Non aviation subject. This is well put!

[Timebuilder]

Diplomats is correct. Most Republicans are warmongers. Their clerics and state supported media tell them to hate us because we constantly interfere in their part of the world. Did Muslims hate us before we gave the Jews the land of the Arabs, before we started supporting the destruction of their people? No.

I'm unconvinced the therm "diplomats" is a complimentary term, just as I am unable to support your characterization of republicans as "warmongers". I see Saddam Hussein as being very close to becoming the Hitler of our day. Instead of killing jews, he has murdered the Kurds and his political enemies.

We didn't give the land to Israel. First, God did (I can see you wince at that) but more recently, an entire group of nations gave it to them. I'm sure that met with some resistance here in the states, too.

If Saddam is such a cancer, why didn't we remove the tumor the first time around? If I had cancer, I would want the doctor to dig deep and remove it, not just scrape the surface.

We did not have the support of the more moderate elements of the Arab world during the Gulf War. Now that they have seen what Saddam is cooking up right next door, and what the terrorists did here, they are ready to go along with cutting out the cancer much more wholeheartedly.

Incarceration is not a solution but a furtherance of the problem. Counseling, drug treatment, living wages, and education are the solution. Abortion...we won't go there as it is mainly a philosophical argument. Is it a life or isn't it? I will say though that if your girlfriend became pregnant before you got a good job or finished school, you may not be where you are now.

You have an obligation to support protecting society from the criminal element by incarceration, and human nature dictates that some form of punishment must happen. Crime doesn't happen simply because someone had an unhappy childhood, or wasn't hugged enough. It comes from making choices based on ideas that are passed along in sectors of society. As a child, I never dreamed of stealing the candy bar that my mother refused to buy for me, because of how I was raised. I wasn't taught that I had a "right" to that candy bar. Iwas taught that stealing it was WRONG. This is a part of the CULTURAL PROBLEM.

Let's say that you raise wages to your "living wage" as you call it. The resulty is a reactionary change in the market brought on by inflation. The inflation stops growing when the economy once again reaches equilibrium. Then, we will be able to argue that $25 an hour is not a living wage, and complain that a Hyundai costs $60,000. This is because certain activities have a limit to their economic value. The economy will readjust to your attempts to dictate a "living wage".

I hope this illuminates the reader to the ineffectiveness of socialism as practiced in many parts of the world. Those countries are receiving US aid because that system does not work. What does work is a free market economy and a culture of VALUES, as in good values.

Values are what have to change to make this a better world.

Just ask America's most successful imigrants about why they came here, and why they are staying.

 

[mar]

A small correction

It's a fallacy to use the Soviet Union/Eastern bloc/China as proof that Socialism can't work.

They called themselves socialist/communist but they weren't *Marxist*.

True Marxism is the *collective* ownership of all the means of production.

Under Soviet style communisim, well, that was just *state-run capitalism* where the state exploited the workers and the workers had nothing just like corporate exploitation.

True Marxism has never been attempted except in isolated communities (i.e. communes, collectives, co-ops, etc.).

Anyway, 172driver, you're my new hero.

Timebuilder, my friend from Philly, you seem like just another Baby Boomer that grew up and turned cynical.

Back in the '60s all you guys smoked pot and thought you'd save the world. Sure it's pretty easy to rally against War, Racism, Abusive Govt.

But now, 30 years later (with mortgages, kids, car payments, etc) it's inconvenient to take a stand against Conspicuous Consumption and other insidious lifestyle choices that make Americans so protective for "our way of life."

In fact, Winston Churchill is often quoted as saying, "If you're not a liberal in your 20s, you have no heart. If you're not conservative in your 40s you have no brain."

Or something like that. Well maybe Churchill was a sell out too 'cause he liked to smoke big fat cigars.

I bet they were Cuban too.

 

[ShawnC]

Re: A small correction

...Or something like that. Well maybe Churchill was a sell out too 'cause he liked to smoke big fat cigars.

I bet they were Cuban too.

\


You really are stupid, we had no problems with Cuba until Castro came to power which was in 1959. Churchill died in 1965

 

[dmspilot00]

Let's say that you raise wages to your "living wage" as you call it. The resulty is a reactionary change in the market brought on by inflation. The inflation stops growing when the economy once again reaches equilibrium. Then, we will be able to argue that $25 an hour is not a living wage, and complain that a Hyundai costs $60,000. This is because certain activities have a limit to their economic value. The economy will readjust to your attempts to dictate a "living wage".

