Community Chat

[suzyQ3]

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

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@itiswhatitis wrote:

My understanding of the United States Economy has always been that it is a mixed ECONOMY.

Is the U.S. a Mixed Economy or a Market Economy?

The U.S. is clearly a mixed economy. The government controls or partially controls many goods or services, such as education, courts, roads, hospital care, and postal delivery. It also provides subsidies to agricultural producers, oil companies, financial companies, and utility firms. Private individuals cannot legally provide or purchase certain types of goods, such as cocaine, haggis, raw milk, Cuban cigars, and most types of flavored cigarettes. Other products face heavy taxation to discourage their use.

In the U.S., private businesses need to register with government agencies, and many types of professionals can only operate with government-approved licenses, including funeral attendants, auctioneers, private investigators, makeup artists, hair stylists, real estate agents, and financial advisers.

We have never been a pure "capitalist society" nor have we ever been a pure socialist society.  We have a mixture of both..

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@itiswhatitis, hey, you saved me from having to answer your "I'll bit" reply to me. :-)

We always been a mix between government and private enterprise. And this is true even more so as our world becomes more and more complicated and diverse.

All in all, even though there is always a tug of war between the two, I can't think of a better system that would work on such a large scale.

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Yes @suzyQ3, when people use the term "Capitalism" here for discussion in America, they are speaking to only that one aspect of our economy that works in that fashion.  The capitlism aspect is what drives the topic of this discussion and it's proper to use that term.

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That is quite true, @itiswhatitis.  I was making another point that is probably off-topic. I'll say no more on the subject for fear of getting political.

[dmod nj]

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@Greeneyedlady21 wrote:

Sports also bring people together, yes there can be nasty rivalries but most people take it in the spirit that's intended. Here in the sports forum we have a baseball thread that's all women. We all get along great and have fun with our team rivalries. I am a Red Sox fan and @dmod nj is a Yankees fan. She's one of the nicest people to converse with in these forums. A real pleasure.

Whenever I have any issues/bad experiences here I go to that baseball thread and all's right with the world again.

My mother created my love for baseball. She grew up loving it and has great stories. We have bonded sharing that. Our last trip together, will probably be the last one we ever take, was to the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown. That's a priceless memory for me.

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Hi @Greeneyedlady21,  I have not read this thread, but wanted to thank you for your kind words. I appreciate them very much.  

ITA, sports brings people together.  You have treasured memories with mom and baseball.  I shared baseball with my maternal grandfather.  I have many memories of listening to him telling me about the players he grew up watching. 

I used to watch a little baseball with my mom, too.  She told me stories of the players she met coming out of Yankee Stadium. She lived not too far from that area growing up. 

[QueenDanceALot]

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@pitdakota wrote:

Those salaries are paid as a result of people choosing to buy tickets, support a team, and go to games.  As long as people pay for the tickets, that will continue.  Same with celebrities, people in the public at large choose to spend their money going to those concerts, movies, shows, or whatever.  

I am more concerned with the outrageously high salaries that some CEOs of  companies make in this country that choose not to increase the salary base or benefits of their employees.  Or the case of a CEO of a pharmaceutical company that raised the price of a medication by 5,000% comes to mind.  That speaks more of a twisted society to me rather than sports teams that have income from ticket sales to pay athletes high salaries.  

At least there is some return to the economy since those athletes buy products, pay taxes, make investments, employ others, etc.  

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BADA BING!

[QueenDanceALot]

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@SydneyH wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

Sports are a lot of fun for many, many people.  Many like to play sports, others get a real kick out of watching games in person or on TV.  If you don't enjoy sports you probably won't get it, but many others do get it.

Sports generate A LOT of jobs, directly and indirectly.  Tee shirts alone are big business

The men and women who play sports work hard and sustain many injuries.  I don't begrudge them their high salaries.

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I don't etiher.  Professional athletes work very hard and imo, deserve every penny they can get.

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Amateur athletes work very hard as well.

I don't understand the disdain for athletics from many here. 

[QueenDanceALot]

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@Marienkaefer2 wrote:

It's called CAPITALISM.

And I'm going to say this with the most friendly feelings possible:

If you think that's what going to be the downfall of our society, you aren't paying attention.

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AMEN.

[Noel7]

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@QueenDanceALot wrote:

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@SydneyH wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

Sports are a lot of fun for many, many people.  Many like to play sports, others get a real kick out of watching games in person or on TV.  If you don't enjoy sports you probably won't get it, but many others do get it.

Sports generate A LOT of jobs, directly and indirectly.  Tee shirts alone are big business

The men and women who play sports work hard and sustain many injuries.  I don't begrudge them their high salaries.

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I don't etiher.  Professional athletes work very hard and imo, deserve every penny they can get.

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Amateur athletes work very hard as well.

I don't understand the disdain for athletics from many here. 

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I don't understand it, either @QueenDanceALot

No one has to like sports, just walk away from it, but why try to sour it for other people?

[NYC Susan]

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@Noel7 wrote:

Sports are a lot of fun for many, many people.  Many like to play sports, others get a real kick out of watching games in person or on TV.  If you don't enjoy sports you probably won't get it, but many others do get it.

Sports generate A LOT of jobs, directly and indirectly.  Tee shirts alone are big business

The men and women who play sports work hard and sustain many injuries.  I don't begrudge them their high salaries.

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Yes,

And generally the professional life of an athlete is very short compared to other occupations.  I know several professional athletes, and they work hard.  An injury can be career-ending and life-changing at any time.

And yes, lots & lots of jobs are created, so the economy is stimulated in a positive way.  It's not as simple as an athlete receiving a huge salary.  It's much more involved than that.  Sure it seems a bit lopsided, but I agree - I don't begrudge them what they are able to earn either. 

[stuyvesant]

Has anybody done a study about the average age of a college coach?  I know the players are children, but it's a career for the coaches, isn't it?

[blackhole99]

The society is twisted! These guys are just genetically gifted giants who play a game. Defending and glorifying these people and justifying their rewards for playing a game, well I think it's a crying shame. Again it never ceases to amaze me how some people will always defend the rich under the guise that the rich deserve it because they work so hard. When we are all given the same advantages from the cradle, I'll go along with that thinking.

[Drythe]

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@Sweet_Serenity wrote:
Sports is *BIG* money operations. Do agree lacking morality. Give example-Michael Vick crime against dogs. Slap on the wrist prison time for one. He was allowed back to play make millions. Omg!!! Rancher saved the remaining pit bulls, then after months working with the dogs placed in loving homes. He's the hero in this tragic story. Honestly! Every time think of MV want to throw up! This is no different. Sandusky another example. Head coach statue removed. Imagine his legacy, Not remembered for the work he did over fifty years coaching, When thought of people will say disgusting man covered for sexual pervert. Possibly in time system will change. Look what happened with "Sea world" thankfully public opinion made the difference. Sports has its place in bringing entertainment. Yes, There are many fine examples of players who devote time and money helping children and the less fortunate. Hero's give back.

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@Sweet_Serenity

Just FYI Best Friends - Utah took 43 of Vick's dogs, socialized them, trained, and rehomed them. 

Just want to give credit to them too.