Don't start.

First of all... have we ever had a true free market?

And... we don't manipulate our currency?

@Stonebat:
First of all... have we ever had a true free market?
>>>>>>>>>>
No, but still, fundamentally our economy is far less regulated and centralized than China's.

@Vitaliy:
Nice thread title change! LOL

China is not kicking anybody ass. They are still poor. They are growing very very fast, but of course, it's easier to grow at 10% when your economy is like the USA's 1960 economy in terms of size.

When they reach the status of a west power in terms of income per capita, it will be another matter. IF that happens. And of course, by then, they won't be growing at 10%. It would be desirable for humanity, though.

I'm tired of read stupid things about economy in the internet and talking to people in real life that don't have a clue about it but, somehow, they feel entitled to give their ignorant opinion.

People in Spain are specially illiterate about economic matters, and moreover, they have a tendency to hate the USA, something very understandable given their leftist tendencies, that is, given their laziness and mediocrity (on average, of course). I mean, I'm tired of reading/listening to things like the one in the original post.

What really pisses me off is looking at the USA disintegrate into an European style social-democracy, losing the few moral values that still remained and made them the greatest nation in history. And no american in this forum or any other is able to raise their voice and say a thing. Whatever.

And yes, if I were american, which I'm not, I would vote Ron Paul :)

@Zincoontrin

>if I were american, which I'm not

In this case I do not understand so much love and deep understanding of US politics :-)
CIA agent on the mission? :-)

@Zincoontrin
I'm tired of read stupid things about economy in the internet and talking to people in real life that don't have a clue about it but, somehow, they feel entitled to give their ignorant opinion.>>>>>>>>

If you're so hot and milked up to come to the USA, better get used to the fact that there are a lot of ignorant opinions, and no one, repeat no one, questions the right to voice it. Here in the USA, opinions aren't just a privilege of the enlightened. Come to think of it, based on your comments so far, you'll fit right in.

@Zincoontrin "What really pisses me off is looking at the USA disintegrate into an European style social-democracy, losing the few moral values that still remained and made them the greatest nation in history. And no american in this forum or any other is able to raise their voice and say a thing. Whatever."

I've tried too... but I just get called "immoral" and "ignorant" for pointing out facts and looking for concrete solutions instead of ignorantly repeating "everyone is equal, rich people/corporations are bad" like a media-blind lemming.

This liberal "everyone deserves everything" attitude is tearing apart the country from the inside out...

People are afraid to set standards and social morals anymore out of fear of not measuring up to them themselves... it completely selfish. Yet, it's cleverly re-wrapped and packaged as "humanitarian" by the media and general population. Nobody has any balls anymore. Nobody wants to work. And nobody wants to innovate (out of fear of failing).

"You get called ignorant when you resort to straw man argumentation and cariacature."

What!? This is what people were doing to me in the last argument!

"Here in the USA, opinions aren't just a privilege of the enlightened."

They really should be. 80% of the population is a bunch of ignorant scared grown-children.

@Zincoontrin
" It's about the culture of laziness and mediocrity.

What does Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy have in common? The lack of love for a well-made job, the envy , the despise of hard-working people. If people here know that you tend to work a lot, they always try to convince you that it's not worth to do it.

Civil servants here OWN their job for life. They can't be fired. That's the word they use: OWN.

The best advice a Spanish parent gives to their child: Son, you got to become a civil servant."

Yes, exactly. People here are afraid of competition... they would rather see the US burn to the ground then "sack-up" and take a risk/work.

I really wish you would come here to the states... we need more people like you.

@Zincoontrin "And yes, if I were american, which I'm not, I would vote Ron Paul :)"

I am! I'm a proud Libertarian! It about time we tried a new administration besides the black and white "democrat vs. republican" crap.

@brianluce "If the free market is so great, how come China, with its centralized control, is kicking the USA's ass?"

Well, in short... because we're wasting our money. In many different ways and on many different things. Some we can all agree on. Some of them might offend people. So I'll refrain from saying any.

The free-market is good though. Capitalism/the free-market is the only naturally occurring economic system. All other require human intervention, which usually ends badly due to emotions and subjectivity. Natural is good. We just need to stop the dumb spending.

"The free-market is good though. Capitalism/the free-market is the only naturally occurring economic system. All other require human intervention, which usually ends badly due to emotions and subjectivity. Natural is good."

Oh Lord - look all through History. It is a history of the rich and powerful becoming more so, taking and taking, until they are (usually) overthrown, because of necessity.

The Free Market is nothing of the sort. It is a misnomer for a system in which rich, aggressive countries go around the world exploiting poor countries by effectively stealing their resources. The damage it does to the world as a whole is staggering - of course it is very much in the interests of the US economy, but that's very short sighted, selfish and insular thinking.

@Zincoontrin
Why US corporate capitalists loathe Ron Paul: