Eight Reasons Why Big Government Hurts Economic Growth

[teapartyxpress]

Driving a car is a form of big government. They flood us with regulations, ie) dictate how fast we drive. paint lines all over the road. set mandatory speed limits. traffic lights. driver license requirements.

In a free society these barriers should be removed and people able drive how they feel. Rural India is a great example of free market driving. No lines, speed limits, cross walks, or license requirements.

Yeah, maybe a few goats and people get hit, but thats the cost of freedom.

[Onmetube]

@deficithawker tells me you don't know shit! If you know anything about history, "and not some liberal professors version " you would know that Regan campaigned on "Smaller government, less taxes and fiscal responsibility and became one of our best presidents because he continued to shrink gov and lower taxes until the end of his service. Compare it to Obama, his campaign promised to stop the wars, (now in 3) close Gitmo,"thank god he didn't" Democrats = loosing!!!! Republicans WINNING!!!!

[firemedic30ca]

Lol, europian style welfare state? Europe has some of the best health care in the world free of charge, enjoys the highest standards of living, works 4 hours a week less then americans and live longer happier lives. Yes, yes, degenerate into a europian welfare state, please for the love of good become a europian welfare state. I can hardly afford my health care for a family of six, or the gas to get them to the doctor. Bet you republicans are just eating this shit up arent you?

[armeg35]

@firemedic30ca Yes, but in return much of Europe's work is being shipped over seas, even more so than the US, the European welfare system means that there are higher taxes, etc to pay for their system. Companies don't want to hire from European countries because it means that they will be paying extremely high wages etc.

[firemedic30ca]

@armeg35 Yes they pay higher taxes. One of my good friends lives in England. They take about 45% of his wages. In return, free health care, free college education. Here in the US, the government take between 30-35% of my pay, i then fork out $600 a month for health ins on a family of 6 that doesnt cover shit. I cant even imagine what an education will cost for my kids. Tht extra 10% they take in europe, roughly 400 in terms of my pay, goes drastically farther then paying for benefits here.

[armeg35]

@firemedic30ca I'm not saying that our system is better, both of our systems are doomed to failure due to its inability to provide a sustainable future. Our system has been cobbled together because of a two party system which can't agree on jack squat and argue for the sake of arguing. Europe designed a system that will work in the short term but will in the end meet its demise just like ours.

[ArcoZakus]

@firemedic30ca

Have you considered trying to live there with your family of six before trying to change our country to be like theirs? Once those kinds of changes are made they're pretty hard to reverse if they turn out to be a mistake, but you can always return here if you didn't like it there for some reason. Maybe Portugal? Greece?

But I don't think gas is cheaper there, is it?

[sleestackgod]

This guy is a retard. This is a joke right?

[Onmetube]

" The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help" - Ronald Reagan, 1986

[firemedic30ca]

@Onmetube I loved that man.

[Linguiphile]

Thank you afq2007 for this video. If only a larger number of Americans understood economics and the negative effects of big government! I've read the comments on this page as well, and see a lot of good points made. The problem is that virtually all the leftists I know and work with refuse to consider any argument or be exposed to any information that questions their America-is-Evil-&-Government-i­s-God world view, all while deriding me as "illiterate" and claiming themselves to be "open-minded".

[nottinmatterz2day]

woohoo for european-style welfare state! we should get their gun control laws as well! Oh boy that would keep us going steady

[robertquentincobb]

Dan Mitchell for PRESIDENT! Please vote for this guy.

[dodate]

@robertquentincobb

not until he stops speaking in the voice that is used to speak to babies with.

forget about welfare, what about all the money spent on wars, I know it keeps our boys and girls in jobs in the military, but is it worth it. All those trillions???

[studentofsmith]

@dodate Actually if that money wasn't spent on the military it could be spent on other things, creating jobs in those sectors. Shifting defense spending to other programs would mean a reallocation of jobs but no net job losses. Check out the "broken window fallacy" for a more detailed explanation of this argument.

