How did USA become such a messed up country?

[1000starrs]

I'm curious to know how it would've went if they had.

[pathetic sheep]

I'm curious to know how it would've went if they had.

We could go back earlier too. If they had stuck with the original charters the United States would look more like this:



That could have worked well except that Rhode Island and Delaware did not have access to the explorer pool. The developers thought growth would be too imbalanced.

[Fes]

"If it's good for big business it's usually bad for consumers"...
..."So yeah, if it's good for big business it's usually bad for most everybody not part of big business. The oil and chemical industry would love to do away with any environmental legislation there is because it'd be cheaper for them to do business without it.

So Elldallan, you're saying that if a company such as Apple benefits from something, the consumer loses? Lower taxes for the corporation and the price of the iPhone automatically goes up? I'm not sure what college economics class you took, but you can't merely take the oil & gas industry and make a generalization about all corporations or even a majority.

Generally, what's good for a corporation is good for consumers...of that corporation. If Apple comes out with the iPhone 7 and laws regarding corporations are in favor of said corporation, you'll more than likely end up getting a lower price on said phone than if the laws were in opposition to the corporation's interests. If the corporation provided nothing for consumers, no one would consume, they would fail to make money, and could not pad anyone's pockets. Simply by being on this forum, you are likely using a computer that was made by a corporation (at a wholesale price that was marked up by a retailer, most likely linked to another corporation, to a market value that you were willing to pay for said computer, assuming you own it). The internet, without corporations...where would it be today? Still a concept of some guy (Al Gore? LOL) in his mom's basement?

If you choose not to be a consumer, then you're missing out. If you choose not to buy stock in a corporation that's profitable, you're missing out. Don't be mad at someone else's success because you failed to take advantage of an opportunity when it presented itself...you have as much opportunity as the next investor. Corporations are more than just big company names...they are people who had vision to make something bigger than themselves. People probably not unlike yourself at one point who wanted to see something change, or be a part of something larger.

Nothing's perfect. Corporations certainly have the potential to be crooked and scandalous. Just like the government (aka a huge political corporation that has the ability to create and enforce laws, whether or not they are "good" for the consumer).

But since we're talking about lining people's pockets, let's talk about welfare, shall we? We'll give you free cash and stuff, legally and out in the open, just vote for us, and you'll never have to work again.

[pathetic sheep]

The internet, without corporations...where would it be today? Still a concept of some guy (Al Gore? LOL) in his mom's basement?

The internet started as ARPANET. A United States government program funded by DARPA. It connected several universities and the first messages were sent between professors.

I think the facts suggest all inventions are made by humans. Many humans are employed at corporations and the corporations frequently own the patent. If you take the time to talk to people who create technology you will find that they did not take many economics classes. They would be in a lab trying to invent stuff regardless of the economic system they were born into. Proprietorships and partnerships have also contributed some technology. It is not the case that a lab worker is more likely to succeed in a corporate lab. It is the case that wealthy investors benefit from a corporation. The United States government also supports corporations and usually gives cash to corporations who bid on contracts instead of spending cash directly on the government's own labs. When the government labs (NASA, oak ridge etc) do invent new technologies or advance theories they give the technology away to corporations. Much of the nifty gadget you are using was in fact developed by governments and universities. Granted most universities have articles of incorporation. But universities existed 2000 years before this practice became normal.

Consider the atlatl, bow, ceramic cup, beer, wheel, sail, pyramids, cows/cheese, iron, thread, olive cuttings, writing, printing press, gun powder, sputnik, and the hydrogen bomb. Before the printing press and cheap paper you really did not have corporations and stocks. I throw in sputnik and the hydrogen bomb because they were prototyped in a country that exterminated its financiers. I am not in favor of nukes, rockets, or exterminating anyone. But you can not claim that publicly traded stocks are necessary to build an ICBM or a pyramid. The engineers will show up to do projects and they will do the big project that the big chief says needs to be done. In the USA the big chief is the guy with the most stocks and not the guy with nice plumage or the guy with party credentials.

Distributing money to stock holders may be doing nothing to advance technology. The corporate bureaucracy may build some labs benches and occasionally provide a workspace without distraction. Often much of a corporation's activity is just parasitic.

It is interesting that you picked Apple as an example. For all practical purposes Apple computers was a proprietorship created and run by Steve Jobs. Of course you could point out that massive capital was raised with IPO and stock sales. If corporate financing through stock was not the cultural norm and was not pushed by the government then Steve Jobs would have had capitalists offering money as loans instead.

Nothing's perfect. Corporations certainly have the potential to be crooked and scandalous.

Not really. People can be held responsible for their actions. It is people who are crooked and it is people who create scandals. The corporate charter and corporate laws allow people to redirect punishment away from themselves. With a corporation a fine imposed by a government causes financial loss to people saving for retirement, causes losses for uninvolved financial institutions, and it can cost workers their jobs. Often the crooks who are responsible for a crime are not effected by legal actions.

[Crazyguy]

We used up our explore pool and keep getting hit by bottomfeeders, but we stay in aggressive stance.

[RedPanda]

We used up our explore pool and keep getting hit by bottomfeeders, but we stay in aggressive stance.

haha, so accurate in game terms.

[Crazyguy]

haha, so accurate in game terms.

Our monarch doesn't appreciate our attackers at all. He cares more about random inactives that pop in, sends all aid to them.

[Crazyguy]

But LOOK AT SWEDEN! THANK GOD WERE NOT THERE!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nt-ghetto.html

[noobium]

I gangbanged this Swede for ****ing with me...

[rat]

American - ME.

1. Forgive us for being the way we are. We are but mere babies and so should be looking up to other countries for advise on how to run things correctly. Perhaps one day our egos will lessen.

[Thunder TA]

Yea lets be like all the rest of the starving broke countries.were almost there but not completely

[Crazyguy]

America is the best country on earth. Haters gonna hate; we rock.

[rat]

Is there now more guns in America than people? I've lost track! (post no.6)

[Crazyguy]

Probably! I have more guns then I am people! Don't mess with the US!

[noobium]

There's easily more guns than people in any country with a military.