Probono

I tacked this on the tuition thread but I think it is important enough to stand on it's own.

The rich cannot be rich without the sweat of the poor. That has never changed. Teresa Heinz Kerry does not manufacture ketchup, thousands of working people manufacture ketchup using their sweat and the capital of those who own stock in Heinz. That is the upper and the middle class.

Remember the primary goal of Heinz is not ketchup manufacturing but returning a good rate of return on the capital, dividends to shareholders. To do that they will pay as little as possible to manufacture the ketchup. So if there are people in timbuktu willing to work for less and freight, tarriffs and other economic forces make it more profitable to make ketchup in Timbuktu that is where they will built a plant. The only mitigating factor is government incentive to keep the jobs at home.

Wealth is the essence of a capitalistic society and without it would would have some more egalitarian system. Unfortunately no other system seems to work.

Even the Romans recognized the need for bread and circuses. If you forget the poor and they have no way to eat they will sieze the ketchup factory and eat fat greedy cat with lots of ketchup.

It takes some recognition of reality to maintain social stability.