[pqf09rfu]

I agree that too much spending can be unproductive and wasteful, but the government can and should be seen as the largest company in the economy that can do anything (like a super, duper walmart). It should use this power when necessary (like a gentle giant) to invest and bargain. Why are drugs cheaper in places like Canada? because the beat down costs in a market (healthcare) that has no ceiling on demand. Drug companies charge what they want, because people will pay anything if they need them.

[VortigernPendragon]

@pqf09rfu have to disagree with your analysis because the job of a company is to produce a good or service. The government is not a producer, it is a consumer. In fact, it is the largest consumer in the country (and probably the world). It runs by consuming tax dollars. And your comparison of government to a gentle giant is generous as well. The simplest definition of government is "force". Government is what keeps a society from anarchy. Therefore it is necessary, but should be small.

[Z0mgZ0mbies]

Don't vote Democrat....Don't vote Republican...Vote Libertarian... The third party true answer to change.

[kornflayx]

gay

[Wow0logy]

Socialism is the way! Capitalism is Un-christian! "We the people" The only reason we are still on this system is people listen to news programs without thinking hmm this could be bias. America will fall like every other country before it, but the question is when. Most Americans are sheep quietly going to the slaughter house following the sheep herders who only care about the money not you. So basically think for yourself and take the time to research a subject before agreeing with it or not.

[MayonR]

@Wow0logy Socialism serves leaders more than the citizens. It seems more "Christian" to allow people to have the power of decisions rather than the megalithic government. Time again Capitalism is shown to remove people away from poverty. If Capitalism is so bad why do people flee towards countries that institute it rather than away from it?

[shawnsbigtube]

Here's a suggestion. If people are so unhappy with big governement, DO something about it!! Instead of worrying about what new car you're going to buy or where you're going for vacation, write letters, knock on your congressman's door. Let them know you're unhappy.

[shawnsbigtube]

If things continue the way they are, I'll probably vote Republican in the next elections.

[technoboi0]

So public services are bad whilst the sun shines out of private industry? Paranoia of the US becoming a Europe?

Well don't believe all what you hear. These same people try to rubbish the UK health system by picking out individual failings and turning up the volume. The vast majority of people in the UK are big supporters of the NHS (National Health Service) which is free on the basis need and not wealth.

The right type of Government takes a middle course & protects the disadvantaged.

[texasgringooo]

@technoboi0  Because the vast majority of users of the NHS enjoy their bandaids and free pain pills, it's the people the system can't afford to pay for who get screwed and the people on long queues because of expensive to treat diseases that don't affect most people.

[MineCreekProductions]

Every imposition of trickle down economics has resulted in devastation to our ecnomy. Ronald Reagan grew the size of government and increased our debt by 186%. Some fiscal conservative. GW was worse. We are paying for his policies now and will be for a decade. From balanced budget paying down the debt to $11 trillion debt and $10 billion deficit, in addition to growing the size of government.

There is not one area where privitization created efficieny or saved money and did a better job.

[texasgringooo]

@MineCreekProductions

What about Obama increasing the debt by 2.3 trillion on his first year. Look at the actual debt data not the budget, they lie. In fact clinton never had a surplus.

[gadget133]

Why would people actually listen to a lobby group (the lobby groups are probably the center of corruption in the US) who's sole drive is to eradicate government control for corporate control instead??? Why would you want to be run by people who you don't elect rather than people who you do elect?

I find it weird that the same people who are in favour of this are the same people who wrap themselves in the constitution and say they are patriots :)

[texasgringooo]

@gadget133

the big government created the problem with big corporations. The federal income tax made it happen. Imagine a community that is isolated and economically independent being able to survive if 20% of people's income leave the area each year without money going back via globalization of companies which means they must grow in size.

[gadget133]

@texasgringooo

The fact that you can say that corporations are an out come of "big government" really does highlight exactly how little you know. Poor effort.

[Patricio87]

The video fails to mention how Bush spent his money on a stupid war, Obama is spending the money to try to fix the country.

