The world social forum: The sad leftist path

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | 1/25/2006 | Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Editorial

[serendepitylives]

The world social forum: The sad leftist path

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

The World Social Forum is an aggregate of leftists joining to condemn President Bush in Caracas, Venezuela, this week. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is leading the event. The pleasures of denouncing and hearing others denounce the United States are a chief attraction.

"The U.S. government, especially under the Bush administration, has been trying to force its own economic policies on developing countries, and I think all of us here agree that must stop," said Jeff Monahan, 32, an organic farmer from Michigan.

Mr. Monahan, launching into empty-headed rhetoric is not how one builds wealth.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

This quote rings true:

"Free-market policies and a rule of law that protects private property have produced in parts of the world economic development barely imaginable a century ago. Nations that have failed to practice these principles will not prosper and have none but themselves to blame."

The problem in Latin American has been that only a few countries have established an environment where the rule of law prevails with minimal corruption. Mexico has made advances in opening up its economy to NAFTA, and the PRI is no longer in power, and that has helped Mexico, but they have far to go. Chile is the best example where the rule of law and free enterprise has prevailed.

[Edgerunner]

If a fellow or nation is wealthy, and certain fundamentals are proved to be the cause of that wealth, a SANE person tries to emulate that success. If you only want power, then you follow a path which leads to poverty, and therefore the subjugation of the people to your iron will. This has and is the ongoing pattern. When will the people learn this?

[Reaganesque]

"The U.S. government, especially under the Bush administration, has been trying to force its own economic policies on developing countries, and I think all of us here agree that must stop," said Jeff Monahan, 32, an organic farmer from Michigan.

Heaven forbid you follow a model that has led the US to become the most prosperous nation in the world.

[bassmaner]

If a fellow or nation is wealthy, and certain fundamentals are proved to be the cause of that wealth, a SANE person tries to emulate that success. If you only want power, then you follow a path which leads to poverty, and therefore the subjugation of the people to your iron will. This has and is the ongoing pattern. When will the people learn this?

Probably the same day that the people of Massachusetts stop sending JFnK and the Cape Cod Orca back to the Senate every 6 years.

[1rudeboy]

Funny, it seems that most "free traders" were left off the invite list. [chuckle]

[leoncaruthers]

Knowing that this is the sort of guy that runs an "organic" farm is part of the reason I never buy "organic" produce.

I add the quotes because I've not yet been able to find "inorganic" produce :)

[Toddsterpatriot]

I wonder if hedgetrimmer is enjoying herself there?

[Reaganesque]

The label "organic" simply means they can charge twice as much for the same produce. It's a marketing ploy and nothing more.

[hedgetrimmer]

Heaven forbid you follow a model that has led the US to become the most prosperous nation in the world.

The model the "free traders" are forcing, isn't what made us prosperous. The WTO didn't exist until 1994, claiming that the "free trade" mulitlateral system it is pushing somehow made America's wealth is just wrong.

[tom paine 2]

I beg to differ. I am an organic farmer. This movement is growing exponentially. People want to know how their food is grown and what herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers have been used to grow it. I use no chemicals on my produce. And people are willing to pay a premium for that.

[Reaganesque]

The Socialists in question here are decrying Capitalism not the WTO. This their main arguement. They have no real, morals based objection to war. They object to the success of Capitalism and wish to subvert it at any and all opportunities. It is a rival economic system and they can't compete with it so, they must bring it down by any means possible. The war is merely a target of opportunity. Capitalism made us great and they hate that.

[hedgetrimmer]

The word 'capitalism' didn't even enter the lexicon until the late 19th century when William Makepeace Thackery put it in one of his novels. How did it make American great?

On the other hand 'freedom', 'individual rights', 'liberty','property' were all in the lexicon of our founders. Go figure.

[Mase]

The WTO didn't exist until 1994, claiming that the "free trade" mulitlateral system it is pushing somehow made America's wealth is just wrong.

Household net worth 1994: $24.7 trillion
Household net worth 2005: $51.1 trillion

Our wealth has more than doubled since 1994. Yeah sure, all that free trading has been a real disaster for America's wealth. ROFL!

[driftless]

There is no desperate situation that Marxism will not make a lot worse.

[hedgetrimmer]

Our wealth has been more than doubled inflated since 1994.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

It is so sad that much of Latin America is following the surest path to human misery.

[Mase]

...inflated since 1994

The facts just keep getting in the way of your meaningless rants, don't they?

Maybe you can explain to us exactly how our assets have been "inflated" to more than twice their value since 1994. Please back up your work with links to reputable sources and, in the process, try not to confuse $2.74 billion with $10 billion.

[lesser_satan]

bump