To follow up on my comments in the last thread, here's a little attempt at irony.
I'm sure that RDC will be along shortly to fact-challenge my assumptions. (Fact-challenged assumptions = common sense. ;)
The reason small businesses are conservative icons, is that I think conservatives know in their hearts that they are the quintessential pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps, work hard and get ahead kinds of businesses.
Especially Mom and Pops.
I think in their heart of hearts, most conservatives realize that not all big business is purely capitalism. Because of their ability to buy patronage and campaigns and interests (otherwise known as lobbying) they are helped in their efforts to expand. There are monopolistic aspects to big business -- special prices, exclusives, favoritism, that seem to me undeniable.
Besides, no one has ever sufficiently explained to me why it is fair for big business to get better prices because they buy more; it seems a little too much like "might makes right" to me, no matter how you rationalize it.
If I was six foot four and you were five foot four, and I demanded two thirds of the watermelon, you'd hardly think it was right.
Anyway, most Mom and Pops get little or no help.
But the same conservatives who tout small business will often shop at big business because they save a few bucks. Even though they know that small businessman is a neighbor and is likely to spend his money locally.
They'll complain about small differences in prices.
Whereas, I'd be willing to bet that most of the Shop Local supporters are bleeding heart liberals.
Big business to me is not conservative -- it is aided and abetted by big government.
Small business is almost always a local thing --
So who's conservative and who's liberal?
I'm sure that RDC will be along shortly to fact-challenge my assumptions. (Fact-challenged assumptions = common sense. ;)
The reason small businesses are conservative icons, is that I think conservatives know in their hearts that they are the quintessential pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps, work hard and get ahead kinds of businesses.
Especially Mom and Pops.
I think in their heart of hearts, most conservatives realize that not all big business is purely capitalism. Because of their ability to buy patronage and campaigns and interests (otherwise known as lobbying) they are helped in their efforts to expand. There are monopolistic aspects to big business -- special prices, exclusives, favoritism, that seem to me undeniable.
Besides, no one has ever sufficiently explained to me why it is fair for big business to get better prices because they buy more; it seems a little too much like "might makes right" to me, no matter how you rationalize it.
If I was six foot four and you were five foot four, and I demanded two thirds of the watermelon, you'd hardly think it was right.
Anyway, most Mom and Pops get little or no help.
But the same conservatives who tout small business will often shop at big business because they save a few bucks. Even though they know that small businessman is a neighbor and is likely to spend his money locally.
They'll complain about small differences in prices.
Whereas, I'd be willing to bet that most of the Shop Local supporters are bleeding heart liberals.
Big business to me is not conservative -- it is aided and abetted by big government.
Small business is almost always a local thing --
So who's conservative and who's liberal?