Tony Benn - World Against War Conference Dec 1 2007

[BlackRoof]

Israel is trying to ETHNICALLY CLEANSE the area it regards as its own.

Zionist Israel WILL KILL anyone that stands in its way.

Why is there no WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

Why is Europe SILENT?

There are more than two countrie involved.

I DON'T CARE HOW BIG AMERICA IS.

EUROPE SHOULD STAND AGAINST THIS INHUMANE ISRAEL\AMERICA PACT.

Remove America's veto at the UN now!

[tonybenn1000]

my GOD what a MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[strizhi]

My apologies...I meant "Kyrgyzstan" - yikes ignorance lol. Back to topic, sadly gov seems to be working for the people and have lost sight of our forefathers intentions. Even secret societies started out good but now we hear rumors of sinister activities. Who are we to trust any longer and I say only us the people. Lets make this right, so thank you Benn for reigniting that candle I have blown out :)

[strizhi]

@strizhi Geez I must be tired..."sadly gov seems to be working for itself"...ok nough said. I'm embarrassing myself.

[tonybenn1000]

@striz hang in there and , hopefully, you might catch on strizhi

[strizhi]

@tonybenn1000 Nothing is worse then an empire in self denial and I think that is exactly what is happening here. That realization hasn't sunk with politicians much less its brainwashed masses and in that sense we are indeed a country which is like a wounded tiger, very dangerous. There is hope but not kind corporations or organizations can bring about, but our new and bright generation - the PEOPLE. I think I got it.

[strizhi]

With that said, although I'm not entirely anti-war I most definitely am anti-empirialism and there's no dillusion any longer. We are an empire and I thank God we are declining. This gives power back to the people and it is up to us people to make it right. Kurguztan was but the best example and though I don't say we should go that far, we should at least remind our fed who they work for. "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" JFK.

[strizhi]

I'm not the one to usually go along with people much less politicians because although they may stand on one issue on the right, there are other issues they're on the left. Tony Benn has broken my dillusion and I now feel there's truly hope. We have proved to all the governments of all world in this generation alone specifically on Iraq by how much we were against it. With thousands of demonstrations accounting to millions of people there are thousands more to come on other basic issues.

[NymphZoic68]

Tony Benn is a very special and unique individual. I saw him speak at an anti war rally in Manchester in 2006. His agenda is world peace and unity, freedom and justice for all human beings. A good man indeed!

[Androg]

@Helicon2112 The US is under no threat from Iran, it never has been and never will be. You are a declining empire, your economy is collapsing. This is the reason for your governments obsession with blowing up small brown countries! The Iraq war? More like the Iraq Distraction! If not for the oil fields in the middle east america would not be there. And since when were socialist Ideals weak. Socialist Ideals are Humanist ideals and we are all Human, America Is The TYRANT of our age!

[Summerbkh]

What a wonderfully brave and just person.

I deeply respect Tony Benn.

[marsCubed]

The fundamental deep problem of capital is. that because it is a competitive system, a market can be saturated with commodities each of which only make a fraction of a penny. crisis in profits; means that some competitors are going to fail. Recovery is through buy ups of failed assets - and new products. The problem is time. The time it takes for larger and larger sectors to recover, Is misery for generations - if an economy like Sth Korea fails for instance. We need to manage such things.

[marsCubed]

Capital reduces humanity into a chase for the profit margin. It is shallow and demeaning.

We also need an intellectual concept of development for human need and aspirations.

fair enough, capitalists can make a buck, but that is not what defines life or humanity.

We are a planet in crisis, we are cool evolved apes. let us cooperate and work to the best of our ideals. the market has it's place, but to define the world by it is voodoo, religion, dumb and to be greedy and blinded by $.

[NewsFarm]

mars-Neither you, me or anybody else for that matter have a say about our very own evolutionary future. I detest intellectuals & refuse to abide by their self serving will. They will not determine or augment my way of living. The immensity of this crisis is determined by the media. Neither you or me know how severe or no severe this crisis really is. Populist media made Swine hysteria frenzy anyone?

