Now this division is not as these words may be used in ordinary speech; land encompasses all natural resources, for instance, and rent has a larger meaning that I don’t want to try to explain right now. Anyhow not to write an essay here, but treating all inputs as capital (i.e., “human capital” — a term which should offend anyone with the slightest sense) has pernicious effects.

Nixon ‘normalized’ relations with China, which paved the way to the demise of the US textile industry, electronics, and a host of other industries which migrated to super-cheap labor. Did Tricky-Dick know and is he laughing? He laid the foundation for the Tower of Conservatism. Bush completed the upper stories pushing the ultra-rich to hights they never reached before,. But the design robbed the middle class – the backbone of the building – of all structural integrity.

The short-term fix of the economy will include an infusion of job-creation by gov’t spending, The long-term solution MUST involve the restoration of the economic strength of the middle class. Conservatives are deathly afraid of ‘protectionism & isolationism’ which makes me think that’s a good place to start. I would run the numbers on tarrifs with the revenue earmarked to be the capital to restart domestic industries which could compete with the imports.

Want to experiment? Make the companies employee-owned, employee-run; let the rank-and-file select management and design executive compensation. No one inside the beltway has the cohones to utter such blasphemey out loud.

This irked me. Dave has his mind made up. He also has all his facts wrong. Go over that last sentance – item by item. He has it ALL wrong. And he wants to ‘debate’ from that premise.

I stand by my previous statement. He has his head up his ass. Barbara should have banned him. Re tolerance. In the public sector – I am for it. 100% That’s one reason Pastor Warren does not bother me. This is NOT a public forum!. Barbara does not post a LOT of what I write, and I do not object because it’s HER forum, not just by ownership rights, but because she built it.

I’ve been “debating” these people since the 1980s, before there was a Web. I tried reasoning with them back in the days of Usenet and CompuServe. I’ve had it. It’s always the same damn zombie nonsense that won’t die, and I’ve seen 8,734 times already, at least, and I’m not responding any more. If they want to know what I think, they can read the archives.

It’s impossible to “debate” someone who lacks even a basic understanding of the topic at hand, and when challenged, turns childishly petulant. Like all of us, Dave was maha’s guest here, although he behaved more like a vandal. maha can ban whom she pleases, and Dave and his pals really can’t say boo about it.

Maha, I believe I understand your utter exhaustion. I myself no longer post comments on rightwing blogs. It is an exercise in futility. This is your blog and you certainly have a right to do with it as you please. And as you know, I greatly appreciate your thoughtful, intelligent commentary.

I don’t know Dave. Perhaps his “I’m here to learn and discuss” persona is real. Perhaps he’s just another rightwinger looking to annoy and waste the time of thinking people. I have to say, though, that I really liked Moonbat’s comprehensive response. Moonbat is obviously not as exhausted as Maha is–and with good reason, Maha! You’re out in the virtual trenches every day, looking for the good and having to wallow in the stench and filth of the bad. At a certain point, even the (relatively for a libertarian/right winger) mild-mannered Dave can be enough to set someone off.

So thanks for the (as usual) great article, Maha. Mais du calme, s’il vous plaît. And thanks to Moonbat too for responding to Dave. In fact, I feel the need to read the article he recommends too.

And as for Dave, all I can say is that the US is the only Western nation without universal health care. That, for me, says it all about the state of your union. And what it says isn’t very good.

People who disagree with me and can support their arguments with FACTS get my respect. I don’t mind disagreement. It’s the lies and fantasies you are spreading that I will not tolerate on my site.