THE VENTERS IN THE COMMENTS…
Over at The Huffington Post, there’s a story about the Chattanooga shoplifters. That doesn’t really interest me. The reactions of readers, however, does interest me. The comments quickly move away from the theft to much larger social issues.
Actually all kidding aside, the worst thing Americans can do to their economy and country in general is to shop at WalMart and to buy Chinese goods. You only need 4 things to live, air, food, clothing and shelter. Everything else is unnecessary.
Shopping at WalMart debases our currency, increases of taxes and further destroys what might be left of our republic. There is a massive shift of wealth and political power going on in this country from the working and middle classes to the ruling elites.
WalMart is one of the conduits that makes that possible. When you buy a Chinese product at WalMart you cost an American worker (maybe you) his job. You move that job to a 3rd world country. That lost job causes a reduction in income and a reduction in ALL taxes the person would pay; sales, income, excise, property etc).
That means your taxes go up. If that person gets a job at WalMart they pay him less and they generally don’t pay health insurance so he goes on medicaid so your taxes go up to pay for it. As you taxes go up you have less disposable income so more Americans loose their jobs, are you seeing the trend? By sending money to China they must buy US Treasuries to invest it. Those treasuries add to the national debt and drive inflation, That debases your dollar and with it your standard of living.
And,
Sorry it takes a European to state plainly what most Americans should already know. Unfortunately, in a country like ours, the bottom rung of living and thinking has been elevated and applauded the last thirty years, as if those with little or no intelligence and no desire to educate themselves should be raised up.
A life of character is what matters. Doing the very least to improve our minds and those around us is the easiest way out, the most juvenile, and the least courageous.
Welcome to an old world in a new one bereft of common sense, let alone foresight or accountability.
And,
One of the key flaws in capitalism is externalization.. externalization is the degree to which a product can be apparently “cheap” and yet remain loaded with “costs”.. costs however, not remunerated by the consumer OR the manufacturer.
“An mp3 player? for only 16 dollars!!.wow!”.. but you see, the cost is still there.. it has just not been paid for by me.. it has been paid for by the earth which no doubt has suffered yet another gaping hole to bring me this product, paid for by the low wages and abhorrent safety conditions of the miners/foresters who had to source the raw materials, paid by those local to those mining operations and clear-cuts who are powerless to prevent the destruction of their landbase,.. paid by the low wages and lack of benefits of the factory workers and retail workers…(hey minimum wage cashier,..sorry about your child’s illness and your lack of adequate health care.. but THANKS for the cheap electronics!”).. paid for again by the earth when it comes to disposal of the product..very many of which cannot be recycled and are destined for countryside landfills and ocean gyres..
the meme that these products are “cheap” is delusional,.. these products are extremely expensive, they just haven’t been paid for.. even at the end, by the consumer or the producer.
There is much, much more there. Enjoy