Republicans And Democrats

[Traveler]

I wanted to comment concerning the Democratic and Republican parties as they relate to free enterprise in the US market place. I am a student of Frederic Bastiat. According to his theory there are two ways to obtain wealth. 1. To work hard by your own labor and industry. 2. Plunder wealth from others. Since Plunder requires less effort man will by nature - if given the opportunity select plunder over labor.

Frederic theorizes there are two kinds of plunder. First Criminal plunder. This is the activity of criminals plundering what others have produced. Second in legal plunder. This is extortion by law taking the production of others. Socialism is a form of legal plunder as is many mislabel capitalized investments. True free enterprise rewards each according to their labor.

My communist friends in the Democratic Party like Cal and their cousins socialist in the Republican party think there are flaws in honest free enterprise. These are not flaws but misuse by those that call themselves Capitalist - but in reality they are just another kind of Socialist - except they believe only a select few should be allowed to live on the labor of the many. This is not free enterprise but another form of plunder.

If you need help understanding the principles upon which this country was founded I suggest you purchase Frederic Bastiat’s book “The Law”. You can get it from Amazon.com for less than $5. If you think you are ready for more try Frederic Bastiat’s book “Economic Fallacies”. No one has the right to plunder the labor of others.

The Traveler

[sgallan]

You defined what you see as a problem.

What would be the solution then?

[Traveler]

Not my ideas but those of Frederic - I just happen to agree. You may want to read his work. But from my understanding.

1. Education - in freedom and free enterprise, principles of economics.

2. Support of laws that do not alow Plunder and protect those that labor.

3. Repeal of laws that demand plunder and protect those that refuse to labor.

The Traveler

[sgallan]

I honestly don't have time to read him at the moment. That is why I was asking. It all sounds very 'pie in the sky'. When it comes to economics the details of such laws are problematic.

[Traveler]

Originally posted by sgallan@Oct 19 2004, 06:52 AM

I honestly don't have time to read him at the moment. That is why I was asking. It all sounds very 'pie in the sky'. When it comes to economics the details of such laws are problematic.

The Law by Frederic can be read in one evening. But something I beleve should be understood - Frederic knew many of the founders of our nation. Those men that risked all in forming our constitution. He believed in the great experiment of our Constitution. There were a number of flaws that he saw in our country. For example slavery he felt would be a major problem that must be ended for freedom and real free economy to have a chance.

Another Idea he puts forth is that the law should 1. Protect the innocent. 2 Punish the guilty. Law used for any other purpose is unjust.

Perhaps you can offer some explanation as to why you think such a society living by such laws is problematic. Why should someone else be entitled to plunder that which someone else has produced by their own labor? Is this not in essence what labor unions are all about - or at least should be all about?

Usually the problem with intelligent thought is when someone wants to make an exception. Sort of the idea since there are 2 survivors and only one life vest - then I want it. This is not what I am saying. It is a matter of someone that made their life vest with materials available to everyone before they got on the ship and now someone that refused to work to build a life vest now in danger seeks the law to plunder the labor of someone else.

Frederic points out that it takes less effort to plunder than it does to labor, therefore, there will always be pressure to plunder, especially when there is a large population that has been willing to labor. This is exactly what we see in the USA today. A large middle class with a great work ethic and we also see a variety of political ideas that want to plunder the middle class to fund various ends. The truth is - today the middle class is the goose that lays the golden economic egg. If we decide, as a nation to plunder and kill the goose to feed the poor or some other program (when I say kill I mean use the labor without preserving or supporting that class that is providing the labor) – we will destroy the future and run out of golden eggs. And this is exactly what we have seen in the development of the “Great Society” as an experiment beginning in the 60’s. Our government welfare programs have required a steady increase not just in $$$$ but in percent of the GNP. What began as about 2% is now approaching 20%. And poverty has both increased – not just in % of population but in effect on the population, things such as crime, health and fitness, and economic viability. We also see a shrinking middle class and a widening gap between the rich and the poor. The exact effect projected by Frederic. Use the law to plunder honest labor and the class that produces will diminish.

The Democrats want to extract more from the middle class to fund social programs – they say they want to plunder the rich but the truth is there is not near as much to plunder from the rich (they are fewer in numbers) than from the middle class.

The Republicans want to empower the rich to plunder everyone else in what they call capitol investment. Though they call it free enterprise – that is not true. If I had more time I would outline how Microsoft plundered stacker software in a classic case of how the rich plunder from the labor of the middle class. Perhaps some other time.

The Traveler

[Matt]

Unemployment is a key control device in advanced nations.

"Do as we tell you, or you'll lose your job." It happened in Britain in the early 1980s. Sadly, the government went too far and destroyed whole communities and entire industries.

It took the economy years to recover from the effects of those experiments.

That's why the Tory Party isn't going to win the next election, and why it lost the last two.

[Traveler]

JOHN GLENN ON THE SENATE FLOOR - Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13 - Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living. This IS a typical, though sad, example ! of what some who have never served think of the military. But I do not understand why the Democratic party pretends it knows how to run a country. As I have said before - as bad as the Republicians are the Democrats seem to have not clue.

From the Senat floor:

Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... ! To a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job!

You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags. You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job?

I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men SOME MEN - who held REAL jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a l! ove of country and a dedication to duty - that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible.

I HAVE held a job, Howard! What about you?"

For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA. Now he is a Senator!