Conservative sickness: Terry Savage attacks little girls for giving away 'free' lemonade
The Tea Party/conservatives really are losing their minds.
Here's Terry Savage:
Last week, I was in a car with my brother and his fiancee, driving through their upscale neighborhood on a hot summer day. At the corner, we all noticed three little girls sitting at a homemade lemonade stand.
We follow the same rules in our family, and one of them is: Always stop to buy lemonade from kids who are entrepreneurial enough to open up a little business. My brother immediately pulled over to the side of the road and asked about the choices.
The three young girls -- under the watchful eye of a nanny, sitting on the grass with them -- explained that they had regular lemonade, raspberry lemonade, and small chocolate candy bars. Then my brother asked how much each item cost.
"Oh, no," they replied in unison, "they're all free!"
I sat in the back seat in shock. Free? My brother questioned them again: "But you have to charge something? What should I pay for a lemonade? I'm really thirsty!"
His fiancee smiled and commented, "Isn't that cute. They have the spirit of giving." That really set me off, as my regular readers can imagine.
"No!" I exclaimed from the back seat. "That's not the spirit of giving. You can only really give when you give something you own. They're giving away their parents' things -- the lemonade, cups, candy. It's not theirs to give."
I pushed the button to roll down the window and stuck my head out to set them straight.
"You must charge something for the lemonade," I explained. "That's the whole point of a lemonade stand. You figure out your costs -- how much the lemonade costs, and the cups -- and then you charge a little more than what it costs you, so you can make money. Then you can buy more stuff, and make more lemonade, and sell it and make more money."
I was confident I had explained it clearly. Until my brother, breaking the tension, ordered a raspberry lemonade. As they handed it to him, he again asked: "So how much is it?"
And the girls once again replied: "It's free!" And the nanny looked on contentedly.
No wonder America is getting it all wrong when it comes to government, and taxes, and policy. We all act as if the "lemonade" or benefits we're "giving away" is free.
And so the voters demand more -- more subsidies for mortgages, more bailouts, more loan modification and longer periods of unemployment benefits...read on
Savage Truth, or just sickness?
Take THAT, kids! If we didn't have people like Savage to stop this type of behavior now, soon they'd start thinking that you have a right to not die of something simple like a tooth infection if you couldn't afford the medical bills.
issue..
REPUBLICANS WAGING WAR ON THE UNEMPLOYED....That is what this is about .. so the Obama admin looks to fail... I know they are mostly very short senators but would never have believed they could stoop so low!Shameless
Ignorant ole coots! Call them 1.800.828.0498 or 1.866.220.0044..Then call the media or email them to get this phrase out there!
...the entire event never happened. A story made up out of whole clothe to illustrate a political or ideological position. Truthiness.
But why he would create this parable is beyond me.Surely he can't be saying that children giving away lemonade on a corner is the reason HIS generations' reckless and greedy behavior almost brought the world to its knees.
Those were socialist children trying to bring down American from with in.
Ok, ok, I'm being snarky, but that's pretty much what these right wing idiots believe.
Gives you a new perspective, doesn't it?
if he said that to my
child he would have the
tar knocked out of him.
Only a wingnut would berate little girls for handing out lemonade to people on a hot summer day (he says as he swelters in 90-degree temperatures, wishing he had some lemonade). I somehow doubt that being a trio of Wall Street fat cats was on their minds at the time, but thank the FSM that Terry Savage was there to set them straight!
"Whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, the Republicans are not the least bit interested in solving it. They are interested in two things, and two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who's to blame for it."
Is this supposed to be some sort of Ed Anger column?
I mean, I hope this was not real and some stupid bitch didn't roll down the window and berate kids as such..
If someone somewhere isn't making money off it, it shouldn't exist.
Under a theory of supply and demand, a price of zero should have implied that there was an endless supply available, and that she can take as much as he wants. I'm surprised she didn't tell the girls, "If it's free, then I'll take all you've got", knowing that she could then open up her own stand, sell it herself and turn a profit. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, right?
Imagine how ticked she would have been if she had, indeed, asked for it all and was then told, "sorry, one to a customer".
would take everything there was if something was free.
You sure did hit the nail on the head.
To the Reagan conservatives (or as posted on this site earlier Randroids) nothing should be free and everything should go to the highest bidder.
The guy is an idiot anyhow, parents (good parents) never charge their kids for lemonade stand supplies anyhow. Those were some sweet young ladies and I would be proud to have them for my daughters.
are the only time everything goes to the highest bidder. Federal and state bids always go to the lowest bidder. The kids were only out there for fun and something to do. Charging for the stuff would take too much of the fun out of it...