[NewsFarm]

mars--Competition breeds efficiency and cost effectiveness in order to attracts patrons. Let failure fail without a bail out. Self responsibility to the rescue. The state should not be a nanny state. Inefficient bureaucrats should have no say over my need for an MRI. A nanny state enshrines poverty & kills all incentives to assume personal responsibility

[marsCubed]

I understand your point, and it is often repeated, however the only examples I find are decades old. In most parts of the world a mixed economy is seen as the best of both worlds, markets & a public sector balance ensuring good standards. It is where public sector has been replaced wholesale by private structs. that we see the worst cases of corruption and stagnation today. and worse, it becomes plutocracy protected by the public purse. The state has probs. too, but we r all on one ship.

[NewsFarm]

mars--I seek profit day in and and out. I offer no apologies and do not seek judgmental approval from no one. I obey the law but employ cunning techniques to reach my goals. I may light Cuban cigars with $100 bills to my greedy heart's content. Guilt is not an option. Emulate my success and spread my gospel to the down trodden. Self entrepreneurship & responsibility will reveal the Holly Grail.

[marsCubed]

Capitalism was a great system, a revolutionary system, it was the successor to rule by kings and serfdom for the rest of humanity. The merchant class with it's wage system transformed the world with industry and enterprise. But it is not magic NewsFarm, It goes to crisis, it has no answers for energy food and water distribution, it trashes the environment society and wealth. It becomes fascism in extermes. Civilization exists to serve humanity, not the rich. get real.

[marsCubed]

You make profits all day so pay the price. You cannot justify shooting someone with a plea of, 'it's my gun so I can do what I like'. If you were a captain of a ship you might get more pay, but you are not the ship, the crew and it's material fabric are the ship, the greater part of money goes into re investment and is made by everybody. Decide to sail into an ice berg because it is 'your ship' and it is only a matter of time before the ships doctor and crew show you who's ship it really is.

[NewsFarm]

"You make profits all day so pay the price.

You cannot justify shooting someone with a plea of, 'it's my gun so I can do what I like'."(mars)

Your comparison of my personal success to a crime speaks volumes about your sanctimonious self righteousness. I apologize wholeheartedly had i offended your heightened social sensitivity with my success (just kidding...)

[marsCubed]

If someone decides to chop down a forest and sell the wood. They must pay to replace the forest. This is what taxation does.

It is the fishing protection areas and the health plan, education for workers who would otherwise be factory fodder. Pay the price or get out of the civilized world. The practices of unregulated capital are over, nobody wants the trash and destruction, corruption and harm that it does. Free markets are a failed rotten system in ruins, nobody wants that crap anymore.

[NewsFarm]

mars-I already bought a cave in the Nepalese side of the Himalayas. I'm in the process of training local Sherpas how to protect me against mind boggling naivete such as yours. Stay tuned. I will keep you posted !

[marsCubed]

Yours is the mind blowing naivete NewsFarm. Capitalism is in recession, the world economy has been shattered by yet another predictable crisis. And your solution is to imagine a false reality in which you can carry on as before looking for Nirvana. I know what you will discover in your cave, that you are the alienating factor. buy yourself a dream, you will need it. History will smite you and you know it.

Reason will eventually prevail and call you for what you are; ignorant and harmful.

[NewsFarm]

Socialism brought the Russian Bear down. China capitulated BIg TIME when Uncle Sam stopped buying faulty Chinese goods. China's rise is based on intellectual theft of the grandest scale & unfair competition (sub zero wages & standards) More regulations? perhaps. Stricter oversight?-maybe. Government sucks. How dare you sanction my hard earned lawfully earned success for the poor? Why should they emulate my success if I keep subsidizing hence enshrining their "comfortable poverty" ?

[NewsFarm]

mars--As for this "Word against war" comedy show, I intend to demand a decisive U.N resolution declaring war illegal for good & at once. Violators must receive punitive damages. Repeat offenders should receive heftier fines while triple offenders must attend a 4 weeks seminar on human rights, civility and international law in Geneva. What say you? Wanna join my campaign? Oh do say yes as I need al the naive & terribly misguided he[p I can get !

[NewsFarm]

" Capitalism is in recession" (mars)

Yank Capitalism saved Europe twice from herself & rebuilt her from scratch. Yank Capitalism unilaterally brought Russian Socialism down and will probably have to bail European entrenched socialistic economies yet again in the foreseeable future. Lovely...

