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777: "I sometimes wonder if Eisenhower ever thought of me."
It's Everybody's Business
Nov. 17th, 2011 11:47 pmWho's a socialist? Well, according to most of today's politicians, the 1954 Chamber of Commerce were socialists!
I've mentioned this video to several people after I first saw it a few years ago, and wanted to put it up on YouTube, but couldn't figure out how because it was too long.
This is an animated short (about 20 minutes long) that the Chamber of Commerce put out in 1954, extolling the virtues of capitalism and the American business system.
But, in 1954, they meant something somewhat different than the Republican/Libertarian/Randroid/Tea Party means today. The movie talks about not just the importance of making money, but of supporting America by doing so. (And by America, they meant the whole country, not just the richest 1% and a bunch of Cayman Island bankers).
Some quotes from the film:
Among these essential services are included the "necessary funds to expand and improve our school system" and "City streets, health, fire, and police protection, and, of course, aid to the needy."
That's right. Health care and aid to the needy were considered, by the 1954 Chamber of Commerce, as essential parts of government services without which the American Way of Life was threatened.
Oh, yeah, they also mentioned the importance of government financing of scientific research that could improve everybody's way of life. Socialism, I tell you! Every Republican candidate for government would pitch a fit if they saw this film now. (Well, those who could understand it, anyway, so I guess Ron Paul.)
Along with extolling the virtues of paying taxes to support the country that makes your business possible, it also lists among the essential rights of an American "The right to bargain with your employer." That's right - the Chamber of Commerce is saying, in 1954, that Unions are essential to the American Way Of Life!
Other essential rights are the right to work in the job of your own choosing, and the "Right to free speech, right of assembly, and the right to privacy". That's right, privacy is a fundamental essential right of every American. Hear that, Homeland Security?
And the purpose of business? To make money for its own sake? Why no, it's to improve America and its way of life. One example it gives:
Then goes on to discuss the importance of leisure time and the availability of public education for everybody.
After explaining how new businesses are often started with loans from banks, which the banks can give because people have invested their money in them in the form of savings accounts, the film makes the claim:
The American Way of Life is dependent on sufficient wages to support both leisure AND savings! Wow, these guys really are socialists!
Anyway, I could go on at length, and explain exactly why I think capitalism really is an excellent choice for an economic system, but only when done properly, but it's late. Maybe later.
The film is available online in its entirety (it's about 20 minutes long) at: http://toonheads.tv/view/1420/its-everybodys-business-1954/
I've mentioned this video to several people after I first saw it a few years ago, and wanted to put it up on YouTube, but couldn't figure out how because it was too long.
This is an animated short (about 20 minutes long) that the Chamber of Commerce put out in 1954, extolling the virtues of capitalism and the American business system.
But, in 1954, they meant something somewhat different than the Republican/Libertarian/Randroid/Tea Party means today. The movie talks about not just the importance of making money, but of supporting America by doing so. (And by America, they meant the whole country, not just the richest 1% and a bunch of Cayman Island bankers).
Some quotes from the film:
While we invest part of our savings to help finance the world's most efficient business system, we also pay taxes to government to finance many kinds of services which also contribute to our way of life.
Among these essential services are included the "necessary funds to expand and improve our school system" and "City streets, health, fire, and police protection, and, of course, aid to the needy."
That's right. Health care and aid to the needy were considered, by the 1954 Chamber of Commerce, as essential parts of government services without which the American Way of Life was threatened.
Oh, yeah, they also mentioned the importance of government financing of scientific research that could improve everybody's way of life. Socialism, I tell you! Every Republican candidate for government would pitch a fit if they saw this film now. (Well, those who could understand it, anyway, so I guess Ron Paul.)
Along with extolling the virtues of paying taxes to support the country that makes your business possible, it also lists among the essential rights of an American "The right to bargain with your employer." That's right - the Chamber of Commerce is saying, in 1954, that Unions are essential to the American Way Of Life!
Other essential rights are the right to work in the job of your own choosing, and the "Right to free speech, right of assembly, and the right to privacy". That's right, privacy is a fundamental essential right of every American. Hear that, Homeland Security?
