Anyone Else Had Enough of American Capitalism?

[Y]

I find it totally corrupt, and it corrupts everything it touches - government, society, religion (which is bad enough on its own), the population.

There's no reason to allow this system to continue unchecked.

I'll also consider any supported differing points of view on this proposition.

[The Troll]

  Capitalism is alright if it is controlled.  The present system is predatory capitalism.  Controlled by the super rich and the greedy corporations which has no morals, no allegiance to the country where it is formed.  Godless and immoral to the bones of the corporation.  The bottom line is all it care about and human workers are to be burnt up and spit out to serve the masters. 

  Franklin Roosevelt got us out of the greatest depression cause by greedy capitalist who controlled Herbert Hoover.  We had a great middle class and thing were going really good for the American people until Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich with is Contract for America which was to kill unions, do away with Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  Controls over the stock market and banks.  Just look what Ronald Reagan and Newt Gingrich has brought to the middle class.  The Rich 1% owns 86% of all the money in the world.  A fine kettle of fish the Republican Party has brought to the people of America.   We can make America great again, But Not With Donald Trump the biggest liar, crook and thief America has ever seen and the evil Republican Party.  Fuck Trump and the Republican Party. 

[Y]

  Capitalism is alright if it is controlled.

I agree with you, and it must be strictly controlled.

Of course, I see socialism or communism as probably better economic systems for society.

[me]

If you owned a business would you like the government to control it for you?

[The Troll]

If you owned a business would you like the government to control it for you?

  It sounded like you could have had some help with your business when you went bankrupt. 

[me]

  It sounded like you could have had some help with your business when you went bankrupt. 

I didn't go bankrupt I closed up because I got tired of working harder than the people who worked for me and making less money than they did because I tried to be fair with them and they didn't appreciate it. And that, dear sir, is exactly why government in your business is why socialism won't work because they want companies to "share the wealth". If a business owner can't make more than their employee's they just close up shop and everyone loses.

[AbbyTC]

I didn't go bankrupt I closed up because I got tired of working harder than the people who worked for me and making less money than they did because I tried to be fair with them and they didn't appreciate it. And that, dear sir, is exactly why government in your business is why socialism won't work because they want companies to "share the wealth". If a business owner can't make more than their employee's they just close up shop and everyone loses.

What type of business did you run?  Why did you continue to make less money than your employees when they didn't appreciate what you were doing?  That makes no sense to me.  I'm all for for being fair, but if I'm working harder than someone else, my wages better show it. And if I have employees that aren't working hard, then they definitely wouldn't be paid more than me.  Sounds more like you let them take advantage of you.

[Locutus]

If you owned a business would you like the government to control it for you?

WHOOSH!!!!  Right over your head as usual.   

I think there is a ton of evidence that unbridled capitalism is certainly not in the best interest of you, and the rest of the hoi polloi, that are on the receiving end of its results. 

[me]

What type of business did you run?  Why did you continue to make less money than your employees when they didn't appreciate what you were doing?  That makes no sense to me.  I'm all for for being fair, but if I'm working harder than someone else, my wages better show it. And if I have employees that aren't working hard, then they definitely wouldn't be paid more than me.  Sounds more like you let them take advantage of you.

It was a car detail/used car sales and I furnished all the supplies and tools for the job and split the take. I am a worker and so I knew how hard it was and when the person tipped I gave the employee 3/4 of the tip if we both worked on the car but they got the whole thing if they did it. Dumb on my part I know but money isn't the be all end all with me. I also had 11 rental properties which I maintained myself with the help of one other person so I was quite busy. We did cars for an auto auction plus 8 car lots as well as had regulars we did once a week and drive in's. I also picked up and delivered for some of the regulars and a couple of the car lots so needless to say my days were quite busy since we did the full details even on rainy days. I was able to pay the bills for supplies and make the payment on the building so I wasn't thinking about the part where I wasn't making anything for myself until, when I was doing 1099's, I noticed how much I had been paying out for help and doing the end of the year take for the shop and realized I had made less profit than I had paid my employees. One employee started talking to me like I was hired help so I fired him and a few months later the other one started drinking again, he was a reformed alcoholic, and I caught him drinking on the job so I just reached the end of my rope and closed it down. He was a great detail man but if he had messed up someones car while buffing it that would have cost me for repairs so I had no choice.  Oh, the employees chose for me not to deduct tax's.

[The Troll]

  Oh he was a great detail man, but he drank.     The answer to that is to carry insurance.     When I had my plumbing business, I carried a million dollar liability insurance policy.  For customers like you.   

[AbbyTC]

....I was able to pay the bills for supplies and make the payment on the building so I wasn't thinking about the part where I wasn't making anything for myself until, when I was doing 1099's, I noticed how much I had been paying out for help and doing the end of the year take for the shop and realized I had made less profit than I had paid my employees.... Oh, the employees chose for me not to deduct tax's.

You never looked at your finances on a monthly basis?  You waited until EOY to discover this?  I have never heard of a business owner doing that.  They keep on top of what is going on. I understand being busy, but this sounds more like you have no business sense, especially the part where "the employees chose for me not to deduct tax's".  Why did you let the employees decided how to run your business?  This makes no sense to me. 

What happened to your 11 rentals? 

[Anne]

Of course, I see socialism or communism as probably better economic systems for society.

Why?

[me]

  Oh he was a great detail man, but he drank.     The answer to that is to carry insurance.     When I had my plumbing business, I carried a million dollar liability insurance policy.  For customers like you.   

I had insurance but the drinking was affecting his work and I just didn't want to take a chance on him ruining someones paint job while buffing or any number of other things that may have happened. If you would have allowed someone who drank on the job to continue to work for you just because you had insurance that's wrong.

You never looked at your finances on a monthly basis?  You waited until EOY to discover this?  I have never heard of a business owner doing that.  They keep on top of what is going on. I understand being busy, but this sounds more like you have no business sense, especially the part where "the employees chose for me not to deduct tax's".  Why did you let the employees decided how to run your business?  This makes no sense to me. 

What happened to your 11 rentals? 

Like I said money isn't the be all and end all with me and I had so much going on I just didn't look at the bottom line since I was making money. Poor business sense, maybe, but I'm not the type of person to sit back while others work and wouldn't ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do myself. My biggest mistake was looking at myself as a coworker rather than an owner/boss.
Sold them since I was getting too old to put up with having that many properties to maintain. Yes, I had help but I was a hands on type of person and did the cleaning, some painting, minor repairs, and general upkeep myself. I met some great people over the 30 plus years and am still friends with some but the bad tenants were a real pita.

[Y]

If you owned a business would you like the government to control it for you?

As a member of society, would you want your government to turn a blind eye to business as so often happens?

To put it bluntly, you are saying you're OK with business screwing society left, right, and sideways as we are reminded practically daily in the news.

As far as I'm concerned, business has a social responsibility to act ethically - the social contract - and yet capitalism ignores ethics and social responsibility for the almighty profits.

[Y]

WHOOSH!!!!  Right over your head as usual.   

I think there is a ton of evidence that unbridled capitalism is certainly not in the best interest of you, and the rest of the hoi polloi, that are on the receiving end of its results.

Yup!

We see that evidence practically daily in the news.  Prescription drugs are prime example.