There is solid evidence that OZ is economically strong because of "All of the above". The reason is simply that when a nation favors a strong, broad and vibrant middle class as opposed to favoring the very rich or the very poor, everyone benefits.
I pretty much agree with this. More political parties would help the United States, but the current two parties will do whatever it takes to prevent that.
I was being a bit facetious calling Australia "Socialist". They do have a strong social infrastructure that supports the middle class, but they are quite Capitalistic in a very good way. One hand washes the other. They truly are far more free than we are in the United States, both socially and economically.
I agree with this statement too. Crony Capitalism is more like it.
I do not think we have been embracing Socialism so much as we are embracing Corporate Fascism. If we truly were moving Socialist as in Australian Socialism - which is actually a very balanced Capitalism - then we would have had a living wage law and universal health care 50 years ago.
Can't add anything to that statement.
The term FUBAR comes to mind here.
Our politicians remain unwilling to tax the wealthiest because they depend on them for re-election. We could get it done - we simply lack the collective will - and, we are so divided left to right.
We got poorer because we fight amongst ourselves. We are afraid somebody is going to get over on us. So instead of voting for issues that will make our middle class more like Australias, we vote for government to take things away from other people so that we will feel better about our own personal sorry condition.
You know that I of course disagree about unions over-pricing labor. Our wages are not even keeping up with inflation anymore and the middle class is shrinking at an alarming rate. It was more corporate greed that moved corporations overseas to increase shareholder profit - not unions. Unions were simply a convienient scapegoat to distract us and cause us to fight amongst ourselves while blinding us to the real reason.
That's pretty much true.
I'd like to believe it possible some day - but you are correct that we are soft. As long as we have enough left of our weekly paychecks to buy a 12-pack and a pizza, we are fat, dumb and happy.
There is solid evidence that OZ is economically strong because of "All of the above".
The US isn't Australia.
Different country, different problems needing different sets of solutions.
The reason is simply that when a nation favors a strong, broad and vibrant middle class as opposed to favoring the very rich or the very poor, everyone benefits.
Anytime one sector of society is favored, the results are going to be contrasts that are arguably unfair.
I was being a bit facetious calling Australia "Socialist". They do have a strong social infrastructure that supports the middle class, but they are quite Capitalistic in a very good way. One hand washes the other.
They are achieving a better balance than the situation in the US, agreed.
They truly are far more free than we are in the United States, both socially and economically.
I'll agree with that.
It's rather obvious.
Our system is failing us.
But we don't have the resources at this time to consider implementing the entitlements you argue for.
There is not only too much debt now, there would be even more debt generated from increasing the scope of expanding coverage.
Freedom?......among other things, we're also losing it to debt.
The more obligations that are generated, the greater the restrictions to that freedom.
We've mathematically screwed ourselves to the point correction doesn't include the social services you argue for.
And the worst is, if the plans in place fail, I see a lot worse for the future where day to day survival becomes an issue for much of the US.
Crony Capitalism is more like it.
A good capitalist realizes it's unwise to kill off the consumer.
Most of these are seen in the small business sector.
Most of what you call "Crony Capitalism" is conspiratorial corruption.
It's not about earning profit....it's about taking.
From Enron to BP to the Bailout Banks .....they were about taking.
I do not think we have been embracing Socialism so much as we are embracing Corporate Fascism.
The pendulum certainly swung violently in that direction during the Reagan and especially GW Bush administrations, but you forget the 'Great Society' of Johnson and the abuses it generated.
Bush had his moments, too. Prescription drug coverage was his contribution....and if I remember correctly, some risky low interest home loans of his own.
I think both are being embraced .....just taking turns on us.
If we truly were moving Socialist as in Australian Socialism - which is actually a very balanced Capitalism - then we would have had a living wage law and universal health care 50 years ago.
I suspect that's what the 'Great Society' was originally all about....and see how fucked up it got?
The problem is the "If". Like in "If" we weren't such a corrupt society with a government that tries to placate us for our votes and their election to office.
Our politicians remain unwilling to tax the wealthiest because they depend on them for re-election.
Unless Congress can agree to major spending cuts across all issues, increasing taxes isn't the solution.....it's only part of it.
And this is where your call for entitlement expansion hits a wall.
We got poorer because we fight amongst ourselves. We are afraid somebody is going to get over on us. So instead of voting for issues that will make our middle class more like Australias, we vote for government to take things away from other people so that we will feel better about our own personal sorry condition.
Indeed.
We'll likely never be able to implement their system.
We are 'Americans'
You know that I of course disagree about unions over-pricing labor.
Within the US, manufacturing has migrated from the once industrious North to the South to Mexico to SouthEast Asia to China because of business interests looking to manufacture at globally competitive prices.
Yes, the private sector unions of today certainly have less influence than the Unions of the 1960's......but the damage done is what we refer to as offshoring/outsourcing. US businesses build foreign factories to remain competitive. And not just globably.....competitive with foreign imports ( ironic because they also became 'foreign imported in doing so )
That was initiated by high union labor
Our wages are not even keeping up with inflation anymore and the middle class is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Yep.....the economy is certainly screwed.
But that's the picture since Bush took office.
Living in Ohio, part of the Rust Belt, I'm very aware of how the prosperity of the 60's faded away because of labor being one of the mechanisms of that time that actually drove inflation....people seem to forget that there was a time in the US where the Auto industry was the leading element of our economy.
Those high paying jobs no longer exist.
Today, our money is being devalued through massive debt generation.
I'd like to believe it possible some day - but you are correct that we are soft. As long as we have enough left of our weekly paychecks to buy a 12-pack and a pizza, we are fat, dumb and happy.
Seems that way.