And the purpose of business? To make money for its own sake? Why no, it's to improve America and its way of life. One example it gives:
Only half a century ago... many men had to work 10 hours a day, six days a week to provide his family with only the bare essentials. A half century later, we had invested ... enough to allow the average worker to make twice as much in only 40 hours a week.
Then goes on to discuss the importance of leisure time and the availability of public education for everybody.
After explaining how new businesses are often started with loans from banks, which the banks can give because people have invested their money in them in the form of savings accounts, the film makes the claim:
Our rising standard of living depends on a constant flow of savings dollars into our business system each year.
The American Way of Life is dependent on sufficient wages to support both leisure AND savings! Wow, these guys really are socialists!
Anyway, I could go on at length, and explain exactly why I think capitalism really is an excellent choice for an economic system, but only when done properly, but it's late. Maybe later.
The film is available online in its entirety (it's about 20 minutes long) at: http://toonheads.tv/view/1420/its-everybodys-business-1954/
Speaking of socialism
Sep. 6th, 2009 01:26 pmOther things I don't want my tax dollars spent on.
I have health insurance through my work, because I negotiated for it. Why should my tax dollars pay for other people to have health insurance when they're not working, or didn't negotiate health care?
I'm also fairly healthy, so if I want to live without insurance and take the risks myself, I should be allowed to do so.
I live in a low-crime area of town. Why should the government take money from me to spend on increasing police presence throughout the rest of the city?
I don't have any children, nor do I intend to. So why should my property taxes be going to pay for the education of other people's children?
My house has good wiring. I don't smoke, have a fire place, own any candles, or engage in any other behaviors that people do that increase the risk of fires. And I'm willing to assume the risk myself if my house burns down. So why should my tax dollars go to paying for a public fire department.
I don't live in a hurricane zone, or in an earthquake-prone area, or near frequent tornadoes, or on an active volcano, so how come my tax dollars are spent on federal agencies that help people recover when these things inevitably cause damage?
I have friends who are vegetarians. I bet they're pissed that the government is stealing their money and using it to inspect meat that they will never eat just to keep the rest of us safe. If you want to be safe from contaminants in meat, don't eat it.
I drive up and down I-5 a lot, mostly between Portland and Eugene. I only occasionally drive down into California or up to Seattle. I'm willing to pay extra just those times I do that, so I don't think my tax dollars should have to go to pay for upkeep on the entire road.
I've never driven on Interstate 12 in my entire life, nor do I ever intend to do so. So why are my tax dollars being spent there, too?
We need to stop all this socialist spending on programs that don't benefit me.
I have health insurance through my work, because I negotiated for it. Why should my tax dollars pay for other people to have health insurance when they're not working, or didn't negotiate health care?
I'm also fairly healthy, so if I want to live without insurance and take the risks myself, I should be allowed to do so.
I live in a low-crime area of town. Why should the government take money from me to spend on increasing police presence throughout the rest of the city?
I don't have any children, nor do I intend to. So why should my property taxes be going to pay for the education of other people's children?
My house has good wiring. I don't smoke, have a fire place, own any candles, or engage in any other behaviors that people do that increase the risk of fires. And I'm willing to assume the risk myself if my house burns down. So why should my tax dollars go to paying for a public fire department.
I don't live in a hurricane zone, or in an earthquake-prone area, or near frequent tornadoes, or on an active volcano, so how come my tax dollars are spent on federal agencies that help people recover when these things inevitably cause damage?
I have friends who are vegetarians. I bet they're pissed that the government is stealing their money and using it to inspect meat that they will never eat just to keep the rest of us safe. If you want to be safe from contaminants in meat, don't eat it.
I drive up and down I-5 a lot, mostly between Portland and Eugene. I only occasionally drive down into California or up to Seattle. I'm willing to pay extra just those times I do that, so I don't think my tax dollars should have to go to pay for upkeep on the entire road.
I've never driven on Interstate 12 in my entire life, nor do I ever intend to do so. So why are my tax dollars being spent there, too?
We need to stop all this socialist spending on programs that don't benefit me.