[marsCubed]

The same yank Capitalism which funded Hitler to recover from the last recession? Ya that is the one, lets hope the next amazing free market solution is as great eh?

[NewsFarm]

"yank Capitalism which funded Hitler to recover from the last recession?"(mars)

Oh dear, you finally beat me to the punch & showed me the ropes, mars dear. With utmost humility & embarrassment I formally concede defeat to your stunning eloquence . Alas, my kettle is on the boil and it is time for my Middle Eastern tea (no milk). Be well mars and only good things (seriously!)

[marsCubed]

Well it's a fact. The recession of the 30s was triggered primarily by huge investments in car manufacture. It was realized that the first on the market with a cheap car would mop up the cream. Investments went through the roof as rubber plantations etc. were bought to maximize competitive advantage. When the collapse came huge investments were lost. Hitler was primarily funded by American capital. He broke unions and made returns for investors. The reason for his WW beatle even.

[marsCubed]

Bare in mind that Hitler did not remove any big corporations, he simply took protectionism to it's logical conclusion. Fascism is aka known as corporate state. It is when the capitalist class rule and use thugs to get rid of anything which interferes with profit accumulation. it is why the Nazis took gold fillings, it was the free market without constraint. it made profits. Nazi units paid for their own uniforms and bullets. it was enterprise.

[marsCubed]

You may like to type "who funded Hitler" into the search field of Google. Here is a little except from the shoah education foundation. "Wall Street, always interested in profit, saw opportunity in the rising Reich. The Dulles-Bush controversy (see link below on Wall Street) stems from prominent American businessmen investing at the time."

Hitler was the golden goose NewsFarm, your wet dream, he smashed the left and freed the market. He was backed by greedy idiots then as he is now.

[NewsFarm]

mars--Hitler coerced his "free markets" to finance his satanic aspiration. He fine tuned Fascism to the tee. He nationalized freedom for the sake of his megalomaniac aspirations. What a swell dude, what a champ !

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Overblown specuation is indeed a major contributor to the current crisis. Irish real estate ("The Irish economic miracle") was insanely inflated by overly greedy Irish speculators. irish real estate properties grew in price 5 fold before the spectacular collapse.

[NewsFarm]

mars- Vilifying success encourages chronic dependency. An absurd and self destructive idea. Israeli Kibutzes are by now almost fully privatized. The world's purest form of Communism has declared complete bankruptcy. Self responsibility & reliance yields excellence, healthy competition & efficiency. Greed needs better oversight & stricter regulations but welfare is guaranteed to enshrine parasitism & chronic dependency.

[marsCubed]

I do not Vilify success, I seek to define what we mean by it. A man cutting off his arm for a meal is not success. And kibbutzim are great, but as you say completely artificial, they were not competitive profit making machines and that is why. "welfare is guaranteed to enshrine parasitism & chronic dependency"

could have come from the 30s, it was the argument used to begin the killings of the weak and vulnerable.

[marsCubed]

"welfare is guaranteed to enshrine parasitism & chronic dependency" Is also wrong, look to the modern examples of Norway and Sweden. They are the most flexible, least dependant and wealthy, because welfare was made to work. It is the private economies which have the problems you speak of. mainly because keeping people poor and ignorant is part of plan to keep down wages and make profits.

[NewsFarm]

mars- The chronic argument of defending the weak is fundamentally flawed. The state should help you help yourself, after which self reliance is the only key to leaving "victimhood" for good . Truly sick & disabled individuals deserve assistance. The quality of their care is dependent on their yearly contributions to the tax collector. Victimhood victimizes law abiding citizens more than the "victims" themselves. Quit being weak & self pitted & join the work force

[marsCubed]

hang on a minute, please re read what I said., The states with the least dependant populations are the high tax welfare societies. The reason is that nobody is in poverty and all are educated, socialized and healthy. The old to not die in the winter and kids get a doctor when they need one. People are educated and sane enough to make their own way. It is the states such as the USA which have the problems, and no solutions other than bullets. You have a lot of catching up to do.

