Capitalism ( + 9 street photos from San Francisco, Dec 2017)

Trump's SOTU proved he is just another Democrat. More spending, more government, more of everything except fiscal conservatism. A campaign speech. I could only tolerate a couple minutes. Incredible to me that in those 3 minutes all he did was advocate bigger government spending.

In an effort to clarify perspectives and abandon words totally loaded with meanings outside their original intent, I'm trying to make a dictionary. Its hard on steemit because the layout is about right-now, but it will organize eventually. Either way, for effective communication, an increasingly refined understanding of word usage allows increasing clarity.

Free markets mean zero government intervention in all things economic. Not a little here and there, but zero intervention. Okios, greek, like latin domos, means home. oikos gnomos, or the knowledge of the home, is the foundation of economics, and for a free market advocate, is off limits to government.

While government is excluded it cannot provide any protection. No disaster response for hurricanes, no FDIC account protections when bankers walk off with deposits, no plunge protection for tech stocks. Most importantly, no bailouts for failed pension schemes. (future posts on this absolutely guaranteed.)

Capital is a means to purchase something later. Unlike fresh fish, capital maintains its value. Transferable, immutable, and fungible, for many it is the new Messiah. A capitalist advocates for scarcity, at least regarding that which they hold. They say capitalism was formed in the northern hemisphere where winter happens, and socialism was formed between the tropics where saving food is impossible.

Rules of capitalism:

• The guy with the money is never wrong.

I worked for a certain multi-millionaire a while ago. It was so obvious that he expected me to pander to him, for me to argue any of his decrees would have been anathema. Despite knocking out a top level performance on my first day, he paid me $8 per hour then fired me after day two. Clearly not welcome were ideas different than his, sales did not forgive sins. Then today I learned he ripped off our marketing program. Not kidding.

• Anything that suggests to change the current status-quo is grounds for pre-emptive punishment.

Religion requires belief because logic disallows the concept. Logic says that all humans are born with generally the same abilities, religion requires us to believe that some are elevated outside their own nature. And while this may be possible, its not provable or reproducible. Similarly, government requires that a few are elevated above others, that we can somehow suss out the "good ones" from the "bad ones" by way of voting. With no understanding that power corrupts all of them, regardless of team colours. Best move is to tow the line. One slip is known as career suicide. Always be on your toes.

• I can advocate for a dictator, provided that dictator thinks exactly like me.

This is the central premise of the pussy-hat wearing liberals. They advocate for a government that operates exactly as they hope. They want amnesty, money for special needs, free medical (regardless of cost), and enforced contributions from everyone subject to their majority rule. Its incredible they never advocate for a tax system similar to that which existed under FDR or Jimmie Carter, this alone makes me think they're all being played by the plutocrats. But whatever. Photographing them I was as scared as I've ever been. I really thought they may find out what I think of their ideology and beat me senseless.

• Capitalists advocate for rent extraction.

It has to be okay to seek ever increasing rents on land titles acquired years ago, despite any suspicious terms. Wars are fought over the right to extract rent (or resources) and to consider the prospective costs of these events is the aforementioned career suicide. Its exactly what I did to the plutocrat. I challenged his capitalist power and got cut off. To convince a man against something upon which his pay check depends, is absolutely impossible.

Free markets = no government. Its not selective.

Capitalists seek government to protect relative wealth, whatever the cost.