[Rhodes22-list] Political Re ply to Captain Ed

Brad Haslett flybrad at gmail.com
Mon Sep 1 18:06:32 EDT 2008 

Chris,

You hit on an important point.  The problem with a one party system is
that even when you make the shift from a centrally planned economy to
capitalism, those with connections to the party hold the means to
production. That worked for awhile but the military and party owned
factories eventually had to compete with foreign goods and foreign
manufacturers that set-up shop in China. It didn't take long for
consumers to discover that a Shanghai Buick or Beijing Jeep was ten
times better than other domestic cars. It has taken twenty years to
happen, but to answer your question, yes, it's a level playing field
and it's highly competitive.  Many of the former army factories have
shut down because they couldn't compete domestically and they sure
couldn't compete in the export market. My sister-in-law (an accounting
professional with an MBA from Fordham) still advises against making
direct personal investments in Chinese companies because they're
behind on accounting issues.  Investing in Chinese companies listed on
the NYSE, like many of the airlines, is a different issue (note,
never, ever, ever invest in a passenger airline).  Based on the
Chinese experiment, the benefits of capitalism to the population are
immediate.  The "fairness" issues of the market take a couple of
decades or more to work out.  The former states of the Soviet Union
are following the same pattern with those states having competing
political parties making progress a little faster.

Brad

On Mon, Sep 1, 2008 at 4:48 PM, Chris Geankoplis <napoli68 at charter.net> wrote:
> Nice summation Brad, Just don't agree on the Rosey tinted glasses view.  But
> you are right on about dumping communisim for a more free market.  Just
> curious I understand that the Army is making a go at factories and
> production of non military stuff.  How "free" are they to compete and and is
> it a level playing field.  Inquiring minds are curious.
>
> Chris G
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brad Haslett" <flybrad at gmail.com>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 Email List" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 9:12 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Political Re ply to Captain Ed
>
>
>> Chris,
>>
>> The economy - suffering from the real estate and mortgage silliness
>> but not a recession yet, exports saving the decline in GDP for now.
>>
>> War - Iraq winding down - the Iraqi's want us out (and we want out).
>> NATO petering out in Afghanistan (NATO petering out in Georgia), UN
>> non-existent, tough terrain, tough people, nuclear Pakistan.  Tough
>> situation 7 years later.  Radical Muslims still looking for a way to
>> kill us.  The war goes on.
>>
>> Taxes -  Tax revenue is up because of a cut in the capital gains tax
>> and increased investment in the economy.
>>
>> Between what rich and what poor are we talking about.  The World?  The
>> poor are gaining - did you watch the Olympics?  US economy?  We may be
>> the only nation on the planet where the poor owns a color TV,
>> air-conditioning, and two cars.  And, they are fat.
>>
>> And how would you like to focus on these issues, especially the
>> economic ones?  Trot out a few more failed economic theories or follow
>> China's path - ditch the Marxist bullshit and try a little old
>> fashioned capitalism?
>>
>> Brad
>>
>> On 8/31/08, Chris Geankoplis <napoli68 at charter.net> wrote:
>> > Thanks Tootle,
>> >                     We both agree that there are a lot of people who
> have
>> >  made mistakes and have gone on to lead better lives, so lets focus on
> the
>> >  actual issues, the economy, the war, taxes, the growing gap between
> rich and
>> >  poor.  These are where we need to focus.
>> >
>> >  Chris G
>> >  ----- Original Message -----
>> >  From: "Tootle" <ekroposki at charter.net>
>> >  To: <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> >  Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:18 PM
>> >  Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Re ply to Captain Chris G.
>> >
>> >
>> >  >
>> >  > Chris G said, "Boy I gotta agree, any of those cheating husbands and
>> >  > philanderers should be barred from making speeches at the convention.
> Of
>> >  > course that would include John McCain after what he did to his wife
> and
>> >  two
>> >  > kids after he came back. Got a new undamaged model with lots of
> money,
>> >  > prenup or not.  Does it matter?  Careful there are lots of glass
> houses.
>> >  > Should we bar those who have killed a person in a car accident that
> they
>> >  > caused?  Ok that keeps out Ted Kennedy, but also Laura Bush.  Should
> we
>> >  bar
>> >  > someone who stole drugs (in one case from a non-profit set up to help
> war
>> >  > victims), and forged
>> >  > prescriptions well I guess that would shut up Mrs. McCain and Rush
>> >  Limbaugh.
>> >  > Tootle, help me out, to be fair and balanced I need a drug thieving
>> >  democrat
>> >  > to balance this out. Oh I know Marion Berry should do."
>> >  >
>> >  > Responses as follows:
>> >  >
>> >  > As to John McCain - after how many years in a North Viet Nam
> prison? - He
>> >  > had adjustment problems when he came back.  How much time did you
> spend in
>> >  > the Hanoi Hilton?  He later realized he screwed up and admits it.
> Too
>> >  late,
>> >  > but after some time he came around and has since lead a better life,
> other
>> >  > wise he would not be where he is.
>> >  >
>> >  > As to Ted Kennedy, I have always believed that he was drunk.
> However, the
>> >  > lady was in the back seat was in the same state.  Alcohol consumption
> is
>> >  not
>> >  > a legal excuse for killing another or is it Ben C?
>> >  >
>> >  > As to Laura Bush at 17, poor driving skills kill many teenagers.  Is
> that
>> >  > not the reason that age group has the highest insurance rates?  Are
> you
>> >  > telling us that your judgment and driving skills have not changed
> since
>> >  you
>> >  > were 17?
>> >  >
>> >  > As to drug addition and subsequently forging prescriptions, the
> medication
>> >  > that Rush became addicted to was a problem that the drug company did
> not
>> >  > correctly monitor and once the problem was known, physicians failed
> to
>> >  > follow up for addition.  Initially the drug was proscribed correctly,
> but
>> >  > the prescribing doctor did not follow up making sure that no addition
>> >  > occurred.
>> >  >
>> >  > Once you are addicted, you the person is no longer in control.  Have
> you
>> >  > never dealt with alcoholics?  If not, never ever again, give a
> recovered
>> >  > alcoholic 100% trust.
>> >  >
>> >  > There is a big problem in America with prescription drugs.  Often
> doctors
>> >  > are getting kickbacks from the drug companies and so are more willing
> to
>> >  > prescribe feel good drugs when they should not.  Yes this is partly
> the
>> >  > patients fault for asking for such drugs, but again, once there is
>> >  addition.
>> >  >
>> >  > The points that you raised are fair to raise and be addressed but
> they are
>> >  > distinguishable from a lawyer, who as part of bar qualifying has
> specific
>> >  > ethics training from committing perjury.   I have said that his
>> >  philandering
>> >  > is one thing, but his committing perjury is a whole different matter.
> And
>> >  > as Ben C said he was suspended for five years for doing it.  The
> Arkansas
>> >  > Bar said even a former President needed his ____ slapped for doing
> it.
>> >  >
>> >  > So I have partially addressed your comments.
>> >  >
>> >  > Ed K
>> >  > Greenville, SC, USA
>> >  > attachment:
>> >  > http://www.nabble.com/file/p19247108/Chris%2BG%2527s%2BReasoning.jpg
>> >  > Chris+G%27s+Reasoning.jpg
>> >  > --
>> >  > View this message in context:
>> >
> http://www.nabble.com/Reply-to-Captain-Chris-G.-tp19247108p19247108.html
>> >  > Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>> >  >
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