[NewsFarm]

"keeping people poor is a plan to keep down wages & make profits." (mars)

I acquired a B.A in the U.S. I came with nothing yet worked my butt off in order to afford stiff tuition & rent. No one paid my bills. I relied on myself. When there is a will, there is a way. Being "victimized" was not an option. Accusing the rich would not have held water for me.

As per JFK:"Ask not what what the country can do for yo, ask what you can do for your country"- how true!

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Which socialized countries are that successful?

Which highly educated individual will pick up your crops and serve you a burger? Had he been highly paid and well compensated, would you be able to afford his burgers or freshly picked tomatoes?

[marsCubed]

How's about, instead of burgers; meatballs in sauce with potatoes, organically grown, fresh and nutritious. Because the food you speak of is of the ghetto and is a bad direction. If standards are raised internationally then the playing field is level. It does not harm competition, We do not trade with capital which keeps slaves. Let us also say, human rights and dignity, a fair wage and conditions are required. The corps who cheat by breaking people will be excluded, let them rot.

[NewsFarm]

mars- Quit blaming success for exploiting the down trodden. Some are truly disabled, others simply parasitic & lazy while most not interested to learn a vocation & move on in life. A simple matter of choice. Not my fault although the very rich pay most of the taxes & donate much of their money to various charities.

[marsCubed]

I am not blaming success on putting down the 'downtrodden', I am saying that it is NOT a success to make money in the by running a dehumanizing sweat shop style economy. it is not a success to fish a river empty, it is not success to drive down wages to the bone. those are all marks of failure and signify that the nasty corps. rule the roost. Sweden has capitalists too, high tech stuff, companies which value wealth. The nasty corps go to the USA.

They are the right wing $. The dinosaurs.

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Socialized Europe is inundated with massive illegal immigration from Africa & the Muslim world. Can Europe sustain such influx of ignorant individuals? Should you pay for their "rehabilitation"? Is it your fault that a despotic & corrupt dictator brutalized them to no return?

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Quit blaming the civilized world for all evil. Blame China for insane air pollution, invading Tibet & human rights violations. Convince India to sign the Kyoto agreement. Blame the corrupt & biased U.N for assigning Libya to head the Human Rights Council (8 years & going...). Look around you.

[marsCubed]

I am not blaming the civilized world for anything, I happen to like and enjoy living in the civilized world a lot. What I would like to see is sustainable development. Markets can deliver their fair share of this, but it has to be focused on producing wealth and not just profit. The planet is a limited resource, Water, energy and food require the kinds of planning that markets are unable to deliver.

 We need both and a positive liberty model like JFK. and yup, the UN needs fixing for sure.

[NewsFarm]

mars-- in the final analysis, I'm confident that you will welcome all downtrodden immigrants to your midst & spearhead a global crusade to cleanse Africa of corruption & genocidal tendencies while ridding the constantly developing world of despotic dictators, Your blinding naivete will surely make a dent on child labor in Indonesia, China, india & South East Asia. Organic & nutritious justice for all. End poverty & call me. Until than, good luck to you mars & thanks for the inky ride...

[marsCubed]

We listened to each other, that is a good thing I would like to think that this is how people can come up with best ideas in the future.

peace.

[marsCubed]

"Blame China for insane air pollution, invading Tibet & human rights violations. Convince India to sign the Kyoto agreement. Blame the corrupt & biased U.N for assigning Libya to head the Human Rights Council"

hehe, That is what I do when I am not using precious typing ink trying to convince you.

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Time for the poor to quit blaming others for their poverty. Obama's mother relied on food stamps yet he became the president of the U.S. The owners of the Jordache fashion empire where literally homeless upon arrival to the U.S. Their self reliance, ingenuity & hard work brought them to the top !

[NewsFarm]

mars--Bear in mind that America became a super power much before FDR & Social Security. Immigrants relied on themselves. No safety net, unemployment benefits or unions. Self reliance generated a robust drive to acquire a personal portion of the American Dream. Self responsibility & no sense of entitlement created the greatest (though far from perfect) country in the world. Self propelled Innovation & ingenuity .

