The end of capitalism in America?

morse86

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It actually ended a long time ago. Sometime about the 1700s I would estimate.

We have corporations working with government, on that government dole $$$.

Heck, the three card monte stock market would collapse without that printing machine.
 
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SoldierOfTheKing

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Industrial capitalism arose in every country save Britain (which was the first to industrialize and hence had no competition) behind a high tariff wall. Germany, the United States, Japan all built their industrial base on tariffs.
 
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Light of the East

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Yesterday, in a phone call to CNBC the President blasted the Chamber of Commerce for it's criticism of his trade policies and called tariffs "a beautiful thing." I was wondering, with a such fanatical protectionist, who'll most likely be re-elected, is this the end of American capitalism as we know it? Have Americans really changed that much? If it is, that'd be quite demoralizing to people like me who idolized America's capitalist democracy. Any thoughts?

News links: Chamber of Commerce hits Trump on 'weaponization of tariffs' — and then Trump calls CNBC to fight back

CNBC Transcript: President Donald Trump Speaks with CNBC's Joe Kernen on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Today

American Capitalism is totally anathema to the Christian faith. The end of it cannot come fast enough for me.
 
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jacks

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American Capitalism is totally anathema to the Christian faith. The end of it cannot come fast enough for me.

Not arguing with you, but what would you replace it with or specifically how could we tweak it to make it more Christian?
 
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jgarden

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The end of capitalism in America?

I was under the impression that it was the Republicans who were the self-appointed "guardians" of American capitalism, limited government, free trade (without tariffs), fiscal responsibility (balanced budgets), strict law enforcement, upholding for the Constitution .....

Under the Trump Administration, the voices that once supported those conservative principles have been silenced - Congressional Republicans have willingly abdicated their responsibility as a constitutional check against Executive excesses and holding this President accountable for abandoning those very ideals that their Party is supposed to represent!
 
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Kaon

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It actually ended a long time ago. Sometime about the 1700s I would estimate.

We have corporations working with government, on that government dole $$$.

Heck, the three card monte stock market would collapse without that printing machine.

Is this acceptable?
 
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timewerx

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Not arguing with you, but what would you replace it with or specifically how could we tweak it to make it more Christian?

Perhaps, follow the example of some European countries like Iceland.

They managed to eliminate poverty, extremely low crime rate.
 
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mukk_in

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The end of capitalism in America?

I was under the impression that it was the Republicans who were the self-appointed "guardians" of American capitalism, limited government, free trade (without tariffs), fiscal responsibility (balanced budgets), strict law enforcement, upholding for the Constitution .....

Under the Trump Administration, the voices that once supported those conservative principles have been silenced - Congressional Republicans have willingly abdicated their responsibility as a constitutional check against Executive excesses and holding this President accountable for abandoning those very ideals that their Party is supposed to represent!
My feelings, exactly.
 
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Yekcidmij

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The end of capitalism in America?

I was under the impression that it was the Republicans who were the self-appointed "guardians" of American capitalism, limited government, free trade (without tariffs), fiscal responsibility (balanced budgets), strict law enforcement, upholding for the Constitution .....

Under the Trump Administration, the voices that once supported those conservative principles have been silenced - Congressional Republicans have willingly abdicated their responsibility as a constitutional check against Executive excesses and holding this President accountable for abandoning those very ideals that their Party is supposed to represent!

Both parties have been guilty of not only allowing, but promoting executive excess. The parties in Congress have delegated many of their powers to the executive and have done so for decades. How else can Trump unilaterally impose tariffs without Congressional consent? Isn't Congress supposed to have the power of the purse? Well, it's because of statutory law enacted by Congress decades ago. How can the President unilaterally impose military force without declaration of war? Because of statutory law enacted by Congress decades ago.

This is the fault of Congress stretching back decades. It's not the fault of any one party, any one Congressional session, or any one person. Balance of power should be a very bi-partisan issue, but it isn't. When the Republicans have the balance of power, they don't mind executive excess. When the Democrats are in power, they don't mind executive excess. Neither party acts in the interest of people in the future. They all act in their very near term political interests. When those political interests are furthered by delegating power to the executive, they do it.

To blame the current president and current congress (or the previous president and previous congress) is quite short-sighted.
 
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Albion

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It actually ended a long time ago. Sometime about the 1700s I would estimate.

We have corporations working with government, on that government dole $$$.

Heck, the three card monte stock market would collapse without that printing machine.
If that is so, the solution is to work towards less government intervention, not give it all over TO government (Socialism). And yet look how many people argue that if "Capitalism" has failed, the solution is bigger government!
 
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Light of the East

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Not arguing with you, but what would you replace it with or specifically how could we tweak it to make it more Christian?

Are you familiar with Distributism as promoted by G.K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, and Fr. Vincent McNabb? You can read about it here:

Utopia

This is one of many fine articles at this website. The principles of Distributism are free enterprise, individual liberty, private property ownership, and smallness instead of gigantism (i.e. small privately-owned businesses instead of giant corporations).

