Should US Style Capitalism Be Declared A Criminal Ideology?

[Scot Dutchy]

FFS I dont support anyone in America. A real prevalence of TDS there.

[Svartalf]

hard not to have it there, as frump keeps deranging everybody.

[Forty Two]

There is a fairly straightforward idea that would go to reducing the influence extreme wealth has on campaigning in democracies. Simply, no more campaigning funded privately. Every party gets a relatively small amount of money, proportional to its last vote, to use in brief, unemotional statements in the media listing its policies. No advertising techniques allowed, plain vanilla and factual only. No more spin doctors, no more lobbyists, no more bullshit. And may the best human being win...

Taxpayer funding of political campaigns is fundamentally wrong because in a free society, people ought not to be compelled to give their money to support political activity they would otherwise not support. As Thomas Jefferson put it, “To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical.” Also, spending limits-justified on the basis of “public” (taxpayer) funding-protect incumbents and disadvantage those who are not constantly involved in the world of politics. Career politicians would qualify for funding while outsiders and potential citizen legislators wouldn't, and they wouldn’t even be allowed to raise funds privately.

“There are many prices we pay for freedoms secured by the first Amendment; the risk of undue influence is one of them, confirming what we have long known: Freedom is hazardous, but some restraints are worse.” - Warren Burger.

Right now most people choose to speak politically by not giving to campaigns. They don’t want to, are not motivated to, they just don’t like any of the candidates enough to give one their money. But government funding of campaigns puts and end to saying no to politicians, and instead says, tough, we are all going to fund campaigns, like it or not.

Even worse, ....[the] Ku Klux Klan can rally their members and get who knows how many candidates into local, state, and federal elections, fueled by tax dollars. How fundamentally offensive to black voters to have their tax money going to support candidates who would deny them even human rights. Similarly, how unfair to use pro-choice taxpayers’ money to fund the campaigns of pro-life candidates.

https://reason.org/commentary/public-fu ... paigns-wo/

If you eliminate private campaign expenditures, then the soft money goes up -- i.e. they wink wink - don't support a "candidate" - they're just making informational advertisements to push a cause or an issue -- i.e., we don't see an ad for Jane Roe - we see an ad for Planned Parenthood and/or abortion rights -- or, we don't see an ad for Samuel Colt - we see an ad for the NRA and/or gun rights. Are we going to eliminate funding for political statements? No free speech on the precise area where free speech is considered the most important: political issues?

[Scot Dutchy]

The damage he is doing to American society is enormous. This will have shock effects for years to come and even after he is gone (hopefully in prison).

[Forty Two]

Come off it, Dutchy. You hated what you imagine American society to be long before Trump took office.

[Svartalf]

The damage he is doing to American society is enormous. This will have shock effects for years to come and even after he is gone (hopefully in prison).

Well, with just the last bunch of supreme court nominations, he's doing damage that will last for at least 30 years...

[Scot Dutchy]

Exactly. Also State supreme courts. Dont forget those.

[Svartalf]

Well, it will last the same amount of time, more or less, till the Justices are replaced with more liberal types who will actually take old issues up and overturn previous decisions...

[Scot Dutchy]

But it does not advance American society. It remains circular.

[Svartalf]

well, advancement of society is a long term issue.
And the circular move is necessary to overcome the conservative backwards moves

[Scot Dutchy]

In America's case a very long term.

[Svartalf]

well, just look at how French society has evolved since hte 70s, backwards all the way with the social security networks underfinanced, and inequalities growing like a hare runs.

[Scot Dutchy]

Nostalgia always tints the glasses. We had an unsupportable security system in place then. We even paid artists to paint pictures that nobody wanted.

[Cunt]

The damage he is doing to American society is enormous. This will have shock effects for years to come and even after he is gone (hopefully in prison).

Anytime Now!

He is so stupid, and so criminal, it MUST happen right away.

ANYtime now! We are all going to be SO EXCITED to see that you were right all along.

Will you pick a date when he will be jailed? Or is this prophecy of yours better without a discrete date of imprisonment?

[Jason]

But it does not advance American society. It remains circular.

You mean Brownian.