[NewsFarm]

mars- Bear in mind that FDR, father of the era of entitlements & a nanny state was rescued not by bloating his government but by World War -2. America was shaped into the super power that it is by means of a global military crisis, not FDR's disastrous New Deal

[NewsFarm]

The recession of the 30s was triggered primarily by huge investments in car manufacture.(mars)

FDR's New Deal bloated the government & national dependency . Problem was that once the government funded bridge was complete the workers became unemployed yet again. A costly & temporary remedy. This is why it took 10 years to recover (apart from a short lived recovery in 1937)

[marsCubed]

Have a look at: watch?v=5kwA-CwFK5A

Which will give you some info. regarding FDR and the creation of middle class America. It was the time of most growth, stunted by Regan and Thatcher who spent the treasury on propaganda systems, like putting arms manufacture in strategic places to hold onto votes, locking the system into debts and deals. a million scams like straws, broke the economies back. Sweden's banks did not fail in the credit crunch, they were open and regulated. democracy won.

[NewsFarm]

mars-- Bear in mind that Iceland's banks were the first to "melted down". Wall Street simply joined the dubious festivities later on. Seems like frozen people are more inclined to exploit speculation for warming up purposes. Iceland is now officially applying for unemployment benefits.

[marsCubed]

Iceland was the state which most closely followed the USA financial model is why, The UK was also hit hard for the same reason, Reganomics, Thatcherism, selling the family silver and not investing a bean. The result is a broken corrupt and top heavy mess. In real terms incomes of the majority have gone to dirt and the rich have all moved to Mali and Saudi. And still we have people like you saying trickle down works, it is insane.

[sonofcy]

Blah blah blah same old rightwing blah blah blah. Yank capitalism also made huge profits from both wars. As long as Europe was unstable America had no major trading partners so it was in their interest to do so. Adding to that The UK got no aid at all from the US after WWII only a loan the conditions of which almost broke the economy

[marsCubed]

here is an idea, go and live in a cave and make profits there. here is exactly how much you will make: $0.00 If you live amongst people, make money from them, enjoy roads, laws which protect you, sanitation, education, healthy minds and people around you, a market place which is regulated and does not rip you off.. then pay tax. Invest in the society you live in, crumbs have not fallen from the table. Private health care has failed the majority, the environment is in ruins. It is miserable.

[marsCubed]

and you are right, Capitalism is the best system we have had thus far, that is my point. Unless capital is able to transform itself into something like the mixed and humanistic model we see in some parts of Europe, it will fester and go into yet another series of crisis. In which case it will really be in trouble. This is about whether we can evolve towards flexible sustainable economy. Markets will remain, but big necessary intervention must happen, as it already has to end slavery. adapt.

[hanson666999]

I will always love and admire Tony Benn in the way he speaks for what is good and right in humanity. I find it sad how...distorted many of us have become and how meek we seem in our humanity, i know that sounds poetical but things have become so banal and bereft of imagination. I know people do amazing things all the time but what happened to that great belief that the world could be free and just, im a fool i know but i want to be a fool who believes it is still possible to create such a worl

[aan221]

"America is in decline." Great predication by a great man.

[thenewsfarm]

America is in decline until Europe and Tony Benn will call her to bail her out once again from a home grown menace of a European Muslim majority that adheres to strict Sharia law and religious intolerance.

[Drumstoo]

"European Muslim majority"? Are you joking?!

The US, as an ally of the UK and France, should have got come to help years before DDay.

[marsCubed]

The kinds of conspiracy you are stating is the vestiges of cold war propaganda mixed in with ultra right politics. The fact is that in Northern Europe, high tax has led to educated and healthy populations, equality and low crime. Places like Sweden have the best standards of living in the world. It is also considered the freest country by most.

 Tax the Haliburtons back to planet Earth, spread the cream, invest and catch up

Alex Jones led the anti war movement into obscurity, think about it.

[NewsFarm]

mars--Disagreement does not render my comments conspiratorial but simply different than yours.

European economies are gasping for air, taxation is exorbitant- all despite maintaining token armies & relying on U.S for defense. Iceland melted by self volition & so was the Irish "economic miracle". Paris was burning by French citizens protesting the end of socialism in the French work force.

[marsCubed]

YES.. and the states you mention are the ones which followed the US model.

they are destroyed by it and bankrupt. Profit is not wealth. Profit is knocking down a hospital to build a car park. It is high crime, poverty, low wage, sweat shops.