[Bearpage]

Nobama moving troops from iraq to Afghanistan is fixing the country?

[guitarplayer4real]

@Bearpage Actually the stimulous and bail out money is growing the economy (sure it is)... I just cant figure out after more than 3 years of my employees being laid off and still unemployed.. Just when all of this extensive spending is to take effect?

Hopefully it comes around before yet another small business person is ruined.

This garbage wasnt about fixing anything in America and should be treated as an act of war in my opinion. 1st order of business, impeach the zealot leftists.

[bluefox59]

Are you just plain Stupid or in Love?

[gadget133]

I find it funny that you have been thumbed down for stating the truth :)

[Kremlin1813]

That guy Talon X makes my head hurt. How can somebody be so simple as to say that "All capitalists are racist"? I mean, seriously?

[Kremlin1813]

Capitalism is a form of economic conduct, not some sort of organization. Capitalization is earning your way in life. Everyone desires to make a profit from his or her efforts. Those that don't, start up charitable organizations. But even those people have expenses to deal with. What we currently have, is a system of corporatism. Entirely different.

[Kremlin1813]

Corporatism, which is what you most likely are opposed to, is when big companies use the government to maintain monopolies, transfer wealth from the people to their company, (Can we say "Bailouts" Talon?), use government regulations to drive out any competition by making it almost impossible to start a business (because your PROFITS are being eaten away by compliance fees) which is the system we have now.

[IdiotsForObamaCom]

it's sad that retarded liberal youngins would rather watch 'the hills' and 'big brother' fantasize about Kanye West and watch NBC instead of watching this video that will directly affect the rest of their lives. DUMB GENERATION...

more at IDIOTS4OBAMA COM

[TheTalonX]

a) Capitalism is bad

b) You are all racists because your capitalistic machine unfairly targets the poor and disadvantaged minorities

c) Your so-called "costs" are lies. The Worker should make a large percentage of what he makes instead of being screwed by your rotten capitalistic boss people.

[txfirehawk]

You are an idiot. Capitalism = you get your lazy ass up and get an education and then go get a JOB! Go work for the things you want, don't expect others to just give them to pigs like you.

[TheTalonX]

Uh it's pretty well proven that education and jobs do not create wealth. Business owners only own businesses because they either stole the money from the worker or told their rich daddy they needed the money. There is not ONE instance of a bootstrap success story. Not One.  All you rich racist capitalists make me sick. Capitalist. Pigs.

[newengland72]

LOL!!!

[TheNomadicMonad]

You are equating owning wealth with creating wealth. Bootstrap success stories do occur, but that accounts for perhaps 1% of all businesses. Also, how they got to own their business doesn't exonerate them from how they lead their business: paying wage-workers a fraction of the value they create.

And no, not even most capitalists are racist, most of them tend to be quite well educated.

[TheTalonX]

What does education have to do with being racist? It's clear that since these rotten capitalists directly target those of meager means, meaning minorities, they are racist. If you disagree you, sir, are most likely a racist as well. Perhaps you should look in the mirror and examine your own views on minorities if you are trying to say that capitalists are not all racists.

[bluefox59]

A true Capitalist could give a rat's ass what color YOU are, but let's take a look at that Money - "Ain't it purty?"

And YES, some of the most educated are Racists - but then again, MOST of the Racism I see within my own life is the Hatred of Whites by minorities. (but that's Okay within the Laws & Court Systems of this country...)

As Earthlings we are each responsible for ourselves & our communities

[MineCreekProductions]

Yea. I remember when whites were slaves and then abused, hung, burned to death or dragged to death. Quite possibly you were home schooled by David Duke.

[texasgringooo]

@TheTalonX

NAZIs like TheTalonX have identified their new scapegoat as the "racist"

[FreeAgain2]

There are other costs as well.

And let's not forget about out and out theft, OR out and out failed policies - like CRA/Freddie and Fannie, and the 70's saving and loan crisis.

