Capitalism in Objectivism

Capitalism as defined by Dictionary.com gives the impression that individuals and corporations run the economy by producing, distributing, and exchanging wealth. This is a partly true, partly untrue definition. Capitalism is an economic system, and it is maintained by private individuals as opposed to the government. As corporations are run by private individuals, and the definition still does not cover the full scope of capitalism objectively.
In Objectivism, capitalism is the only social system that is able to protect individual rights. Ayn Rand's article "What is Capitalism" within the book, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, spells out the system beautifully.
Within the system of laissez-faire capitalism, the government's place is the defender of individual rights. Its job is to protect rights by preventing the unlawful use of force against innocent individuals, and will only use its monopoly of force against those who initiated it.
All men within capitalism are free to trade, exchange, and conduct business with other men in a voluntary manner. Every person within a capitalist society is free to achieve his highest potential, or even to choose to not achieve anything, as no one is allowed to use physical force to move men. Every person would have the same opportunities to succeed, as all objective laws would apply to all men equally.
So why does capitalism have such a bad reputation in the 21st century? It is mostly because as a social system, capitalism is incompatible with the social systems that dominate the world today: varying degrees of socialistic and free economies, aka the "mixed economies."
As spelled out in Rand's article, capitalism cannot "survive in a culture dominated by mysticism and altruism...." Meaning those philosophies advocating the sacrifice of one person for the "good" of others, whether for a god or for society. "No social system (and no human institution or activity of any kind) can survive without a moral base. On the basis of the altruist morality, capitalism had to be-and was-damned from the start."
For those who believe it is okay to take resources, money, and the lives of others in order to preserve the society or appease some deity, capitalism is not for you. Without a recognition of individual rights, capitalism cannot survive in today's society. Once the government is allowed to put a control on the free market, it will enact more controls as time goes on.
If capitalism is to truly begin, one must control the government, and to control the government, one must change the philosophical attitudes of the many people in today's world. If you believe that one should be free to pursue wealth, without harming others; one should keep what is earned, without forceful taxing; and one believes controls only restrict freedom from this goal, then you have a good grasp of what capitalism is.

National Alzheimer's Project Act Passes

Despite the fact that so many Americans suffer from Alzheimer's (as many as 5.3 million, according to a report from the Alzheimer's Association), anyone with a loved one who suffers from the disease knows that it often doesn't get the national attention that it deserves.
Thanks to a new law signed into existence on January 4, that's going to change.
The National Alzheimer's Project Act-or NAPA, as it's known-was created to ensure that the United States has an "aggressive and coordinated national strategy to confront the present and rapidly escalating Alzheimer's crisis," according to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Under NAPA, the HHS is required to create an advisory council that will not only be responsible for coordinating all federal research and services relating to Alzheimer's, but will also work to "accelerate the development of treatments that would prevent, halt, or reverse the course of Alzheimer's" (NAPA §2.a.3). The advisory council will also strive to improve the sharing of information between organizations that are researching Alzheimer's, to improve early diagnosis, and to ensure that individuals of all races and ethnicities-especially those at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's-are included in research and available services.
In addition to all this, the new Alzheimer's advisory council will produce an annual report to present to Congress cataloguing its successes and its failures, and setting forth a course of action based on what's been learned.
To read more about the National Alzheimer's Project Act, go to the Alzheimer's Association site, or read the bill for yourself.

Total Bankers

Total Bankers
People who were trusted with our money but then used it for themselves, thinking that the ordinary honest folk in this country were mugs for being honest. When they themselves were actually given positions of trust which they abused.
Power Players
From politicians to public servants everyone has become a power player. We had expected our public servants to serve the nation but we have found that they were just criminals and thieves. From the political elite in the EU, our own parliamentarians and civil servants through to local government, the banks and utility companies. We now see an administration riddled with corruption, theft and deceit.
The bank chaos was just the unfortunate exposure of the reality of the situation. An embarrassing light which shone on to the falseness of Britains judicial system. Giving us all the chance to see just how corrupt and depraved these manipulators were. Where once there was honesty, trust and integrity now there are lies, corruption & deceit,
Media Spin
We were told political lies on a daily basis by politicians paid from the public purse Through a national television news media which was paid by the public purse. And it was all justified under the notion that it was harmless spin. But it was not harmless spin.
For apart from covering up their own dishonesty these crooks had also managed to exclude themselves from the legal system. And in their arrogance failed to regulate the honesty and integrity of the companies which serve and solicit the general public. In treating the population as cash cows to be abused by the business community the public servants failed to serve the public in a decent and honest way.
So when the bankers failed so spectacularly to balance their books as they dipped into the sea of corrupt speculation It was treated as a slight glitch in the economic woes of the world economy. But though the population were made to pay the price, the fraudsters still survived. The off shore accounts used by most businesses are still there. The tax havens and the pontificating tax cheats are still on top, affluent and untouched.
And when it comes down to it, it appears that the elite became too big. And that the new movers and shakers in this country all wanted their slice of the inaction. Therefore greed became the accepted belief.
Economic Reality 2008
After the bankers manipulated the government of the day into refinancing the banks It became apparent that the bankers didn't actually have a grip on their own accounting. And that they had deluded themselves into thinking that the money in their banks was their money and not their customers. And that the profits were not their customers profits but their profits.
But it was not only the economic system which the bankers destroyed.
This love of money which drove them to destroy the country;
The jobs of five million people,
The homes of a million people with failed mortgages.
And the savings of millions of pensioners.
This love of money which is decried in just about every religion ever created on earth.
This love of money which the bankers proposed as the ultimate basis for regulating life on this planet was actually false.
A Crime Against Society
And still the population is unprotected from these charlatan rogues. There is still no form of justice to protect the ordinary citizens from the fraudsters who have taken over our administration and our companies. The fraud still continues on a daily basis and is expanding. And our legal guardians still fail to serve and protect.

