: I'm sure you're a great champion of working people and their sensible natures. Except when they decide to strike... What did I say in that post, or anywhere on this forum that would indicate I am against unions or striking? I beleave that in any job where conditions are bad and pay is low it is the peoples right and duty to strike. I view unions as a part of capitalism-- the way people can collectively bargain for fair treatment in an instances companies get away treating employees in a sub-human way. In america this has not happened since industrial revolution days liken unto those in Marx's times whos no longer apply to the world today, and are obsolete. In my vision a pure capitalism, government regulation of all business would be done away with, including the business done between a company and its employees. A union, like capitalism is self-regulationg free entity; If a union becomes totally out of whack, its members are not obligated to cooperate with it (although many times they will anyways.)
Unions probably opened up the modern age of capitalism we now know. By generally raising wages, unions created a kind of super capitalism, with more wealth changing hands quickly, and more technology developing faster. As enviro-socialists like to point out America consumes a disproportional amount of reasources. This is no coincidence, because of the higher wages, everybody can afford more, which creates even higher wages-- even the poorer americans have obscene wages when compared overseas. All of this is not due to "exporting hunger" or anything else socialists say, its because of feirce capitalism. By raising the world to our level of reasource consumption it would solve every economical problem plauging Earth.
Many might think it would be a bad thing to raise reasource consumption, but it regulates itself due to supply and demand. Beleave me; the last few million gallons of oil will not be refined down to $1.25 gasoline, alternative energy will mean instant wealth to whoever first discovers it, and the companies of the world will hunt for renewable sources the right way: Not by governmental order, but by the innovation and low prices that only capitalism can produce.
But judging by non-US poverty I'd say there is a long way to go, but unlike most in this forum I know exactally how to get there-- not just vague utopiaisms or concocted anecdote. We must promote free capitalism and unions. I'm sure many capitalists would disagree with me on the former but its the only way to quickly raise the world to our level. Whats the best way to humble Nike, the company that socialists whine about when speaking of world poverty? A strike. As thes individuals working for nike would get more wealth, there would also be more to spend, which would raise their whole economy. Should enough wages rise, a US-style hyper capitalism may kick in overseas as well. In fact, this would also even the field for companies that happen to be patriotic and hire american. In a world of freer trade and capitalism we must raise the Earth to our standards, not the other way around.
Many fellow capitalists might disagree-- yes at first it would raise the prices on products here, and it would spearhead a socialist anti-corprate message, but it would create a world where everybody could live without being hungry, or overly poor WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTRUSION. Capitalism working in this way is probably beyond your liberal imaginations, but not mine.
I have never in my life been a union worker, and, although approving of them, I don't agree with many of the frivolious strikes they have done in america in the last 30 or so years. They are just asserting thier freedom; thats something that we can't have ito much of. While unions in america are out of date, and corrupt the rest of the world direly needs them. Capitalism worldwide!!
: ...Working is voluntary? Maybe for those with inherited wealth. The rest of us have to eat. You'd know this if you'd bother to talk to workers.
Working at any particualar place is. Boy, you sure know how to read things out of context.
: ...Coerced to give, therefore unable to afford that second Cadillac. What a nightmare. How much better to have a system that rewards those who wish to wield power over the less fortunate. No coercion there.
MIND OF FUTURE EVIL BUSINESSMAN (according to Ted): "Gee, I feel like yeilding power over the less fortunate. I guess I'll do that, no need to hire anyone or have anybody buy my products or services... just open up the doors and start yeilding power. I can't wait to get my two-Caddilac 'reward' for my evils deads!"
(or maybe I'm taking things a little out of context, huh Ted?)
P.S. Sorry for using Rush Limbauhs "pet phrase"; its either listening to him or country music during lunch. Of coarse in any case I would just be using my radio to escape the horrors of Capitalism, right?