[MooseOfReason]

NorthernFront, Is he wrong?

[ACourtRep]

MooseOfReason,

He is logically undisputable in every video I've watched so far. I wish our administration saw it so clearly.

[turisas1234]

He's talking like he's teaching a 4th grade class because the only ones who don't understand that big government is bad have the mentally of 4th graders.

[TheCrypticPie]

@turisas1234 I welcome our Google overlords with open arms. Big Brother is my savior and His Truth is the only Truth. For existence to be any other way is unthinkable.

[reddranger]

@turisas1234 yeah, but sadly, theres a LOT of of people with that mentality in this country

[Onmetube]

@turisas1234 Awsome!

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-6of6

8) Innovations. Go to Europe. What products do they sell? What music do they listen to? Apart from Britain, they cant even write their own songs. If the artists are too fat and happy to create then you know somethings terribly wrong. The only other innovative country in the world is Israel.

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-5of6

7) Your point#7. You cant justify this claim with how much public education costs and how little results it produces. Non biased? Do you have children? Fed Ex and UPS are just as bad as the Post Office? Obviously, you dont have a business. And dont let Obama hear you say that. You just killed one of his talking points.

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-4of6

6) Re: Your #6) is entirely off point and baseless. We can debate minimum wage myths another time. DM is talking about government subsidies interfering with the free market. Private schools need to watch their expenses in order to make a profit. Private road builders choose the most traveled locations and the best construction materials. Government projects of the same nature just throw money to the wind.

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-3of6

4) . . . I would like to know how many people who make these heart wrenching food stamp claims actually know anyone on welfare. Actually mingled with some white trash know how they live, what they do, who they think screwed them, and what their goals are (not). We can talk when were on the same page.

5) Re: Banks control interest rates not the FED - LOL! You just proved yourself totally clueless. In fact, your entire point #5 disqualifies you.

[mattflanigan]

Banks control interest rates? Are you kidding me? Who is clueless?

[carolyncriss]

mattflanigan - quote marks don't come through for me on Youtube. Caisto5 said *banks control interest rates not the FED* That's why I said LOL. That's why I said he was clueless.

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-2of6

3) Congress is supposed to make laws. They have diverted that responsibility to over three hundred regulatory agencies. Google: a to z government.

[carolyncriss]

Caisto5s responses to DM-1of6

1) We agree. The FED is a scam. However, money doesnt come from the Fed. Money is the value of one mans skill traded for another.

2) Check out definition of TOO. See point #1 for the definition of money. YES, it is being diverted because government has no SKILL to trade. It creates nothing. It only takes. . . then filters through an inefficient bureaucracy and throws the balance at whatever program it claims to bolster.

[mattflanigan]

Money is the value of all of the stuff that we have divided by the number of dollars that are floating around the country to buy that stuff.

That's why, when more money is printed than stuff is created, inflation occurs. Dollars buy less stuff, making them less valuable.

[carolyncriss]

mattflanigan - *when more money is printed. . .etc* Correct. But if you put a bunch of people on an island, they will barter and eventually develop a scrip system. The value of one man's skill traded for another's. That's the intrinsic definition of money, imho. After all, we don't have *stuff* until someone makes it (his skill), the market determines its value, and you decide to buy it using the money you earned (from your skill).

[fenre]

Seriously, Im from Norway and just have to ask, is this guy a retard or something? All he say is bullshit

[caisto5]

point 8: People are still inventing, still innovating, still making loads of money! This is just a complete lie. Britain has a very progressive tax law but Britain still has millionaires.

Your video uses sources from ultraconservative, uber capitalist institutions to make your points...its a circle. You can't "prove your point" by using those who already agree with you and are completely biased.

