Corporation (cor-por-ay-shun) [n.] An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without any individual responsibility.
--Ambrose Bierce

I hope some of you have seen Rollerball--not the recent one, but the original (1975) with James Caan and a good boob shot of Maud Adams (even though I'm gay I have to appreciate a good Maud Adams boob shot). Corporations rule the world and distract the public from their lack of actual political freedom with the modern equivalent of "bread and circuses" (in the form of luxury goods and an intriguingly violent sport designed to discourage individual leadership among the public).

The book I had been reading for a while, The Dictator's Handbook, spoke of how certain countries with a broad and inclusive "winning coalition" produce "public goods" that benefit a broader section of the population. Not always what everybody wants, but at least a good marginal majority. In autocracies, a much smaller, tightly-controlled winning coalition sucks in the people's money for private rewards.

And it is so with corporations. Corporate America, particularly "publicly" held corporations, are nothing more than corrupt, tinpot dictatorships--except that the leaders (executives) are wearing nicer suits. Has it escaped anyone's notice that the electoral system within the rogue states of Wall Street resemble that of pre-Glasnost Russia?

And in other news, 18th century economist Adam Smith warned that large corporations (and guilds, etc, other stuff existing at that time which resemble modern corporations in effect) will start to use their undue influence with the government as part of a "conspiracy against the public."

I'm inclined to agree with Mr Smith.

You all worry about gerrymandering--and for the record, I do, too. But I worry even more about Goldman Sachs and Exxon Mobil. Thomas Jefferson was spot on when he said "banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies."

I'm inclined to agree with Mr Jefferson even more.

So the candidate who most closely agrees with Jefferson, Smith and you is ....
Bernie Sanders. Although Clinton does seem to have reasons and policies that reflect an appreciation for the problems that the "banks" and hedge funds cause - and perhaps an adequate regulation system.

Republican candidates oppose most of Dodd Frank. And most regulation.
Do you still support a republican candidate?
http://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-candida ... 1447275400

hacker

I hope some of you have seen Rollerball--not the recent one, but the original (1975) with James Caan and a good boob shot of Maud Adams (even though I'm gay I have to appreciate a good Maud Adams boob shot). Corporations rule the world and distract the public from their lack of actual political freedom with the modern equivalent of "bread and circuses" (in the form of luxury goods and an intriguingly violent sport designed to discourage individual leadership among the public)

.
In the original book, the game is an ultra violent version of NFL football, played in a slum.

By the way, your starting to sound like someone who thinks his political system is functioning all that well.

I think you need to read what I say a little more CAREFULLY.

P.S. How do you know I supported a GOP candidate in the first place? I think you assumed that.

In the original book, the game is an ultra violent version of NFL football, played in a slum.

OK, circuses but no bread