Big business vs Big government

[Traveler]

With all things considered – what is worse or the more corrupt? Big all powerful government or Big all powerful business? In the end is there that much of a difference? Is it possible to have one without it taking over the other?

The Traveler

[bytor2112]

With all things considered – what is worse or the more corrupt? Big all powerful government or Big all powerful business? In the end is there that much of a difference? Is it possible to have one without it taking over the other?

The Traveler

At least big all powerful businesses generally produce a product, or a service and create jobs by expanding their business and create employment opportunities by contracting with other businesses. My view of government is less is more. The tax code that we have is just evil and repressive and needs to be reformed. If the government would protect me from enemies and keep the infrastructure working and do little else, I would be so grateful. The cradle to the grave nanny state makes me ill and is not sustainable, the mess that is going on today is so sad, the debt we are incurring to try and stimulate the economy is sheer madness. The economy would have recovered any ways and we would have been better off to have let the free market work, instead we used the economic downturn as an excuse to increase the size of government.

Edited April 10, 2009 by bytor2112

[hordak]

You can refuse big businesses products and services (see GM)

You can't refuses big government. (See the taxes you pay to city/state/federal for services you may not even use.)

[FutureCoastGuardsmen]

The only thing I want government to do is enforce the federal law, balance the budget, and defend the country from work pro-actively against outside threats, and uphold the constitution.

The only thing I want business to do is make a product, try to make a good dollar off of it, and use that to contribute to a functioning laissez faire free market.

Nothing more, nothing less.

[LittleWyvern]

I think it's important to maintain a good balance between the two. Something, at least, between the two extremes (speaking US-centric historically) of Hoover and FDR.

[Traveler]

I started this thread to see why people are concerned with big government and not big business. I was raised in a political (Republican) family. I left the Republican Party because of the Nixon scandal and my discovery of the vast corruption within the party. Since denouncing the Republican Party I have attempted to become involved in other parties but I have discovered one of two things.

One: If a political party has any ability to effect political policy the party is completely dominated by non-voting money interest. What I am saying here is that the political parties with clout are controlled by monies that come from entities (corporations, businesses, unions or any other number of interest with deep pockets – keep in mind that the segment of the population that donates as registered voters over $1,000 comprises less than 3% of the citizens of this country). Voting individuals have very little effect in determining political policies of parties on the national level because the political parties can survive without their monitory contribution and cannot survive with only such contributions.

Two: is the opposite of #1. That is if a political party is not dominated by non-voting money interest they have no political clout.

All money interest is driven by profits generated by businesses. But not all big business opportunities are driven by profit. Let us take for example the great depression. Prior to the great depression private families and individuals owned about 90% of America’s farm land. Today this has reversed and 90% of American’s farm production comes from corporate owned farms.

Now let us take our current circumstance. Most conservatives are concerned about the federal government taking over and controlling the banks. But that is not the trend or what is really going on. It is interesting to me that since the great depression there is one private entity that has been steadily gaining more power and control over banking interests. Have you guessed it yet? It is the Federal Reserve Bank and no one is talking about it. Not the Democrats or the Republicans. And it is all happening while each of the parties is trying to focus everyone’s attention somewhere else.

Most conservatives are so worried about big government that they have forgotten the danger of big companies – especially big companies with monopolies or collections of individuals that sit on each other’s boards granting themselves bonuses as well bonuses to corporate managers that feed into their control rather than bonuses based directly on company profits. And this my friends is not capitalism and in my mind could be worse than socialism. Can you spell Gadianton Robbers?

The Traveler

[jadams_4040]

With all things considered – what is worse or the more corrupt? Big all powerful government or Big all powerful business? In the end is there that much of a difference? Is it possible to have one without it taking over the other?

The Traveler

The real problem is when big business controls government as has happened the last 8 years in this country.:)

[bytor2112]

The real problem is when big business controls government as has happened the last 8 years in this country.:)

Trying to lay the blame for America's problems at the feet of business and Bush is ignorant. jaadams, the very problems that we are dealing with today did not begin with the Bush administration. I know it feels good to blame it on Bush, but really it just shows how little you understand economics and the over reaching hand of our government, both Republican and Democrat has played in this mess. Honestly, do you ever say anything that isn't a campaign slogan???????

Edited April 11, 2009 by bytor2112

[Traveler]

The real problem is when big business controls government as has happened the last 8 years in this country.:)

Including the financing of the last election – especially the winner that interestingly had more money from big business intrest than any cantidate in the history of our country.

The Traveler

[LittleWyvern]

Including the financing of the last election – especially the winner that interestingly had more money from big business intrest than any cantidate in the history of our country.

The Traveler

But is that before or after inflation-adjustment?

[Palerider]

With all things considered – what is worse or the more corrupt? Big all powerful government or Big all powerful business? In the end is there that much of a difference? Is it possible to have one without it taking over the other?

The Traveler

I will say both.....there both bad....except gov't can raise my taxes and I can't stand that....

[Palerider]

The real problem is when big business controls government as has happened the last 8 years in this country.:)

oh yes I agree....just like the automakers...ooppss sorry...they always go Democrat like the other big unions...

[bytebear]

It's about competition. If I don't like what a business is doing I can just take my business elsewhere. With government, I am stuck with what I have. That is why social services should completely be privatized.