Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/04/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Liam, With Austin long gone from the list I guess I will answer you question. First part, Starbucks demonstrates that someone can take an idea however mundane, say a coffee shop, and make something out of it. We get a better cup of coffee than was possible 10 years ago even if we don't go into a Starbucks. The employee's have decent wages and benefits in a relatively nice place to be employed. The movement to obtain coffee in an environmentally more sound fashion and in such a way that more small farmers benefit than before is an added benefit. For anyone who travels, no matter how much they enjoy experimentation in food or drink, finding a reliably decent place is a pleasure. Second part: the anti-neocon rant. Healthcare is available to anyone who will pay attention. Emergency care is mandated to all comers at any hospital or emergency care facility. Routine care is available to anyone who cares to work the system. Between the county clinics, responsible physicians who donate a part of their work to the indigent, Medicaid, networks available through the Catholic charities and other church sponsored care, groups like the Shiners, and public service organizations like The Lions virtually any condition will be treated at no or very little charge with no long wait lists. All that is required is to ask a school social worker, county medical, fire station emergency response crew, or a church and follow the leads. An example here in Atlanta is a large downtown church that runs a restaurant for the homeless. It is just like any normal restaurant except there is no tab: they run it to give some dignity and normalcy to the down and out. As to not letting the indigent fall too far through the cracks, the major problem is getting the indigent to go to the shelters. There is a guy who lives under a bridge about half a mile from me, he likes to live there and when taken to a shelter finds his way back. Again, there is a very large informal social network that wants to help. Again, here in Atlanta, the city tried to pass regulations that would get the truly needy into shelters but the laws were thrown out as infringing on the peoples rights. Oh, a parting shot, there is a woman who works the exit ramp near where I work with a sign asking for donations so she can get home in Florida. She has been there for at least five years and she wires at least $1000 a week to her home in Florida. I have been in line behind her at the local bank on several occasions. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to improve your knowledge base and enjoy the spring weather that should be coming your way about now. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Liam Maloney Sent: Sunday, April 18, 2004 12:55 PM To: lug@leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] starbucks proves that america works? Somebody posted this earlier. I don't have my irony filter on yet, so apologies if this was a joke: "Apparently in the minds of these people, financial success = evil. The world business haters are at their core socialists, masquerading as "compassionate liberals" and "progressives." The success of Starbucks proves once again that the free enterprise system works, and that America works. It also proves that socialism is a failure for everyone except aspiring autocrats who are greedy for power and those who are "entitled" to the fruits of everyone else's labor while they do nothing of value." OK Allen, I don't normally pay attention to neo-con rants like this, but I have to ask - in what way exactly do you think the existence of Starbucks proves that "America works" ? To my mind the outward signs of a country "working" include a functioning healthcare system, a reliable education system and a plan to prevent the nation's poorest from falling too deeply through the cracks. We "aspiring autocrats" in Canada want to know how you think socialism is a failure. Philosophically flawed bureaucratic nightmare, perhaps. Failure, no. Please explain. Liam --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints for 25? _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information