Does American capitalism have any alternatives?

To establish government budgets my metric of choice is the spending per American citizen. If today that spending is $12,500 then let this be the basis for the future. Or if this number is too low or too high, then pick the correct number then each year following adjust the budget to an inflation index or other economic indicator. If there are national emergencies, then TEMPORARILY increase the number, but force it back to where it should be when things are right. And, national emergencies should not include all the government welfare we do today...an emergency is a natural disaster or military action or even economic.

I also believe every American should be told each year what their fair share of government spending (taxes) might be instead of how we do it today with no transparency and no awareness.

When you wish for government to subsidize unemployment, especially when doing so with deficit spending, it should be 'temporary' and not become SOP! You cannot continue $500+ billion deficit spending forever without someone sometime paying for it...from my perspective it is unconscionable that Americans today refuse to pay our way or reduce our demands on government...this is greedy and self-serving behavior...

 

Don't care what percentage imports are? If we have less imports and outsourcing then we have more jobs. $2.5 trillion in imports, assuming we would ever produce this stuff in the USA, represents about 25 million jobs! $2.5 trillion in expanded EXPORTS also represents about 25 million new jobs...and this is where I believe we should focus.

All you wish to do is spend even though you have $17 trillion in current debt, $500+ billion deficit spending each year, plus many other unfunded liabilities...at what point in time do we become fiscally responsible? If you believe debt is meaningless then you might as well have government spend $2 trillion more each year on economic subsidy programs and put 20 million Americans back to work...

 

I think government spending should be pinned to spending per American using an inflation index. If we need emergency spending then fine but it must be temporary!

All the (*)(*)(*)(*) in government today is a direct reflection of the voters. It's not about Tea Party or other groups...it's 100% about voters. And sadly this is not going to change in my lifetime.

So...if you have rising GDP and your infamous Raegan tax cuts, do you really think GDP and tax income are pretty much the same?

I say it all the time here and elsewhere, if Americans cannot consume themselves into economic prosperity...then find other consumers outside of the USA and greatly increase our exports!!

 

Yes a consumption based economy where we employed our own people making what America consumed. But then automation started to replace the human worker, which took away the income to consume, followed by then offshoring much of the remaining labor, which took away the income to consume. Now, if all displaced workers were capable of a higher more technical education, and if there were enough jobs in those sectors to take up the slack, that would be one thing. But even as this did go on to some extent, even those jobs are in danger of being replaced by high tech. And that leaves us with a low paying service sector, which has shrunk the middle class and added to the working poor class.

This problem will not go away, but will actually worsen. And that is bad for capitalism, for if an economic model does not serve a nation's people, the consequences of that is great social unrest as we saw during the great depression when socialism gained greatly in popularity. That is why some have said FDR saved capitalism, for it was under some threat, but nothing like the threat it will be under as the years pass by.

We have forgotten something that is very important. Whatever economic model a nation has, it has to work to give its people income. I think far too many people have simply forgotten something that is essential. Or, they have no problem with a huge underclass, and they think they can keep them in line with a police state in place. But human beings erupt and things get violent, and they will not stop, for their very existence is on the line.

 

This accurately lays out the problem with this neoliberalistic model of casino capitalism, in case you are unclear on what we have as an economic model....

And folks, that is the crux of the problem, and the cause of most of the misery of our middle class and working poor. As you know neoliberalism is actually what we call modern conservatism, in case that term confused you.

Read the rest here, as it is quite long and detailed.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/henry_giroux_on_the_rise_of_neoliberalism_20141023

Personally I started to really notice this change to our economic model beginning in 1981, with the return of neoliberalism. Folks the dems joined in with this crew, so don't blame it on just the republicans, although they got the ball rolling, and the big donors bribed the dems to go along with it, starting with Clinton and even Obama joined in. Oh, the dems put on a show as if they were not involved in it up to the gills, but they are basically lying to their voters, who are not smart enough to see the big picture.

 

145 million Americans and more under the table are earning an income from this economy. And those who invested in obtaining skills, and education, and place themselves in the major employer areas, and/or start businesses, and are hard working and presentable, are surely doing just fine. If we are truly honest with ourselves, those who are struggling have little to no skills, little to no education, do not live in high employment areas, and seem incapable of clawing their way up to more responsibilities and higher wages...so the question IMO is not about how government can fund everyone but how government can solve the root problems of those who chronically struggle...

 

It's not just those who "chronically struggle". It's the entire middle class, indeed the bottom 90%, that have not shared in the growth and prosperity of this country since the Reagan "trickle down" revolution:



And the entire middle class hasn't been left out because by some gigantic coincidence at the very same time of the Reagan revolution, the bottom 90% of Americans all decided to stop obtaining skills education, stop placing themselves in major employment areas, stop starting business, stop working hard, and stop being presentable.