[caisto5]

point 6: we already know that capitalism without checks and balances results in wage slavery. Minimum wage, subsidies for starting businesses, antitrust laws...all meant to keep gigantic corporations from screwing the american people, working us like China for .40 an hour.

point 7: voucher system is terrible, its just a way to fund RELIGIOUS schools on tax payer dollars while public schools are taught to be non biased. UPS, FedEx are doing just as bad as the postal service

[caisto5]

point 4 continued: No one plans to live off unemployement, no one likes being in poverty. But people like you have no idea how hard people on food stamps, medicare, etc actually work...many work multiple jobs while raising their families.

point 5: savings rates are set by banks. period. The FED may control some of the interest rates, but banks decide how much they want to give back to their savers. Its greedy corporations that make it impossible to save.

[caisto5]

point 1: ALL money we have is borrowed, its called the FED...we pay interest on every penny they make for us. Its a scam.

points 2: NO, this money is NOT "diverted" from the private sector. Especially with obama, the money is going TOO the people in the form of small tax breaks, construction jobs, cheaper healthcare, etc.

points 3: you actually aren't giving any evidence for this claim, just that "it does this" and we're meant to buy it.

point 4: unemployment is NOT a livable wage

[oddjob29]

this guy is totally a big business sleazeball. just look and listen to him. 10 times worse than a car salesmen. i wouldn't trust him with 5 cents

[phillip42]

He wouldnt trust you with his taxes.

[oddjob29]

well I don't have any of his taxes, though if I could I'd raise them

[wh1teflower]

this country is falling becasue of the ignorant people in this country

[RevoltorAdapt]

The Dollar is worth four cents, know why ? The Federal Reserve is a Private Bank. It's not Federal.

[wh1teflower]

vote for ron paul he wants to audit the fed

[99minerkc]

Let's fertilize the fed govt with our money! The bigger the govt the happier the politicans. Do we want unhappy govt?

[thepunshment]

sure u seem smart. but you sir, are dumb

[mkrulic517439]

welfare encourages laziness? would anyone trade their job for a welfare check? its less than 12k/year. this is a lie perpetuated by conservative republicans to justify providing enough to beat starvation and maybe keep a roof over their heads. this is why THEY, the conserv rep, will never work toward health care reform. the rich are already covered, screw the poor

[jewy]

One critical problem with this "analysis" -- it assumes that government spending doesn't have any benefits for people or the economy. Try running a business without roads, or police, or sewers, or running water, or fire services and you'll see how specious the whole libertarian argument is.

[BringIt2TheMax]

jewy,

You need to actually WATCH the video rather than just come up with the most common argument you can think of. This is not the simple straw man you were hoping to fight against.

It's called Capital spending (Roads, sewers, cops, military), he talks about it very clearly in the last part of the video, probably the last 6 minutes that you didn't watch...

I'm just saying...

[carolyncriss]

Jewy Do you think it is possible to build roads and sewers without 300+ bureaucratic government agencies?. . . which include such useful departments as FICMNEW, The Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds, and CPPBSD, The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled? While I do believe that private roads and sewers are more dependable and durable, we could tone it down a notch and still have a functioning public infrastructure.

[jewy]

We don't need to turn government down a notch, we need to turn it up about ten notches. America has a crumbling public infrastructure at all levels because we have let libertarians defund government for nearly 30 years.

Transportation, energy, IT, water & sewer = all crumbling & under-funded.

And as the only Western industrialized nation without universal health care, US companies wind up paying far more for health care for their workers than companies in any of our competitors. Bad deal.

[freakawill2000]

The reason our infrastructure is crumbling is because we are taking that money and putting it towards other things, i.e. wars, tribute, socialized health care. If we stop paying tribute to other countries, we could easily fund those things. If we got rid of medicare and medicaid, doctors would lower their costs and we could easily build roads.

The original idea of America was freedom to do what you what, whether screw your life up or make it better, your choice. Do we still have that?

[carolyncriss]

Jewy. We don't need to turn government down a notch, we need to turn it up about ten notches. Mindboggling. . . What happened to the younger generation? Okay, Jewy - Who are these libertarians infiltrating the government over the past thirty years? Id like to meet them. All I see is growth in government, spending hikes, and infringement on personal liberties.

