Will Firing Up the Military Industrial Complex Benefit the Nation or Just the Fat Cats?

Haliburton, Boeing, GE, and Honeywell are publicly-owned companies. That means there are millions of pockets that get some of the money.

Rick the people that own the majority of these public companies ARE the fat cats.

Is that a fact or a perception?

Rick all my threads are opinion pieces. More acurately MY opinion. Look at it like this...in order to make great amounts of money on the stock market you have to have the money to invest. I have no stocks no bonds nothing. It is estimated that 2% of the people in the US own or control 98% of the land and public companies...so you tell me if the average joe will make a bunch of money or the ones that own the majority of the stock ie the fat cats.

According to Businessweek and CBS Maketwatch over 56 million households own stock, either outright or through mutual funds.

So, my guess is the "Average Joe" will make an equal percentage based on their investment.

It seems to me that you're mixing two topics together.

I don't believe we're heading in the right direction with foreign policy and military decisions.

But, I disagree with class warfare and talk of "big business" and "fat cats".

The majority of the "Average Joe's" benifit from one and not the other...

Rick but if someone owns 1 share of stock are they going to see a big return compared to someone that owns 1000 shares of the same stock....those are the fat cats. Just because you have a stock or two doesnt mean you are a fat cat.

Firing up the MIC will line the pockets of the fat cats and a missile defense system could touch off another cold war. Russia will protect its' interest just was we would and China would for that matter.

So, is your argument that the 56 million households all own 1 or 2 shares of stock?

Anyone with a retirement account shares in the bounty of big corporations. MY retirement account owns $36 million of oil stock. that means when the stock goes up my retirement account goes up, too.

For the most part, "Fat Cats" are the windmills in the mind of Don Quixote...

Rick try and understand my point. The people that have a couple of shares of stock or their retirement is tied up in stocks are not by definition...mine anyway...fat cats...a perfect example of a fat cat is Dick Cheney. Now when you get to the point that you own Haliburton then you are one of the elite until then you are an average Joe.

There's a big difference between the Cuban missile crisis and the Missile Defense System. Y'all know the difference, right?

Yes Rick I know. I am not talking about Kennedy here but the here and now.

And try to understand my point. Haliburton is not owned by Dick Cheney.

By the way, I'm one of the owners of Haliburton, Chevron, Microsoft, General Electric, BP, and a hundred other companies.

And I wouldn't consider myself a "Fat Cat" or a member of the "elite".

I live in a 400 sq. ft. apartment, drive a Chevy Aveo, and eat mac and cheese...

The missile comment was to Brian...

Rick exactly. How would this state of the nation benefit you. OK I got it you were talking to Brian. LOL

It's called "trickle down theory" and by the time it reaches my 401k plan it will be a little less than a drop in the bucket. lol

Maybe you should have started contributing to your 401k sooner, Dan.

My retirement account earned 15% last year. So with my 20 years of accumulation, my "trickle down" was almost $20,000.

If consider that a drop in the bucket then you must have a big damn bucket! ; ^)

Now, there's the thought-provoking question, Lori.

How would this state of the nation benefit me?

I'll have to think about that one...

I doubt if this will benefit me as my 401k balance is very small. Perhaps I will boycott GE.

Rick..I thought we were talking about the contribution from the military thing Lori was talking about. I'm sure your not 100% invested in military companies are you? my 401k did similar but dont forget part of that is your own contributions too and employer match.

Dan Rick just like to argue with me. We actually agree on several issues but well.....

LOL..that's okay! We can't all agree on everything!

Thats what makes it fun Dan....LOL

Why do we need a missle defence system in Poland? The idea itself is provocative to war. We have 130 bases around the world and we want anothr one?

They are tarring down our own parimeter missle defence system here in the States. They just closed the one up by Great Falls MT. I would think a Missle defence system right here would be a priority. It was bit issue back in the Clinton adm. and they said they were going to put one in as though there was none. We have had a defence parimeter around this nation since at least 1954 now they are tearing it down, Why?
I had an assignment at a AAA line battery on the Charles river just across from the Watertown Arsenel one time so I know. That was in 57 or 58.

Cranking up the Military Complex would put money in everyones pocket because it would be a big boost to the economy not just stocks. However what would be the consequences.

What NEED is there to have a missle base in Poland? We have missles that can reach any spot on the globe right from our own shores. To answer my own question it is nothing but WARMONGERING. Bush/Cheney & Co have ideas that are unAmerican in every respect.

Iraq is a good location for a ground assult on Iran so we knock off Iraq an subdue the country. Iran is the "big gun" in the Middle East. If we knock off Iran then we can waltz through the rest of the Middle East and Controll all that Oil. Oil = Power and Power = World Dominance.

That is the reason Attacking Iran will touch off WW3. Other countries will see what the agenda is and will not sit still for it. (even if the agenda is different it will make no difference Russia and China will see it as a bid for control)

Colonel I too dont think we need missle defense in Poland or most of the other 130 bases around the world but it is happening.

It is things like this that people need to pay attention to when voting what is under the news radar.

We need a missile defense system in Poland. Why? I really don't know. Certainly, Poland is not a threat. Oh wait - Iraq was not a threat, either. Never mind.

Actually, part of my earlier comments were about mixing comments about the MIC and "fat cat" corporate profits.

The retirement account comment was in response to the "fat cat" and "trickle down" comments.

I work with too many people who always complain about "big business". Too many people don't understand that we all gain from big business. We don't make the huge profits that the overpaid CEO's make(whole other topic, there...). But, if it makes the difference between retiring at 55 or 70, I'll take my little piece of the pie. Thank you very much...

By the way, I don't get the employer match! ; ^)

The missile defense system shoots down the "bad guy's" missiles. It's not an offensive weapon system. Might not hurt if some of the folks here do some research...

Rick the only people that gain from big business are the big boys...they dont give a damn about the rest of us.

I profit whether they care about me or not.

And, by the way. I don't care about them, either.

But, in 5 years I'll be retired and living half time in Mexico and half time in the beautiful Pacific NW, thanks to my small investments in big business...

No employer match? That bites Rick!

I chose the employer and knew the rules, Dan.

But, if they change the rules and decide to match, I won't argue!

P.S. Donations gladly accepted...

lol..I hear ya!! C):-)

Rick I have a couple boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese if you want them. One is Scooby and the other is Dora. LOL

They all taste good!

You'll have to sneak them out of the house so my kids dont see you.

As long as the rich don't get it all. YOU tell them Lori.

Thanks Carol.

Defense companies like Boeing, Lockheed and General Dynamics have outperformed NASDAQ by more than 40% since Iraq. Interestingly enough those companies still make weapon systems and aircraft geared to war with the USSR. Iraq should be a war of insurgency but the Pentagon doesn't know how to fight anything that isn't troop heavy and high tech. The missile defense system is supposed to be defensive but Russia doesn't want it in its back yard. The defensive missiles have tested very poorly with a "hit" rate of less than 50%. Considering the U.S. wants them in Poland to defend the planet from rogue nations, meaning Iran, which the CIA thinks needs 6-8 years to develop an atomic weapon, its a dumb idea. If the missile is ever perfected, it could be fired from submarines. Polish citizens don't want it either.

Ron I agree with you 100% and from what I have read most of the countries that we have military bases at dont really want the US there either.

That's the problem, Rick. The rules were changed in the middle of the game for many people.

Good question, Lori. I'm confused as to whether or not it was answered.