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Politics : Bush-The Mastermind behind 9/11? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sea_urchin who wrote (6664)	5/27/2004 10:42:41 AM
From: Rock_nj	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20039

<I.Please understand I am not trying to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do and I am definitely not trying to impose my views on anyone -- I just like discussing matters which are of concern to us all. No, I don't feel like you're trying to tell anyone what to do. I find it facisinating that you have correctly characterized the U.S. from afar. I know plenty of other foreigners have been way off the mark with their characterization of the U.S. More like rosed colored glasses propaganda. It's refreshing to hear you hit the nail right on the head. I do think capitialism is fundementally flawed. As you said it has an ugly face, a very ugly one. Unfortunately, to protect their interests the wealthy elites have often instigated wars, coups, and other anti-democratic repression to control those resources from which their wealth is derived. Perhaps it's not necessarily capitialism that's the root cause of this plundering, surely other idealogies have gone on wars of conquest, such as communism and facism. I think the main difference is that in those cases the common people had no choice, they went along with their wealthy elite's plans or suffered the consequences, like death. In the U.S. and other liberal democracies, theoretically the people have a choice. We don't have to necessarily conduct ourselves in such an imperialistic fashion. Certainly other capitalistic countries are succesful without blantant imperialism as one of their core tenants: Canada, Australia, Sweden (all of which are somewhat socialist countries interestingly enough). If anything, our imperialism is anti-capitalistic in nature. Instead of paying for a good or service at the fair market price (the good old capitalistic way), we go off and manipulate the price by taking control of the resource we need through wars, coups and other repression, such as installing pupet governments. Domestically, capitalism is very warped in America too. Alternatives have a very hard time competing in the marketplace. Alternative medicine is harassed by the government. Alternative feedstocks like hemp are banned (even though they are harmless). Alternative/renewable fuels are at a major disadvantage in the marketplace, as oil, coal and nuclear receive massive government subsidies. All in all, America is more of an oligarchy than a liberal democracy. Our political and economic system are tightly controlled by a wealthy clique. Our political debate is very narrow. Alternatives to the status quo are either banned or put at major disadvantage. Such is life. I guess things could be worse?!?