Throughout its history, but especially during its ascendency in the 19th century, capitalism has had certain key characteristics. First, basic production facilities-land and capital-are privately owned.
[...]
Consumers are free to spend their incomes in ways that they believe will yield the greatest satisfaction. This principle, called consumer sovereignty, reflects the idea that under capitalism producers will be forced by competition to use their resources in ways that will best satisfy the wants of consumers. Self-interest and the pursuit of gain lead them to do this. [...]
if competition is present, economic activity will be self-regulating.
Capitalism assumes Self-interest will lead to Self-regulation. But what do Current Events really tell us, about this basic assumption that in Capitalist systems, consumer-driven "course corrections" will naturally lead to "the well-being of society" as a whole?
(aka. The theory of the Invisible Hand, promoted by Adam Smith, and others)
I'm currently watching Comedy Central, enjoying a new stand-up comedy special from a stand-up comic that I've never heard of before. He's both hilarious and not the subject of this diary. Instead, the subject of the diary is a commercial that I just saw that is truly disgusting. It was a commercial for a product from the National Collector's Mint. Follow me below the fold for the truly disgusting information.
(on evangelicals, Rick Warren, and the meaning of that choice... - promoted by poligirl)
There has already been a lot of discussion regarding President - Elect Obama's choice of Rick Warren to give the invocation at the inauguration. But I feel like I have a responsibility to add my voice to the chorus. I'll explain why below.
(fair play, simple basic decency, & Republicans: an exercise in contradictory terms... - promoted by poligirl)
When the Republicans are NOT in the majority in the Senate, being partisan hack obstructionists that give not one damn about what happens to the American people or the country of America as long as they can point to the Democrats in the majority and say "look, nothing is getting done!"
For the Republicans in the Senate, the entirety of the incredible amount of issues that our country is facing at this time is nothing more than another wonderful invitation to play politics with the country and continue to thumb their collective nose at the middle class and the needs of working families in America. Considering they were the majority party in power when all, and I mean ALL of the foundation was set for the myriad destructive economical, societal, ecological and constitutional destructive policies that has been visited upon our country and its people were enacted, one might think they would be a bit more interested in assisting cleaning up those messes that we can now SEE with our own eyes and feel with each passing day weighing down on people like a ton of bricks.
("Idiot in charge" proving this quotation incredibly correct. Over and over again... - promoted by poligirl)
For the love of all that is holy, Mr. Bush!
What the hell is it with your run-away ego and your inability to understand that the people of this country, HELL, the people of this world, do not care about what you feel to be YOUR personal crises' that you've faced while in office.
You do realize that the entire population of your country is currently mired in a devastating recession of your making?
You realize that your attempt to wipe your backside with the Constitution of this country, your green light to torture people, your thumbing of your nose regarding the "rule of law", your lies, your wars due to lies, your inept ignorance of reality and your inability to look at yourself in the mirror and say even to yourself "I was wrong", have made you the most un-pitied person in the world?
You do realize this, don't you Mr. Bush? See, I'm not getting a warm fuzzy on the fact that you do realize this. Let me explain.
Actually, let the snippets from this article on CNN explain. Then I'll pile on.
W & his "values"...
As incredible as that may sound, President George W. Bush tells us in an interview with his sister, Doro Bush Koch, that not only did he not sell his soul while making difficult decisions in the White House, he actually told her that "I darn sure wasn't going to sacrifice my values."
Oh Really? What values might that be, Sir? The values you learned growing up that included do unto others before they do it to you? Art for art's sake, money for God's sake? Profits before People? Repeat the lie over and over again until it becomes common knowledge that the lie is fact? Sulk at all times when not given exactly what you want and then try to do damage to whatever or whomever that didn't agree with you (like the American people, Georgie)?
I posted this at Daily Kos, then realized I forgot to post it here. Terribly sorry.
I am sitting here watching Countdown, my hope being that the wit and wisdom of Keith Olbermann might help me to relax and rest after a week of work (that won't actually end until tomorrow). I heard something that developed a level of anger in me that I have yet to fully comprehend. Follow me below the fold.
Amid the flood of revelations of biblical proportions about Sarah Palin, which seems destined to last for at least 40 days and 40 nights, here is an item that might not be receiving the focus that it merits.
I've been hearing about his Senate speeches since I was in, like, the second grade.
Obviously, this is the attempt by the running mate of a 72-year old ill man to try to make an issue of Joe Biden's 65 years and over 30 years of public service.
But, importantly, this is clearly a lie, an untruth, not even rating into the category of truthiness.
That line and the following came from a female friend mine. She is very active in politics and in the community. She also works in a law office as a legal aid. She is smart, she is feminine and she is tough!
Pelosi and Clinton and Palin ... women currently have a MANDATE to go get aggressive and make sure we're taken seriously as contenders who won't back down from our demands, from our outrage.
Obama can't get out there and swing - he can't be seen as scary. Biden might do it - but he's pretty courtly...
It's up to women this year. I strongly believe this. We are in a cycle right now that might be hard to see, but it must culminate in a change in women's forcefulness and place in politics and ownership of our society. We don't have the luxury of remaining moderately involved and passively concerned. Things are screwed up, and you-know-who typically does clean up, right?
