing value, and saying out of the public policy setting and elections except when asked for narrow input.

Great, so do I. The problem is the regulatory state which puts business and politicians in bed together.

It's a more complicated topic - but an important one. That's what we need: democracy and capitalism, which we could call small-scale capitalism, capitalism as it was intended, instead of a corporatocracy, plutocracy, corruption and the people powerless and harmed for others' interests.

I see no need for democracy. Everything can and should be privatized.

 

[soylentgreen]

We have most of this already. Do you realize most big companies started out as small ones? They become larger by producing goods and services people want and doing it at prices lower than their competitors.

Who exactly wants a cigarettes when they know it will kill them? Who wants sugary drinks that cause diseases and obesity? Who controls and manipulates prices so that healthy food is dearer than fast foods?

Answer, big business which does not give a shit what you want. They care about only what they can sell by any lie by any means and if it kills you slowly that's good because it gives you time to be conned into buying more.

 

[Bullseye]

Who exactly wants a cigarettes when they know it will kill them? Who wants sugary drinks that cause diseases and obesity? Who controls and manipulates prices so that healthy food is dearer than fast foods?

Answer, big business which does not give a shit what you want. They care about only what they can sell by any lie by any means and if it kills you slowly that's good because it gives you time to be conned into buying more.

Yeah, I've heard all that commie bullshit before. Big yawn. BTW, I can't recall a single time when a Big Business pusher force me to eat a Milky Way or a Big Mac.

 

[soylentgreen]

Yeah, I've heard all that commie bullshit before. Big yawn. BTW, I can't recall a single time when a Big Business pusher force me to eat a Milky Way or a Big Mac.

That would probably be more a case of your not bright enough to understand the influences modern advertising have than the idea that big business spend millions in manipulating opinins just for fun.

 

[Bullseye]

That would probably be more a case of your not bright enough to understand the influences modern advertising have than the idea that big business spend millions in manipulating opinins just for fun.

Heard that crap too. Advertising MAY get you to try the product, but the product has to make the final sale.

 

[soylentgreen]

Heard that crap too. Advertising MAY get you to try the product, but the product has to make the final sale.

So the fact that you are immune means obesity is just fake news.

Most people think they are under no influence. Most people are wrong.

https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/lab-...-apps-more-prevalent-than-parents-may-realize

 

[Bullseye]

So the fact that you are immune means obesity is just fake news.

Most people think they are under no influence. Most people are wrong.

https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/lab-...-apps-more-prevalent-than-parents-may-realize

Alway someone else's fault - right?

 

[soylentgreen]

Alway someone else's fault - right?

No, this can also be the fault of people like yourself who refuse to accept that they to can be manipulated. It is your denial that big business is banking on. Not my pointing out how insidious the marketing of products is.

 

[Bullseye]

No, this can also be the fault of people like yourself who refuse to accept that they to can be manipulated. It is your denial that big business is banking on. Not my pointing out how insidious the marketing of products is.

LOL, talk about being manipulated - Whoever filled your head with this nonsense is Manipulator of the Century.

 

[Questerr]

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote.” - Marvin Simkin

If 99% of Congress and 99% of the states wished to do so, what rights hold they be prevented from taking away?

For instance, if those numbers decided to get rid of the 2nd Amendment, what would stop them?

 

[SkyChief]

If 99% of Congress and 99% of the states wished to do so, what rights hold they be prevented from taking away?

For instance, if those numbers decided to get rid of the 2nd Amendment, what would stop them?

The U.S. Constitution makes provisions for amendments. However, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights. These ten Rights are untouchable - regardless if 99% of Congress voted to abolish any of them.

This is the concept that Marvin Simpkin referred to when he said "Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote.”

The "Certain Rights" that Simpkin spoke of are unalienable - meaning that they cannot be taken away, revoked, denied, or transferred to another person.

 

[Questerr]

The U.S. Constitution makes provisions for amendments. However, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights. These ten Rights are untouchable - regardless if 99% of Congress voted to abolish any of them.

This is the concept that Marvin Simpkin referred to when he said "Freedom comes from the recognition of certain rights which may not be taken, not even by a 99% vote.”

The "Certain Rights" that Simpkin spoke of are unalienable - meaning that they cannot be taken away, revoked, denied, or transferred to another person.

Where does the Constitution say the Bill of Rights can’t be amended?

 

[Craig234]

The U.S. Constitution makes provisions for amendments. However, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights. These ten Rights are untouchable - regardless if 99% of Congress voted to abolish any of them.

The 'Bill of Rights' are no different than any other amendments, and can be amended the same way.