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| Post Number: 11
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stardust14 
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Aug. 08 2015,12:51 am |
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Let's see..how can I become an ameican philanthropist? First, I create myself great wealth through various means----cheap labor (foreign & domestic), pillage natural resources, government tax subsidies, wealth accumulation through past history of land grabs and slavery, etc. Then after ripping off a whole lot of folks I give them their money back and say "what a good boy am I".
It's like giving the thief a medal for returning a tiny fraction of stolen money.
And people actually suck this bullsh%t up!!
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| Post Number: 12
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Aug. 08 2015,6:00 am |
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(stardust14 @ Aug. 08 2015,12:51 am)
QUOTE Let's see..how can I become an ameican philanthropist? First, I create myself great wealth through various means----cheap labor (foreign & domestic), pillage natural resources, government tax subsidies, wealth accumulation through past history of land grabs and slavery, etc. Then after ripping off a whole lot of folks I give them their money back and say "what a good boy am I". It's like giving the thief a medal for returning a tiny fraction of stolen money. And people actually suck this bullsh%t up!!
Well that's essentially the problem, isn't it? It's as though the accumulation of wealth is a virtue, regardless of means.
Regarding all that, a wise and kind man once said, "Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. That path would be one of constant conflict between narrow interests ending in chaos and immobility. It is a certain route to failure." And, much like Ike's warning about the military-industrial complex, it was a warning unheeded by a fickle audience with a short attention span. It might as well have been delivered to a roomful of cats.
Fast-forward a year after that warning, and we had the emergence of a new breed - young urban professionals, or yuppies, which seemed so much more attractive than their far less well-off and more parochial Middle American cousins.
We don't care about our children's future anymore. That is not an opinion. It is a fact, supported by years and years of short-term profit and long-term "who cares?" thinking.
This country once had optimism, and built great things. Now we have paranoia, and the Koch brothers, and Walmart, and we can't even fix our crumbling bridges until there is much hue and cry when one of them comes tumbling down, and people end up dead.
And some of you want to worship the people that got us down this path? That's just insane.
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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| Post Number: 13
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| Post Number: 14
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Aug. 08 2015,12:36 pm |
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The Koch fortune was rooted in the oil industry. If you don't think that money is the result of crony capitalism and all its implied favors, you're the one who's been indoctrinated.
If the uber-rich had simply made their fortunes by playing by the rules, and paying into the very system that afforded them the opportunity to thrive, instead of bending rules and lawmakers at every turn, there wouldn't be the outrage, and this country, on the whole, would be doing a whole lot better.
There's free-market capitalism, and there's crony capitalism. Please tell me you understand the difference, and how toxic the latter is to our economy.
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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| Post Number: 15
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
Posts: 22675
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Aug. 08 2015,12:44 pm |
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^^your jealousy is an embarrassment, have you failed that badly in life that you feel the need to blame others?
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 Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne” 
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| Post Number: 16
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| Post Number: 17
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stardust14
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Aug. 10 2015,8:54 pm |
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(Botto 82 @ Aug. 08 2015,6:00 am)
QUOTE
(stardust14 @ Aug. 08 2015,12:51 am)
QUOTE Let's see..how can I become an ameican philanthropist? First, I create myself great wealth through various means----cheap labor (foreign & domestic), pillage natural resources, government tax subsidies, wealth accumulation through past history of land grabs and slavery, etc. Then after ripping off a whole lot of folks I give them their money back and say "what a good boy am I". It's like giving the thief a medal for returning a tiny fraction of stolen money. And people actually suck this bullsh%t up!! Well that's essentially the problem, isn't it? It's as though the accumulation of wealth is a virtue, regardless of means. Regarding all that, a wise and kind man once said, "Down that road lies a mistaken idea of freedom, the right to grasp for ourselves some advantage over others. That path would be one of constant conflict between narrow interests ending in chaos and immobility. It is a certain route to failure." And, much like Ike's warning about the military-industrial complex, it was a warning unheeded by a fickle audience with a short attention span. It might as well have been delivered to a roomful of cats. Fast-forward a year after that warning, and we had the emergence of a new breed - young urban professionals, or yuppies, which seemed so much more attractive than their far less well-off and more parochial Middle American cousins. We don't care about our children's future anymore. That is not an opinion. It is a fact, supported by years and years of short-term profit and long-term "who cares?" thinking. This country once had optimism, and built great things. Now we have paranoia, and the Koch brothers, and Walmart, and we can't even fix our crumbling bridges until there is much hue and cry when one of them comes tumbling down, and people end up dead. And some of you want to worship the people that got us down this path? That's just insane.
Agreed. Good post. Those who worship these demons are the ones full of envy, hoping to achieve sainthood on a pack of deceit and lies.
The Kochs' fake philanthropy is transparent, just like that of other corporate thugs of late expecting forgiveness in their guilt ridden old age. Hang em all by their toes till they rot.
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| Post Number: 18
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stardust14
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Aug. 10 2015,10:56 pm |
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...The owner of the company where I work pulled up in his brand new BMW.
"Nice car", I say.
He replies, "Lemme tell you somehing. If you set goals, work hard, and act determined I can have even a better one next year...
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| Post Number: 19
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
Posts: 22675
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Aug. 10 2015,11:47 pm |
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(stardust14 @ Aug. 10 2015,10:56 pm)
QUOTE ...The owner of the company where I work pulled up in his brand new BMW.
"Nice car", I say.
He replies, "Lemme tell you somehing. If you set goals, work hard, and act determined I can have even a better one next year...
Well then, you better get cracken, he is nice enough to provide a job for you, take risks to better the company and probably put up with your whiney ass.
I'm not a big fan of BMW cars, too high maintenance.
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Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne”
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| Post Number: 20
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stardust14
Group: Members
Posts: 337
Joined: Nov. 2014
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Posted on: Aug. 11 2015,12:26 am |
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I'm not a big fan of patronizing bosses who endoctrinate employees on how "lucky" they be to have a job.
Thankfully in real life I don't have a boss with an attitude or BMW.
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