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Nay

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69. My bro will apply for SS next year; he's got that long to wait for age 62. He has worked all

Thu Aug 8, 2013, 11:08 AM

Aug 2013

over the world, and as a result, he has bought and sold a few houses but does not have one now. Before the bottom dropped out, he was trying to decide where in the world he wanted to buy a place to retire to. Now, he'll be lucky if he can rent someplace in a ghetto somewhere.

He has never been one to go into debt so he doesn't have that hanging over his head, but he has never been able to make himself save money and LEAVE IT ALONE. There was always something he wanted. Sure, he paid cash, but in the end, he now has nothing. Absolutely nothing. It didn't help that he got married 5 yrs ago to someone who is pretty worthless, frankly. But he's always been willing to work and now has gotten caught up in this godawful economy. I send $$ when he needs it, but I'm not rich, either.

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"Sorry, It's Not a 'Law of Capitalism' That You Pay Your Employees as Little as Possible. It's..." [View all] Hissyspit Aug 2013 OP

Good article on point. nt Raine Aug 2013 #1

Another subtle thing about this that isn't talked about . . . Brigid Aug 2013 #2

It should be apparent to most workers of all ages, by now. Quantess Aug 2013 #4

So true liberal N proud Aug 2013 #14

My brother is in the same boat. He worked for many years as a civilian ship radio operator, and Nay Aug 2013 #40

I'm 65, but started drawing SS at 63 so I wouldn't Eleanors38 Aug 2013 #58

My bro will apply for SS next year; he's got that long to wait for age 62. He has worked all Nay Aug 2013 #69

It's a crappy situation. The ONLY things which saved Eleanors38 Aug 2013 #78

no this can't be right jollyreaper2112 Aug 2013 #35

Oh, it's a trap all right. Brigid Aug 2013 #71

no, it's a law. the article is kind of silly, i think. competition of various kinds makes it a law HiPointDem Aug 2013 #3

Exactly right Hi Point fasttense Aug 2013 #9

"Get rid of capitalism" - TBF Aug 2013 #15

Respectfully, replace it with what exactly? branford Aug 2013 #22

You are not accounting for what made capitalism work in the first place... Moostache Aug 2013 #24

I fully agree with much, although not all, of your comment. branford Aug 2013 #25

Excess breeds excess pscot Aug 2013 #46

After the revolution, you will still need a job and probably want an iad. n/t branford Aug 2013 #49

What is an iad? HangOnKids Aug 2013 #72

I, too, do not have an ipad, but I believe you understood my point. branford Aug 2013 #79

I thought an iad might be an acronym for something HangOnKids Aug 2013 #81

All good. branford Aug 2013 #86

Oh no, not this again! Kingofalldems Aug 2013 #125

well, at least you weren't texting and driving... AmyStrange Aug 2013 #102

Don't have a car, so not a problem :) branford Aug 2013 #104

So have I... AmyStrange Aug 2013 #105

Here in NYC, I think people just expect you to be preoccupied when walking on the street. branford Aug 2013 #106

I've been to NYC AmyStrange Aug 2013 #108

There's nothing greater than the City! branford Aug 2013 #109

HA HA HA... AmyStrange Aug 2013 #110

Politics is a creature of economic. As is society... socialist_n_TN Aug 2013 #94

How the hell do you (or anybody else) KNOW that capitalism is the.... socialist_n_TN Aug 2013 #93

Ah, the old canard, "Socialism, next time we'll get it right." branford Aug 2013 #101

So you're obviously OK with the capitalist military....... socialist_n_TN Aug 2013 #130

Now that was one great fucking post. You win! Enthusiast Aug 2013 #139

Capitalism is the economic system in all first-world (and most other) countries, not just the USA. branford Aug 2013 #145

I do not know of a single human being that is Enthusiast Aug 2013 #146

Then we have very many areas of agreement. branford Aug 2013 #148

Has capitalism lifted people or has the opening up of markets lifted people? fasttense Aug 2013 #26

I admit that no economic system is "pure" branford Aug 2013 #29

Capitalism compliments new markets and technologies or simply exploits them? fasttense Aug 2013 #38

