tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post110279013561872044..comments2024-01-11T07:40:01.736-05:00Comments on The Stopped Clock: Brooks on Privatizing Social SecurityAaronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-1103129843371385042004-12-15T11:57:00.000-05:002004-12-15T11:57:00.000-05:00Michael Kinsey adds to the discussion of the econo...Michael Kinsey adds to the discussion of <A HREF="http://www.blogger.com/r?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talkingpointsmemo.com%2Farchives%2Fweek_2004_12_12.php%23004237">the economic viability of the Bush proposal</A>.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-1102969075483712882004-12-13T15:17:00.000-05:002004-12-13T15:17:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-1102966439591124792004-12-13T14:33:00.000-05:002004-12-13T14:33:00.000-05:00In theory though, stocks represent ownership of so...In theory though, stocks represent ownership of some assets. So when one considers such things as dividend payments, the stock game because less of a zero-sum game than it would otherwise be. <br /><br />Unfortunately, when ignorant people are in the market, they are easily taken advantage of. And come on, unless you are some kind of Wall Street insider you can't really expect to compete. Yeah yeah, we all know that insider trading is illegal but I think most folks realize that a lot of it goes on so you end up with a lot of people making money essentially because they have information that the rest of us don't have.<br /><br />As soon as Social Security is privatized, thus forcing people into the market, there becomes a whole new potential for abuse.Lynnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07492622196581763316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-1102908005792737322004-12-12T22:20:00.000-05:002004-12-12T22:20:00.000-05:00It's pretty simple. The market grows because peopl...It's pretty simple. The market grows because people put money into it. But every time somebody gains on their investment, other people lose an equivalent amount.<br /><br />Take three investors, each of whom puts $50 into a pool. The pool has $150 dollars. If a fourth investor joins, the pool grows to $200. That's the overall growth you observe.<br /><br />But if somebody's investment grows to $100, the overall pool doesn't grow as a result - and the combined investment of the remaining three investors shrinks to $100. A zero sum game.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16523334580402022332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5973827.post-1102890389649859372004-12-12T17:26:00.000-05:002004-12-12T17:26:00.000-05:00I like most of your critiques, but I don't underst...I like most of your critiques, but I don't understand the first one. It makes sense that some people will make bad investments, but why is it a zero sum game? If that's the case, how does the market grow as a whole?Jacob Gerberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05717770065949710946noreply@blogger.com