The Cost of Corporate Communism ~ Dylan Ratigan

[mzmolly]

Lately I have been using the phrase "Corporate Communism" on my television show. I think it is an especially fitting term when discussing the current landscape in both our banking and health care systems.

As Americans, I believe we reject communism because it historically has allowed a tiny group of people to consolidate complete control over national resources (including people), in the process stifling competition, freedom and choice. It leaves its citizens stagnating under the perpetual broken systems with no natural motivation to innovate, improve services or reduce costs.

Lack of choice, lazy, unresponsive customer service, a culture of exploitation and a small powerbase formed by cronyism and nepotism are the hallmarks of a communist system that steals from its citizenry and a major reason why America spent half a century fighting a Cold War with the U.S.S.R.

And yet today we find ourselves as a country in two distinctly different categories: those who are forced to compete tooth and nail each day to provide value to society in return for income for ourselves and our families and those who would instead use our lawmaking apparatus to help themselves to our tax money and/or to protect themselves from true competition.

...

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dylan-ratigan/the-cost-of...

Well worth the read. I love the new "corporate communism" meme.

[Ruby the Liberal]

1. I don't. It is fascism, not communism.

We should take this opportunity to teach the right what the 'isms' mean as opposed to playing their game with the words.

I do give him credit for the sound bytes to LIV though.

[mzmolly]

2. I think he makes a good argument

personally. I'm going to stick with corporate communism.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. He is a hard core capitalist as in fair competition, so has that point

well covered. All week he has been saying that he just wants fair competition in the market (what Michael Moore is also arguing).

Where I differ from him isn't on the need for competition (hence the Communism reference) as much as taking public money and subsidizing private industry with it. Privatizing the wealth while socializing the risk.

[mzmolly]

10. I don't think he feels we should privatize wealth while socializing

risk. If I did, I'd disagree as well.

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. Sorry - I didn't state that right. I agree, he is not in favor of that

and that is the difference between Communism and Fascism (not the difference between me and Dylan).

I agree with his position 100% - as much as I know if it. The only thing I disagree with is the label he is using to describe it.

[mzmolly]

14. I might disagree if I didn't care for his justification

but I think it's perfect.

concept of communism is rightly reviled in this country for the simple reason that it is blind to human nature, allowing a small group of individuals near-total control, while sticking everyone else with the same crappy systems -- and the bill.

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. I don't disagree with the concept.

The lack of competition (and his repeated reminders about how Insurance is exempt from anti-trust) is a message that NEEDS to be out there. He is an important voice.

[Ruby the Liberal]

17. BTW - did you see his brilliant takedown of Betsy McCaughey?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[mzmolly]

18. I haven't.

But I shall look for the video.

[Ruby the Liberal]

20. That is the link to the vid on DU

It is a thing of beauty. A true don't miss!

[mzmolly]

25. dup

delete.

[mzmolly]

26. Ah thanks! I did see that

yesterday. It was great!

[Ruby the Liberal]

27. I think I have watched it like 5 times now.

Of course, Dylan and Rep Weiner are easy on the eyes, so makes it a double bonus.

/shallow

[paulsby]

22. i agree with you

there are essentially three camps

1) capitalism as practiced and regulated in the US is doing just fine and if anything, just needs less govt. regulation
2) capitalism is an unjust crappy system and needs to be tossed out (michael moore and many DUers are in this camp)
3) capitalism is the best system there is, communism is rightly reviled, but our implementation of same has serious problems, influenced largely by corporate money and having too many loopholes for responsibility, etc.

im #3

[mzmolly]

24. I'm with you

as well.

[AntiFascist]

4. The advantage is...

now we can call ourselves anti-Communist in addition to anti-Fascist, and pro-capitalism which some of the big corporations abandoned long ago.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. There is that, and I believe the point Michael Moore has been trying to make.

Of course to the RW, 'isms' are all interchangeable.

[anonymous171]

6. Stuff like this makes us look like Commie apologists

Corporate Communism stays.

[armyowalgreens]

8. No it doesn't. It makes us look like we give a shit about the meaning of words.

[Ruby the Liberal]

9. And comments like that make us look as dumb as the RW loons

who think all 'isms' are interchangeable.

I am not championing Communism, I am attempting to explain that, while sound byte friendly, it isn't accurate.

[mzmolly]

12. Neither is fascism,

if we're going to be particular.

[DCKit]

30. The FReepers and H8triots no comprende "Fascism" and never will.

It's too hard to 1) look it up in the dictionary and 2) process the information. It's against everything they believe in - pride in their willful ignorance.

"Corporate Communism" is a phrase which will resonate with even the dimmest bulbs. No, they don't understand "Communism" either, but they've been told to hate it, and that's good enough for them.

[inna]

3. KR+7, but i liked this other article by him (see link below) much better:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dylan-ratigan/americans-h...

"Americans Have Been Taken Hostage

The American people have been taken hostage to a broken system.

It is a system that remains in place to this day.

A system where bank lobbyists have been spending in record numbers to make sure it stays that way.

A system that corrupts the most basic principles of competition and fair play, principles upon which this country was built.

It is a system that so far has forced the taxpayer to provide the banks with the use of $14 trillion from the Federal Reserve, much of the $7 trillion outstanding at the US Treasury and $2.3 trillion at the FDIC.

A system partially built by the very people who currently advise our President, run our Treasury Department and are charged with its reform.

And most stunningly -- it is a system that no one in our government has yet made any effort to fundamentally change."

[mzmolly]

11. I think both pieces fit together

quite nicely.

[fascisthunter]

16. It's Called Fascism...

jesus fucking christ!

[mzmolly]

19. Jonah Goldberg calls liberals fascists.

One can see elements of both fascism and communism in our current system.

[fascisthunter]

21. Jonah Goldberg misuses terms to suit his agenda as a propagandist

people like him try to confuse people. There's a special place in my toilet bowl for that piece of crap.

[mzmolly]

23. My point is that we can use

spin to fight them on their own terms.

[fascisthunter]

28. I Understand why he is using this label

my problem is the word fascism isn't being discussed properly in the media... If at all, when it should. I never ever hear folks in the media counter right wingers who misuse the term to label the left. These people are fascists and need to be called out for it.

Anyways... I'm not as mad as I sound.. I reread what I posted and realized how angry I seem to be.

the great thing is, I'm kicking your thread.

[mzmolly]

29. Gotcha.