The "L" Curve. If you teach your children nothing else, they should learn this.

[Bonobo]

And THIS is what the real story is.

After you take a look, tell me who the elitist is. Who hangs out with and rubs elbows with the elite?

Who is discussing what is happening and who is obfuscating?

Who is real and who is practiced and fake?

Please follow this link and leave your comments. How does this "L-Curve" affect your thoughts on the election, if at all.

http://www.lcurve.org/

[patrice]

1. Not only are the proportions unjust, but the imbalance perpetuates itself,

by creating factors that make it harder and harder for those on the other side of the 50 yard line to do anything about their situation.

[Bonobo]

3. Well, 10, 20, 50, or 90, it is 1000 factors off of the last few inches.

[pnorman]

2. Off the topic, but I have to chuckle every time I see your sig-line!

Japan's Obama towns dances for U.S. namesake: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUST8454820080305?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

pnorman

[patrice]

4. What we need to do is re-define the American social contract.

At present the deal is: You cooperate and work and you will receive money.

The problem is: Money would not exist, in the first place, were it not for the individual's cooperation with the economic system, so there is no choice being offered in a "social contract" that says "Cooperate and don't cause trouble for the Rich and we will give you a paycheck." They're only offering you something that would not exist in the first place if you didn't agree to cooperate. That's not a choice.

The only way there would be a choice as to whether I am going to cooperate with the "social contract" or not is if you offer me something that has the same inherent value as my body-and-labor. The value of such items are independent of money (which can only be created by m/your labor so the labor is a GIVEN if you accept money). Things that have intrinsic value on par with my body-and-labor would be things such as: Health Care, Authentic and Complete Education, Genuine Security, and Appropriate Economic Opportunities (note the plural of this last item = economic opportunities that give me some choices as to what kind of compensation I may want for the investment of my time and energy).

To some people this sounds like Socialism, but I see it as Capitalism. My body and labor are my capital. If there is only one choice, if you offer me ONLY something that depends on and therefore assumes my labor as a Given, that's not a choice. As a good capitalist I must look for the best return on his/her investment. If there is only one "choice" there's no competition for my cooperation, hence no opportunity for me to maximize the profit on my investment.

Does any of this make sense to anyone but me?

[Beregond2]

5. Makes perfect

sense to me!

[patrice]

6. I'm having trouble saying why money isn't Real compensation.

Even if what I am suggesting is "Socialistic" what the f-difference does that make? At its heart Socialism is somekind of system that says something like, "The Group (as a whole) owes those who assent to be members of the group something in exchange for their participation in the group." The counter-point to that is something like "The group owes those who assent to be members of the group Money." So I was looking at that idea and thinking why it doesn't work. First of all, the group they're refering to isn't The Group (as a whole), so it's not The Group's benefits that they are offering and second of all, money isn't Real compensation.

Yes, there has been some bad, economically dysfunctional, Socialism, but it doesn't have to all be the same.