The Economies which have fared best, like Sweden, have the lowest crime, highest standards of living and are the most equal through tax. The USA Bush model is Arms and low wage with a hyper rich elite owning people. it is neo fascism.

[marsCubed]

Capital cannot self correcting is the problem. When investment rises to keep up with competition it eventually becomes huge. so that failure is impossible as it would bring misery to a generation and waste of years of investment. Unless society is able to sensibly close down failing sectors, tax wealth back into people's lives and reskill, re invest etc, then you get the horror of the rich trashing the people like garbage. it is sick and nasty

capitalism stinks. The right robbed the USA.

[NewsFarm]

mars-Many British patients are now traveling half way round the world to get treatment in hospitals where patients are treated quickly, efficiently, hygienically and with respect. So, for example, hospitals in India are offering attractive package deals for British patients who can't wait two years for treatment or who don't fancy the idea of being killed by an antibiotic resistant hospital infection.

[NewsFarm]

mars--the super rich employ the super poor. They also pay most taxes. Poverty = No self responsibility. Obama's mother relied on food stamps . Equal distribution=is a death blow to encouraging the poor to propel themselves from poverty. Why should they? Life will be swell...

[NewsFarm]

mars--Spreading the cream is socialism. Capitalism will self correct itself. Greed is good but must be better regulated. U.S top 1% pay more than ten times the income taxes of the bottom 50%. Top 5% pay 53.25% of all taxes. Success should be emulated not vilified. %90 of all charity is attributed to the very rich. Africa is in constant dire straits because she can always rely on global aidini times of need. A vicious cycle. Self responsibility - key to personal & national prosperity

[NewsFarm]

mars-Canadian socialized medicine-a 7 weeks waiting time for MRI. Canadian flock U.S private hospital for better & prompt care.

England-decades of shortages, misery and suffering until 1989, when some private health care competition was introduced. Those depending on socialized medicine face a nightmare. Reports about English hospitals are shocking. E.R. collapsing. Some patients attended in parked ambulance due to bureaucratic inefficiency & indifference . So much for socialism

[marsCubed]

i am in the UK, the health service here may not be perfect, but it is what most people use. In fact in all the surveys we have ever done on the subject it comes out as our greatest achievement by far. The private sector uses exactly the same hospitals and doctors except that they deal with non trivial matters faster. The private sector is known here as unskilled and sometimes dodgy in comparison, it is just about making money. People here see private as damaging public health.

[marsCubed]

Our health service is free for everybody who needs it. The UK is very proud of it. talk sense. In the USA many people can't even afford to see a doctor, and when they do it is a charity hospital which is like the 3rd world compared to health care in most of Europe.

[NewsFarm]

mars--The Observer reported more than 900 National Health Service beds used for maternity, elderly and general hospital care are closed across Britain due to financial pressures.

At the Royal Cornwall hospital in Truro, surgeons have been told to increase their waiting lists.

"We can't see any outpatients until they've waited at least 11 weeks, and we can't operate until they've waited an additional 24 weeks," one surgeon told the Observer. "This is ludicrous."

[NewsFarm]

mars--Funny indeed that patients world wide flock the U.S for better health care. No one denied urgent care & each state has state run hospitals (hence worse conditions, maddening bureaucracy and longer waiting periods for tests. Endless free clinics are a true testament to Capitalism at its best.

[marsCubed]

oops, i meant trivial matters.

[NewsFarm]

mars--One of the British government's flagship hospitals has banned non-emergency surgery after doctors carried out "too many" operations. Hundreds of patients have been told by Darent Valley hospital in Dartford, Kent, they will have to wait longer for their operations. Surgeons performing gynecological, urological and orthopedic procedures have been told by local health officials that they have "over-performed", the London Observer reported.

[NewsFarm]

mars--British hospitals are now among the worst in the world. A recent survey of NHS staff showed that only 44% thought that they would be happy with the standard of care provided if they were patients in their own hospital.

[NewsFarm]

mars--If I acquire an education, take initiatives & risks while working my butt off to succeed than neither you nor the government has any right to tax my success away. Should Britain retain her super socialistic pre-Thatcher economy the English super rich will once again migrate to Switzerland. Funny that pro socialism U2 Bono hides his massive fortune in tax free shores...

