Rock Star Preaches Capitalism

Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29610

By brandon - Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:30 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:30 am #29610

Speaking at Georgetown University earlier this year, renowned rocker Bono, who has also become well-known for his push for aid to Africa, explained that the only way for the continent to rise from poverty is to embrace capitalism. “So some of Africa is rising and some of Africa is stuck. It’s a question of if the rising bit will pull the rest of Africa up or whether the other Africa will weigh the continent down. Which will it be? The stakes here aren’t just about them. Imagine, for a second, this last global recession, but without the economic growth of China and India, without the hundreds of millions of newly minted middle class folks who now buy American and European goods. Imagine that. Think about the last five years.” He added, “Rock star preaches capitalism. Wow. Sometimes I hear myself and I just can’t believe it. But commerce is real. That’s what you’re about here. It’s real. Aid is just a stopgap. Commerce, entrepreneur capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid. Of course we know that.”

Bono is right. But that isn’t the point. The point is Bono’s throwaway line: “Rock star preaches capitalism. Wow.”

:lol:

Re: Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29613

By johnforbes - Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:19 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:19 am #29613

Having a connection to Georgetown, I would note that, for many there, it is news that capitalism is the way to go.

The Obama approach -- Euro welfare state socialism -- can only take a society so far.

After that, it leads to dependence on government, as we now see in America with 14 percent U-6 unemployment and 47 million Americans on food stamps.

Re: Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29615

By Clownkicker - Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:46 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:46 am #29615

"After that, it leads to dependence on government, as we now see in America with 14 percent U-6 unemployment and 47 million Americans on food stamps.

johnforbes provides dismal statistics about unemployment and food stamps to preach the virtues of capitalism, completely ignoring the fact that it was corporate capitalists who collapsed the world economy and put all those people out of work. "Euro welfare state socialism" was not the culprit. Euro welfare state socialism took care of them when capitalism stomped on them without concern.
Simply not providing the unemployed with food does not solve the problem just because your statistics would look better.
"No one on food stamps? That proves capitalism works." What a clown.

Your post does more to condemn capitalism than support it.That's the problem with simplistic beliefs without any critical thinking skills applied.
You end up with guys like johnforbes. Snooty windbags with affected stiff upper lips handing down nonsense and platitudes from the deck of their yachts as they watch the poor suffer.

Re: Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29616

By RealJustme - Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:06 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:06 am #29616

You end up with guys like johnforbes. Snooty windbags with affected stiff upper lips handing down nonsense and platitudes from the deck of their yachts as they watch the poor suffer.

John has a yacht? Wow my respect level for him just went! It's sad when liberals resent people paying most of the taxes but idolize those who contribute nothing.

Re: Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29617

By Clownkicker - Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:26 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 9:26 am #29617

No, simpleton, I doubt johnforbes literally has a yacht.
He has the stereotyped yachter's attitude. He's oblivious to the reality common people face and judges them based on his narrow world view.

"Wow my respect level for him just went! "-RealJustme
^^^^^I love these Freudian slips. (Mine did too, RealJustme.)

"It's sad when liberals resent people paying most of the taxes but idolize those who contribute nothing."-RealJustme

You forget that while the wealthy pay a lot of taxes, they also receive a disproportionate amount of the money and benefits from the government. The top 1% receive more money from the government than the middle 60% of the rest of us. But you clowns never bother to report that kind of uncomfortable statistic, do you?
It just doesn't fit your delusional politics.

Re: Rock Star Preaches Capitalism#29622

By RealJustme - Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:54 am

- Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:54 am #29622

You forget that while the wealthy pay a lot of taxes, they also receive a disproportionate amount of the money and benefits from the government. The top 1% receive more money from the government than the middle 60% of the rest of us.

The top 1% of US taxpayers pay almost as much in federal income taxes as the entire bottom 95%, and half of that bottom group paid no taxes. So please explain how the top 1% "receives" more money from the Government? You do realize there really isn't such a thing as Government having it's own money...every penny of that is tax payers' money.