We all know the old saying, “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
With this week’s news reported by Red Herring that Ariana Huffington’s blog just got $5 million in VC money, the new twist on that phrase should be, “Don’t feed the mouth that is about to bite your hand again!” Huffington’s blog takes me back to the 1960s with all of its anti-business, anti-capitalism vitriol.
If you don’t believe me, try this. I entered “free market” in the search engine at her site. Here is a quote from the second non-sponsor quote that came up:
Sir Keith Joseph, the father of Thatcherism whose free market principles are still followed to some extent by Tony Blair, had a form of autism that is reflected in his political philosophy, a psychiatrist believes. The former Conservative education secretary, who was Mrs Thatcher’s mentor in the 1970s and 1980s, had Asperger’s syndrome, a condition that renders sufferers unable to interpret social situations or to empathise with other people….
That’s right, the belief in free markets is the result of a mental illness. You can all play along at home. Just put in a phrase in her search engine and see what comes up, especially under the blog listings.
But what the heck. If it is a free market, I guess those investors can put money where ever they think they can make a return. Right? Oh wait — there is that nagging issue of integrity, isn’t there.
Hysterical post.
There really has been a resurgence of extreme anti-capitalism recently. It is blamed for everything (the only reason behind the war in Iraq, poverty, bad secondary education, etc). I think that the roots of this sentiment are in misunderstanding, or simply following what others are saying (who also misunderstand).
One of the funniest examples of this was a quote by Senator Durbin on Meet the Press several months ago:
SENATOR DURBIN: … If you do not tax these corporations at this level they will continue to run up the profits to sky heavens.
I don’t know where it ends. And they’re saying as much, this year maybe better than last. And it means that consumers will continue to be victimized unless they feel that ultimately they’re going to have to pay some of this money back. I’d like to see it come back. Rebates directly to consumers who’ve paid the price for this, but also investment. Investment in promoting energy independence and promoting new sustainable, renewable technologies. Businesses creating new jobs and good-paying opportunities for America with new technologies…
Is that how it works? If not taxed, corporations would be able to take every last cent?