Anytime money is involved there is the issue of giving back change, etc., and kids don't know how to do that typically = NOT FUN!
The other day this dog was begging for some food. I hate people begging, it's the same as a liberal hand-out. So I set him straight: by kicking him.
Hahahahahaha.
..a boot stamping on a human face....forever.
Generally speaking I don't trust anyone making over 150K a year.
Frakking idiot.
...are more spiritually advanced than we were (take that, Savage!) and this explains why the old paradigm attacks them for trying to evolve.
"Courtesy is owed. Respect is earned. Love is given." --Unknown author, found in Guide to Texas Etiquette by Kinky Friedman
The spirit of giving sets him off.
That would classify him as an anal douchenozzle, no?
The followup question is, why is Terry Savage waging a war on Christmas?
window at some little girls?
They're not likely to read her column, so they don't have any other way to know how wrong it is to be nice to people.
As the far right has learned from Glenn Beck Christianity has nothing to do with social justice which by extension means acts of giving.
.
http://teapartyjesus.tumblr.com/
What an asshat.
...for allowing their children to miss out on valuable predator training. Now, when they are young, is the time to learn how important it is to feed on the weak, old, and sick.
Waterboard the brats!
Hopefully humanity will one day learn to be humane.
Curious, Giving away what wasn't theirs was bad, but selling what wasn't there's would have been good. Sounds like he really wanted them in a Ponzi scheme.
slightly more seriously, I think of food as belonging to the family (even though I "paid" for it). It would seem that Terry Savage is really hard up for examples of his rather bizarre belief system - or maybe just hard up...
More Randian alternate universe nonsense.
I'm sure Savage drove around for hours later on, looking for the free hookers.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
This douche needs a visit from 3 ghosts.
http://www.cafalawblog.com/uploads/image/Pep%...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
crazy man screaming at us and frothing at the mouth?"
Conservatives: Never, ever pass up an opportunity to lecture someone about something.
need some schooling from Glenn Beck U.
... what kind of countertops do they have in their kitchens?
I hope Michelle Malkin is on the story.
You guys don't honestly believe this actually happened do you?
Just another wingnut making up stories in order to further his sociopathic worldview.
It's possiple, he's a conservative. Anything is possible. I think he left one thing out, he walked up to the three little girls and.......
Fill in the rest, he's a conservative.
is intended to be a factual statement
My BS meter topped out as I was reading the story.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
You guys don't honestly believe this actually happened do you?
Apparently, he's a she, but that doesn't make the story any less creepy, even if it's fiction. Terry Savage sounds like the kind of person whose name ought to be on a list somewhere.
as fiction. Nanny-state. Oh, I get it. A real knee-slapper.
attacking little girls. Now that's a true conservative!
She isn't giving it away - she's paying it forward! Think of it as an IRA for your soul!
Terry Savage is a woman.
Glad she set those stupid little girls straight. How dare they !^@^%$@%$^%#@
no wonder those soup kitchens can't stay in operation.
Terry, while you're at it, be sure to let your brother's fiancee to know she should never, ever, sleep with him w/o some money changing hands. She will probably get a kick out of that. Or you should.
his/hers? Just like big government. You have to charge something for that gift, generous wealthy children who are sharing the bounty, because I say so. Otherwise, you'll grow up to be Dirty Fucking Hippies!"
Glad the nanny was there, but she should have chased that mofo off. How dare s/he interfere in the upbringing of someone else's kids (if they aren't being abused).
If free lemonade is so offensive to you, here's a thought: Walk (or Drive) Away! Problem? Problem Solved.
Ugh. Thugs. And that's the Savage Asshole Truth!
me-oww!
Know the price of everything and the value of nothing—rather odd that they call themselves the party of "values".
I don't know why, but I think it's funny that everyone assumes she's a he just because she's a douchenozzle.
something about her name and personal style
me-oww!
a man's name too. It was my mistake to assume
Same here.
.
Kingdom Tower
Is Terry Savage a Christian? His actions sure don't put him anywhere near the ballpark. The girls were practicing charity--a Christian value regarded above even faith and hope. Savage certainly wasn't being charitable. I wish I'd seen him ranting at the girls like that. I'd have given him until the count of three to leave or get the cops called on him.
Unbelievable!