[marsCubed]

Then move to Iran and piss off out of the civilized world. pay up of go to jail.

[NewsFarm]

mars--I'm an Israeli who lives in Israel. Iran is definitely not a desired port of call at this point in time (if you catch my drift...)

Life in Israel suits my fancy. I'm happy as a lark but thank you much for the advice.

[marsCubed]

NewsFarm, it is this simple; the market is not magic. IT is a price finding mechanism, It requires management just like any other system. The concept of free market is cool, but limited. It is not able to make plans for the future, only for what it is designed for, making the next $.

We need a sensible mixed econonomy, it benefits everyone, it also ensures stability because we can PLAN for it. Low tax has it's moments, but it is not a panacea. we need to invest and steer for sustainability

[NewsFarm]

mars--Capitalism is far from perfect but it is the best system in existence. Does it need better regulations and transparency? - Sure.

However only the free markets can revive the markets. Self correction is already happening as we speak. The government excels at inefficiency, indifference and maddening bureaucracy.

[marsCubed]

Switzerland's banks have just been opened, despite rants by the right, so that they cannot be used as tax havens, which as you rightly point out have crippled economies as the rich have been able to avoid paying tax. The policies of thatcher and regan have sunk the economies which have followed this path. Fact is that your ideas are in disgrace at this time, your foolish remarks are pathetic and and make no sense to anybody, they are about you trying not to feel like an idiot, but you are.

[NewsFarm]

mars--Swedish Saab collapsed. Sweden spends peanuts on self defense. No need when Uncle Sam maintains 150,000 U.S. soldiers on European soil. Airbus, highly subsidized by French, British & German governments can not compete with privately owned Boeing. Don't tell anybody but Yank Capitalism saved Europe twice from itself & rebuilt her after W.W-2.

[jvittetoe]

America is a socialist society. It hasn't been a true free market capitalist system in nearly a century. That is the problem!

You certainly earn compensation for hard work, no question about it. However, it is not your right to dictate what you should be paid. That is your employers role. If you don't feel you're being paid what you think you've 'earned,' then go find another job.

In a true free market with real, sound money, you would be compensated with higher purchasing power.

[jvittetoe]

Well please inform me. What is your moral justification for redistributing someone else's wealth. Please! I am yearning for such enlightenment.

[ngai1842]

totally agree with you!

[Drumstoo]

PokerPlum's comments are 100% accurate. In addition, what happens when, through centuries of inheritance and economic class division, the 90% of people who currently own 10% of the wealth have nothing? The top 10% of earners couldn't physically spend enough to keep the other 90% in jobs and money would not circulate.

Capitalism is an impractical principle which is unfeasable and immoral on a planet of 6 billion+ people.

[jvittetoe]

lol socialism.

[jerami101]

War is people being led around like a bull with a nose ring! Prapaganda is something that people need to be taught to recognize immediately. The first victim in ANY war is the truth!

[barrington28]

Long live Tony Benn and his wisdom.

[loachendormi]

My favourite politician. Just tells it like it is.

[elasetti]

A great man a beautiful mind !!!!

[lucymisti]

May he be blessed by the gods! And I agree with the statement below, most Americans are so uninformed, and by choice! shame on you all!

[malcolmmcmartin]

Every American should read Tony Benn. If only you could read.  ...A is for apple...,

[lGnossos]

rg'k@@#$@#$ ; wekwek ???

[whurlyned]

Tony is and always has been God

[324wilson]

You mean "Good" or "GOD"???

[slasaus1]

And the scary thing is, he's right, next stop for the new world order Iran or get rid of Chavez. Cant be bothered about the UN, the ICJ, the environment, the people, hundred of thousands of deaths in Iraq, but u can always wake me up for a nice business opportunity.

[BornWithTesticles]

Tony Benn, I love you man. The first time I saw him was on the Ali G show about 8 years ago. I was a teenager but he was the only guest on Ali G's show that actually spoke with purpose and conviction and he made me listen to what he was actually saying! I think he is spot on in most of his judgements and I applaud him for his outspoken, courageous and truthfull words. Bless you bro!

