Why can't capitalism stop its excesses, greed, and other damaging characteristics?

The chained CPI is essentially a moving average. The traditional CPI (CPI-U and CPI-W) grow faster than the chained CPI. But I remember well noticing that the traditional CPI prior to the creation of the chained CPI (early 2000s) didn't really keep up with actual inflation and was understated. In all cases when a product increases in price more than the average for that product, the CPI drops that product and substitutes another. IOW it "dumbs us down". It "legitimizes" poverty. Personally I very rarely switch products when I find one I like and I suspect that is true of most people. Hence, I see all CPI permutations as gimmicks and "lies". And we could jettison them all if inflation were kept at an average of zero. So why is low inflation "undesirable"?

 

Okay, but the central bank is a statist institution, not a capitalist one.

 

Okay, and how does that pertain to a central bank?

 

But I already acknowledged that and said "neither is the VA" and there is a long list of other institutions that are not capitalist as you know. So what? They exist in the midst of a predominantly capitalist economy with a government that has no intention of eliminating private ownership of businesses for private profit.

 

They exist in a statist economy.

 

Which is more predominant: privately owned businesses for private profit, or statist institutions? Which does the government address with laws and policy more of the time?

 

You know what? You don't have to believe our economic system is capitalism. It's ok. Have a nice night.

 

It was prior to 1913 and it didn’t work
You clean forgot to give us the replacement and why it would work better I wonder why

 

Economy is obviously mixed with Huge govt interference in health care money banking energy auto insurance etc plus govt spends 25% of GDP.And, the problems we have are the result of the government interference.

 

Keynes, like Hitler, saved capitalism from extinction, silly man.

 

Actually extending the great depression for 16 years into a world war that killed 60 million could hardly be called saving capitalism

 

We don't have true capitalism.

We have crony capitalism. We have inflationism. We have corporatism. We have big government.

Thank Keynes' followers for that.

 

You don't have the unworkable fantasy of 'classical' capitalism. Nobody has - it's a sadist's wet dream. 'Real' capitalism would be overthrown in a week, everywhere.

 

No, but it could hardly be said to have anything whatever to do with Keynes either. Thank American investors and bankers for that.

 

American investors and bankers are largely Keynesian.

 

Why do you hate freedom?

 

It has been a long time since any of the thieving nutters have ever heard of Keynes, except as part of McCarthyite propaganda gone mad, as you know.

 

Oh dear - the usual hysterical teenage emotionalism of the American Right! What a grotesque lot of prima donnas the weirdoes are!

 

It's the same as expecting all people to be height and weight proportional...we know it's possible but in reality it ain't going to happen! We know population growth is one of the most critical factors facing Earthlings but good luck controlling people at this level...

 

the Great Depression was caused by govt Keynesian interference with the free market and prolonged for 16 years because of it. Do you understand?

 

Thank them for what exactly?

 

why not answer the question: what do have against freedom

 

what does that mean???

 

This is correct. Crony capitalism is a socialist institution. We haven't had capitalism for a while now. Most ownership of items is effectively state owned or controlled. I am firmly middle class and have between 48 to 52% of the fruits of my labor taxed.

 

good point!! capitalism is when business and govt are separate. Socialism is when they are combined. Thus crony capitalism is a misnomer. Crony capitalism is socialism.

socialists invented the term to be critical of capitalism and provide a rationale for change to socialism when the reality is that the crony capitalism they are critical of is really socialism. A very neat trick!