tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post8283155185448223708..comments2023-09-29T06:57:06.991-07:00Comments on Anglachel's Journal: Money, Morality and MittensAnglachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110546252851760414noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-41545598109451170242012-01-16T11:50:42.432-08:002012-01-16T11:50:42.432-08:00I generally agree with the post. As Somerby notes...I generally agree with the post. As Somerby notes, the Big Stupid usually revolves around small-bore, titillating questions about whether or not Politician A is a Bad Person, regardless of the policies at stake. (Like Somerby, I don't want to hear one more time about what Romney did or didn't do in transporting his dog cross-country.) Still, setting aside whether or not his work at Bain could or should be used in a political campaign, it is interesting to me, and disturbing, and Lifton pointed it out, what a successful business today now means - liquidating the workers and dislocating the local community in search of short-term profit. Henry Ford certainly wasn't A Good Man, but he did put out a tangible, socially useful product and paid his workers enough so they could afford it. To me, Bain and private equity firms (which wouldn't exist except for favorable tax treatment 30 years ago) are interesting because they're reflective of where we've turned - toward an economy not based on profit through some kind of at least nominally productive activity, but pure rent seeking. The more interesting question then isn't whether Romney=Evil but whether this is the kind of economy we want. I wish we could talk about that.redscotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00311167473555575509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-22118133822932530692012-01-14T11:16:04.779-08:002012-01-14T11:16:04.779-08:00You've articulated an uneasiness I've been...You've articulated an uneasiness I've been feeling about the Mittbot discussion for a while now. The closest I've come is, "Talk about what he did as Governor!" But what you said is what I mean.quixotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12650030894065858444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119943.post-3488634834426862772012-01-14T08:23:24.767-08:002012-01-14T08:23:24.767-08:00I'm so glad you're writing about this.
A ...I'm so glad you're writing about this.<br /><br />A focus on "morality" is so much easier than on political abilities and policies.Joyce L. Arnoldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16312448459230498463noreply@blogger.com