[wh1teflower]

so you are saying the government needs to tax people more?

[wh1teflower]

so are you saying we need to be taxed more?

[tajlee1]

Great video!

[HarryBallbag]

Hey, at least if you work for the government then you don't really pay any tax!

[TheNomadicMonad]

Every dollar that the government spends means one less dollar in the pockets of the Forbes 500 CEO's pocket. That's the true agenda behind this propaganda video by conservative think tanks like the Cato Institute, which themselves are funded by the Forbes 500.

[Lancer7489]

Every dollar the government spends is one less dollar in YOUR pocket dummy.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Depending what the government spends it on. If it's spent on healthcare, high-ways and infrastructure, I'm not better off than before. If it's for tax cuts for the rich and corporate welfare, I'll be worse off.

[Gillz17]

thenomadicmonad,

Every dollar that govt spends is one less in the pockets of CEOs but also one less dollar their companies can pay employees.

This just in... lower and middle class people ALSO pay taxes! When govt raises taxes on them too (which Obama will have to do to pay for socialized medicine) they have less money to spend on goods and services. That means their money won't help any business.

Keep fighting against the Dems plans. Conservatives are doing a great job!

[TheNomadicMonad]

Gillz17,

The govt spends tax money by employing workers to solve public needs. The govt can offer much safer jobs to employees, as govt businesses don't need to go bust if there is a sudden bubble burst or similar damage in the market, and won't move offshore.

No need to increase taxes for the lower and middle class, increasing the income tax for the richest 1% by 2% would create 80 billion in revenues, as the top 1% own 32.6% of the wealth.

[epatl]

Nomadic,

All you are saying is that government does a poor job of responding to market conditions. This is exactly why it is an inefficient provider of goods and services.

[ACourtRep]

TheNomadicMonad, Are you in the top 1% volunteering to do this? That is very generous of you.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Possibly in the future, yes. My parents certainly would. I'm not just a venomous snake trying to make life hard for others.

[ACourtRep]

Present administration has us on a path that nearly ensures a young middle class adult won't have the opportunity to create that kind of wealth. I hope we continue to offer you the chance to speak for yourself one day.

The suggestion to tap into another's wealth is never venomous, but does reek. Why don't you just give me half your lunch? (I slept late and didn't pack one.)

[TheNomadicMonad]

I think 'the opportunity to create that kind of wealth" is stupid, unfair, and there is nothing bad in getting rid of it. From personal experience I can assure that most of the money is wasted on the wealthy, as there is a limit over which wealth is genuinely useful to a person.

" (I slept late and didn't pack one.)" Are you implying that the Americans who work two jobs at minimum wage are lazy? That reeks of elitist disregard to me.

[ACourtRep]

Members of house and senate have net worths ranging millions to hundreds of millions of dollars. A system that shares the wealth works if everyone is willing to participate. Congress won't share their imposed health plan with constiuents.

I imply that the effort one exerts to help himself should be his to share. Americans charitably support city league sports to foreign education programs. Grades, jobs, income, education, wealth - some things are individually earned based upon effort.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Income has very little correlation with effort. Most CEOs visit the company around 4 days a week, and find time to be on the boards of multiple companies. The same can't be said of sweatshop workers.

[ACourtRep]

Education choices and other opportunities distinguish our positions. Many politicians sit on boards, recieve income, do not and will not share with sweatshop workers. The politicians will not play in the game they are feeding us.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Did I ever speak in rosy tones about professional politicians? Most of the politicians you speak of have the same feeling of entitlement as your average executive. Also, even if the whole world would be full of Harvard graduates, there still would be a need for plumbers. Also, why should someone have to give up the fruits of his labour just because his job was easier to receive (but perhaps not practice) than other jobs?

