From: john@anasazi.com (John R. Moore)
Subject: Re: DEMOCRACY For ECONOMICS
Reply-To: john@anasazi.com
Organization: Anasazi, Inc.  Phoenix, Arizona USA
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 14:54:15 GMT

Keywords: 

In article <1992Nov12.171904.2313@cnsvax.uwec.edu> mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu writes:

BOZO ALERT: too MANY CAPitalized words BELOW:
]          
]
]                           DEMOCRACY FOR ECONOMICS
]          
]               Much has been said and written about the virtues of 
]          democracy.  The United States CLAIMS to have it, and has been 
]          SELF-RIGHTEOUSLY trying to IMPOSE it on other countries such 
]          as Grenada, Nicaragua, Panama, even Kuwait and Iraq.  Other 
]          western countries also CLAIM to be democratic, and democratic 
]          reforms have been sweeping the communist world. 
]
]               But a TRUE democracy can NOT exist, in the United States 
]          nor anywhere else, unless and until the PRINCIPLES of demo-
]          cracy are FULLY applied TO ECONOMICS, where they COUNT the 
]          most. 
But the United States doesn't claim to have a "TRUE democracy" and never
has. It has a representative democracy, with constitutionally protected
rights, and constitutionally established layers of government.

]
]               Economic democracy for the United States has three main 
]          requirements, which should also be established in ALL other 
]          countries. 
]
]               First, ALL corporation$ must be REPLACED with COOPERA-
]          TIVES.  Simply change the federal and state corporation laws, 
]          so there is one vote per share HOLDER, rather than per share 
]          of stock.  REPLACE the bank$ and $aving$ and loan a$$ocia-
]          tion$ with CREDIT UNIONS in the same way, so there is one 
]          vote per depositor and shareholder. 

Oh yeah, this makes a ton of sense! What you are saying is that in the name
of democracy, you are going to refuse to allow people to voluntarily
enter into contracts with terms of their choice (such as representation
based on amount of capital contributed). Why is it that communists (which
is what you are really pushing) always end up by restricting freedom
of contract... of course they go on to restrict all the rest of freedoms.
]
]               Second, require the ELECTION, rather than appointment, 
]          of ALL financial, economic, and banking officials.  For 
]          example, the person occupying the position now held by Alan 
]          Greenspan should be periodically and directly ELECTED on a 
]          national level.  There could even be added a 4TH BRANCH of 
]          government, for "Banking and Finance". 

Hey this would really be great. Think of the wonderful choices our
voters would make when they have to decide on the qualifications of
thousands of people at each ellection. I have enough trouble just
voting for our local judges - there are too many of thim.
]
]               Third, establish a GUARANTEED MONTHLY INCOME, just 
]          enough for basic food, clothing, and shelter costs, given to 
]          each and EVERY person REGARDLESS of his or her wealth, wages, 
]          salary, or other earnings.  CREATE the money for this OUT OF 
]          "THIN AIR" by simply having computers OFFICIALLY print out 
]          and mail monthly allowance checks.  IF THERE'S A WILL, 
]          THERE'S A WAY. 

Actually, this isn't such a dumb idea, other than the creation of
inflation.
]
]               A fourth supplementary provision would be a 4-DAY (32-
]          HOUR) WORK-WEEK.  This would distribute the available useful 
]          work more evenly, fairly, and DEMOCRATICALLY among everyone 
]          who wants it, and give most employees an extra day each week 
]          for themselves and their families.  SIMPLY CHANGE THE FEDERAL 
]          AND STATE OVERTIME LAWS, FROM 40 TO 32.  Reduce this by one 
]          hour every year down to a 14-hour work week, as automation 
]          expands, and inefficient, worthless, or harmful jobs, such as 
]          in cigarette factories, and the military, are phased out and 
]          eliminated. 
Sure, what the hell... once again interference with contracts.

]          
]               Such applications of DEMOCRACY to economics would 
]          eliminate or greatly reduce many of the problems now plaguing 
]          the People of the world--starvation, malnutrition, homeless-
]          ness, poverty, poverty-induced crime, unemployment, the need 
]          for the legalized- EXTORTION and ARMED ROBBERY of alimony and 
]          "child support", even taxation, etc., ETC.. 

It looks to me like this is applying government intervention in place
of freedom. Why does this not come as a surprise.
]          
]               The present banking $y$tem in the United States ALREADY 
]          has a complex, perhaps misleading way, of creating money out 
]          of "thin air", involving the "Open Market Committee" of the 
]          PRIVATELY-OWNED "Federal" Reserve System, discounting proce-
]          dures, loan procedures, interest rates, etc.. 

Snicker.
]
]               The problem with it is that the few powerful banker$ 
]          DICTATE which people or enterprises receive this new money, 
]          and what it may be used for, and then demand that it all be 
]          paid back to them, PLUS interest, AS IF THIS NEW MONEY 
]          BELONGED TO THE BANKER$ ALONE!  And the paper "currency" that 
]          we now use is NOT even real currency, because it is not 
]          redeemable in gold or silver on demand. 

Har har har!
]
]               Consider the ABSURDITY of such a money system, 
]          especially in a country that is SUPPOSED TO BE "free and 
]          democratic"! 
]
]               Consider also the ABSURDITY of forcing People to compete 
]          against each other for a chance to "earn" the things they 
]          need and should receive regardless.  Look what happens to the 
]          losers of such competition and their families!  Even the 
]          "winners" are SLAVES, when they have to settle for work they 
]          don't really want, and are forced to submit to the WHIMS of 
]          their bo$$e$.  They are also SLAVES to the extent that they 
]          are UNDERPAID for their work. 

Aw, mommy, I'm so sad. I wanted to work as a movie star, but the ABSURD
SYSTEM wouldn't let me! Waaahhhhhh I think the government should FORCE
them to hire me as a movie star!
]          
]               Newly created money should be PERMANENTLY and democra-
]          tically distributed to ALL of the People, who are much better 
]          qualified than the banker$ to spend it properly. 
]          
]               It is high time to stop being HYPOCRITES about freedom 
]          and democracy, and start fully applying these two principles 
]          TO ECONOMICS where they COUNT the most. 

Oh, you mean remove freedom in the name of economic democracy. I understand!
]
]
]               UN-altered REPRODUCTION and DISSEMINATION of these 
]          IMPORTANT ideas is ENCOURAGED. 
]
]
Why, for heavens sake? Why don't you send this idiotic rubbish to
rec.humour. It is one of the dumbest (and that's saying things) postings
I have seen in ages.

Please tell us that this is a hoax.


-- 
John Moore NJ7E, 7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253  (602-951-9326)
john@anasazi.com ncar!noao!asuvax!anasaz!john anasaz!john@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
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