A Better World ( Dean Baker )

[BeckyDem]

January 06, 2022
Dean Baker


Okay, I’m a bit slow for a New Year’s piece, but what the hell, we can always use a bit of optimism. Anyhow, I thought I would spout a few things about what the world might look like if we didn’t rig the market to give all the money to rich people. Not much new here for regular readers, I just thought I would spell it on paper, since it is a nice backdrop for many of our battles.

Before I go through my favorite unriggings, let me start by making a general point, which some people may miss. I focus much of my writing on ways that we rig the market to give money to the Bill Gates and Moderna billionaires of the world.

The idea of restructuring the market, so that these people do not get so rich, is not just a question of punishing the wealthy. When we give these people more money, in excess of what they contribute to the economy (we have to pay people something to develop mRNA vaccines, just not as much as we did), then we are generating more demand in the economy. This has the same effect on the economy as an increase in government spending.

Excerpt:

Free Market Drugs and Vaccines (There is probably no sector where the impact of government-granted patent and copyrights is more pernicious than in healthcare.)

https://cepr.net/a-better-world/

[ShazamIam]

1. It is why the libertarian anti-gov. tribe's motto is: Every human need must produce private profit.

Food, water, shelter, clothing, health care, education, policing, military operations,.
The, "free market," is sexy euphemism for, unregulated seller market. unregulated regarding labor, consumer protections, and of course profits, not only unregulated but able to avoid paying taxes on the profits from tax money as well.


Edit: added text, twice:

[LoisB]

2. Perfect.

[ShazamIam]

3. Thanks, I wonder why there is so little pushback on the privatization. Must be because tne news

folks rarely mention it. I have never heard it on video but I don't watch much., and there is not much in the MSM text providers. It takes looking into think tanks, and 2nd and 3rd level publications, from from the headlines of the national reach information sources.

for example: Did National Geographic ever do a feature on privatization? Yes compatible since our public owned lands are being taken over via leases to private corporations and individuals.

[BeckyDem]

4. I agree, we do not have a strong msm, it has been weakened over time and

benefits corporations. They often do the both sides arguments and lately, regarding climate change? They do not say to their guests, what should the legislation look like? What exactly will make a difference in time? Informing the public on specifics is not what I am seeing.

[ShazamIam]

5. Bothsiderism was created way back in the 80s as the path to push corporate conservatism, all

the way back to feudalism, the true heart of libertarianism, private control of everything with no interference from government and religion who will be responsible only for enforcement of rules mandated by the ruling and owning class.