Excerpts from Blogosphere, I

that about sums it up, sadly ....

Very sad that we still to not "get it". How much longer will we play this greed game?

we dont have to wonder ,why the whole world is a big boiling pot.
people have learn a lot now ,on third world and they started to demand their rights.i hope that usa ,wont deal them by force ,as always did,till today.

No no no. Your assuming everyone who is allowed to keep what they earn is a thief and an exploiter of humans. Yes there has been some of that, and yes "we" have stole land and resources at times, who hasn't, show me the papers where god sold land, but the reason countries that employ capitalism have the highest standard of living is because we are allowed to keep what we earn. It forms a very powerful drive in a man. In nature we call it, "survival of the fittest". It ensures the betterment of nature, and in capitalism, it insures the betterment of people and it's societies. How do you think the USA excelled to be the biggest and the best so fast? Because we use our military power to steal? Give me a break. We give more hand outs they any other nation. You really think we're all thieves and that is how we did it? Hell no. It came from the drive of the human spirit, to keep what is earned. Freedom! The reason the poor countries stay poor is because an elite few don't allow competition(capitalism)(survival of the fittest). You take away a man's freedom to reap what he sows and he won't reap as hard, unless you have a gun to his head and that will only improve the life of the man holding the gun, the elite few.

Look at your history books. Countries with some form of capitalism don't have the highest standard of living because they are military bullies. Quite the contrary.

That author sounds like a jelious lazy man with no integrity who wants what another man has without having to work for it. And in this country, you can work with your brain if you choose too. Capitalism is all about freedom.

Yes, those less smart or less willing to learn, those less motivated will have less then others in a capitalistic society, but that is the way it should be. Ever hear the story of the little red hen who wanted to make some bread?

Capitalism is alive and well in my life. I can assure you of that. It's regulation and over population that is chocking capitalism out along with people like the author who want to take away from those that have for themselves. Problem is, do you know what happens to people who win the lottery? It's something like 90% of them are broke in 10 years. That's because they are not smart enough to keep what they have. That is why the people that have, have. It's because they are smart enough to figure out how to have. You can't make people rich by giving them handouts. They have to learn how to earn it themselves. And then they need to be allowed to keep it. Sounds like capitalism?

I'm not sure of what examples your referring to, so It is hard to comment on your statement. Are you one of those that claimed we went to war with Iraq to steal their oil? I guess that worked real well. The price of fuel has gone up 250% since before the war. Is that from all the oil we stole?

Human behavior 101. People will take the path of least resistance, just like water. If you give them a reason not to work(hand outs), guess what, they won't work. If they are forced to work to survive, guess what, they work.

Little red hen story, I'm telling you....good reading for kids. Better then all that prince and princess nonsense.

To understand the price of oil, you need to study speculation on oil futures by investment houses and trading firms.

If they are allowed to keep what they earn, guess what, there are those that will work harder and smarter to acquire more. That is how "innovation" is brought into our lives. Guess what, that is how our standard of living improves. We all end up benefiting from the man who invented the tractor. Not just the inventor of the tractor.... What is so wrong with a man working hard and smart and keeping what he earns? Sounds like jealousy to me.

I find it so hopeful when someone from the next generation has an insight and can articulate it. Well done! I have raised my son with a very different upbringing than I had. I was raised Catholic and I have a Buddhist practice which he can choose to be involved with or not. I also home schooled him for 6 years to give him a sense of who he is as an individual instead of feeling like part of a herd. I think Greg Mortenson (Three Cups of Tea) has the right idea, education especially for girls in countries like Pakistan is an important step in changing the status quo. Unfortunately there will be others like Florida who will insist that Capitalism is the way to continue but animals evolved over time I think it is time for us to do the same. Perhaps the survival of the fittest should involve eliminating those who haven't learned how to share what they have. At any rate you have given us all something to think about. Thank you for your words!
Ann

miguel ,i repeat to u ,these r very deep waters for u.
wake up and look around u .the whole syetem is kept on techical support.its dead since the day communism collapsed.but now we understand ,what was really happening.u think financial crisis is gonna stop ,or the thiks r gonna return to the former status???
no way my friend.in the next 5 years everything will change and a new world is gonna rise.remember my words.

sorry typo thiks=things

I'm not going to pretend I understand what the traders do, but I know enough to know speculation is a factor, but ultimately it's consumption and currency valuation that prices oil.

