Thinking About Capitalism

Sometimes one actually thinks, I know that is a surprise. This quote from Charles Smith's blog led me to think. 

There are two real-time examples of these dynamics we can profitably study: "capitalist" Greece and "socialist" Venezuela. Both nations have impoverished their citizenry to preserve an oligarchy and its cronies.

I hope it won't be too great a shock that crony-capitalism and crony-socialism function in much the same fashion and generate the same result: the wealth of the nation is funneled (or expropriated) into the ruling Elites, impoverishing the non-elites.

But the meme is socialism bad, capitalism good, and the proof is Venezuela. Nah, not so much. Something is going to have to be done about the huge debt of the Western World. Greece is a good example of that debt. Almost no one is talking about this. They will, soon. 

McCain Commits a Felony.

While there has never been a conviction on the Logan Act, McCain is in violation of it here. It has been the law of the land for over 200 years. 

§ 953. Private correspondence with foreign governments.

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply himself, or his agent, to any foreign government, or the agents thereof, for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.

1 Stat. 613, January 30, 1799, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 953 (2004).  

I wish to apologize once again for voting for McCain in 2008.

Who is Putin

I think that there are a few errors, but a good presentation. 

Trump Vs. The Democrats

Here is a video representation of Trumpson's fighting the Democrats with his bare hands. Notice how Deliacan conservatives watch in admiration. Later of course they will betray Trumpson and remove his toupee. 

Really Dumb Superbowl Ads

Last time I checked the purpose of a Superbowl ad was to increase sales for your business. A Superbowl Ad costs millions, so lets do an ad that hurts our business said no one ever. But yet that is exactly what two ads did. 

The first begins with a stereotypical beer customer insulting the founder of Budweiser as he enters America. Of course, most of those who Budweiser is parodying do not oppose immigration, they oppose illegal immigration. There is a certain subset that those oppose all immigration, but it is small, 10% maybe. But even at 10%, why would Budweiser want to alienate that many potential beer drinkers? Not also the founder of Budweiser nodding at a black man, no stereotype was left unaired. 

Here is the ad: 

(Budweiser is doubling down and is buying extensive YouTube presence for these ads.) 

The second ad is for 84 Lumber. It is even worse as it highlights illegal immigration. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when this ad was pitched. It is like 84 Lumber does not actually know who its customers are. A big problem in the contractor and subcontractor area is the hiring of illegal aliens. If you are a contractor, and a potential customer of 84 Lumber, you may have just been underbid by a competitor who uses illegal labor. Your supplier favoring these illegal acts might influence which supplier you chose. Notice also the stereotype of women and children as illegals. 

I wonder how the "let's insult half of our customers" ploy is going to work for them?