Capitalism is opposed to all these and is very anti-individual. Try talking about free enterprise to someone who owns his own business and is deluged with regulations by government pests who couldn't run an ant farm successfully. We have no individual liberty. As for private property - the banks own everything through the use of the unbiblical means of usury. Capitalism benefits an extremely small segment of society - the uber rich who own the banks. It is highly individualistic, meaning that it opposes the community regulating the behavior of businesses in favor of draconian state rule. An example of this would be when police are sent to natural farms selling produce, vitamins, or raw milk, and with force close these private businesses down because those giant corporations whose profit margins are being ruined don't like it

You are given the illusion of being free under Capitalism. You aren't. Want to see how "free" you really are? Try missing a few payments on your house or car. You are OWNED. Your whole life is expected to work for the good of about 25 giant mega-corporations who run most of the world, and the banks who support them. You are expected to go along with the system, and if you don't, you will be trashed. It is not coincidence that four countries that threw out the international banking cartels were invaded and their leaders killed. This is why Colonel Gaddafi was offed by the U.S. Government. He dared to oppose the international banking cartel and set up his own gold-based economy based on the dinar.

There's so much more. Do some research. You may be shocked and appalled at what you find. The one good thing about the Internet is that these scoundrels no longer can hide behind their lies. What we, the people, are going to do about it, remains to be seen.
 
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RDKirk

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Capitalism was dead before Bush II; we are just now passing through the fog on that one to realize we are a GLOBAL entity - as are the individual nations with respect to the world.

(Global) corporatism, and eventually corporatism in general (extending to space and under the earth) is THE end result of capitalism.

You touched on something I was going to mention:

Capitalism is not the same thing as free enterprise.

Capitalism is corporatism, and although it begins with free enterprise, unbridled capitalism immediately begins to suppress free enterprise.
 
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Light of the East

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You touched on something I was going to mention:

Capitalism is not the same thing as free enterprise.

Capitalism is corporatism, and although it begins with free enterprise, unbridled capitalism immediately begins to suppress free enterprise.

He is woke.
 
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Albion

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Are you familiar with Distributism as promoted by G.K. Chesterton, Hilaire Belloc, and Fr. Vincent McNabb?...

The principles of Distributism are free enterprise, individual liberty, private property ownership, and smallness instead of gigantism (i.e. small privately-owned businesses instead of giant corporations).
In other words, what is called Libertarianism today.
 
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Light of the East

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In other words, what is called Libertarianism today.

No, it is not Libertarianism. Libertarianism allows individual freedoms which are ultimately destructive to the community as a whole. Things such as smoking pot or taking drugs.

Did you read the articles I posted?

If it was Libertarianism, it wouldn't be called Distributism. Sheeesh!!!
 
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W2L

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Capitalism was dead before Bush II; we are just now passing through the fog on that one to realize we are a GLOBAL entity - as are the individual nations with respect to the world.

(Global) corporatism, and eventually corporatism in general (extending to space and under the earth) is THE end result of capitalism.
Why do those corporations own liberal/socialist media outlets?
 
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Albion

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No, it is not Libertarianism. Libertarianism allows individual freedoms which are ultimately destructive to the community as a whole. Things such as smoking pot or taking drugs.

You did list individual liberty, though, didn't you?

The principles of Distributism are free enterprise, individual liberty, private property ownership, and smallness instead of gigantism....

If the characteristics you listed are adhered to, you have Libertarianism. If you want to change your list now, of course you could steer the issue in another direction. I merely identified the construct you offered us.
 
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redleghunter

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Yesterday, in a phone call to CNBC the President blasted the Chamber of Commerce for it's criticism of his trade policies and called tariffs "a beautiful thing." I was wondering, with a such fanatical protectionist, who'll most likely be re-elected, is this the end of American capitalism as we know it? Have Americans really changed that much? If it is, that'd be quite demoralizing to people like me who idolized America's capitalist democracy. Any thoughts?

News links: Chamber of Commerce hits Trump on 'weaponization of tariffs' — and then Trump calls CNBC to fight back

CNBC Transcript: President Donald Trump Speaks with CNBC's Joe Kernen on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Today
An interesting OP ED by conservative Pat Buchanan:

Tariffs: The Taxes That Made America Great
 
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mukk_in

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An interesting OP ED by conservative Pat Buchanan:

Tariffs: The Taxes That Made America Great
Thanks Red. Pat's a great guy but I can't go along with him on this. I'm with the GOP faction (McConnell and others) that detests tariffs, especially on allies (Mexico, Canada, EU, Israel, India, Japan, Australia, ASEAN, etc.) where security and defense cooperation is at stake. I do support the rest of the President's agenda (immigration, counter-terrorism, deregulation, tax cuts - hope they become permanent for the middle class). I had actually written the President numerous times urging him not to go the tariff way, especially with allies. We capitalists...lol. Peace in Christ:).
 
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