Terry Savage is a woman. A very small-minded woman.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
...with a small penis (envy)
He wanted to dip his weiner into the mustard pots...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
A conservative argument I could respect would say "you need to charge for the lemonade so that when you run out, you can go buy more. That way more people get lemonade and are made happy." I think it's telling that, instead of saying this to the children, Savage insists that the purpose of the stand must be to maximize profits, and that happiness means they're doing it wrong.
(Don't worry, in the sequel Savage comes across some kids who bought all the water outside a convenience store and are selling their lemonade for $10 a glass.)
free cookies
free hamburgers
free cars
free rent
free everything. See how that works?
But it does tell the author has some serious psychological issues.
Argue all day that its bad to give away stuff for free...
... and then take it anyway, while still bitching. I suppose his brother was giving him a free ride in the backseat?
Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water.
why oh why is savage ranting against saint ronnie reagan's trickle down theory of economics that the little girls were trying to put into practice?
I don't believe that ever happened anyway but why make up a story that only proves what an asshole your are?
I suspect it's because most @ssholes aren't self-aware enough to realize they really ARE @ssholes.
I can't argue with that.
More and more, I'm convinced that it's not just politics that divides our country. It truly is a case of different values, with the greedy, selfish and immoral on one side and the generous, community-minded and compassionate on the other. It is dark versus light.
STL, I was just reading through seeing if someone had a similar thought to mine. You hit it.
Those like terry believe the purpose of life is making big money to prove your worth and acquiring more and more material possessions.
Then there are those that see the purpose in life in less material more spiritual progress way.
It's why no matter how loudly or often they spew their righteous guilt, I'm not buyin.
Free lemonade when the tax breaks for the rich expire.
When will the Conservative/Republican idiocracy end!
The government IS US! We the people!
It exists to serve the will of the people, not corporate fictions, not sacred "free markets", but real flesh and blood people!
is school clubs offering free car washes and they depend on the public to tip them. This woman is an idiot.
she was getting a *free* ride through the "upscale neighborhood"?! Where does she get off? If she didn't pay her sister and brother-in-law, she owes them!
Furthermore, she wrote this column using the English language! How can we take her seriously when she's freeloading off of all the work done by millions of people throughout the ages to create the language?
Another neocon freeloader.
So are we seeing the first wave of socialism from this little generation?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
It's people like him who ruin the world.
This story sounds like bullshit but I'm just putting myself in the place of the parents. If I was the dad and found out this asshole was mouthing off to my daughters like this, bullying them with this selfish, soulless anger, and now bragging about it on the internet, I'd go ballistic.
She's a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. Assuming that this happened in Chicagoland, I'll bet there will be a ton of complaints, and not just a few canceled subscriptions unless Ms. Savage is shown the door.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
that shit like this shows up on the editorial pages of newspapers. Maybe that's one reason they are going out of business.
If it sells ink, they'll probably promote her. I know I'd never take her Ferengi financial advice. Cold hearted ingrate witch. All she had to do was drink the lemonade and say "Thank you." That's too much for conservatives, who can't pour pee out of a boot with instructions on the heel.
I noticed you can't comment on her story on her website. Telling, eh? And she ends it with a stock line about the 'savage' truth.
Savage, perhaps. Truth, no.
Men are basically smart or dumb and lazy or ambitious. The dumb and ambitious ones are dangerous and I get rid of them. The dumb and lazy ones I give mundane duties. The smart ambitious ones I put on my staff. The smart and lazy ones I make my commanders.
We practice socialism in my home. From each according to their ability and to each according to their needs.
Who in the *&#@ is this Terry Savage? She sounds like a real bitch. Probably was a hooker in high-school and has carried that same entrepreneur mentality with her to this decrepit age she appears to have reached and is now pushing it off on little children.
... nuf said.
"You gave him a WII? Just gave it to him?!?"
COMMUNISM!!!
dealing with surplus value, as in 200 years ago, she may have been right. we are no longer dealing with open systems, the homestead act expired in '73, people no longer have an alternative; thus we are working with a closed loop, and societies must adjust.
i am not a professor, someone else could explain it better, but the growth paradigm Savages fantasy is built upon is crashing down, and we are dealing with diminished expectations and dwindling resources, these bourgeois hacks apologies no longer cut it. neither does our current economic system, built on outdated and dangerous ideas.
If you provide good or services:
* for free - you're a commie threat to the American way of life
* under cost - they'll buy all your goods and triple the price
* at cost - you're a sucker
* at a slight profit - they'll see you as competition and squash you like a bug
* at a medium profit - they'll do a hostile takover, break you up, and sell off your parts
* at obscenely bloated levels of profit - congratulations, you're one of them
If Terry Savage had been the captain of the Carpathia, she would have charged the Titanic survivors to pull them from the ocean. I don't know what your religion is, Ms Savage, but do you know the only time Jesus lost his temper? Research it.