[ACourtRep]

TheNomadicMonad, professional politicans will not participate in the *change* they intend to institute. Unless we communally participate, there will be big winners and big losers. To advocate a system guaranteed to punish someone is naive. (cont'd)

[TheNomadicMonad]

a) How is restricting everyone to the value of their own work a 'punishment'?

b) Physicians pays are quite reasonable compared to how much they study, how stressful it is, and how hard it is, so no, they don't need a limit.

c) A worker will never receive the full value of what they produce (minus rent, resources and the wage of others who helped etc), because his labour is kept low collectively by the superior bargaining power of the employer.

[ACourtRep]

a) How is restricting everyone to the value of their own work a 'punishment'?

It' not, it's called capitalism. The value of a business investment provides returns not by rights belonging to the wage-earning workers.

Small business provides an investment avenue for millions of workers in this country, with gov't assistance even.

c) No worker makes decent wages? False.

Profit is a return on investment of time, money, dedication of an owner.

Life is what YOU make it.

[TheNomadicMonad]

a) How does capitalism not scam your average worker of a portion of their wage (which goes to the company owners)?

c) Tell me a worker who earns as much as he creates? Say I make 50 chairs a day for Ikea, and each chair sells for $10, it would be unrealistic to say that I would earn even close to $500 a day (170K a year)

[ACourtRep]

Is the worker required to make the investment in lumber and saws and electricity and building and insurance, etc., LONG before that $10 chair is sold? How much is he required to pay for the right to work?

[TheNomadicMonad]

No one would throw away a few mil $ on a business unless there was at least a 50% chance that he would succeed (ignoring the Saudis). Thus you are hyping the amount of 'danger' in the business. And why would the labourer pay for his right to work? He was hired by a contract in which each individual is supposed to enter into a fair exchange. In return for his work, the company has 'x' many goods instead. The reality is that employers have superior bargaining power, and thus tend to abuse it.

[ACourtRep]

According to 2002 census bureau stats: 3/4 of all U.S. business firms have no payroll.  Firms with 500 or more employees is 0.3% of 5,697,759 total.

(Small business is BIG.)

I am not even sure what it is "you are hyping." You want a huge gov't, don't want opportunity for yourself or anyone else and you recently read "The Jungle"? Is that it?

[TheNomadicMonad]

a) I never claimed that big firms would be the majority. In fact that is antithetical to my claim that it takes a huge loan to start a big company.

b) I want a government as big as possible, as long as it's cost-efficient. And contrary to libertarian jargon, that doesn't mean slicing down government to a tenth of its current size.

c) I want opportunity for 90% of the people whose wages are currently being drained so that a few thousand filthy pigs can drink Martinis on their estates.

[kevpmcg]

Did the worker buy the wood for the chair? Did he pay to transport the wood to the factory - or the chair to the distribution center and from there to the store? Did he make the investment in building the factory or designing the chair? Does he pay the salaries of the secretaries, sales people and the cleaning crew? Need I go on? You commiewannabes are infused with a level of misguided idealism that blinds you rational thought.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Did the employer labour his ass off for 30 years to be able to fund his business? No, he took a loan or inherited some money from his rich daddy.

[newengland72]

Which, in the first case (at least) he would have to pay back!

[TheNomadicMonad]

But not through his labour, but through the labour of those whom he employs.

[ACourtRep]

A specialized physician spends 10+ years post HS to practice. Should that investment then have limitations of return?

And who gives up the fruits of labor in the US? The plumber who owns no business, no tools, no advertising and overhead expense? He's paid a wage. The opportunity to change that himself exists, without gov't intervention.

[carolyncriss]

To TheNomadicMonad. Re: Forbes 500 and Cato. Do you just pull data out of the air and hope no one fact-checks you? I examined my copy of the Cato Annual Report. They list people and entities that contribute over $5000: 75 foundations, approx 150 individuals and 7 corporations, only three of which I recognize as Fortune 500. . . Forbes doesnt compile the list anymore, btw.