That is just a 1% apologist excuse for policies that have resulted in the massive transfer of income and wealth from the middle classes to the richest that have hurt our country.

 

You would be hard pressed to find an American made good that is made here. Even cars rely upon parts not made here so given that, your 15 percent is not really accurate. Game are played with those numbers, and do not actually reflect the reality you wish to put forth.

Add to that the fact that what is made here no longer uses americans to make those things, and saying that we still make stuff is meaningless, when it comes to allowing americans to survive by their work.

We are on the cusp of capitalism imploding, for it is steadily removing the ability of our people to earn a living from it. And that is not sustainable, period, end of story. I don't expect people to accept facts, for it is a nightmare, and its better to just ignore the facts. For the facts point to doom and gloom, that capitalism is incapable of fixing.

 

We import about 15% of gross production. About 85% of what we consume is produced here. Plus we export as well.

If you have figures you claim are more accurate, let's see them.

 

People who live within their means, no matter the amount of their incomes, are doing just fine.

People who take personal steps to achieve more of whatever it is that makes them happier are doing just fine.

People who obtain education/skills and place themselves in the workforce are doing just fine.

You never learned that every time you compare one thing to another, someone is going to be unhappy and disappointed! You constantly wish to compare the 1% with your 99% and your 99% will always come out on the bottom. You never ask why they are on the bottom? You act as if the 1% stole all the opportunities from the 99%? That the 99% are so desperate they should not go on living? That the 99% have no where to turn except to have the government take more from the 1% and give it to the 99%.

 

Good for them.

Good for them.

Good for them.

But we didn't see the 90%'s share of the nation's income fall from 65% to 50% with the Reagan "trickle down" revolution because the American people just coincidentally started to not live within their means, not take personal steps, and not obtain education, at the exact same time.

That's just 1% apologist excuses for the "trickle down" policies that have resulted in so much of the nation's income and wealth being redistributed to the richest.

No problem. We will agree to raise tax rates on the richest to 50%, make investment taxes the same as income taxes, make the estate tax equivalent to 50% income tax, eliminate the SS income limit, and make FICA taxes applicable to investment income and inheritances, empower unions at places like Walmart, raise the minimum wage, and broaden OT rules. OK?

Then you can sit back all day and tell us how you aren't unhappy and disappointed. And I will too.

Glad we got that solved.

 

If you can say 'good for them' regarding those who put forth the effort to achieve their potential, then you must also say 'bad for them' regarding those who don't. Those who don't need to look within themselves for the solutions to their miserable lives...not the government and not your evil 1%.

You really should consider moving out of the 80's and into the next millennium! Reagan is dead and gone! The only trickle down that exists is in your head?

Regarding your let everyone else solve my problem statement above, this one "raise tax rates on the richest to 50%, make investment taxes the same as income taxes, make the estate tax equivalent to 50% income tax, eliminate the SS income limit, and make FICA taxes applicable to investment income and inheritances, empower unions at places like Walmart, raise the minimum wage, and broaden OT rules"...you continue to refuse to explain the downside to implementing all these welfare programs???

 

Sorry, but we didn't see the 90%'s share of the nation's income fall from 65% to 50% with the Reagan "trickle down" revolution because the American people just coincidentally started to not "look within themselves", at the exact same time.

Reagan is gone. The legacy of his trickle down revolution persists.

You never learned that every time you compare one thing to another, someone is going to be unhappy and disappointed! You never wish to compare your 1% with the 90% and the 90% always come out on the bottom. You never ask why why is the 1% getting 20% of the nation's income and have 40% of the nation's wealth. You never ask why in the 1% getting double the share of the nation's income and wealth since the Reagan "trickle down" revolution 30 years ago. Why are they getting so much of the nation's income and wealth? You act as if the 1% deserved the 20+% of the nation's income and 40% of the nation's wealth. Is it that the 1% are so desperate the have to rely on "trickle down" policies to keep getting more and more of the nation's income and wealth? That the 99% should get less and less of the nation's income and wealth they produce?

More is never enough for you, is it?

 

Capitalism is the quickest to respond to consumer needs and developing new technologies. Beyond that, doesn't really matter. Money is a fiction anyway.

 

I suggest your ideas are so socialist that they will never gain traction in the USA. We owe just about everything today to our entrepreneurs and business leaders and innovators, who have within a capitalist and free enterprise system, created the economy we have today. While you hate how it turned out, I'm guessing the more you wish to force government and welfare into this model, you are going to receive diminishing returns to the point of destroying what got us here today...

 

Could be, RW propaganda is very powerful and effective stuff, we see that here every day, and we've seen its role in the adoption of "trickle down" policies that have doubled the portion of the nation's income and wealth the 1% get, to 20% of the nation's income to about 40% of the nation's wealth.

But as the middle classes get left further and further behind, attitudes may change. If they learn the truth they will.

Entrepreneurs and business leaders and innovators are wonderful folks who should be rewarded for what they do.