India In Its Glory At Its 62nd Republic Day

My dear fellow Indians,
Tomorrow, we will be whole heartedly celebrating our 62nd Republic day. I extend my best wishes to my fellow Indians from all walks of life. It is my privilege to extend to all of you reading this mail today courteous greetings and good wishes on the occasion of the 62nd Republic day celebrations. On this day, it is our duty to pay high salutes to the great freedom fighters those have made it possible with their tears, sweat and blood, for us to enjoy the benefits of democracy and to breathe the fresh air of freedom. On this Republic day 2011 we should all acknowledge that for us to have a peaceful good night's sleep, our founding fathers sacrificed their comforts and drafted the Constitution of our country. Today we are enjoying the fruits of their struggle.
Today on the verge of our 62nd Republic day we should all recall the most important lesson of life that is righteousness. Today this lesson is of grave importance than it was sixty two years ago. With our country in critical need to have its citizens understand and acknowledge democracy, humanity and kindness, we should now, more than ever, accommodate correct levels of tolerance in ourselves. Just as our ancestors acquainted us with the moral of righteousness, we should pass this message to the future generations as well. With the thought of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or the spirit to accept the world as one family, we accept all religions as true. This is the true essence of universal acceptance or diversity. On the event of Republic day 2011, all of us should make it a point to look back and notice if something went wrong and to make sure that those mistakes of any kind are not repeated by any of us, or our future generations.
To aim at striving for the true existence of democracy, we need to first understand the correct meaning of the word. Democracy in actual terms intents at safeguarding the rights of the citizens of our country as individuals, as groups as well as a complete nation. We know it very well that the process of development has no meaning and destination without the correct involvement of the people, to keep the spirit of democracy and freedom alive forever.
Tomorrow on the auspicious occasion of Republic day 2011, as our 'Tiranga' stands high as ever, let us all take a pledge, to try our levels best on our parts, to harmonize the true spirit of righteousness and thus bring glory to India. All of us can take small steps to make our country a great nation, a better place for all, which always stands for human values. Let's celebrate the noble cause of our 62nd Republic day by making our nation proud.
JAI HIND,
JAI BHARAT,
JAI HINDUSTAN.

Affordable-Housing Advocates Feeling Overlooked

Late last year, the Obama administration convened a conference aimed at addressing national housing policy. The 12-member panel discussed financing and affordability, among other things. Though many agree that the conference was necessary, many affordable-housing advocates feel the discussion panel lacked diversity.
Two separate panels were convened; Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner led one, the other was led by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. Panelists included six corporate executives, five members of academic institutions, and just one member from a civil rights organization.
The main complaint affordable housing advocates had with the conference was the lack of community organizations. Not one community organization was represented on either panel. The lack of representation has some advocates worried that housing policy changes would focus on benefits to big business and wealthy investors, rather than the low- and middle-income people who need access to low-income housing, especially since some of the panelists have been heavily involved in mortgage-back securities investments.
Excluding community organizations means the entities through which a large portion of low-income housing dollars are funneled played only a small part in the discussion. Though most HUD money is allocated to city, county and state governments, a high percentage of affordable housing projects are funded through non-profit entities that receive grants from local municipalities.
The criticism is an unusual turn for affordable-housing advocates who have historically praised the Obama administration for favoring the advice of community organizations over corporations and academics with regards to affordable housing strategy. It's also an unusual turn for the Obama administration, which has often championed the need for affordable housing.
Andrew William, a spokesman for the U.S. Treasury Department said "a number of consumer advocates" lent their voices to the panel discussions, but he didn't specify who those advocates were.

