Has the economy affected you and your tractors?

[FallbrookFarmer]

Behind the curtain?
Companies, lobbyists, and politicians getting their money. Federally fund elections to start with. (And no, corporations are not "people" and never have been really, that bit of nonsense has to be rolled back, visit "movetoamend.org".) Owning a home, increasing home ownership and removing barriers to ownership, has been in the platforms of parties for decades. Not as a "right", but as a goal for American society. It still is, I think. And rules on businesses are undoubtedly costly, but necessary. The trick is making them relevant and worthwhile. Most companies always try to internalize profits and externalize the costs. Unbridled greed and no rules or few watchmen got us to here, this economy. It isn't the answer to take us out.

I've enjoyed reading this whole thread this weekend. Lots of respectful, if different, but thoughtful opinions.:thumbsup:

For myself, as to how this thread began, the economy delayed a tractor purchase for two to three years, until this year. It was tough to spend the money amid the uncertainty and my income declined, but for my family this year is getting better, so new tractor is coming.

1. "Most companies try to internalize profits"
I certainly hope so, If not then they are not doing their job.
2. Are Unions "people"?
3. Which "barriers" to home ownership do you wish to remove? Price?
4. I feel SO much better that Farney Brank and Diss Codd
are on the job as "watchmen". Now if we could only get Farney to stop "rolling the dice" while on duty
Further Thought: How much sooner could you have bought your tractor, if the taxes were lower?

 

[dave1949]

2. Are Unions "people"?

Unions are only 15% 'people' - that's the amount of political donations they can afford compared to corporations.
Dave.

 

[FallbrookFarmer]

Unions are only 15% 'people' - that's the amount of political donations they can afford compared to corporations.
Dave.

But that equation will change with all the new govt employees that will belong to SEIU
Just think, 15,000 more IRS agents.
Happy Days!

 

[Mousefield]

Re: Has the economy affected you and your tractors?

YES

 

[hawkhart]

1. "Most companies try to internalize profits"
I certainly hope so, If not then they are not doing their job.
2. Are Unions "people"?
3. Which "barriers" to home ownership do you wish to remove? Price?
4. I feel SO much better that Farney Brank and Diss Codd
are on the job as "watchmen". Now if we could only get Farney to stop "rolling the dice" while on duty
Further Thought: How much sooner could you have bought your tractor, if the taxes were lower?

As far as I can tell, lower taxes would not have made my tractor purchase decision any different, because the last 2-3 years were income challenged in my activities.

Of course, profits are internalized, but all too often the costs of business are never borne by the business, nor for that matter the customers, and the prices customers pay are artificially low, and profits exceptionally high, as a result. If the true downstream costs of economic activity are actually brought into the cost of production, costs would go up. Is the cost of heart disease or diabetes captured in a Big Mac? It hasn't been. But when laws are designed to begin to mandate that these attributable costs accrue more to the producers, the change in economic relationships is fought tooth and nail. That is the battlefield we expect, and live in. But these changes are coming, whether we like them or not. And nations ahead of us taking steps to account for carbon production, to use one example, will be more efficient, and profitable with less wasted money, than those laggards like us who will maintain artificially skewed cost/profit relationships for decades to come.

In my opinion, only people are people, and legally constructed organizations of people, be they companies, or unions, or whatever, are not people and do not have constitutionally protected fundamental rights, period. They only get what benefits and rules we choose for them to have under law, but those benefits do not rise to "rights" the Founders intended. Our governing "watchmen" come and go, some certainly are crummy and some not, but most of them, while they are there, succumb to the money they need to raise and the interests behind the money. Election funding changes could lessen that narcotic.

As to home ownership, yes, price is a barrier that, if way high, prices folks out. My three young children will have to deal with that barrier, and others do now. Lawmakers, rightly sometimes and wrongly also, craft tax policies to make ownership more, or less, affordable and available to people. I was simply pointing out that the major parties we have today have had the expansion of ownership in their written platforms and as oft-repeated goals since practically forever. For some reason, politicians like home owners. And they like dangling that carrot to get votes.

I like owning my home, although the new roof I need this summer will like my wallet more than I want, I bet. No need to roll dice on that one, my wallet loses.

 

[MikePA]

How does that lender benefit the general welfare of the country?

Since when is this the responsibility of a private sector business?:confused2:

 

[brin]

Mike...I agree...read this > Financial amber alert - The Hill's Pundits Blog

 

[hawkhart]

Since when is this the responsibility of a private sector business?:confused2:

If you read the original writings of many of the Constitution's signers, and the political/economic philosophers they knew, you will see frequent references to the impact of businesses upon society and their feelings on that, and conversely, their concerns, indeed, their fears, upon society of unbridled economic power without restraint upon nations. Remember, those guys were all about promoting "the general welfare" of people and society.

 

[keegs]

I remember when I was in the service there were a number of guys, particularly those who had families, who would use payday lenders.

Dave, your example rate of 30% is way off base. The rates are much higher.

 

[MikePA]

...of unbridled economic power without restraint upon nations.

They were also concerned about unbridled power of a central government.

The first goal of a business is to make a profit. Without profit, nothing else can be done.