[MD] socialism

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 5 Jun 2010 at 12:52, Mary wrote:

Hi Platt,

> > [Mary Replies]
> > Democracy protects individual liberty, but what protects Democracy
> from
> > itself?  Without protection, Democracy rapidly devolves into a state
> > controlled by those with the most money to influence it.  This is
> > effectively equivalent to a "corporate dictatorship".  How different
> is
> > that
> > from a "communist dictatorship"?
> >
> 
> Hi Mary,
> 
> Surely you see the difference between the power of corporations to
> influence
> a government and the power of a government to murder those who oppose
> it.
> 
[Mary Replies] 
Are you talking about the US here?  Are you in fear for your safety from the
US Government?  Really?

Hi Mary,

I'm talking  government power compared to corporate power.   

> > Hardly anyone can build a huge corporation without providing products
> or
> services people want by voting in the marketplace. A corporation's
> "wealth"
> is usually held by stockholders who risk their savings in the hopes of
> individual gain.
> 
[Mary Replies] 
The stock market is a gambling house.  I think it could use some 'adult
supervision'.  It is unlikely to get it, though, since the players have paid
off Washington and run many of the 'regulatory' agencies.

[Platt Replies]
You are free to invest your savings elsewhere if you think the stock market is 
rigged.  

> Corporations are far from being as "bad" as governments since they
> do not have the legal power to attain their ends by force. 

[Mary Replies] 
Many governments seem to do pretty much what their corporate benefactors ask
them to do.

[Platt Replies}
I don't know of any corporations that ask the government to increase their 
taxes. 

> The "Giant" has as many tentacles as there special interest groups,.
> each seeking government favors. The fundamental power of the Giant is
> drawn from the power of government to coerce behavior at the point of a
> gun.
> 
[Mary Replies] 
The most influential special interest groups are funded by corporations.

[Platt Replies]
Unions? Don't think so. 

We have separation of church and state.  Why not separation of corporations
and state?

Fine by me. Like Pirsig, I favor a free market.

Best,
Platt.