The point of a lemonade stand is...drinking lemonade.
Jesus Christ.
(Who, as it was so brilliantly stated above, was a Socialist.)
To set that pinko Santa straight.
You just know he uses union elves. And reindeer-drive sleigh technology? Come on St. Nick—time to upgrade to a Hummer. At least the guy is monitoring kids 24/7 to make sure they don't grow up into terrorists. That was part of the Patriot Act, right?
Beckian logic...Of COURSE, Santa is a Communist....Red suit, people...RED SUUUUUUIT!!!
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
For crying out loud - the kids were playing a game, not running a business.
Of course, since, as Savage points out, they got the lemonade and candy bars for free they have no costs to mark up from. How much should they pay the nanny for actually making the lemonade? How much should they pay her for the extra trip to the grocery store to buy the supplies?
How about a commentary on the fact that in upscale neighborhoods across America people can still afford to hire nannies and give away food for fun while others are suffering significantly? That gaping disparity all thanks to the free market Savage touted in his little roadside lesson.
If it was your kid and some jack-ass tried to ruin their fun by imposing his "ideas" on them in such a manner--he would most likley have to worry about if his insurance was paid up.
You cannot force your morality on others it never works and usually backfires on those who try.
Reich Wingers, truly the child hating evil spawn of the devil.
Screw everybody you can as fast as you can and the easy ones twice.
The lemonade would still be free but four easy payments of $39.95 would show up on your credit card statement for shipping and handling.
Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?
Or none of the above?
Terry Savage is a member of the CME Group. The CME Group is "the world's largest derivatives exchange."
Terry must have crapped her pants when she saw children benefiting society in ways she's incapable of understanding.
I like it.
The sooner we reduce every instance of human contact to a monetary transaction the better.
And the sooner kids realize that the bitter pill of disappointment is a flavor they'll taste over and again in their lives the more resilient and useful they'll become.
Heh. Heh.
who finds "the family circus" to be a laugh riot,
or maybe this is a family circus bit
The lemonade stand is to lure kids in. The lemonade is free. The drugs they sell are not. They aren't going to peddle the drugs to adults. Did Mr. Savage ask the nanny for her papers? Bet she beheaded someone on her way up through Arizona.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
And god forbid anyone should open up a lemonade stand that doesn't conform to his viewpoint of what it should be and why it should exist. Sheesh!
Kingdom Tower
Sounds as though someone's makin' stuff up as he goes along.
Terry,
There's a little something you forgot to consider in your column:
There's plenty of free lemonade if you're Goldman Sachs, or AIG, or if you're funding Medicare Part D, or burning cash a two front war in the desert, or if you're enjoying your Bush tax cut.
None of that stuff is paid for at a cost of several trillion dollars; and you're howling about extended unemployment benefits for people, who through no fault of their own, are suffering the aftermath of the most short sighted arrogant and irresponsible administration of Government in the history of the nation.
Your philosophy is what's bankrupted.
Oh, and way to bully a child. Great job; I'm sure it made you feel like your 'values' were in action.
It's not surprising at all that the idea of giving is anathema to you. That's just how greedy pricks roll...
How much you wanna bet this pus-bleeding asshole calls himself a Christian?
There's always free cheddar in the mousetrap, baby. - Tom Waits
...what would his response have been if they had answered, "as much as you can afford." Would he still have bought the lemonade? Tried to haggle? Or just used it as another opportunity to show how socialism is ruining HIS country.
who seriously suggested giving "Atlas Shrugged" as a Christmas present? Or who tried to explain how horrible Obama's tax increase was by showing how it affects families--and her table STARTED with people making $$400K/year and WENT UP from there...and left out the fact that most Americans had a tax reduction.
She's filthy rich, and she writes for her filthy rich friends on the North Shore. She's completely soulless.
We follow the same rules in our family, and one of them is: Always stop to buy lemonade from kids who are entrepreneurial enough to open up a little business.
In other words, instead of letting the market decide who gets their lemonade money, they simply, in what amounts to a pure act of socialism, give it to any kid with a lemonade stand, regardless of quality, price, service, etc. I believe Lenin started in exactly the same way.
Surprising that she wrote back at all (likely a pre-written response for the hate mail). But I too mistakenly thought that she was a man:
-----------------------------
From: Dhalgren
Sent: Wed 07/07/2010 2:08 PM
To: Savage, Terry
Subject: Check yourself into an institution, pronto
And what did you ever ‘produce’, John Galt?