Great work. Starry Messenger Aug 2013 #53

India and China are developing countries. branford Aug 2013 #56

no, they're countries that were deliberately & forcefully *undeveloped* by british (& later US) HiPointDem Aug 2013 #100

So why is it taking so long for India to develop???? fasttense Aug 2013 #147

PLUS ONE! Enthusiast Aug 2013 #140

"China and India are currently the perfect examples." That's an ironic comment, given the history. HiPointDem Aug 2013 #91

Democracy in the workplace blackspade Aug 2013 #27

Moondragon thrives in a capitalist system. branford Aug 2013 #32

Actually capitalism does prohibit just that. fasttense Aug 2013 #43

Using Walmart as a prop for your opinions on capitalism blackspade Aug 2013 #44

Capitalism *does* prevent it. For example, the Green Bay Packers were a successful community- HiPointDem Aug 2013 #95

That is an excellent point. Enthusiast Aug 2013 #141

Typical RW argument PowerToThePeople Aug 2013 #33

Right wing? Really? branford Aug 2013 #36

liberal. PowerToThePeople Aug 2013 #48

Well put Power. n/t fasttense Aug 2013 #54

If you are serious about what you wrote: fasttense Aug 2013 #51

The labels don't matter - TBF Aug 2013 #131

capitalism has not lifted people out of poverty. it has lifted the general standard of living & HiPointDem Aug 2013 #87

how about the type of social safety net system like they have in Northern Europe and Scandinavia CreekDog Aug 2013 #114

I would encourage such proposals. branford Aug 2013 #120

So we should rid capitalism of unions, safety and environmental regulations and minimum-wage laws? Enthusiast Aug 2013 #138

Respectfully, did you even read my full, original post, no less any of the follow-ups? branford Aug 2013 #143

+1 leftstreet Aug 2013 #60

Nailed it Hydra Aug 2013 #124

Yes, it's a "law" of capitalism, so to speak. cheapdate Aug 2013 #20

Markets are almost never perfectly competitive Hippo_Tron Aug 2013 #112

Competitors already exist, so barriers to entry are immaterial. If walmart raises wages, HiPointDem Aug 2013 #113

Who will put Wal-Mart out of business if their wages go up $1 per hour? Hippo_Tron Aug 2013 #116

maybe no one. but competitors are multiple, and all can steal market share. which reduces HiPointDem Aug 2013 #119

Any loss of profit would be minimal Hippo_Tron Aug 2013 #121

maybe. maybe not. walmart apparently feels differently. do you think it's sheer bloody-mindedness HiPointDem Aug 2013 #122

Yes, I do... Hippo_Tron Aug 2013 #123

motto of capitalism = grow or die. if you're not making at least that 3% growth, you're dying. HiPointDem Aug 2013 #126

What does growing have to do with paying your employees as little as legally possible? Hippo_Tron Aug 2013 #128

there's growth & there's growth. costco is a pygmy compared to walmart & a kind of niche HiPointDem Aug 2013 #136

Well said.... Demo_Chris Aug 2013 #117

The author isn't a critic of capitalism, he's an Oppenheimer/Merrill Lynch shill who got busted HiPointDem Aug 2013 #118

Large scale labor strikes are the only solution. DontTreadOnMe Aug 2013 #5

Perhaps coming soon to a workplace near you. n/t Brigid Aug 2013 #7

People on minimum wage have nothing really to lose DontTreadOnMe Aug 2013 #8

Except their lives, Throckmorton Aug 2013 #19

Well, there was plenty of firepower during the massive Eleanors38 Aug 2013 #66

They have learned that lesson, Throckmorton Aug 2013 #135

Tell me how that works ceonupe Aug 2013 #30

Here is "how" it works... DontTreadOnMe Aug 2013 #31

What about those unemployed ceonupe Aug 2013 #41

so if they are unemployed NOW, they can stay unemployed for another week DontTreadOnMe Aug 2013 #42

That right there ... oldhippie Aug 2013 #45

you are unrealistic. How do you strike if everyone does not strike. DontTreadOnMe Aug 2013 #47

In NC ceonupe Aug 2013 #55

All those questions were asked on the eve of the union movement. Eleanors38 Aug 2013 #68

These workers aren't unionized ceonupe Aug 2013 #70

I'm open to suggestions. Eleanors38 Aug 2013 #75

So we should just do what the republicans say, I guess. Kingofalldems Aug 2013 #37

