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>Another part of what I'm saying is that, if the premise is that current corporations are not sharing enough upside with employees, then one obvious response is

>Another part of what I'm saying is that, if the premise is that current corporations are not sharing enough upside with employees, then one obvious response is to start a business... That's fine. But, what I'm saying is that's where you're effectively changing the subject. That is, it still doesn't speak to the current treatment of employees at corporations that employ millions of workers right now, and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. So, why let them off the hook? It just comes off as a disingenuous red herring to suggest that the remedy is for folks to go out and start new businesses. We know that it's extremely difficult for any individual business to succeed for a variety of reasons. Yet, what you're saying is that to remedy this problem, many, many new businesses must do so in significant numbers. I'm an idealist, but that's just not realistic--particularly in the near future. And, I read at least a tinge of disdain for workers implied in your comments, especially given the current environment that has seen more than its share of Ayn Rand talk and hostility aimed at workers. The sentiment comes off as one of "be happy with what you get, and if you don't like the way you're treated, then start your own business". >it's not just starting but growing businesses that should be less impeded by regulation Yeah, I was simply responding to what you'd written re: starting a business, but agreed that regulations pose some hurdle at all phases. I run a business. You're not going to hear me cheer-leading in favor of the current regulatory environment. I don't like it either, but it's not my biggest problem by miles. I'm sure it varies by industry type, and I agree with those that you listed. But, the decrying of regulations has generally been overblown, political buzz-wording in an effort to promote a particular agenda. So, here we have to distinguish between small businesses and major corporations. When you hear the political-speak decrying regulations it's generally a tactic to use small-businesess as cover for large corporations. "There's too much regulation and it's killing our small businesses", which is cover for "abolish environmental protections, consumer protections, financial market protections, etc. so corporations can realize even more profit". So, the term "over-regulated" comes fully-loaded. And, that's what makes me wretch. Where we do intersect is in acknowledgment of the tilted playing field and pay-to-play political environment/markets. Whether it's through manipulation of the regulatory environment, ridiculous subsidies, or any multitude of tools, this obviously hurts the market, workers, and everyone--except of course, those who have the deepest pockets.

unclebucknasty 13y ago
Retch, not wretch. Sheesh.
pdonis 13y ago
it still doesn't speak to the current treatment of employees at corporations that employ millions of workers right now, and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. So, why let them off the hook? How does encouraging people to start competing businesses that treat employees better count as letting existing corporations off the hook? Also, what alternative remedies would you propose? As far as I can tell from other comments in this thread (not yours), the main remedy appears to be to complain really loudly. If it's not realistic to expect lots of people to start new businesses, it's even less realistic, IMO, to expect complaining really loudly to make a significant difference. I read at least a tinge of disdain for workers implied in your comment Not disdain, just a reality check. I completely agree that workers at a lot of existing corporations should be dissatisfied with the way they are being treated. But I don't see much potential for change in just complaining about it. What these corporations need is competition. here we have to distinguish between small businesses and major corporations. Yes, this is a good point. However, I would offer a slightly different take on it. Small businesses, in my experience (a friend of mine runs one), just want to do business; they don't have the time or the resources or the inclination to expend effort in non-productive activities like playing political games. (That's one reason I think society as a whole would be better off if the average size of a business were considerably smaller than it is now.) The major corporations are the ones buying the regulations. But that means that much of the "protection" that we as consumers are supposedly getting from those regulations is illusory. For example, lots of people claim that the financial crisis in 2008 was the result of lack of regulation of the financial markets. But if you look at what actually went on, there was plenty of regulation; it was just regulation that the major investment banks had written to favor themselves, rather than regulation that was written to actually protect the average person from having their retirement savings invested in junk securities that were made to look like AAA securities. As far as I can tell, that situation has not improved at all. So when I say there should be less regulation, part of the reason is that the regulations we have are useless anyway. Small businesses are too busy doing business to engage in the kinds of shenanigans the regulations are supposed to protect us from; and major corporations can manipulate the regulations so someone else pays the price for the shenanigans anyway. If it were possible to have regulations that really did protect us as they're supposed to, I would be in favor of it; but I don't think we can, at least, not the way our political system currently does it.

unclebucknasty 13y ago

Retch, not wretch. Sheesh.

pdonis 13y ago

it still doesn't speak to the current treatment of employees at corporations that employ millions of workers right now, and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. So, why let them off the hook? How does encouraging people to start competing businesses that treat employees better count as letting existing corporations off the hook? Also, what alternative remedies would you propose? As far as I can tell from other comments in this thread (not yours), the main remedy appears to be to complain really loudly. If it's not realistic to expect lots of people to start new businesses, it's even less realistic, IMO, to expect complaining really loudly to make a significant difference. I read at least a tinge of disdain for workers implied in your comment Not disdain, just a reality check. I completely agree that workers at a lot of existing corporations should be dissatisfied with the way they are being treated. But I don't see much potential for change in just complaining about it. What these corporations need is competition. here we have to distinguish between small businesses and major corporations. Yes, this is a good point. However, I would offer a slightly different take on it. Small businesses, in my experience (a friend of mine runs one), just want to do business; they don't have the time or the resources or the inclination to expend effort in non-productive activities like playing political games. (That's one reason I think society as a whole would be better off if the average size of a business were considerably smaller than it is now.) The major corporations are the ones buying the regulations. But that means that much of the "protection" that we as consumers are supposedly getting from those regulations is illusory. For example, lots of people claim that the financial crisis in 2008 was the result of lack of regulation of the financial markets. But if you look at what actually went on, there was plenty of regulation; it was just regulation that the major investment banks had written to favor themselves, rather than regulation that was written to actually protect the average person from having their retirement savings invested in junk securities that were made to look like AAA securities. As far as I can tell, that situation has not improved at all. So when I say there should be less regulation, part of the reason is that the regulations we have are useless anyway. Small businesses are too busy doing business to engage in the kinds of shenanigans the regulations are supposed to protect us from; and major corporations can manipulate the regulations so someone else pays the price for the shenanigans anyway. If it were possible to have regulations that really did protect us as they're supposed to, I would be in favor of it; but I don't think we can, at least, not the way our political system currently does it.