Oh snap!

[brenthutch 383]

28 minutes ago, kallend said:

Somalia is a Libertarian/capitalist paradise. Practically no government at all to get in the way of entrepreneurs. 

https://southpark.cc.com/clips/225447/pirating-is-back

not to mention jewel filled waterfalls and skull islands 

 

[JoeWeber 2,297]

8 hours ago, brenthutch said:

You need to break out of this loud mouthed, knuckle dragging, militaristic Neanderthal notion you obviously have of me. (And the military FWIW). You have obviously been damaged beyond repair by the Vietnam war and have some John Wayne idea of how the military works.  Humility and grace carry the day not some cartoon notion of bravado and machismo that you are apparently burdened with.  

 

8 hours ago, brenthutch said:

No, as I pointed out with regard to Vietnam, that is a place one goes to buy cheap sneakers.

Nice try. Just the act of typing Canada and Mexico in your travelogue should have caused an instant desire to hit the delete button. I'll just assume you were on missions to understand the world and not on the cheap pharmaceutical bus. Also, and you're forgiven because the right so often gets it wrong, Puerto Rico is us. Sorry Brent, but world travel isn't like skydiving where you can jump at a few places decades ago, quit the sport, and still claim to be a skydiver. The world is way bigger than a dozen countries that are mostly all accessible by a comfortable train ride, never suffering time zone lag. That, and it's the cheap shoe producing nations in the East, which you've denigrated twice now, where our main focus should be. Not 1980 Lithuania.

 

[brenthutch 383]

Not denigrating my friend, just pointing out the obvious.  East Asia is where the world goes for cheap labor. Japan being the notable exception.  BTW the Baltic states were integrated into NATO in the early 2000's not 1980.  In the 80's I was keeping the word safe for democracy by deterring Soviet aggression by my mere presence in northern Italy

[brenthutch 383]

15 minutes ago, JoeWeber said:

 

Also, and you're forgiven because the right so often gets it wrong, Puerto Rico is us. 

 

So is California.  Lefties have no sense of humor :-(

[JoeWeber 2,297]

4 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

Not denigrating my friend, just pointing out the obvious.  East Asia is where the world goes for cheap labor. Japan being the notable exception.  BTW the Baltic states were integrated into NATO in the early 2000's not 1980.  In the 80's I was keeping the word safe for democracy by deterring Soviet aggression by my mere presence in northern Italy

It was a quip, nonetheless I stand corrected. Also, I have no doubt your mere presence can be a deterrence

[DJL 232]

11 hours ago, brenthutch said:

 

I think you're trying to claim that there's a counterpoint from someone, presumably here, who thinks we should follow some sort of economic structure that is the opposite of capitalism.  Or you're barking up the wrong tree.  

[brenthutch 383]

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

[normiss 622]

2 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

50% of internet posts are incorrect. Some of them are even posted here.

[gowlerk 1,905]

17 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

The main feature that separates the best and richest societies from the poorer ones is not socialism versus capitalism. It is the level of corruption that each faces in day to day life. Corruption is best limited by a robust and honest democratic system. People will make mistakes, like electing Trump was. But as long as they also get the chance to boot their mistakes, and power is spread in a balanced way it is just a temporary set back. Vlad does not have to worry about a troublesome court system, Donny does.

Edited November 27, 2019 by gowlerk

[rifleman 61]

Socialism is NOT Communism

Capitalism - Anyone can be rich

Communism - Nobody can be rich

Socialism - Anyone can be rich but nobody should be in poverty.

[SkyDekker 1,121]

2 hours ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.

So should you. Looks like socialism paid for a lot of your travel. Socialism is probably also paying for a lot of the benefits you have since enjoyed.

[SkyDekker 1,121]

13 hours ago, brenthutch said:

 I have a degree in international political science.

You keep saying this like you want it to have meaning. But when it comes to scientists with degrees who speak out about the perils of climate change, you do not listen.

[brenthutch 383]

1 hour ago, SkyDekker said:

So should you. Looks like socialism paid for a lot of your travel. Socialism is probably also paying for a lot of the benefits you have since enjoyed.

I provided a service and was compensated for it, sounds like capitalism to me.

[SkyDekker 1,121]

1 minute ago, brenthutch said:

I provided a service and was compensated for it, sounds like capitalism to me.

