How could anyone hate free-market capitalism?

[Respecteddirt269]

I guess the idea sounds fine, but then there is competition, doesn't somebody's business have to fail in order for another to flourish?

[slykitty62]

The Democrats and the President aren't trying to do away with capitalism. Just regulate it so people don't get victimized by it. Think Enron, think subprime mortgages, etc.

[RLP]

If you are lazy and don't want to work you hate people who are more motivated and successful than you are.

[jdm]

Because most people don't understand the ins and outs, and like almost everything politically related, they only see black and white. Look at how many people chastise capitalism on here, or blast socialism...well, we have both, and have for awhile.

I agree with you 100% though. A lot of people hear a thought similar to this one and assume we may mean tearing down any social bonds, throw away any social programs and live every man for himself. That's not what I'm looking for at all when I say that these social programs need to be thrown under a microscope. I actually think that the people who are interested in leaving things as-is or even expanding the programs are doing more of a disservice to the public than the ones who truly want to rebuild what those programs were intended to do. They've become so vast, so big and deep that it's nearly impossible to believe that any of our money is really helping anyone other than the politicians who run these programs. No one is saying to take them away, just re-do them so that we can get back to productively helping other members of society without having to worry about Washington's hand being in the cookie jar.

[CD]

It's propaganda by the Lib's who are trying to make everyone think that that we are so stupid that we have to have government do everything for us. Especially manage our money. Communist crap. The social programs reward those to lazy to do things for themselves and makes people dependent on the government.

[Tim D]

Believe me, some people do hate free market capitalism. It is renowned for the wealth it generates, as it gives many people an incentive and opportunity to work hard and produce, but there's still a downside. All too often, when the idea is to produce for the market, i.e. produce what is popular, other important things get sacrificed, among them truth. TV producers once came out with "the mysterious origins of man." It was loaded with fallacies and inaccuracies just because thhey were popular i.e. supported a religious view of origins. The producers didn't care about what was really true; they were willing to pander to people's ignorance to make a buck. The educational system also suffers a lot under capitalism, and society with it. All too often, some half retard with rich parents gets into college and gets a great job afterwards because his parents pull strings for him, while a smart but poor kid who could've cured cancer can't pay for college, turns to crime and dies on the streets.

[TK]

I'm unaware of anyone, least of all President Obama, who believes that the government should completely control the American economy. President Obama believes that America's financial economy in particular must be appropriately regulated and overseen by agencies for compliance with those regulations in order to avert the kind of financial catastrophe we have just witnessed.

Most social programs are intended to complement the free market economy for those Americans who cannot work for a living or who are retired from the workforce. These programs give these Americans a minimal standard of living, one in which they almost immediately inject their economic benefits right back into the American economy. So virtually all of the expensive social programs that are offered have a very important and frequently unacknowledged economic benefit to the economy. It's not as though these social programs represent a bottom line loss. You have to calculate how much money these recipients return to the economy, which is almost 100%.

In other words, there are plenty of American workers and American businesses making money and paying taxes and purchasing goods and services and investing and/or saving money all as a result of the social programs administered by state, local and federal governments.

We are making money. So the answer to your question is that we can have broad social programs that meet basic needs and still make money.

Take care.