Ignoring your rant, I will simply point out that if GM and its cohorts could set pricing where they wished, they would set the price at a level that would enable them to be profitable. They are not profitable, ergo they can't.
If you were a CFO, then you must have some basic knowledge of economics. When there is a competitive market, there is a market demand curve and an individual firm demand curve. The demand curve for an individual firm is very elastic, the market less so. When a firm in a competitive market raises its prices, demand drops **a lot**, therefore price levels are determined by the market. If the firm had a monopolistic position, its individual demand curve would be identical to the market demand curve and it could price its products to maximize revenue. On Nov 24, 7:43 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You entirely misread me when you assign an ‘anti business’ attitude in > my direction. I have owned small businesses. I have been CFO of a > manufacturing firm. I have worked for a University, non-profit > organizations, as an independent contractor etc. > > I am anti-propaganda which is what is found on most corporate > infotainment ‘news’ programs. During my lifetime, I’ve seen gross > changes in the way the media presents and collects information. The > news agencies have become trusts, monopolies and consortiums. They > have been deregulated in many of the more important areas assuring > that precious little actual news is presented. Decades ago, I could > learn some things from watching/listening to news programs. Today, not > so much. > > I am against the new influx of public money into the corporate and > multinational coffers. And, especially so since there have been little > to no restraints as to how the ‘gift’ (not loan) is to be spent. > Again, IF the government were to actually nationalize the banks, auto > industry etc. which would be one possible return on such a large > investment, we could expand the discussion. Also, IF what were > happening is that the government is in fact purchasing stock, again we > could discuss this further. That is not what is happening. > > As an aside, corporations are not democracies. They are dictatorships. > Just try to cross them! Nader used to be able to. Laws have changed > and he can’t do this any more. > > Since the deregulation of how those who lobby the US congress has > become almost total, we have shifted to what can truly be called a > fascist form of government in the tradition of Benito Mussolini's > Italy. It can also be called an oligarchy. While this can be seen as > hyperbole, when more carefully examined, the components are all there. > Those who haven't lived through the last half century may not have as > much experience living in different political environments. > > And, since you have analyzed my bias, I will suggest strongly that > your view is not only grossly simplistic and ignores most of the > larger picture, it would seem that you use these simplistic views to > support whatever point you start out to make without much/any room for > a discussion. I would prefer the latter…a discussion. > > And, like the omnipresent propaganda of the current ‘big brother’ > which includes the very notion of as well as the manifestation of > Corporations, I tire of such attempts at imposing a singular and > supportive of vested interests view. This is what Noam was talking > about in the video when he discussed two forms of democracy and that > the current view is in fact a dictatorship. > > Yes, I know I’m conflating my original post and rants with the Chomsky > video. I find them to be compatible. > > On a different board, I posted this quote from a movie. The components > and ethos differ somewhat today, but the tenor doesn’t. > > “So, does this quitation from the 1976 movie, Network, still hold > water? > > "Arthur Jensen: [bellowing] You have meddled with the primal forces > of > nature, Mr. Beale, and I won't have it! Is that clear? You think > you've merely stopped a business deal. That is not the case! The > Arabs > have taken billions of dollars out of this country, and now they must > put it back! It is ebb and flow, tidal gravity! It is ecological > balance! You are an old man who thinks in terms of nations and > peoples. There are no nations. There are no peoples. There are no > Russians. There are no Arabs. There are no third worlds. There is no > West. There is only one holistic system of systems, one vast and > immane, interwoven, interacting, multivariate, multinational dominion > of dollars. Petro-dollars, electro-dollars, multi-dollars, > reichmarks, > rins, rubles, pounds, and shekels. It is the international system of > currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. That > is > the natural order of things today. That is the atomic and subatomic > and galactic structure of things today! And YOU have meddled with the > primal forces of nature, and YOU...WILL...ATONE!"” > > *** pushes soapbox back under the couch ending the most recent rant > *** > > On Nov 24, 4:46 pm, Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > They are losing money!!! Cartels can price where they wish and make > > lots of money. > > > Your anti-business bias seems to really distort your perceptions on > > this issue. (IMHO, of course.) > > > On Nov 24, 6:01 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Truth by fiat seldom is questioned by the one who makes the > > > proclamation. > > > > On Nov 24, 3:47 pm, Taylor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Everything you post contradicts your point of view: > > > > > ===== > > > > cartel: > > > > an association of manufacturers or suppliers formed to MAINTAIN HIGH > > > > PRICES and RESTRICT COMPETITION. > > > > ===== > > > > > This DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE US MARKET.- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