People in communist and socialist countries get paid for services too. That is not quite the defining line between socialism and capitalism.

The government provided you housing, health care, income, food, travel and recreation. All paid for by the tax payer. Sounds pretty socialist to me.

[mbohu 77]

7 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

I provided a service and was compensated for it, sounds like capitalism to me.

The people who compensated you did not individually have a choice and could not negotiate the price with you according to supply and demand (or may not even have been interested in that service at all)
That is always the argument that is made against taxes by the libertarian leaning crowd. Otherwise, taxes are perfectly capitalist. The state provides a service and gets compensated for it--but not every individual has a choice in if they want to pay for that particular service.
If we're talking about democratic socialism, such as practiced in many European countries, then socialism and capitalism are really intricately linked. There is no one without the other.

 

[DJL 232]

4 hours ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

You live in a country that does not function with a purely capitalist/free market concept and your 43% is aware of that.  You're probably talking about a gallup poll conducted a few months ago and it wasn't about whether people want the US to be a socialist country but about whether they want social programs.  As you can see in this article it was only 10% of people who flat out "like" socialism.

https://www.newsweek.com/socialism-america-gallup-poll-1431266

[jakee 1,254]

4 hours ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

I would expect that the majority of them are using a broad enough definition of socialism that the question doesn't even make sense. I think almost everyone would agree with you and Bono that capitalism needs control and limits beyond pure market forces, but that not many at all want to get rid of it completely.

[yobnoc 142]

6 hours ago, brenthutch said:

So is California.  Lefties have no sense of humor :-(

I caught it

[billvon 2,395]

16 hours ago, brenthutch said:

Sweden is a capitalist country!!!!  Oh double snap!!!

Sweden is a democratic socialist country.  The social democratic party has been the primary ruling party since 1932.  It regularly ranks between #2 and #5 on lists of the most socialist countries.

If you are arguing "well that's a good example of a economy that works well" congratulations!  You are aligned with most Democrats.

[billvon 2,395]

2 hours ago, brenthutch said:

I provided a service and was compensated for it, sounds like capitalism to me.

Illegal immigrants pay sales tax and are compensated by getting social services.  That's also capitalism, by your standards.

[billvon 2,395]

5 hours ago, brenthutch said:

43% of Americans think socialism is better than capitalism.  Some of them even post on Speakers Corner 

Anyone who thinks socialism is better than capitalism is being pretty foolish.  Anyone who thinks capitalism is better than socialism is pretty foolish as well.  It's like claiming that booties are better than body turns in RW.  Anyone who does not avail themselves of both is not going to be very good at 4 way RW.

[gowlerk 1,905]

5 hours ago, billvon said:

Anyone who thinks socialism is better than capitalism is being pretty foolish.  Anyone who thinks capitalism is better than socialism is pretty foolish as well.  It's like claiming that booties are better than body turns in RW.  Anyone who does not avail themselves of both is not going to be very good at 4 way RW.

Almost like saying you can't have a paid military. Good capitalists should just fight when needed.

Edited November 28, 2019 by gowlerk

[JoeWeber 2,297]

9 hours ago, brenthutch said:

So is California.  Lefties have no sense of humor :-(

I was so focused on jabbing you in the ass, I fucked up. Please accept the most sincere apologies I can offer you. Now, I won't disagree I can be an intolerable moron at times but after a full head of hair and an acceptable manhood my sense of humor is my most prized possession. Please take that back.

[gowlerk 1,905]

1 hour ago, JoeWeber said:

I was so focused on jabbing you in the ass, I fucked up. Please accept the most sincere apologies I can offer you. Now, I won't disagree I can be an intolerable moron at times but after a full head of hair and an acceptable manhood my sense of humor is my most prized possession. Please take that back.

You are semi bragging about you manhood AND talking about jabbing him in the ass. In the same paragraph. And asking for a favour as well?

[JoeWeber 2,297]

8 minutes ago, gowlerk said:

You are semi bragging about you manhood AND talking about jabbing him in the ass. In the same paragraph. And asking for a favour as well?

You certainly cannot be faulted for your reading comprehension. In fairness, he is a republican so I need to communicate at his level. Quid Pro, NO!