Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
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Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.
Do you recognize that fact?
Regards
DL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo
http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-ame ... ing-fact-2
http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-dat ... b014efbf27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu ... gest-vrecs
Our political systems, regardless of who is elected or in power, have become tools of our oligarchs and are designed to insure that they retain their wealth. We are in fact and in reality ruled by our various oligarchs.
Do you recognize that fact?
Regards
DL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzQYA9Qjsi0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-rpkZe2OEo
http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-ame ... ing-fact-2
http://www.upworthy.com/20-years-of-dat ... b014efbf27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJy8vTu ... gest-vrecs
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Please, the ultra-rich largely spend their money creating goods and services for the not-so-rich instead of spending it on themselves.
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Trickle-down theorybobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:25 pm Please, the ultra-rich largely spend their money creating goods and services for the not-so-rich instead of spending it on themselves.
PhilX
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
It's whatever's trickling down your leg that you should be concerned about!
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
I can take the piss from you.bobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:35 pm It's whatever's trickling down your leg that you should be concerned about!
PhilX
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Please, I was referring to the sweat running down your leg!
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
You did say whatever, you dog.bobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:46 pm Please, I was referring to the sweat running down your leg!
PhilX
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Good service in your medical system must be off their radar as well as the care of the poor.bobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:25 pm Please, the ultra-rich largely spend their money creating goods and services for the not-so-rich instead of spending it on themselves.
Did you not look at that graph.
http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-ame ... ing-fact-2
The trickle down that they allow is not trickling to where it is needed the most.
Regards
DL
Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Once governments represented the people, theoretically anyway. Now they clearly represent corporations and billionaires. It's not the top 1% who are protected by the government so much as the 0.1%.
The stagnation and, sometimes, reduction of wages suggests that the ultra wealthy have largely stemmed the flow of the "trickle down". No doubt they feel they need the extra money in these difficult times.
Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
What other forms of organizing life are possible? The membranated nucleus and cell wall really has no close competitor at all. The system isn't caused by the elites, that's a misconception. The nucleus can be removed from a cell. The other organelles operate in parallel, they are largely not being directed by the nucleus; many cellular components have a distinct (quasi-/)genetic lineages. The non-elites in a state perform their roles largely autonomously.
Another point to consider is that there are genuinely corrupt and purely symbolic elites. They are a burden on the society, so when the Czar and Russian aristocracy was overthrown, the country became more productive. On the other hand, are genuinely knowledgeable and productive elites, when these elites are removed, railroads come to a halt, power stations go dark, and hospitals cannot operate, as happened in South Africa when so many Whites evacuated the country at the end of apartheid.
And another point might be, we don't live in a pure plutocracy, but a democracy where the vote is enormously powerful. No matter how much money you have, in a democracy the wealthy can have only limited political control.
I always get the the impression when this kind of conversation comes up that it is really motivated by jealousy and resentment. Narcissism. How many of those who complain about "the 1 percent" aren't working 60 hours a week, aren't working on a graduate degree, aren't starting a business on the side, but instead are spending their time watching YouTube? And if building your wealth isn't your thing, but prayer is, or fitness is, or aesthetics is, or love is, I doubt you'd be distracted with "the 1 percent".
Another point to consider is that there are genuinely corrupt and purely symbolic elites. They are a burden on the society, so when the Czar and Russian aristocracy was overthrown, the country became more productive. On the other hand, are genuinely knowledgeable and productive elites, when these elites are removed, railroads come to a halt, power stations go dark, and hospitals cannot operate, as happened in South Africa when so many Whites evacuated the country at the end of apartheid.
And another point might be, we don't live in a pure plutocracy, but a democracy where the vote is enormously powerful. No matter how much money you have, in a democracy the wealthy can have only limited political control.
I always get the the impression when this kind of conversation comes up that it is really motivated by jealousy and resentment. Narcissism. How many of those who complain about "the 1 percent" aren't working 60 hours a week, aren't working on a graduate degree, aren't starting a business on the side, but instead are spending their time watching YouTube? And if building your wealth isn't your thing, but prayer is, or fitness is, or aesthetics is, or love is, I doubt you'd be distracted with "the 1 percent".
Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
Such implied ad homs mean nothing. It could just as easily be said - and be just as false - that supporting such an unfair system is an example of Stockholm syndrome. Can you do better than that?
It's simply a fact - wealth is concentrating and that leaves those at the bottom end in an especially parlous situation. I think we should be at least able to discuss this dynamic without being shut down by political correctness.
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
You might be right on the %, but if you include their bribe taking slaves .01 % might not cover it.Greta wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2017 1:13 amOnce governments represented the people, theoretically anyway. Now they clearly represent corporations and billionaires. It's not the top 1% who are protected by the government so much as the 0.1%.
The stagnation and, sometimes, reduction of wages suggests that the ultra wealthy have largely stemmed the flow of the "trickle down". No doubt they feel they need the extra money in these difficult times.
I don't know what the actual % of pricks are in the world.
Regards
DL
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
+ 1Greta wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:49 amSuch implied ad homs mean nothing. It could just as easily be said - and be just as false - that supporting such an unfair system is an example of Stockholm syndrome. Can you do better than that?
It's simply a fact - wealth is concentrating and that leaves those at the bottom end in an especially parlous situation. I think we should be at least able to discuss this dynamic without being shut down by political correctness.
Regards
DL
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
I was giving you the benefit of the doubt.Philosophy Explorer wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:04 pmYou did say whatever, you dog.bobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:46 pm Please, I was referring to the sweat running down your leg!
PhilX
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Re: Are governments just protection rackets for the 1%?
I repeat, the ultra-rich largely spend their money creating goods and services for the not-so-rich instead of spending it on themselves.Greatest I am wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2017 12:10 amGood service in your medical system must be off their radar as well as the care of the poor.bobevenson wrote: ↑Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:25 pm Please, the ultra-rich largely spend their money creating goods and services for the not-so-rich instead of spending it on themselves.
Did you not look at that graph.
http://www.upworthy.com/9-out-of-10-ame ... ing-fact-2
The trickle down that they allow is not trickling to where it is needed the most.
Regards
DL