Comments on: What Would Chavez Drive?

By: crank's buddy

crank's buddy — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:12:57 +0000

How do TVA’s rates compare with those of other power companies?

TVA electricity costs less than most electricity produced around the nation. For residents in the TVA region, the average cost of one kilowatt-hour — the amount of electricity it takes to burn ten 100-watt light bulbs for one hour — is 6.4 cents, while the national average is 8.5 cents.

Hey cranky. Prove what a great capitalist you are and REFUSE to buy power from TVA. it is a free country! Then your rantings will be at the very least honest.

Let me guess, you really love Hannity and Limpbaugh don't you.

By: uktiger

uktiger — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:32:35 +0000

You wouldn't know a communist if Karl Max came up and kicked you in your old guy butt. You seem to hate unions and claim correctly that Reagan tried to kill unions (at least in the US). How did REagan feel about Lech Walesa? What was that all about?

Oh, and you hero Reagan also thought Bin-Laden was a "freedom fighter".

Using the natural resources of a country for the benefit of its people is democratic. Giving control to Exxon Mobil is not.

By: chukcha

chukcha — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:39:01 +0000

Hey crank, my comment was actually targeted at Paul Beerkens…
Your comments are valid and I agree with you 95%.
Except this: “The government guides us in desired dierctions all the time right now, and have for years.”
First of all, it is you who are guiding the gouvernment, not the other way around. If we bend down and reach for the ankles it is because we are doing a bad job of guiding the gouvernment and as a result our as*es are abused. I respect your opinion and I agree that practically speaking we get screwed anyway , but it doesn’t mean that we have to put vaseline for their convenience as we bend down. The gouvernment is there to protect us from the criminals and outside invasions first and formost. The free market would take care of the rest. The media is bombarding us for years with the notion that the gouvernment is “guiding” [controling, in charge of] us. This is false. We are free [to a certain degree] in America and we need to keep changing the rules so that no one has the right to bend us down in the first place. I’m originaly from the former USSR and belive me crank, I know what the “guiding hand” of gouvernment can do to your “O-ring” if you let them!

By: Michael-59

Michael-59 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:59:31 +0000

Chukcha, I'm 60 years old. I did my fighting for this country in Nam in 1969. Don't tell me I don't understand what this country is all about. I know exactly what it is all about. I have watched liberal and conservative politicians screw us out of just about every liberty we ever had.
- The government guides us in desired dierctions all the time right now, and have for years. You ever try driving your car at 80 mph through the middle of town? If you did, there is a good chance you got a little push in the direction of slowing down for the safety of others. Want to go fishing or hunting? You have to buy a liscense. The money for the liscense is partially used for wildlife management. Want to own a home? The money you pay for interest is not taxed; yet. That's a little nudge to get more people to own homes. We are guided and manipulated all the time. Didn't say I liked it or approved of it, but it's happening right now.
- We are going to get screwed regardless so you might as well bend over and grab your ankles.
- My point is that incentives and fees are the way we have handled the guiding of public opinion up till now. Not takeover and direct management of private business like the present administration seems to think is okay.
- And I completely agree that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And also with power grabs being sold as good intentions.

By: chukcha

chukcha — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:22:47 +0000

I can’t belive it… You clearly don’t understand what being American is all about.
What you’ve said goes directly against what the Americans stand for. (and fought for…)
Do you really belive that the gouvernment should have the right to “step in and push the individual or a company” in any direction? If you do, take a long and hard look at history [of USSR for example]. The Russian gouvernment was pushing both individuals and the the companies in a direction that they whole heartedly belived was best for the people… Look at the result — economic devastatioin and the collapse of the country.
The problem is that when anyone, be it the gouvernment or a corporation, has an ability to push they start pushing allright! They are pushing for the patriot act, the gun control laws, the gouvernment takeover of the mass media, the religious influence over the gouvernment decisions etc… all under the cover of a “good” cause. (Like the environment) There is a saying that: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”… Be carefull what you wish for… you might get it.

By: Michael-59

Michael-59 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:36:50 +0000

Beerkens said,"Sometime a government must step in and push the individual or a company in a direction that is better for us as a whole. You might call it communism. I call it common sense".

Of course the government needs to do what is right for the nation as a whole. That's their job. If people, as a whole, need to drive more economical cars, there needs to be incentives to do so; and additional cost to do otherwise. One can offset the cost of the other. This can and must apply to all cars; from any source. If people see a financial benefit that trumps their dislike for tiny cars, at some point they will shift to buying smaller cars. That is a perfectly sensable approach. Just telling the American manufacturers they have to built small cars without regard to market demands is totally stupid.

Government trying to control the source of manufacturing, and redistributing the wealth, and making everyone equal, without regard to motivation, ability or contribution is what is communist. And I am afraid the latter is the road we are going down.

By: Paul Beerkens

Paul Beerkens — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:57:30 +0000

I think the issue is that what is best for GM is not necessarily what is best for America and the American people. And while an individual might want to drive a gas guzzler that does not mean that that is what is best for the country as a whole.

Sometime a government must step in and push the individual or a company in a direction that is better for us as a whole.

You might call it communism. I call it common sense.

By: Michael-59

Michael-59 — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:18:06 +0000

- It appears to me the "way you look at it" is like a damn communist. We have a wonderful example of government managed energy right here in Tennessee. It's called TVA. We pay as much or more for energy as anyone else in the country.
- Reagan Republicans who ran our car companies? What planet do you live on? Regan tried to save the car companies, and everyone else, from the cancer better known as labor unions. Too bad he didn't succeed.
- The unions have run our car companies; and run them right into the ground. I live near the former Saturn Plant which was supposed to be a showcase example of how GM could work cooperatively with the UAW. They shared management. They really wanted to show those stupid morons at Nissan, just 35 miles away, how bad they needed the UAW. Well, now Saturn is history, being made by Opel I think, and that wonderful Saturn plant is collecting dust while those UAW pigs are collecting paychecks to not work. Haven't noticed Nissan looking for a bailout. I guess GM/UAW they showed Nissan guys a thing or two.
- Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank couldn't run the Sahara Desert without creating a shortage of sand.

By: RandalH

RandalH — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:19:51 +0000

@uktiger: I can only believe that your post is sarcasm, as I have a hard time believing that anyone could hold such an asinine opinion.

By: uktiger

uktiger — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:57:56 +0000

I guess it depends on how you look at it. In my opinion this country and the world would be a hell of a lot better off if there was no private ownership of energy resources.

As far as crying about "government ownership" of car companies... what a joke. The Reagan Republicans who ran our car companies for the last 40 years destroyed them. Building a good car isn't about ideology.

I would much rather have Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi running GM than Lutz or even Ed Whitacre for that matter.