I'm looking at you "Atlases" out there, you Randian "Achievers" out there smoking your own exhaust, you Masters of the Universe, you alpha dogs and uber-capitalists.
Yes you, the owners of the means of production with Swiss bank accounts at UBS and your production in "low-cost environments" overseas because Americans demand a decent living and medical care. You bought elected officials and Congressmen to twist laws to your needs or to abolish regulations altogether.
You were the ones killing capitalism, not us. How dare you accuse us when it was you killing the host with your parasitic feeding on our lifeblood. You were not even satisfied with keeping us in a 1980s state where our bodies were being slowly drained but we were not yet on our deathbeds.
A line separates good capitalism from criminal activities that are (or should be) felonies punishable by imprisonment and penalties if the accused is found guilty in a court of law. They would of course have the opportunity for rehabilitation, just like any convict should once they are off the junk.
So many staunch "capitalists" are nothing but criminals. These are not honest, competitive business people trying to win by being better, and so one should not defend their actions like it is somehow defending capitalism. Defending a criminal enterprise is what it is to defend these people and companies who have brought the American way to its knees.
You are the ones who killed the American Dream, not us. You are the ones who killed hope of a better future for our children and America.
Was Bernie Madoff a businessman or a criminal? He started as a businessman and then became a criminal.
John Thain started as a businessman and became a criminal, even if it is found he did not technically break any laws. He took tons of money that should not have been his and the victims number in the tens of thousands.
Phil Gramm was a professor and an economic consultant who eventually used his power as a Congressman to pervert the system to feed his greed and the greed of his wealthy friends, at the cost of hurting tens of millions of people in the US and worldwide. He is a criminal who should get life imprisonment if found guilty in court.
I have nothing against business and am a businessman myself. What I have a problem with are predatory criminals in business clothing who give the rest of us a bad name and ultimately hurt us.
The millions of us small business owners, who create the most new jobs but do not get the sweet no-bid contracts and insider deals, have a problem with you crying about the impending socialist apocalypse when you are the ones who were killing capitalism.
Good lord, at least have the decency to hole up in your gated mansions and STFU. I never tell anyone to STFU because I cherish our First Amendment rights, but please, as a matter of common courtesy, I ask you to kindly STFU.