[TheNomadicMonad]

@ carolyncriss, heres a list of Cato funders: American Petroleum Institute Comcast Corporation Fedex Corporation Microsoft R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Visa USA INC. WalMart Stores Inc Koch Family Foundation (Koch) John M. Olin Foundation (Olin Industries, chemical and munitions manufacturing) Castle Rock Foundation (Coors Brewing Company) Scaife Foundations (Melon family) Ford Foundation (Ford, CIA)

[carolyncriss]

TheNomadicMonad - Not all of those are on the Fiscal Year 2009 list (maybe old sponsors; maybe new)

FY 2009

1) 82% of Cato's funding was donated by INDIVIDUALS (total dollar amount)

2) 10% Foundations

3) 7% Other Income (books, etc.)

4) ONLY 1% comes from corporations.

[carolyncriss]

TheNomadicMonad - Re: Foundations. (Are people still envious of Andrew Mellon?) Consider this: a person is about to die and he has the choice of starting a foundation to further causes he believes in or giving his money to the government. What would you do?

[TheNomadicMonad]

He was no saint. He used private militias to break strikes, and employed every other trick to squeeze the rest of blood out of his employers. I'd rather have him donate the money to the government than to conservative think tanks which further the exploitation of a wide range of the US population and millions of workers in the developing world.

[carolyncriss]

TheNomadicMonad - Re: Andrew Mellon. How many times does the man have to be exonerated? . . . According to your channel you subscribe to the Marxist faith. An ideology that has killed more people than all religions combined. . . I was a far left liberal when I was your age. You'll outgrow it.

[TheNomadicMonad]

Nothing to exonerate about the man. Marxism isn't a faith -- it's a mix of Marxian labour economics, sociology and philosophy with which to critique capitalism. Maoism increased China's life expectancy from 35 to 65 years in 20 years. Stalinism, although cruel, propelled Russia 200 years forward (13% industrial growth from1938-41), sending man into space b4 the US & printing 60% of world's books. I won't outgrow Marxism; I started out libertarian (read Rand, Smith, Mises)

PS - ageism = ad hom

[spanishaustralian]

Simple solution.

keep government small and the private sector BIG

[drmondman1]

search

world government control code project red pill

[Patriotfrosh15]

Yep, just like the damn DEA. They keep marijuana illegal thus hurting our economy when it could be used to boost the economy and created hemp paper, biofuels, and other awesome shit.

[ForTehNguyen]

if you mean doing things better like stifling economic growth then yes

[arunmaroli]

This clown talks as if Western Europe is a hell-hole, when in fact they do a lot of thing better than here in US

[TBlinz1]

Every morning I sit on the toilet and drop off an obama.

[EggMan15]

haha i call it free the slaves

[uhhh54321]

Great video. I'd love to see a vid about WHY Social Security is almost bankrupt. HOW the postal service loses $7 billion a year when they have a monopoly on the First Class mail routes. WHAT do Medicare and Medicaid already provide and why are those systems failing? If these government has / is failing with these agencies, how could a healthcare overhaul possibly create a successful system?

Maybe you could help to explain the opposition's argument.

[carcabe]

Government is not reason or cooperation. It is force and control. It is a consuming fire. It is destructive.

Government force destroys the natural social ecology.

Freedom will not produce a perfect world. Just the best possible world.

[spanishaustralian]

wow man thats deep shit. i love it.

[maggoli67]

Excellent.

[TheObjectiveReality]

As usual, Dan Mitchel hits the nail on the head. Someone please elect this guy so he can fix our problems.

[bertly71]

Excellent video. He hit on all of the important points and made it understandable. This should be watched by all voters and politicians.

[DaveC86]

if only the Obama nuts would watch Dan and actually take some of what he says on board... they're too busy shouting CHANGE! and YES WE CAN!...

if just one country in the world would adopt a 100% free market economy so the rest of the world could see how badly governments have been destroying wealth and productivity... that'd be nice.

[AbdielAbiram]

yeah that seems to be the only thing I hear from Obama supporters. Ever heard the "your a religious nut racist bigot homophobe nazi if you disagree with Obama".