Here's a good one...

[clarice]

Is the very concept of "money" inherently "evil" ?

[CJCRANE]

1. Money is just a token.

How you distribute the tokens is what counts.

[clarice]

2. AND how and if you EARN them. nt

[CJCRANE]

3. IMO everyone should get enough tokens

to provide for the basic necessities of life: food, healthcare, shelter.

People who work hard, or are in leadership positions or who provide a specialist service should get a few more tokens, but not exponentially more.

Throw in progressive taxation so the government can provide healthcare, education and security.

That's pretty much it as I see it. Shouldn't be too difficult to implement...

[clarice]

4. But who would regluate...

How much more these "positions" should earn? Seems to me to be a very slippery slope.
I sure wouldn't want anyone putting a "cap" on what I could or should earn.

[CJCRANE]

5. We (humans) make the rules. We can decide what outcome we want

from the system.

If we want a few people sitting on hoards of wealth doing nothing with it, then let's stick with what we've got.

[clarice]

6. agreed.....

But wouldn't it be a bit "unwieldy" to have every person in every company meet
every time some one deserved a raise? I'm still not sure that I would want my lovely
co-workers to decide my economic future. lol

[CJCRANE]

7. The average worker isn't the problem.

It's the directors CEOs making 300 times the average wage or the bankers who receive a huge salary plus a bonus equivalent to double or triple their salary.

That's where it's out of balance.

I think that huge wealth at the top should be shifted down towards the middle a bit more.

[clarice]

8. again, agreed...

I wasn't talking about those CEO assholes or Trust Fund Babies,
I was speaking more of average people like us.

IE: my original post. When you think about it, money is really a very simple,
innocent, pure concept. At it's core, it is a way to be rewarded for
your goods/services/labor comenserate with your abilities to provide them.*

*again, discounting big corporate mucky - mucks.lol

[CJCRANE]

9. We're pretty much on the same page.

Money is fine when it's related to the real economy.

The problem came when the banks and corporations figured out a way to make money disconnected from the real economy, e.g. all the collateralized debt obligations, credit default swaps etc.

[clarice]

10. Yes we are....let me run this one by you.

I've always thought that if we where to remove oil/gas from
the commodities board, we would eliminate the manipulation from
short sellers and contract brokers. It's amazing how much their chicanery
affects us at the pumps. Your thoughts on this ?

[CJCRANE]

11. That sounds fine by me.

It would certainly increase economic stability.

[clarice]

12. Thanks, good luck CJ. nt