I'm a simple guy, but I own and operate a one man trucking company. I set my own rates. I understand all about supply and demand forces and the effects it has on pricing. Huge fluctuations. It's the free market. If you understand it and learn it, you can capitalize on it. The profits "draw" people like me into the market to fill a "need" that is there. It's a GREAT system. And it works! How can you deny it works, look around! You get to choose what you want to do! How can it get any better then that!? You can do anything you want!

i was on ur position running a business of my own for years.i lost everything on the beggining of the crisis , i dont want to refer on the reasons ,so i know the system.u must wish and if u believe on any god , pray too ,thinks to change,if dont we have no future anymore.and i dont care ab me but i have two daughters studing to be a part of this dead system.they have no chance to survive if things go on like this.

We need productive hard working people, not lazy bums looking for a way to milk the system. That is the problem. Too many unproductive people. Those that are responsible are only having a child or two, and those that are irresponsible are breeding at a much higher rate. Your intentionally feeding the rats. don't complain when they over take the house.

...and those that died so you can say it

bunch of ungrateful selfish mother"F"ers

I agree with Mike that overpopulation is a big problem and 3 kids should be the max number of kids a family can have anywhere in the world.

I also agree with Drea with respect to handouts, provided there is full employment.

And the "earned income credit". They know how to get that 10,000 dollar check, they're smart enough to figure those numbers out just right to maximise it.


dead guy, Your right to a degree. There is a lot of corruption. I don't know how you fix it in this current system. Like I said, you have to control the population somehow to start. You need a permit to cut a tree down in many areas but you can have a kid anytime you want.

After hurricanes sometimes I would get lucky and 'find' work hauling food and water for FEMA. The waste I witnessed was appalling. The greed of those wanting the food and water was equally disturbing. I delivered a load of bottled water imported from France to people pulling up in BMWs. And the money the government paid to get the "job" done was ridiculous. Way beyond what the free market rates were at. Your right, I'm sure that is happening in many many places with government money, but to suggest that it's the fault of capitalism is ridiculous, it's the complete opposite. If capitalism(free markets) was allowed to distribute the bottled water, instead of the "government", a ton of money would have been saved.

Capitalism is the only "fair" system. Bottom line. The corruption you speak of is not capitalism at work. It is people abusing their power that was granted to them by us.

This economy is a big pyramid scheme. The only winners are the ones who are at the top. The bailouts are not being paid off by big business, they will be owed by the taxpayer. The bottom line is greed. Greed greed greed. This is a debt driven economy. And the chickens or little red hens are coming home to roost.

What's that book called by...I had to look it up

Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged

That is where we are headed. I never read it, but my brother tells me I keep quoting from it.

for ur information pal the most fair system is communism ,but its addresed to the perfect humans.its failed for the same reasons capitalism failed.greed and power thirst.
if u like keep pretending u r blind ,its ur problem.system doesnt work on every level.there r no cures or solutions.only a radical change.and fast b4 people get on the roads.

111, that sounds interesting. What you were doing with the "budgets". It gets me all the time, I know a family that is always struggling, can't pay the rent, constantly being evicted, yet I was just at their house last week and they have a new big screen TV from rent a center.

I like poor people, including myself, it's just when they start demanding I "donate" to them, that gets me riled up. I like to help too, but to help is one thing and to be force to "help" is another.

alfi, there was a time when...if you said communism is better then capitalism, you would have been shot and no one would have cared. lol I hear what your saying, but fair is to be able to keep what you earn. Fair is not making sure everyone has the same amount.

If you choose to work more, you can keep more. If you choose to work less, you get less. That my freind is fair.

I've seen what the unions have done to a work force. There is no motivation to work hard. Why should they? They all get paid the same, they can't be fired. I want to be able to strive for what I want. I don't want someone telling me this is all you can have regardless of how hard you work.

and the opposite is true. If I want to be lazy, then I want to be able to choose that path too. I want control of my life. I will not surrender that to anyone for the promise of your definition of "fair". NO WAY!

alfi, we Americans have much in common with Greece. You are just a few steps ahead of us. That is my opinion. Too many people, demanding too much from a system that can't provide it. We need a good depression to teach people the virtues of a good work ethic and how not to live beyond our means. Our grand parents knew it better then we do. I could share stories of the thrifty things they did, that we now turn our noses up at.

If I had to define myself, I'd say I'm a Libertarian. Anarchist when I was younger....

and alfi, I wouldn't shot you either. "Communism better then capitalism." As they say here in the parts of the south, "them there are fightin words".

mike dont take it personal,its too difficult to have a serious political convecation,mostly for two reasons.1.the language barrier and 2. ur political knowledge is too small for this.meaning ,i have study almost evey political system,during my life.i have my own ideas ,a mixing from all of them adding my own believes. to continue posting its for nothing,unless if u spoke greek or i could write in english all i have to say.take care.dim

"my political knowledge is too small for this?", from the man who said Communism is superior to Capitalism


I just have two words for you. Russia. United States of America. ok so it's 4 words.