No we get ceonupe Aug 2013 #50

"do to eviction" HangOnKids Aug 2013 #74

ok so i cant spell ceonupe Aug 2013 #92

Thnx Egnever Aug 2013 #6

People want more for less all the time The2ndWheel Aug 2013 #10

"short sighted" - exactly, but that has been the CEO trend since the 80's DrDan Aug 2013 #11

Tell this to all the anti union co workers! B Calm Aug 2013 #12

Books like "Think and Grow Rich" pipoman Aug 2013 #13

Ford was right. But B-school graduates think he was silly. tclambert Aug 2013 #16

Ford basically thought to himself, Brigid Aug 2013 #23

sam walton was pipoman Aug 2013 #137

And in "How to be Rich" J. Paul Getty says ZRT2209 Aug 2013 #64

du rec. xchrom Aug 2013 #17

Besides "a choice," I like to call it "Greed" Ilsa Aug 2013 #18

short-term gain is the only thing corporate controlers see,.. Civilization2 Aug 2013 #21

Like the world economic systems before it, Capitalism is blackspade Aug 2013 #28

Tell that to the formerly destitute rural Chinese who now have electricity and medical care. branford Aug 2013 #34

You mean the ones that now work in sweat shops blackspade Aug 2013 #52

Quite frankly, yes, I do mean those workers. branford Aug 2013 #57

You have a profound misunderstanding of capitalism. blackspade Aug 2013 #62

The cheerleaders for the 1% often suffer from that malady. n/t HangOnKids Aug 2013 #76

Indeed. blackspade Aug 2013 #77

Coal did that, not Capitalism leftstreet Aug 2013 #65

It is a law of capitalism that paying people as little as possible can cause business failure Coyotl Aug 2013 #39

Low wages are not just about money. It's also about power and control. limpyhobbler Aug 2013 #59

It is a law of capitalism treestar Aug 2013 #61

I completely agree. branford Aug 2013 #67

At least a law of corporate/stock market capitalism. moondust Aug 2013 #73

If people could not incorporate treestar Aug 2013 #80

Growing one's business is the idea. moondust Aug 2013 #84

suddenly businesses feel entitled to slave labor ZRT2209 Aug 2013 #63

It is a law in America, just not a law of capitalism. Egalitarian Thug Aug 2013 #82

this is mythology. they never tell you how ford subsequently *lowered* wages. HiPointDem Aug 2013 #96

No, he was not a great guy, he wasn't even a human being by any civilized standard, Egalitarian Thug Aug 2013 #103

I read your link. The suit wasn't about wage levels. The suit was about ford not paying a HiPointDem Aug 2013 #111

In addition to his other "fine" qualities, Ford was also a rabid anti-semite! branford Aug 2013 #115

So what does that have to do with high wages? Kingofalldems Aug 2013 #127

Indeed. I figured that was included under racist. He was a big supporter of Hitler. n/t Egalitarian Thug Aug 2013 #133

Still trying to pick myself up off the floor after seeing Henry Blodget's byline on this . . . stranger81 Aug 2013 #83

omg, written by an oppenheimer/merril lynch analyst. that would explain why this article is so HiPointDem Aug 2013 #99

The problem with unfettered capitalism is that it respects no laws... Wounded Bear Aug 2013 #85

Companies didn't act this way 60 years ago. Hell companies didn't act this way 40 years ago. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #88

Organized labor, and the political Left, had power then leftstreet Aug 2013 #89

that is sadly true. liberal_at_heart Aug 2013 #90

they did -- just not so much in the US. HiPointDem Aug 2013 #97

I always struggle with conceptualizing the type of business Republican policies are targeted at Sen. Walter Sobchak Aug 2013 #98

I recommend this libodem Aug 2013 #107

Unfortunately, to the capitalists in power it's the holy grail. NorthCarolina Aug 2013 #129

It's not a law of capitalism but it IS a law of cannibalism. Kablooie Aug 2013 #132

YEP! Rex Aug 2013 #134

Back in the 1980s the workers where I worked accepted to take a 5% wage cut B Calm Aug 2013 #142

Capitalism has one law ... maximize profits! Eddie Haskell Aug 2013 #144