Washington DC - A New Day or Politics As Usual

When the smoke cleared and the votes were counted on November 2nd, 2010 the people had spoken. The midterm elections brought a record number of people out to vote in certain areas and very close election results caused recounts and delays in announcing a winner A vote for change, real change that's been long overdue is just now taking its hold in America. For too long the federal government has been expanding its shadow over its citizens in an attempt to govern over our lives and too long the majority in this country has been silent, but no longer.
In President Obama's State of the Union speech he talked of working with both parties to "Win the Future". His first two years the president and his party, the Democrats ruled like a dictatorship. They did whatever they deemed proper. Consequently the voice of the people fell on deaf ears and the Republican politicians were left powerless to be involved in any decision making. This no longer being true, our government leaders will now have to work together on both sides of the floor as representatives of the people and not for special interest groups.
As Americans we need keep our eyes open and listen to our leaders. We need to be informed about what is going on and what is being decided on in Washington. We must demand that these elected officials keep the promises they made that got them elected. We the people are no longer Democrats, Republicans or Independents, we are Americans who are concerned about the health and welfare of our country. We all love to hear a good speech, one that motivates us,one that makes us feel better about ourselves but words are only words. I once read, "A man who thinks and doesn't act is ineffective. A man who acts and doesn't think is dangerous". This describes our whole political system, great ideas with no followup and laws such as the new health laws being enacted without any thought of the possible consequences.
Our country is great because of its freedoms. Because of the freedoms we enjoy in this great land we are able to join together in times of need and use our innovative thinking and sense of purpose to rise to the challenges we face as a nation. Our country is strong because its backbone is made up of courageous men and women who come here from all over the world to become Americans and live the American dream.

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It Wasn't Just About Tea - How Leather May Have Contributed to the Declaring of Independence

Did Leather Contribute to the Colonies Declaring Independence?
Could leather have been a great contributor to the American Colonists' dissatisfaction with Great Britain leading them to declare their independence? When England's King ruled that the Colonies were not allowed to compete with manufacturers from England on a whole list of items, Colonists were kept out of the leather goods market.
In the 1770s, the colonies were inhabited by European settlers who had arrived with dreams of a better life. Some dreamed of creating wealth by utilizing the natural resources available to produce goods to trade with foreign countries and within the new world. What had begun as cottage industries, small scale production, had potential to expand way beyond being self-sufficient. Colonists were leather tanning and shoe-making, furniture and tool-making, cloth-weaving and the sewing apparel.
• The largest industry was shipbuilding in the Eastern or New England Colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). Natural harbors allowed merchants of New England to earn a good living. They traveled by sea to the Europe and the West Indian Islands to trade.
• Agriculture on family-sized farms in the Middle Colonies, (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) produced surpluses of grains. The chief occupations of people of that region were farmers and flour makers. Philadelphia was the trade center. Lumber was cut, iron and paper were manufactured. Along the frontier there was lively fur trade with the Indians.
• In the Southern Colonies (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia), there were no large centers of population. There were no businesses or incentive to build towns. In Virginia, when Williamsburg was the new capital, it was a village of just 200 houses.
The planters of the Southern Colonies owned immense plantations along river banks. Labor on the plantations was performed by slaves. South Carolina grew rice, the others grew mostly tobacco. They carried on trade extensively with the mother country, England. With each shipment sent from the Colonies, a long list was also sent of articles to be bought from England to be purchased with the proceeds of the rice or tobacco crop.
All articles of hardware, glass, crockery, clothing, (including leather goods) furniture, household utensils, wine, household goods, brass and cooper wares and iron utensils were all brought back from England.
"The country abounded in trees, yet tables, chairs, boxes, cart wheels, bowls, birch brooms, all came from the mother country. The wood used for building houses was actually cut, sent to England as logs to be dressed, and then taken back to Virginia for use." From School History of the United States by McMaster 1912
According to the laws of Mercantile Trade, this is how the colonists should carry on trade. Paper and hats were made in small quantities, leather was tanned, lumber was sawed, but people had to depend on homemade, self-sufficiency or imported finished goods, with high tariffs from England.
But while Britain was off fighting wars in Europe, industrialization had begun in the colonies. Contact with other people on the continent and abroad, had been made through trade. The colonists' economy was flourishing.
When the colonies attracted Great Britain's attention, enforcement of their policies of mercantilism stifled economic growth. The colonies existed first and foremost to benefit the mother country. Acquiring colonies was only to exploit their raw materials and develop another export market for the mother country's goods.
The wealth of a nation at that time was measured by the accumulation of precious metals including gold and silver. This was accomplished through trade, maximizing exports and minimizing imports. Traditionally, Europe's economies had operated under this system. One country could only gain at the expense of another.
More adversarial Acts of Trade and Navigation were instituted to regulate Colonial trade. England determined where ships could be built and how many English subjects must be crew members. No goods were allowed to be carried from any place in Europe to America unless they first landed in England.
A long list of colonial products could not be exported to any foreign port other than a port of England. The law required that if colonists produced items that would compete with English merchants, they could not even be sold to one of the American Colonies without first going to the mother country to have an export or import duty attached. These regulations of colonial affairs served only to stifle the entrepreneurial spirit of the colonists that were ready to industrialize and trade with the world and each other.
The British attitude that the colonies were only servants to the crown hurt industrialization efforts and fueled the fires of discontent. If a hat or leather bag was produced in Massachusetts, a colonist in New York would be expected to pay an additional tariff to England.
English Americans believed they deserved but were denied, equal representation at the table with their mother land. Taxes, tariffs and trade policies were being enacted to control hats and leather goods in colonies a vast ocean away. This alienation of the colonists led eventually to the Declaration of Independence and the subsequent Revolutionary War.