[Buggsy61]

Nice bloke but a total crackpot. Only thing he was fit to run was a hot dog stall and he probably would have run that into the ground as well.

[bluensunshine]

Tony was my MP back in '83 and I pounded the streets of Bristol to get him re-elected ~ it took a dirty-trick-boundary-change to get the unknown conservative elected. Wish I'd taken up the offer of attending the party at Tony and Caroline's house afterwards but have their autographs on the commemorative tribute paid by Bristol East Labour Party...

[fuglyno1]

we are human beings. there is no one that can defeat our ideals, short of nuclear or chemical destruction of the entire human race. the desire for peace, prosperity and equality are human, not racial traits. we either live together or we are doomed. we need to cooperate at the expense of competition, or inevitably we will be removed from the face of the earth.

[rodjames98]

can't believe some of these comments ! he is one of the world's greatest statesmen! he always championed rights for working classes.

He remains committed to anti war, is that so bad?? and at 83 years old he still attend's rallies of all kinds, show me where the other former politicians are standing up for the people of this country???

[sickliberal]

this is my new favorite gentleman!

[mingoi313]

I sincerely respect your heritage and the sacrifices made by your forefathers. I hope you also bear their willingness to sacrifice for what they believed was best for them, their people and their heritage.

The problem today is that people who are willing to sacrifice for these values are labeled terrorists because of certain interests.

Don't get me wrong, the likes of Osama are terrorists. But we need to hold our govt to account when they unjustly prevent others from hving thse very freedoms!

[m20a20]

Yes mingohi,osama and his gang are terrorists ,but so is mogti sadr and his gang are terrorists,that get paid by the barbaric terrorist regime occupying iran.And so is hamas who indiscreminately murdering women and children,be it israelis or palastinians.

[mingoi313]

Kindly get the name right, it's Moqtada Al-Sadr. There is a brutal reality in Iraq as we speak. Over 1 million dead, 4 million displaced and almost 70% of the population cut off from the most basic needs e.g. water and electricity. Did Moqtada actualize this current state of affairs?

The Iraqi people are resisting what they see as an occupation. All recent polls suggest that the majority of Iraqis want the US out. When you do get out of the Fox News world, you might just realise this.

[mingoi313]

Moqtada's militia have committed crimes, as have US friends currently holding seats in government.

As far as Hamas goes, can you give me figures of Israelis killed by Hamas and then we'll start tallying up the numbers. Last time I checked, Israel was cutting off fuel to the whole of Gaza -- and then you talk about indiscriminate killing. How hypocritical! Learn to have the decency to think for yourself.

[mingoi313]

You were talking about yourself were you? I wish you get well soon. :)

I also did take note that you are situated in Canada. It's nice to see your lasting association (clearly more nationalistic than patriotic) to these Isles.

[sixdollarnote]

Where have political leaders like this gone??

[xawesomexelix]

Either been killed, outspoken, retired, bribed, or forgotten.

Says a lot about how society is fucking itself (metaphorically speaking).

[MackzeKnife]

No more empires. Look what imperialism has done to this world. It's not that the US should fall, but it needs to stop thinking that it owns the world, doing whatever it wants and all the while pretending to hold the moral high ground.

[iballa2]

I do believe that his message is what we need to hear. This man needs to be in parliment.

[aramian21]

He is full of hope, altruism and intelligence at this age. He is one of the true heros.

[revoltz7]

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." - Step 1 put Tony Blair in prison. Step 2 blow off the third world debt. Step 3 Prime-ministers or presidents should be forced to take polygraph tests to determine whether they really have everyones interests at hand and not just their own. Step 4 - Abolish religion. Step 5 - Stop paying thick footballers so much money. Step 6 - Doctors should get more money. Step 7 - Footballers should be sterilised

[piran75]

It's good to see that we have an M.P. that is for the ppl! I so wish that Tony Benn had become prime minister in his prime, or even now. Even Maggie would've had second thoughts on our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan!

[mingoi313]

Tony Benn is a Legend!

As concise as it was, he made his mark as always! This century shall be the century of the peoples. And voices like those of Mr. Benn are the harbinger of that new reality, that new dawn which we are close to witness.

Thanks for the video.