But we didn't see the 90%'s share of the nation's income fall from 65% to 50% with the Reagan "trickle down" revolution because "entrepreneurs and business leaders and innovators" just coincidentally started to do their thing, at the exact same time. We've always had entrepreneurs and business leaders and innovators, and that didn't change in 1981 when the inequality gap started skyrocketing.

 

I 100% disagree with your socialist viewpoints as they effect the private economy...more government meddling IMO is a bad thing.

But I also 100% agree that ALL of us should take care of those who need help. In this regard, I support government creating the infrastructure that people need, for example, affordable housing, public transit, universal health care, free college education to qualified students, removal of gangs and crime, parks and recreation, libraries, etc. Instead of millions receiving free handouts of welfare and unemployment and disability, ask most of those people to help the government develop the items I mention here with WPA type programs, volunteering, etc.

You will spend all your time chasing your tail because you don't identify the actual needs of people. All you want to do is take more from the wealthy and give it to others hoping this solves a problem you haven't even defined. I say identify the root problems and solve them...

 

Except when its to do "trickle down" to make the richest richer at the expense of the middle class, right?

Great. How are you going to pay for all of that?

People need higher paying jobs. I don't want to take from the wealthy. I just want them to stop taking so much from the middle/poorer class.

 

Everything I mentioned, assuming Americans agree, is paid with tax revenues. If Americans don't wish to pay for the programs which will benefit them in the long term, then accept the status quo and just observe as everything worsens.

What if all wage earners had a mandatory 5% payroll withholding in which all monies collected were spent on the areas I mentioned? This would be approximately $250 billion per year. Perhaps this withholding is mandatory for 5 years?

How much a wealthy person earns has nothing to do with how much other people earn?? Wealthy people are not 'taking' a dime from others? Wealthy people unequivocally pay their way and more...this is a fact. If your 99% want higher paying jobs, it is quite obvious what is necessary in order to achieve this...what are they waiting for?

 

That would be better for them than the mandatory 7.3% that is withheld, effectively 15% if you include the employer's share?

Or are you talking about laying more of the tax burden on the poorest and middle class so your .01% friends can buy bigger megayachts?

Of course it does. If a company generates $1 million after non-wage costs, how that money is divided affects what other people earn. If the owners get 90% instead of 80%, that means the employees get 10% instead of 20%.

The 90% aren't doing anything different than before the Reagan "trickle down" revolution.

That's not why the 1% double its take of the nation's income and wealth, to about 20% and 40%, respectively.

 

You cannot lay the burden all on the rich.............

in 1930 they didn't have a lot of choice...........

in 2014, they do..........

Obama is making the 1% richer at a faster pace than Reagan ever did.................

 

A lot of choice to do what? You mean the so-called "job creators" who we ran up trillions in more debt to give tax cuts to, and instead of creating jobs stashed the money in their offshore accounts, are going to now take off with it and renounce their citizenship. What a bunch of patriots.

And what a great (*)(*)(*)(*)ing ideal that was. Biggest snowjob in history.

Raise their taxes and let them go.

It is true that the stock market it doing better, but it wasn't Obama who blocked raising a sur-tax on millionaires.

 

I'm talking about ALL AMERICANS contributing 5% of their income in order to right the nation. Of course you immediately politicize the idea since you feel Americans are not required to fund the government which they demand...and this sir is the precise problem with the USA today!

Do the math...it is impossible to have more or better government without more money and the funding must come from ALL Americans. Americans today are pathetic compared with the sacrifices Americans made in the Depression and WWII and other times in American history.

Profits ARE NOT divided up to determine wages?? You need to read about Wage & Salary Surveys and how H/R departments are very careful to explore the local labor markets in order to pay appropriate compensation.

 

Oh, so you were talking about laying more of the tax burden on the poorest and middle class so your .01% friends can buy bigger megayachts.

One thing I can say for you, you're consistent about making the richest richer at the expense of everyone else.

It's not at all. The richest 10% get 50% of the nations' income. They could fund the entire federal government all by themselves and still have 25% of the nation's income left over.

I didn't say they were. I pointed out, in response to your assertion that "Wealthy people are not 'taking' a dime from others?" how wages come out of profit that go to owners. The wealthy increase their income and wealth by paying their workers less and taking more profit.

Which of course is exactly what is happening. Corporate profits are at record highs, while wages are stagnate.

They are careful to pay them no more than what they have to based on the market conditions. Not based on what the workers contribute to production, revenue or profit.

 

Yes I'm talking about all Americans paying their fair share of the taxation in order to create the best possible country.

You could take all the wealth from the 100 wealthiest Americans and it wouldn't begin to run the federal government for one year...and there would be $0 the second year!

Wages DO NOT stem from profits?

Maybe some of your 99% should buy some company stock if stockholders are getting all the profits.

Worker compensation is never minimized in some conspiracy...