I hope this illuminates the reader to the ineffectiveness of socialism as practiced in many parts of the world. Those countries are receiving US aid because that system does not work. What does work is a free market economy and a culture of VALUES, as in good values.

Inflation has to do with how much money is in circulation, and how much is printed by the government. It doesn't have to do with equilibrium of labor supply/demand or wages. It also doesn't have to do with the value of goods or activities.

Raising the minimum wage does not cause inflation, it causes unemployment. It causes more harm than good. If minimum wage was raised to $10, $15, or $25, most people wouldn't have a job at all! $5/hr is better than $0, isn't it??

 

[Timebuilder]

We could talk all day long about the minor differences of the thoughts of Trotsky, Marx, Lennin, Stalin and the various spinoff collectives, but one point is made overall: everytime this type of collective is tried, it fails. When there is a religious component to collective living, it fares much better. Then, however, we are outside the arena of these socialist thinkers, since they were atheists.

Timebuilder, my friend from Philly, you seem like just another Baby Boomer that grew up and turned cynical.

Mar, old buddy, you can't fault me for making the observation first-hand that our government attempts to end poverty in America are a dismal failure. You can call me a baby boomer that woke up. If you knew me well, you would know that I am far from cynical. In fact, I have shared the Good News here on many occaisions, as have others.

Back in the '60s all you guys smoked pot and thought you'd save the world. Sure it's pretty easy to rally against War, Racism, Abusive Govt.

We didn't smoke pot at the Academy, but thanks for the oversimplification.

But now, 30 years later (with mortgages, kids, car payments, etc) it's inconvenient to take a stand against Conspicuous Consumption and other insidious lifestyle choices that make Americans so protective for "our way of life."

Oh, yeah! In my postage stamp room, with my 14 year old TV I'm the very picture of conspicuous consumption!

The fact is irrefutable that everyone is coming here because we have the best of everything, and our system is the envy of every people on earth.

Churchill's observation is really key, and I'm glad you mentioned it. In essence, the immature mind is drawn to an emotional reaction, and believes that the nature of the Human Condition can be overcome by a socialist will. As we grow older and wiser we realize that this is not a workable solution, but only a pipe dream.

Dream on.

 

[Timebuilder]

Inflation has to do with how much money is in circulation, and how much is printed by the government. It doesn't have to do with equilibrium of labor supply/demand or wages. It also doesn't have to do with the value of goods or activities.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. In a capitalist economy, you are correct. I was alluding to what happens in a socialist economy, where that wage must be paid and would not result in unemployment.

Sorry.

 

[dmspilot00]

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. In a capitalist economy, you are correct. I was alluding to what happens in a socialist economy, where that wage must be paid and would not result in unemployment.

Sorry.

It's okay, you don't have to be so apologetic...

I do agree to an extent to the person who pointed out that there's never really been a purely communist or socialist economy. However, I also add that there has never been a pure economy of capitalism or any other type.

 

[mar]

I've enjoyed this

Hey thanks guys, I've really enjoyed this. At first I was totally against it 'cause I come here to read about aviation. But what the heck, a couple beers and some healthy jabs and who woulda thunk it but I had a good time.

Timebuilder--I know you sit in the right seat of something at a time when pilots are not much in demand. So do I. I can guess what you make. Would I vote for you in the National Contest of Conspicuous Consumption. No.

However, do I feel like I can harbor a certain bias towards your generation? Yeah. I do. Generally speaking, present company excluded, I think the Baby Boomer generation want to have their cake and eat it too.

Your generation is in control right now. In control of corporations, government and academia. It's just a fact. They need to conduct themselves responsibly and they need to be above reproach.

Shawn C.--glider boy--hey man, if that's the best you got--if that's the biggest criticism, then I must be doing pretty good.

 

[ShawnC]

Re: I've enjoyed this

Shawn C.--glider boy--hey man, if that's the best you got--if that's the biggest criticism, then I must be doing pretty good.

I'm not getting involved in the political aspects, just insulting the single man that I believe was instrumental for the allies winning WWII.

I have only jumped in everyonce in a while commenting on stuff that I believe is way off, I have followed this since I started and I don't want to get too involved just a couple of glaring errors that people make.

Timebuilder has pretty much done a good job of summing the conservative view point, and I know no matter how much I write, only a person can change their own view point, no a useless arugment on the internet.

But when people fly offbase accusations such as that I have to respond.

 

[kevdog]

Can anyone say liquidation?

Time for more pilots to get a real job.