TheSker

Who knows how things will play out with Russia?........

My evidence is equally anecdotal. It just doesn't cause me to need to use symbols in place of words.

This may be true inside the Beltway, but my guess is the average person who voted for Trump was more concerned with being owned by other countries.

In your analogy, Peter isn't leveraging a marketable skill. Doing just enough to not get fired isn't exactly driven...... I disagree that capitalism only rewards those who already have money. Let's just say I know a guy who that isn't true about.

I think a lot of his supporters are just letting him do his thing knowing his detractors are going to be very loud. Part of the reason for the tension during his Britain trip was the topic of the EU. It seems Trump wants significant distance from EU alliances. The EU is a mess. Romney brought a good business background when he ran, but no one believed he would go in and shake things up......whereas people were very confident Trump would.

That may be true.....but that's the message that won the election. Trump Hotels and Resorts didn't do it. "You're fired!" did.

I think most people were aware of Trump's risky and shaky business background. And I don't think his business background is what got him elected. Trump sent a clear message that he planned to go to Washington and turn politics as usual upside down.

I fully realize it's an internet message board and we all "know people" who are the exception. My original statement was chopped anyway......I said capitalism provides an opportunity. I did not say "if x, then y". Does a socialistic system offer incentive for productivity? That's probably my main question.

You are arguing simply for the sake of arguing.....and it's not something that appeals to me.

Poverty does not get ignored. With a little bit of effort and drive, capitalism offers opportunity. I don't disagree about lobbying dollars, but I don't have a simple answer for that either.

So poverty doesn't exist in socialized countries?

And you are aware of how Bezos spends his dollars politically I assume?

China has been increasing their Brazilian soybean imports for almost a decade. Tariff issues aside.....there's always a market for the best product. And Brazilian soybeans are considered the world's best.

Just thinking out loud, but healthcare is one of the issues that I wonder if the real answer might be tort reform.

Brazil will out produce the US in soybeans for the first time this year. Brazilian transportation infrastructure and product quality has made this possible.