[daepp]

Originally Posted by Purrybonker

Rent seekers (do you mean landlords?) are possibly amongst the least contributing form (I too confess to being a landlord) of capitalists amongst the capital obsessed world we live in and seem to adore.

They contribute nothing, zero, zip, ziltch to the general advancement and well being of society. (If you're referring to landlords, they do contribute a great thing for society: namely, housing.)

It is obvious that home occupancy costs can only see upward pressure in such an environment. (I'm not sure if you see this, and they are not in parity, but rising housing costs leads to hire wages. Free markets eventually but always return to their equilibrium.)

I guess I'm suggesting that this, in particular, is an environment where we probably would benefit as a society from government involvement and control. (Have you ever seen government housing? I have. We sponsor families in them, we go inside the units - why in the world would you want the government to run housing? Do you miss the very obvious fact that the majority of the people in this country do make their rent and mortgage payments without government assistance? And live in decent places? But you'd scrap all of the good just because the status quo isn't perfect?)

Business people, people who develop new concepts, industries and inventions, these are the capitalists that advance our world. (And by putting the government in charge, you will stifle all such innovation and advancements. Why innovate if there's no reward? Tell me about all the innovations and advancements that have come from communist countries.)

People and corporations with simple wealth, owning housing, particularly as a predatory profit motive contribute nothing and are, in fact a net negative to the advancement of our world. (I am a landlord. I rent out clean and safe single family homes - to families. And I make a profit. How in the world is that predatory?)

Oh, by the way, I am also the sole owner of a corporation. I have about 110 employees at the moment. And I care deeply about every single one of them. Corporations are not, by definition, evil.