But I will concede, I may not have the political knowledge you have, for real, I don't have a lot of formal education and I can understand the language barrier being a problem for you, but that doesn't mean I'm not right. I only speak English, so see you have me at a disadvantage in that area. But I don't know how you can not want the freedom to do as you please, as far as how hard you want to work or not work. That is what baffles me. I want that control in my life. If I want to be lazy, I want that right. If I want to work 3 times harder then the guy next to me, I want that right. I just don't get how you can want everyone to be held at one economic level.


Alfi, your alright. I mean that I have a feeling we could be friends and neighbors in the real world.

Maybe we can just agree that we disagree.

Take care new freind.

i feel u as my friend.and i m trying to comm with u,even if my english r not so good.u can ask venus ,what i asked her to warn u ab , the time i saw u here again.anyway i have to go to bed and we'll talk ab communism and capitalism ,benefits or not another time.

correction, I meant 120,000 a year

I just ate too many nerds rainbow candies. My tongue feels funny.

Drea, your numbers seemed too high to me, so I did a little research. There was a viral email sometime ago claiming that an immigrant mother of 8 was getting $1500 per child per month in government assistance. However this was false. Here is the relevant part of the reply from the state of Florida:


Your email specifically asks if it is true that a woman would receive $1,500 per child in Florida. I
can assure you this information is incorrect. While an illegal immigrant is not eligible for cash
assistance, U.S. citizens and qualified aliens who are eligible receive assistance based on
income, assets and family size. The payment amount for a family of three ranges from $198 to
$303, depending on factors including whether or not the client has housing costs. Family size is
included in the determination of benefits, but under Florida law, family size is increased by only
50% of a person for additional children born while a client is receiving assistance. In real terms,
this means that the benefit for a family of three, for example, with a new child is determined at
the rate for a family of 3.5 – or increases from a maximum amount of $303 to $334. The
maximum benefit for a family with one mother and eight children would be $671 a month.

Make that $1000/month for a family with 12 kids. Still your figure is off by an order of magnitude.

Drea says her number doesn't include any health benefits.

Hi Dead

The benefit I was talking about is called TANF.

The chart only goes up to a family of 10, but this woman had 12 children, plus herself. Not sure if you saw, but I made a correction to my #, as I said per/month when I meant, per year.

One of the ladies who instructed the class worked her case and she said the woman was getting 12,000 a month, which equates to the 120,000 a year for child assistance alone.

The table shows the poverty level for a family of 10 being $7,415 and says to add 625 a month per each person over that. so, 12 kids plus herself= 111,420. Was a few thousand off, but, I think you got the jist

$7,415 per month. Thats just for child assistance. Doesnt include foodstamps, WIC, free bus transportation, free medical expenses, Medicaid, Section 8 Housing allowance, and utility assistance.

oh, and I forgot, one of the biggest ones of all, child support from all the 12 fathers.

Drea, do you have a link?

In New Mexico the absolute max TANF monthly payment for a mom with 12 kids would be $1375. Here is the link:

I couldn't find one for Florida.

My sister is a child psychologist. Early on, she had dreams of helping foster kids and possibly adopting some. Later on she came to the conclusion they are all ruined. She adopted two babies. I was kind of disappointed in her decision, but I think she is partially right. Of course, I don't think she knows much about raising kids. There is no replacement for experience. Not any amount of education can completely replace experience.

I've been helping raise a girl that is now turning 14. She was 1 and a half when I met her. She's been in foster care a few times, I helped get her out. We have a great relationship for the most part. She just spent two weeks with me. One week with her two sisters, 6 and 7, and one week with just the almost 14 year old. Her mom just put her on birth control and told the girl it was a vitamin. I asked the girl what the extra prescription bottle was for(one for her ADD), and the girl said, oh that's birth control. I call her mom, she says, how did she find out Anyway. I say I don't want her on it. It sends the wrong message. I say do what you want. I don't know....Her mom got pregnant when she was 14. The things I get myself into...Do you think that "turning point" is here? Or did she never even have a chance from the beginning? I never thought this though. It just happened. But I'm committed now. No turning back. Better or worse, I'll be there unless she tells me to go away, which I don't think will ever happen.

Anyway, I hope you can help someone out. It feels good when things go good, but there can be a lot of heart ache associated with 'trying' to help. JMO Sometimes it crushes me to drop her back off where she lives.