The system we currently have should never be mistaken for either a free or an open market, much less both. See below.
And that's the problem (or part of it). The government-industrial-banking complex are set up to give "the little guy" just enough to make him not rebel while rigging the game in favor of the corporations and the people who run them. As in literally rigging the game. Through laws that favor corporations and especially those that are already established and collude with others in their industry to use the law to limit competition. Sure, a new guy will pop up here and there and make billions with a great innovative idea or by finding a niche for that exploits an untapped market. Microsoft is an example. Google. Amazon. Even Walmart. And so on down the line. Then when they walk into success they want to close the door behind them. So-called "liberals" are all too happy to oblige with more regulations that limit competition and force prices higher. In the name of sticking it to the man they make it harder on the poor.Or by supporting government assistance that has the same effect (Remember student grants and loans were created to make college more affordable for the average person). Meanwhile, conservatives are all too happy to trade this or that so corporations can be more secure and hoard more capital. "It will drive growth!" is the mantra. Well, that's not entirely true in the current environment either. And most seem perfectly fine with the government taking your labor, thereby making you a slave (in a sense) for at least a good portion of the year. Taxing spending is one thing. Taxing your labor is another. And that's all an income tax does. And it seems only an academic matter until you consider practicalities like the disincentive on savings and the lack of choice you are given (not talking about the programs your taxes support, but rather your inability to control where your money goes for your own benefit and best use).
I realize I'm bouncing around a bit but the theme is central - you are given a little control but not too much....a little prosperity, but not too much...a little freedom but not too much. If they could they'd dispense with the niceties and just stick it to you to enrich themselves. The only thing keeping them in check is fear of torches and pitchforks (and yes, guns).
Heck, they even train us from the time we are a child in school that compliance is more important than truth or justice or the "American way". (Superman would be sooooo disappointed if the government hadn't made him submit to their authority - look up the history of comics to get that one).
And so now they pit us against one another and make us think that if we prop them up on a pedestal that they will make our lives better - whether by giving us things or by forgiving our loans or by giving us better prospects for employment or whatever. Just make us think they are on our side and when they do wrong we justify it so they don't have to even try and then blame it on the other guy for whatever goes wrong and then....rinse and repeat.
So some become disillusioned with government. Some with corporations. Others with their fellow pawns. Almost everyone with their fellow pawns. And the "dispensable" pawns would rather fight against each other than to turn on their masters in the government-industrial-banking complex and make them accountable to all of us for their misdeeds.
No, I'm not talking quite about a revolution in the traditional sense but more in the political sense. Only problem is we're too busy blaming each other for the misdeeds of the rich and powerful to figure out a strategy that might help all or most of us. And we think they're stupid. They got our number and they got it good. They are far better at the game.
So while we fight amongst ourselves over more or less or how much of this our that they laugh all the way to the bank. We don't analyze and they do. We just get stuck on this or that issue or this or that ideology and we are stuck there. And on they move.
Trump vs Clinton is only the latest prime example of this. We still go on about which would be better or what Obama did and rarely scrutinize our most closely held ideas - we just would like to convert others to worship our American gods of choice. (sorry, been watching it). We rarely consider how selfish our particular gods are. But it's telling that we believe in them so much we'd rather convert others or wish for them to die off naturally in sufficient numbers so our gods can implement their solution than to question ourselves intensely.
I've done that for the past several years and found that I have fewer answers than I thought. Oh, and that I shouldn't fight others battles for them. I prefer now to work for myself and when someone in power trips up it's on them. You screwed it up? Fix it. I'm not propping your sorry butt up any more.
Yeah, I'm rambling. Thanks for noticin'.
