Comments on: Economic Fascism http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/ Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:35:41 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Gman http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/comment-page-1/#comment-14575 Gman Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:08:24 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/uncategorized/economic-fascism/#comment-14575 Gregory, I think I agree with what your saying but let me try to better understand you. By \"economic democracy\" do you mean preventing the power and influence that corporations have in the policy-making process? I certainly agree that as we attempt to reduce or eliminate offensive forms of gov\'t-sponsored social welfare, we must take aim at gov\'t-sponsored corporate welfare (in fact, I would argue that we should target corporate welfare first). I see a couple challenges. 1) By and large, Americans have accepted democratic socialism and seem rather comfortable with it. In other words, there are blocks of voters that elect representatives (at every level of gov\'t) with the expectation that they are going to achieve social justice (read: redistribution of wealth). 2) How do we constitutionally limit the ability of well-heeled corporations to lobby for gov\'t largesse and patronage? In a society that, for the most part, still embraces freedom of assembly and petition, how to we in a practical way limit the ability of the powerful to exercise these freedoms? As all know, liberty can be a double-edged sword. I believe our forefathers structured our system such that the judiciary would check the legislative and executive in order to ensure that they were abiding the Constitution. But, alas, even Thomas Jefferson called the judiciary\'s \"watchdog\" function as \"scarcely a scarecrow\" - not exactly an effective threat to the other 2 branches. This isn\'t to say that the judiciary hasn\'t put the breaks on runaway policy-making, but even the judiciary is politicized. I\'ll check out your web site. Gregory, I think I agree with what your saying but let me try to better understand you. By \"economic democracy\" do you mean preventing the power and influence that corporations have in the policy-making process? I certainly agree that as we attempt to reduce or eliminate offensive forms of gov\’t-sponsored social welfare, we must take aim at gov\’t-sponsored corporate welfare (in fact, I would argue that we should target corporate welfare first). I see a couple challenges. 1) By and large, Americans have accepted democratic socialism and seem rather comfortable with it. In other words, there are blocks of voters that elect representatives (at every level of gov\’t) with the expectation that they are going to achieve social justice (read: redistribution of wealth). 2) How do we constitutionally limit the ability of well-heeled corporations to lobby for gov\’t largesse and patronage? In a society that, for the most part, still embraces freedom of assembly and petition, how to we in a practical way limit the ability of the powerful to exercise these freedoms? As all know, liberty can be a double-edged sword. I believe our forefathers structured our system such that the judiciary would check the legislative and executive in order to ensure that they were abiding the Constitution. But, alas, even Thomas Jefferson called the judiciary\’s \"watchdog\" function as \"scarcely a scarecrow\" – not exactly an effective threat to the other 2 branches. This isn\’t to say that the judiciary hasn\’t put the breaks on runaway policy-making, but even the judiciary is politicized.

I\’ll check out your web site.

]]> By: Gregory http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/comment-page-1/#comment-11145 Gregory Thu, 14 May 2009 15:05:13 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/uncategorized/economic-fascism/#comment-11145 This is a difficult place we find ourselves. We are in the thick of economic fascism and an abrupt change will not occur. As much as many would like to dream it so, there is still a lot of comfort in the USA. So we need a path way toward economic democracy??? We can not reduce government power and intrusiveness without doing the same with corporate power. Or corporate power will structure our society not the people. We need small groups acting locally like "Citizens Closing The Gap" in Brevard Florida. A group designed to engage the legislative process and educate the local community. Certainly voices like Elizabeth Warren could help guide in the transition. Rev. Gregory Wilson This is a difficult place we find ourselves. We are in the thick of economic fascism and an abrupt change will not occur. As much as many would like to dream it so, there is still a lot of comfort in the USA. So we need a path way toward economic democracy??? We can not reduce government power and intrusiveness without doing the same with corporate power. Or corporate power will structure our society not the people. We need small groups acting locally like “Citizens Closing The Gap” in Brevard Florida. A group designed to engage the legislative process and educate the local community. Certainly voices like Elizabeth Warren could help guide in the transition.

Rev. Gregory Wilson

]]> By: Cari Beth http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/comment-page-1/#comment-8987 Cari Beth Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:26:38 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/uncategorized/economic-fascism/#comment-8987 Wow. It is amazing how this article applies exactly today---Government now own General Motors and is touted as the only way to save it. I can only shake my head. Academia and our current president have done a superb job at selling government as the solution. Very very scary as fascists of the past did the exact same thing. The question is: will this stop? Will Americans preserve what little freedom we have left? Wow. It is amazing how this article applies exactly today—Government now own General Motors and is touted as the only way to save it.

I can only shake my head. Academia and our current president have done a superb job at selling government as the solution.

Very very scary as fascists of the past did the exact same thing.

The question is: will this stop? Will Americans preserve what little freedom we have left?

]]> By: Rob Mason http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/comment-page-1/#comment-8255 Rob Mason Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:28:30 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/uncategorized/economic-fascism/#comment-8255 Excellent again a great essay by a great economist. Should be required reading for sure. thanks Excellent again a great essay by a great economist. Should be required reading for sure.
thanks

]]> By: Bob Williams http://www.thefreemanonline.org/columns/economic-fascism/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Bob Williams Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:53:51 +0000 http://www.thefreemanonline.org/uncategorized/economic-fascism/#comment-7 While corporatist wordpushers and pied pipers continue to cry "socialism" to camouflage their actions, it is important for us to remember the difference. While corporatist wordpushers and pied pipers continue to cry “socialism” to camouflage their actions, it is important for us to remember the difference.

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