In These Times

Wow - Jimmy Weinstein must be rolling over in his grave. A socialist magazine where the socialists fight with one hand tied behind their back and concede all of libertarians' points before the debate even starts. 1. Egalitarianism is NOT the same thing as resentment and is perfectly defensible. Things were better when the rich, by taste didn't flaunt their wealth so ostentatiously. Like Paris Hilton, anyone? And no, the fact that I can buy more junk than my parents could doesn't refute this - doesn't render it irrational. Sure, egalitarianism can be taken too far, like anything else - such …

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scorp - Write back when you grow up, ok? I work for one of the country's largest corporations. If the stockholders could see what goes on with their money they would throw it over tomorrow. But they can't and they're shielded from the consequences of bad executive decisions by the vast amounts of corporate welfare that the Republicans so-small-you-can-drown-it-in-a-bathtub government keeps throwing their way. Tax shelter islands? Oh I don't know, the Caymans? Gee, sorry, I guess I must have misspoke, it isn't an island, but what about Dubai, where Halliburton is now chartering itself? I may be old-fashioned, scorp, but …

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>> I’m afraid you can’t tell me much new about corporate behavior, but that is beside the point. Really? What is your experience? I work at one of the world's largest corporations. My wife works at a dysfunctional public hospital with no money. If we listed the dysfunctional things happening at both places and jumbled them together, you wouldn't be able to tell which was which. >> The Soviet Union collapsed from corruption and inefficiency, so I am certain their corporate behavior was much worse than our own. No doubt, but if that's where you're setting the bar, you're setting it …

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Gee, Brian was right. You are kind of like an energizer bunny aren't you? You just go on and on.

I’ve published a book on disfunctional managers in organizations, based on my experiences in the military and industry.

Really? Give me the title and publisher, I'll be sure to check it out.

We are discussing the successes of democracy, free markets, and the rule of law, not the failures of socialism.

Silly me, I thought these two topics go hand in hand. Oh, and scorp, who brought up the Soviet Union? Wasn't me.

they made a …

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Thanks for the history lesson on MITI. You obvously know a bit more about Japanese history than I do. Nonetheless, do you suppose, now that the Japanese have decided to go after high tech rather than heavy industry, that their cabinet ministers in charge of the economy are going around saying "outsourcing is a good thing for Americans" as one of ours did, cheering as they push high tech out the door? No, the Japanese decided what they want to emphasize and they're emphasizing it. They're fighting, as a nation, for those sectors of the economic turf they want to specialize …

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Kulthur - If egalitarianism is nothing but resentment then the United States must be a resentment-based society since it is enshrined in our very founding document. Yes, I know, various efforts have from time to time been made to eschew the Declaration of Independence - most notably by certain Southern notables on the Eve of the Civil War. If that's the company you wish to keep, you are welcome to. I don't think that's a viable political platform, but I suppose you aren't running for anything. But, contrary to libertarian dogma (I know you said you're not a Libertarian, but you're …

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scorp - Glad you detect some seriousness in my remarks - I've always thought of them that way. As for your little quiz - sure I've heard of Mr. Deming and I know what he represents to the auto industries of the US and Japan and not only those industries - but I will not accept that there is a need to prove myself to you for the right to continue our discssions (your counter-offer to prove yourself to me noted but it isn't necessary). You'll just have to take me at my word that I know what Deming represents - …

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So, how is is it that Strange is well known and, until recently, being consulted on world events, while Deming is a virtual unknown?

Deming has more influence within industry now than McNamara does. Fame and influence are not necessarily the same. Paris Hilton has fame. Does she have influence? However, back to industrial policy. You seem to think I'm advocating some big bureaucracy like MITI. Not so. But someone has to look out for the natural interest when our corporations go on a bender like they are doing now with outsourcing of the nation's most important technologies. Someone …

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scorp - on thinking the matter over further, I also find it odd that you place both J. Edwards Deming and William Gates at the top of your pantheon of heroes. In many ways they're polar opposites. Deming was the consummate engineer, with a fanatical devotion to quality, which became the backbone of the ascendant Japanese automobile industry, and ignoring of same led to the decline of the American auto industry. Now let's look at Microsoft, where Gates was always ready to throw over the often valid warnings of his engineering staff in pursuit of profit or crushing a rival. Engineers …

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Hey scorp - You think "luminous beauty" is a loon: why then waste so much time talking to him/her? Why insist on the juvenile tactics of calling him/her a distorted version of his/her chosen screen name? Why argue by putting words into his/her mouth that he/she hasn't said? Meanwhile, I can't help but notice that you have had no answer to me (whom you once called "serious") when I pointed out that your two heroes (Deming and Gates) though both capitalists, were actually polar opposites on several of the most important issues. Why do you keep fighting a Cold War that …

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