It's THEIR money! Jesus Christ son. Look, we all know there is a lot of bullshit that goes on at the top of the food chain. But let's be clear about something, the rich eat themselves, not the poor. People in power are usually threatened by others in power. That's why there are wars. That's why there is theft. That is why there is corruption. The poor offer no threat to the rich and never will.
Who is getting robbed? SAVERS. Savers currently are taxed at 100% courtesy of the federal reserve. "Savers" are often middle class and lower people who do not have the capacity or circumstances to intelligently take speculative risks in things like stocks. The wealthy disproportionately benefit from ultra-low rates because they finance productive and income producing assets. Cutting their cost of capital increases profits, inflates capital values, and has allowed many wealthy people to weather this storm when they otherwise would have gone bust. Never mind that it is a gargantuan handout to the financial sector, which is disproportionately made up of high income and ultra-wealthy individuals (at least those who benefit). Rate policy is the equalizer that allows "the wealthy" and those who understand the system to get back at average joe who votes for higher marginal tax rates.
LOL We have now went full circle again. Hell was once defined as a place where there is no reason, I feel like im in hell right now. This is like beating my head against the wall.
I take it, Maverick, that you didn't actually check who I was quoting. Because those quotes - every single one, including the one I attributed to Engels - were from Adam Smith - and most of them from "Wealth of Nations". I, personally, don't consider Adam Smith a "bullshit philosopher", as you so eloquently put it, but you are certainly entitled to your own opinion of the man and his ideas. Cheers.
Or just look at the individual. Enron intentionally causing rolling blackouts and false scarcity to drive up the electrical bills on retired grandmas is The Rich stealing from The Poor, plain and simple. It is exactly the kind of thing Adam Smith predicted would happen if "the rich" are left to run unfettered. And no question about it - "the poor" would do exactly the same if they had the opportunity.
I form my own ideas and don't steal them from others. Hence I don't run around quoting Adam Smith, Jesus Christ or Engels. Not that I never quote people, it's just my ideas about life are my own and not anyone else. But I understand some people are lacking and need to borrow from others. Nothing terribly wrong with that. BTW, I've never read "Atlas Shrugged" either. Just to bring the thread back on topic.
Another ivory tower fantasy. There is clearly insufficient ground, or respect, or even basic manners here for a meaningful discussion, you boys go on and knock yourselves out....
If I wanted to argue with a "book" I would just go to the bookstore. Bring something original to the table or walk. In your case, you better walk. Nice chatting with you fella.
After re-reading "antitrusts" post I actually noticed the enron example, which is the only example i could see of "the rich robbing from the poor" 3 things about this. First off, Enron is an example of exactly what is wrong with government blocking the free market. If California allowed every company to provide energy then Enron would not have been able to dominate the market, fix prices, and do whatever they wanted. So its not an example of a free market system. Secondly, lets do some math here. Lets say Enron quadrupled the cost of energy on the poor in California. Lets say the average persons energy bill was 100 dollars per month to begin with, so after quadrupling a "poor" persons energy cost, that person would be out an extra 300 dollars per month. (100*4) So in this incredibly specific example the poor person lost 3600 dollars per year. How much money do you think this poor person costs the government to live every month? If this poor person was a "Grandma" as you have stated, then the cost of their healthcare alone is probably more than 10k per year. Which means the person lost 3600 bucks a year due to enron, and took 10k from "the rich" leaving Grandma millie at a net gain of 6500 dollars per yearwithout even factoring any of the other services she takes advantage of through the government, surely you cant argue that the rich are "stealing" from the poor in this scenario. Thirdly, most of the big wigs at Enron ended up in jail, and enron failed. If i wanted to get incredibly specific, I could point you to a poor guy who robbed a rich persons wallet in the street, (the equivalent to enron) but it would be a ridiculous argument if i was trying to make the point that overall the poor steal from the rich.
That's what this thread is about, a book. Hey Mav some of these young Joe the plummers are basing their life on a book, atlas shrugged. You're probably the only one posting on this thread for the right who has a real business and makes money.