Conservatives wanted. Apply within.

[merrylander]

You have to give George some leeway as I believe senility is setting in. Two days after his column there are usually three letters to the editor correcting his errors.

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by merrylander

You have to give Geirge some leeway as I believe senility is setting in. Two days after his column there are usually three letters to the editor correcting his errors.

So the rocket ship to Planet Will is chauffeured?

[mpholland]

I have considered myself conservative for most of my life, and went from Republican to independent right after GHWB. Lately I am having conflicting thoughts on the terminology and reasoning behind it. I would like to see the government be smaller and more fiscally sound, but I can't see that it is ever going to happen. Republicans aren't conservative, they just want smaller government so it stays out of their way and less taxes so they can keep more of their wealth. That is the crux of Republican conservatism. The irony is that they are the ones forcing the government to get bigger. If greedy corporations would do the right thing and pay a living wage and a pension, or enough to actually let the employee contribute a generous amount to his own retirement plan, social security could be smaller. If medical wasn't so obscenely expensive, pharm so greedily overpriced, and insurance and hospitals so heavily laden with administration, insurance costs would probably fairly reasonable. If the corporations didn't have to spend so much lobbying the government, the government wouldn't have to spend all their resources dealing with corporations and could focus on running America. I guess I just see corporate America standing in the way of conservatism.

[donquixote99]

I used to know conservatives who would say things like "The worst enemy of capitalism is capitalists."

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by mpholland

I have considered myself conservative for most of my life, and went from Republican to independent right after GHWB. Lately I am having conflicting thoughts on the terminology and reasoning behind it. I would like to see the government be smaller and more fiscally sound, but I can't see that it is ever going to happen. Republicans aren't conservative, they just want smaller government so it stays out of their way and less taxes so they can keep more of their wealth. That is the crux of Republican conservatism. The irony is that they are the ones forcing the government to get bigger. If greedy corporations would do the right thing and pay a living wage and a pension, or enough to actually let the employee contribute a generous amount to his own retirement plan, social security could be smaller. If medical wasn't so obscenely expensive, pharm so greedily overpriced, and insurance and hospitals so heavily laden with administration, insurance costs would probably fairly reasonable. If the corporations didn't have to spend so much lobbying the government, the government wouldn't have to spend all their resources dealing with corporations and could focus on running America. I guess I just see corporate America standing in the way of conservatism.

So you're a conservative with some soci@list ideals.

Actualy, I agree with you on a lot. I'm just not sure that unfettered capitalism could ever succeed; and in any event, the way the largest companies want to manipulate the economy is based on anything but true free-market principles.

Regards,

D-Ray

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by mpholland

I have considered myself conservative for most of my life, and went from Republican to independent right after GHWB. Lately I am having conflicting thoughts on the terminology and reasoning behind it. I would like to see the government be smaller and more fiscally sound, but I can't see that it is ever going to happen. Republicans aren't conservative, they just want smaller government so it stays out of their way and less taxes so they can keep more of their wealth. That is the crux of Republican conservatism. The irony is that they are the ones forcing the government to get bigger. If greedy corporations would do the right thing and pay a living wage and a pension, or enough to actually let the employee contribute a generous amount to his own retirement plan, social security could be smaller. If medical wasn't so obscenely expensive, pharm so greedily overpriced, and insurance and hospitals so heavily laden with administration, insurance costs would probably fairly reasonable. If the corporations didn't have to spend so much lobbying the government, the government wouldn't have to spend all their resources dealing with corporations and could focus on running America. I guess I just see corporate America standing in the way of conservatism.

And, that is the rub, isn't it, Mark?

Dave

[Oerets]

Been pretty much since a youth been a Social Democrat even before knowing what one was. At a pretty young age saw Capitalism being used as exploitation, plain and simple taking advantage of an other for your own gain. Basic give someone beads for their land sorta thing. Only now it has morphed light years from it's start.

Like the Wall Street Flash Boys, cheating simply put but accepted or rationalized as legal.

Barney

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

I used to know conservatives who would say things like "The worst enemy of capitalism is capitalists."

And, they were right. Let them have their way and be themselves for a while and no one will like them anymore. What does anybody think the last couple waves of resentment and labor unrest were all about? As I see it, it's like this; Capitalism may, arguably, be the best economic system at it's base, but like anything else it can be abused, taken to extremes. And the more "freedom" capitalists have to do as they please, sans any pushback, the more abuse there will be.

I don't get what is so fucking hard for some people to get about that.

"But, Dave. The market will take care of that!"

Oh, BS, it will not. Look at what we have, for crying out loud. All too often the "market" rewards bad behavior. For example, people at the top make MORE money when they outsource jobs and drive down employee compensation. That's the whole damn point. It's the ruthless bastards that end up with all the money.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

So you're a conservative with some soci@list ideals.

Actualy, I agree with you on a lot. I'm just not sure that unfettered capitalism could ever succeed; and in any event, the way the largest companies want to manipulate the economy is based on anything but true free-market principles.

Regards,

D-Ray

Hear, Hear!!!!

Dave

[mpholland]

This is what happens when you push back anymore...

http://www.businessinsider.com/ups-f...ployees-2014-4