Facts: the real enemy of right-wing ideology

[Jimmie Higgins]

Here's an article with links to a study which shows that the US has the second-lowest ratio of self-employed people of the major industrial countries. The article also talks about how the US has less social mobility than most European countries.

But like Joe the Plummer clinging to the myth that he was a small-business owner ... so many right-wingers believe that the US is built on small business when the fact is that most people here are workers and have been hurt by the last 30 years of the neoliberal privatize-everything ideology.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/aug/13/us-economy-healthcare-productivity

What do you folks think about all these myths about US capitalism that you've based your worldview on?

Wait, let me guess - the problem isn't that the US has helped big business and destroyed unions and the social safty-net over the last 30 years, it's that the US hasn't privatized and cut wages enough!:rolleyes:

[Jimmie Higgins]

Wait, let me guess - the problem isn't that the US has helped big business and destroyed unions and the social safty-net over the last 30 years, it's that the US hasn't privatized and cut wages enough!:rolleyes:

Oops, I wrote this and then read a reader comment at the bottom of the article which said:


Cluebat

13 Aug 09, 8:05pm (57 minutes ago)


Too right it isn't. Over the last 50 years the USA has grown increasingly statist and socialist. In some ways, moreso than anywhere in Western Europe.

[Bud Struggle]

If we look at what percentage of our overall labour force is self-employed, or what percentage of manufacturing workers or high-tech workers are employed in small businesses – well, the US ranks at or near the bottom among high-income countries.

I hate to say it--but I believe it. America is so competitive in every avenue of business that often small companies can't compete with well developed large companies. And in that's just fine because often small businesses don't really do the job of a larger company. But a small business can compete with large businesses any time they choose--I do. Large businesses are good, really good at what they do-a small business just has to be better and a lot of small business owners just aren't that.

Too bad for them. It's winner take all poker, and it makes the game all that much more fun.

[MarxSchmarx]

I hate to say it--but I believe it. America is so competitive in every avenue of business that often small companies can't compete with well developed large companies. And in that's just fine because often small businesses don't really do the job of a larger company. But a small business can compete with large businesses any time they choose--I do. Large businesses are good, really good at what they do-a small business just has to be better and a lot of small business owners just aren't that.

Too bad for them. It's winner take all poker, and it makes the game all that much more fun.

Except the players with the most money get to choose what cards they get from the deck. I guess that's fun if you're the one with choosing what cards end up in your hand!