Corporations and their contradiction with freedom

In my Introduction to Economics course, we just read a chapter describing the entity known as a corporation and labor unions, an essential part of American history. Now me, constantly connecting my other courses together in this weird web of thoughts, came to a conclusion that corporations as a single entity are free and represent freedom in it's purest Smithian and Locke form. Let me clarify for a bit. Corporations are free by the principle that freedom is an all encompassing idea, one that allows markets to act freely and not necessarily in the way that will always benefit the people. On the other hand, however, is the side of freedom that tells us that the workers of the corporation can be exploited by low wages and poor working conditions, which really isn't free. So, I ask this question, how can a free country, with freedom at the forefront of our ideology, allow this to happen? I mean, private interests are allowed to do what they want, but shouldn't people have the freedom to be happy and live a healthy life, unobstructed by work issues? Or is that the government's obligation to step up and enforce individual free rights over that of the corporation? I honestly can't and may never know what the right answer is to these questions, and I hope that one day people can come to a consensus on what should and shouldn't be considered freedom.

I DECLARE INDEPENDENCE!!!

I love studying the Declaration of Independence. I could never imagine being in Thomas Jefferson's shoes, writing out an order that would undermine the authority of the biggest and most powerful country in the world. He and others effectively made one of the more gutsier moves in history, and for that I truly thank them. I wonder if nowadays, if for one, if there are any countries like this willing to oppose the biggest government in the world for their beliefs (Iraq comes to mind) and two, if they would or could possibly come together and create an elegant document that accurately describes how they feel about the reigning powers at hand. It really is an interesting thought, and I can't imagine a country doing it today.

The American Tea Party- Part One. Who are they?

We as Americans have held our long-standing belief of freedom as an important stature on which we base much of our past ideals and policies off of. But this ideal liberty that we take as a fundamental right may be different to all who view it. Freedom has created our country and pushed a long fought battle over total and complete equal rights. Freedom has sparked wars, killed thousands and lead a nation to police the world for it. Freedom has allowed once desolate immigrants to become born again, and start a new life for them and their children. As the United States moves into the 21st century, the people and the government seem to have lost the necessary identification of what was once was an established ideal. While the Democrats, the Republicans and many other United States political entities are try to determine what they believe freedom means, one of the most interesting and most characterized movements of this early century thinks that they hold the key to the definition of freedom. This movement is known as the Tea Party. 

The Tea Party was established sometime around 2008 and 2009 in livid response to the Bush and Obama stimulus boost to the economy and to health care reform lead by the Obama administration. Many felt that stimulus was not in the best interest of the American people, and protests began popping up all around the country. These protest were lead in pursuit of lower taxes, as shown in their playful moniker, the Tea Party, based on the events of the Boston Tea Party in the late 1700's. After two years of support and growth, the Tea Party established some ground in congress, with 40 house and 5 senate Tea Party members winning their seats. This is a very legitimate foothold for them and brings up the question of what their long term agenda has in store.

The Election and the Future- Republicans

As I said below, every election year is fun and exciting for all those that participate. Republicans this year had a very good year, as they won the House of Representatives and gained much ground in the Senate. This post is less about what could play out with the Republican party as I stated in my last post. This post is a plea, from me, to the Republican Party. I would ask, as a supporter of the party, for them not to gridlock in Congress and not allow anything to happen. I am pleading to the Republicans to work together with the Democrats and get something done! It would not be that hard to come to a compromise on trading votes to what one party wants in exchange for what another party wants on another issue. This idea can work, and I want to make America great again. So please Republicans, take this amazing opportunity that we voted you in for to create an ideal world for the betterment of the country.

The Election and The Future- Democrats

An election year is always a fantastic time in even years and is exciting for whatever party one may support. This election year, the democrats took quite a large hit by losing the house and barely holding on to the senate. As I looked around myself at PAC's the Verdict last night, I knew that these losses had a serious affect on all of the Democrats by viewing their disgusted faces as the election results flashed by. Minnesota didn't have as bad of a time, with a miscount in the Gubernatorial race but having it look like Dayton, the Democratic candidate, will win. What is in store for the future of the Democratic party? I feel that a couple of scenarios could play out. The first and most likely scenario would implicate that the Republicans will force a gridlock in the government and not much would get done. Another action that may happen is the Democratic party will shutdown in the same way the Republicans did in the 2008 election and nothing will get done. My favorite and most optimistic scenario is that the Republicans may come together with the Democrats and compromise, so much can get done and both sides are better off. I feel that the Democratic party is sad now, but they really could push together as a group and gain for the grater good.