Posted on 06/18/2013 4:33:09 PM PDT by Thoreauaway
Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington and a group of other CEOs and former world leaders have formed a group whose goal is to end capitalism as we know it. The nonprofit, known as “The B Team,” was created to help promote a “better version of capitalism, one that prioritizes people and planet over profit.” This ignores the fact that capitalism is, by definition, motivated by profit.
The team, led by Branson and German businessman Jochen Zeitz, calls for drastic changes in how the economy works. These include “new rules and models for the future of business – not incremental ‘change as usual.’”
It’s no surprise that a group including Arianna Huffington would be promoted by the Huffington Post, but CNBC Europe also interviewed Branson and Zeitz on June 13 and had only good things to say about their project. In the “Closing Bell” interview, Branson said that part of the motivation for businesses to follow the goals laid out by The B Team would come from being viewed better by their employees. Businesses should “not just think about this quarters profit but also think, you know, ‘what are we doing to try to tackle our environmental issues, how can we do it better,’” Branson said.
According to The B Team’s mission statement: “Plan A - where companies have been driven by the profit motive alone – is no longer acceptable.” According to Branson, the group will work with “government agencies, the social sector and business leaders” in order to achieve their goals. Branson and Zeitz launched the group on Oct. 3, 2012.
The group is also heavily influenced by The Elders, a group of former global leaders that focuses on world peace. This group includes former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, and former Secretary-General of the UN Kofi Annan.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
branson better be careful. huffington turned her last husband into a homosexual.
There is a huge problem with knee jerks on the right who defend huge corporations and the super rich as being “capitalism”, but most of the corporations and super rich don’t and don’t want to practice “capitalism”.
We are in a borg state of Corporate Government where the SOME of the ideas of BOTH the left and right are used to protect that synergistic structure.
Most of what occurs in politics is simply kabuki theater observed and prodded by the think tanks, corporations and foundations. The future is usually found buried in white papers no one ever reads...and when they are brought forth, the person is called a “kook”...and then ten years later....
There’s nothing the globalists would like more than to turn multinational corporations into the new plantation/manor and the rest of you yutzes get to be the vassals and serfs.
In other word.
Communists don't like the idea that you and I are free...they want us to be subservient to their system.
BTW, there is not a single account in history wherein their system has succeeded in feeding, clothing, and providing the basic human needs for people...but that doesn't stop their acolytes from trying.
Freedom works...communism doesn't
I will support their movement provided all but one million dollars of their personal fortune is taken from them. I mean all property personal, real and things in action taken from them. No exceptions.
Capitalism lifts everyone up, even the rich.
The elitists are making their move. They believe they bankrupted the middle class enough where they can no longer increase their wealth enough to be move up the ladder.
The jobs are gone, their profits are up and pretty soon they will have the two class society they always wanted.
Now is the time to bust them up and imprison all these anti Americans. Our forefathers were men enough to send their kind packing for Canada in the middle of the night. Once the system becomes rigged against liberty you can no longer work within it.
I’ve come to hate the term “capitalism” anyway. I prefer the term “Free Market” as a means of reminding people of how things are supposed to be.
In fact I’ve become a free market extremist who stands only slightly to this side of a full black marketeer. I believe a business should have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason short of life saving service. If a klansman wants to open a white’s only restaurant, more power to him. It just provides an opportunity for a black panthers owned restaurant. Both of them will still leave room for a restaurant that will serve anyone.
The free market should be all about opportunity.
So Mr Branson... Is your idea along the lines of the New Mexico Spaceport which is subsidized at tax payer’s expense so wealthy individuals can take a short trip to the edge of space for giggles and kicks?
Yep!
Exactly.
You know what make a great reality show and I hate reality TV—send all the insanely rich folk off to a very large island or small country to live.
They could only play director over each others lives, THAT would be hysterical to watch. :p
They demonstrate their hatred for profit by pointing to its excess by a few.
They never mention that it is nothing more than a wage on effort or invested assets.
Marxists hate freedom and will paint all elements of free men and women as evil.
If you are not a slave to the state...you are the enemy.
And to think of the war(s) fought and the lives lost so that men might be free.
And black men and women are at the forefront of the Marxist effort to enslave us all again.
What gives?
Hey Mr. Branson, in light of your new vision of capitalism, how about a free ride on Virgin Galactic?
After all, I could help you reduce your profit that way!
We can start by seizing all but $500,000(US) of their assets and all but $75,000(US) of their gross annual income for the rest of their filthy lives.
You are too generous.
But since it has taken on a meaning of its own...no problem in using it.
It is not accurate to say that a company's only motivation is profit. It is not virtuous to run a company that ignores profit. And I will point out that nearly everything considered non-profit, i.e. improvements in working conditions, benefits, salary, vacation, is put in place with an eye to efficient production, of attracting and maintaining the most productive workers, of empowering them to use their own human creativity to improve the product; in short, absolutely none of it is divorced from profit. Profit creates wealth, and it's the only thing that does.
This is a recipe for slavery and people democratic based politics, instead of industrial skills and technology based republic. Take profit away and the latter priority dies in significance and slavery labor people based economy remains.
Just an example of how service economy drives it to sales, prostitutives and slavery behind well meanings that have double meanings.
I have no problem with this if it is not enforced by the government. Any businesses that participate will be promptly out-competed by those who don’t.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.