Comments on: Rich Get Richer While War Rages On

Ben Stein Says Life Is Great For The Wealthiest Americans

[scott4261]

Socialism and plutocracy are the extremes at opposing ends of the same road. Our constitution gives us the tools to find the workable and equitable center if we have the fortitude to stand up for America instead of personal gain.

Posted by jn122736 at 06:18 PM

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Here, here!

[jn122736]

Re. Ressigmann, post 3:58 P.M. Feb 18, 2007

The very catalyst for the revolution that made our country and the constitution possible was the rejection of the wealthy/royalty dominating the average citizen.

The importance of equality, which you ridicule, was prominently injected into the preamble to the declaration of independence, and these are the same people who wrote and ratified the constitution.

Agreed, there is nothing wrong with making money but being born wealthy and earning wealth are two entirely different things.

Intelligence is never evenly distributed. We have already reached the point where only the well-off can afford higher education which means we are losing out on some of the best minds available.

Without the proper redistribution of resources America, as we have known it, is doomed to destruction. The fact that the wealthy cannot or will not see this is proof in itself that what I have said is true about loosing the some of the best minds.

The same thing that has caused the failure of every dynasty/country throughout history, Greed and corruption, caused the fall of the Soviet Union. It is happening in America now at a disastrous rate.

Socialism and plutocracy are the extremes at opposing ends of the same road. Our constitution gives us the tools to find the workable and equitable center if we have the fortitude to stand up for America instead of personal gain.

[ressigmann]

If you read the constitution you will find a suprising and amazing fact: there is nothing wrong with being rich. There is nothing mentioned about "wealth redistribution", and that so long as all laws are followed that there is nothing wrong about making money. Remember America is a capitalist country, communism is where these silly and ridiculous notions of everyone being equal. Redistribution will not change whether there are rich and poor it will only change who is rich and poor. No matter how noble the ideas of universal equality sound there is always going to be someone who is better than you. Trying to make everyone equal jsut drags everyone down to the lowest common denominator. Its why the Soviet system fell apart: whether you plowed 40 acres of land a day or 2 acres you got paid the same, so there was no motivation to plow beyond 2 acres. Poor work is rewarded under this sort of system (you still get paid) and good work is not rewarded (you make only what people who produce less make). For reference review France's economy which is doing lousy for many of these reasons.

[emhawks]

"War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest,easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious....Out of war, a few people make huge fortunes."
- Major General Smedley D. Butler
"Facism should more appropriately be called corporatism, because it is a merger of state & corporate power".
- Benito Mussolini
"...fascism will come to America in the name of national security...."
- Jim Garrison
"Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war."
- Donald Rumsfeld
"...money trumps peace, sometimes."
- George W. Bush

[Razzl]

I'm kind of relieved to read this kind of commentary from Ben Stein--he seems to always be shaking his head in agreement at Larry Kudlow's lunatic capitalist rhetoric on CNBC, so it's good to know that he's only being polite. Stein joins the growing chorus of voices from the traditional Wall Street conservatives (including Buffett and Bernanke) who are putting the lie to the politically motivated taxation policies of the Bush administration.

[knyghtwolf]

continued from previous posting.....This WHOLE country was built on slavery, both free & low wages, women were boxed into a neat little package to do their "womanly" duties, men were to go out, work all their lives, and retire at 65. Do you truly believe you were born to work for another human being? To serve ANOTHER person because of your racial, religious, or cultural heritages? This the bible tells you so? Work for self improvement is ONE thing, but applying that same said principle to bank roll another to a wealthy state, that's entirely another, THAT my friends, its truly far from being a good Christian. I guess I wonder how many would be willing to die for the betterment of ourselves and our children? Think it over....

[knyghtwolf]

There is ONLY one way to ever change the present system; complete & through "re-education" of our youth today about the true business practices put forth by corporate america. We have had facist & totalitarian ingrained behaviors placed within us from day one, going back to the industrial revolution. We got hammered in school, starting with kindergarten on through the 12th year, OBEY public authorities, every uniform you see is your friend, from the smiling policeman that is helping a little girl get her kitty cat out of the tree, to political figures from the federal level on down. How much are you all willing to lose to make this change, that's what I am curious about, we talk about being ripped off daily but what is or will be the sacrifices that have to be made to change it all, and will those changes be any better, or better still, HOW do we make sure these changes actually work? Who decides when and where, how and when, all the principles we live or exist by today will be of any value? Any education is a base foundation, you have to build yourself, inside & out to see what is illusion or reality. The mind control here is ourselves, we are convinced that we can do nothing to change ourselves without checking with the federal government, who by the way, is run by corporate america, to see what we can or can't do.

[scott4261]

Waht has happened to the TENS OF BILLIONS Halliburton and other companies have FLEECED from the American taxpayer during this war? Isn't that STEALING? I swear, if you are not OUTRAGED, you are NOT PAYING ATTENTION!

[bluestardad]

On the most recent account of corruption CBS News Reported via, KVTV Dallas article billions of gallons of oil are being stolen because Iraq has no meters in place to gauge how much oil is being produced, pumped, or loaded on to tankers in the gulf. This has been going on now in Iraq for years. How can anyone know how much money or oil has been stolen under the watch of Coalition forces, it makes the United Nations Oil for food scandal pale in comparison. If you combine this blatant theft with the Slant drilling being done by Iraqi%u2019s neighbors there are unaccountable billions of dollars being stolen in Iraq right now. What type of management or leadership has been responsible in Iraq for the last four years? Iraqi and American Dollars by the tons have been sent to Iraq and lost, stolen or squandered. Who has been in charge of this oversite?

[bluestardad]

You may have noticed the coming surge of American public opinion against using our military to promote the agenda of other Countries! American people are learning it is ok to disagree with a President who is friends of Saudi Arabia and who gives them special treatment on the world stage at the expense of American lives. For years no one would say anything against promoting the Israeli agenda for fear of being labeled an anti-Semitist but now America is learning it is also acceptable to disagree with Israeli promoters like AIPAC members, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and William Kristol of the Weekly Standard who would gladly sell thousands of American soldiers lives to promote Israeli interest! Now these same policies and neocons are pushing our soldiers toward another war in Iran. American military is made to protect American interest not fight proxy wars in the interest of other countries! American blood and treasure should be spent only in American interest! The Current Vice President of the United States felt the need to jump on a plane on a moments notice and fly to Saudi Arabia at the beckon call of the house of Saudi. He showed the world by his actions who his true masters were! As for the Rest of us Americans, The Statue of Liberty Stands in New York Harbor and is not Kneeling in the desert of the Middle East!