"..we can rank economies as to whether they are closer to capitalism or closer to communism or socialism. If one ranked countries according to whether they were closer to the capitalistic end of the spectrum or the socialistic or communistic end, then ranked countries according to per capita GDP and finally rank countries according to Freedom House's "Map of Freedom in the World," he would find a pattern that is by no means a coincidence. The people in those countries closer to the capitalist end of the economic spectrum have far greater income and enjoy greater human rights protections than those toward the socialist and communist end.....Moore's film features priests who say capitalism is anti-Christian by failing to protect the poor. This is pure nonsense and revealed as such by asking, "If you're an unborn spirit, condemned by God to a life of poverty but allowed to choose the country in which to be poor, would you choose a country near the communist end of the economic spectrum or the capitalist end?" If you chose the United States, you'd find that according to the government surveys, the typical "poor" American has cable or satellite TV, two color TVs, and a DVD player or VCR. He has air conditioning, a car, a microwave, a refrigerator, a stove, and a clothes washer and dryer, and whether he has health insurance or not, he is able to obtain medical care when needed. Try to find that in Cuba, Russia, China or North Korea. If we buy into the nonsense of Moore's priests, the world's poor people are incredibly stupid."
I first heard of Williams several years ago when he was filling in for Rush Limbaugh on his radio program. In the matter of whose viewpoint is closer to the truth in this matter, who are you going to believe? A political hack like Moore who is almost predictably wrong or the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University?
2 comments:
I found it interesting that NPR made this statement about Moore in the context of talking about this film:
"Yes, he has been caught fudging facts. But he doesn't just spew partisan talking points. He's out there on the street, amassing evidence."
He's so terrible about making stuff up that they had to admit that the does fudge facts but then they go on to act like that doesn't matter. So basically they're saying that truth doesn't matter.
Perhaps I'm being an extremist here but my concern is that no one cares about the facts or choosing a source of truth they just want to go with a cultural flow that appeals.
My oldest son, age 21 (and about to graduate from West Point this May), told me that he thinks the reason that a large portion of the liberals are college professors or artists is because it doesn't work in real life.
That kid of your's has a good head on his shoulders Tracy. He must get it from his mom!
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