> You've swallowed the big lie of globalization -- that only by exporting labor to 3rd world serfs can we enjoy the standards of living that we enjoy.
At the prices we pay today, this is absolutely true. We would be paying much more for iPhones if they were manufactured here.
> The government is an enabler of bad economic activity, but the capitalists are always the catalysts. Government regulations did not force Countrywide Loans to give $1M mortgages to people who lacked the resources to repay.
But that's exactly the point. They didn't 'force' banks to make bad decisions, but without the government's bad regulations, bad monetary policy, and bad fiscal policy, the housing crisis would have been much harder to come by.
I'm not saying the banks are not at fault for their poor decisions: I am saying that without the actions of the government, you would either have not seen the crisis at all or you would have seen a much smaller and less disastrous bubble and burst.
> Study the origins of the labor movement. Robber barons were/are very real.
It depends what you mean by robber barons.
Did certain businesses during the 19th century exploit workers and warrant the formation of certain labor unions in order to protect the workers? Yes. I'm not denying this.
Did the most successful capitalists in the 19th century make their money by exploiting workers, stealing from the poor, and adding nothing of value to society? Absolutely not. I'm not saying these men were angels, but these so-called 'robber barons' improved society by an incredible amount, far more than what unions have ever done, producing better and more goods at cheaper prices. The rising standards of living during the 19th and early 20th century were not a wholly a result of government intervention or labor unions, but instead _mostly_ because of technological progress and the ensuing gains in productivity.
And the labor movement is not without its fair share problems. Much of the violence in strikes during the 19th century was caused by the unions. As well, you had a great deal amount of racism.
At the prices we pay today, this is absolutely true. We would be paying much more for iPhones if they were manufactured here.
> The government is an enabler of bad economic activity, but the capitalists are always the catalysts. Government regulations did not force Countrywide Loans to give $1M mortgages to people who lacked the resources to repay.
But that's exactly the point. They didn't 'force' banks to make bad decisions, but without the government's bad regulations, bad monetary policy, and bad fiscal policy, the housing crisis would have been much harder to come by.
I'm not saying the banks are not at fault for their poor decisions: I am saying that without the actions of the government, you would either have not seen the crisis at all or you would have seen a much smaller and less disastrous bubble and burst.
> Study the origins of the labor movement. Robber barons were/are very real.
It depends what you mean by robber barons.
Did certain businesses during the 19th century exploit workers and warrant the formation of certain labor unions in order to protect the workers? Yes. I'm not denying this.
Did the most successful capitalists in the 19th century make their money by exploiting workers, stealing from the poor, and adding nothing of value to society? Absolutely not. I'm not saying these men were angels, but these so-called 'robber barons' improved society by an incredible amount, far more than what unions have ever done, producing better and more goods at cheaper prices. The rising standards of living during the 19th and early 20th century were not a wholly a result of government intervention or labor unions, but instead _mostly_ because of technological progress and the ensuing gains in productivity.
And the labor movement is not without its fair share problems. Much of the violence in strikes during the 19th century was caused by the unions. As well, you had a great deal amount of racism.