--------------------------------------------
On 7/7/10 3:34 PM, "Savage, Terry" wrote:
Thank you for your thoughtful note about my column.
Have you actually read it? If not, here's a link:
http://www.suntimes.com/business/savage/24645...
I merely explained how kids' lemonade stands have worked for all time -- as a cute way to introduce kids to the real world of starting a small business. I believe that's what America is all about -- the opportunity to join the free enterprise system.
Now if they were charging money for the lemonade to make a profit OR to give it to a charity -- well, either way, that would be wonderful. But simply taking "stuff" out of their parents' kitchen and giving it away to strangers doesn't strike me as responsible behavior on a number of levels.
Isn't it great that we live in America, so we can disagree with each other civilly!
Terry Savage
----------------------------------------
On 7/7/10 6:06 PM, Dhalgren wrote:
Hello Ms. Savage,
I’m quite surprised you took the time to reply. By now, your op-ed is all over liberal blogs like Crooks & Liars and the Huffington Post. I just re-read your piece, and I am amazed that you were willing to admit so many unusual things to so many millions of people. Specifically, that you got angry (or at least a little peeved) at these girls, and that you were riding in your brother’s car (in the back seat, even). Nothing wrong with getting a free ride from family, but under your quasi Libertarian logic, shouldn’t you pay for every ride?
It amazes me (and all the writers at SadlyNo.com) how many editorial writers and pundits have gone off the deep end – publishing writings that in another place and time would be looked upon as the scribblings of a madman.
Dhalgren
--------------------------------------------
Well it all makes sense now. I see.
I resolved to stop accumulating and begin the infinitely more serious and difficult task of wise distribution. - Andrew Carnegie
Is the rich world aware of how four billion of the six billion live? If we were aware, we would want to help out, we'd want to get involved. - Bill Gates
The deed is everything, the glory naught. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
If you think of life as like a big pie, you can try to hold the whole pie and kill yourself trying to keep it, or you can slice it up and give some to the people around you, and you still have plenty left for yourself. - Jay Leno
I'm not doing my philanthropic work, out of any kind of guilt, or any need to create good public relations. I'm doing it because I can afford to do it, and I believe in it. - George Soros
“No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.” - Calvin Coolidge
“When we grow old, there can only be one regret - not to have given enough of ourselves.” - Eleonora Duse
The return we reap from generous actions is not always evident. ~ Francesco Guicciardin
"You must charge something for the lemonade," - Terry Savage
Earning her wings from Rush Limbaugh.
I have a vegetable garden. It's been a good summer for growing. I set stuff out by the road and give it away. I must hate America.
My daughter, I hope, would have smelled him for the rat he is and thrown the free lemonade in his face and told him to hit the road - sticking of course to her principles: 1) it's a free country after all and 2) such action would be an appropriate response to such garish behavior. And, 3) even if something is free, a donation is usually accepted - for an acceptable charity, if one is hell bent to pay something, just 4) spare the kid the sanctimonious conservative lecture - she's sitting out in the hot sun trying to make the world a better place, for Pete's sake! What an a**!
He needs to listen to his sister-in-law (sick bastard)!
Well, late to this discussion as I am, I may have missed a post that said that in some neighborhoods little girls can't charge for lemonade or anything else from a stand. Were I Terry Savage wanting to make an evils-of-government point, I would have played up that aspect.
IOW, I can stand outside and give away the golf balls in my yard, but I can't charge for them. I know. We've come to a ridiculous pass. I live in fear that someone will complain about my Topsy Turvy, but I'm thinking if I tolerate my neighbor's noisy windchimes, then he will leave my TT alone. Oh, how I long for a clothesline.
When my brother and I opened our lemonade stand( I must have been 6-7)
He( my brother) pissed me off by giving away all the lemonade.
I thought we were going to sell it, and go buy some cool stuff for ourselves. Maybe do it again, and maybe be able to go out and buy some more cool stuff for our selves.
But he had this idea( which I thought was a good one) to fill balloons with a little piece of paper giving away a free lemonade.
OK, sounds good. He made all the little pieces of paper out with free lemonade. All the balloons. I never did figure out why.
He was great at sales. Not so good at making money. Trust me on that one.
I can see this bozo's point. And in a way he's right.
It's in the way he handled it. All wrong. Quite the asshole.
My brother and I got into it that day at the lemonade stand.
The people who were there, knew I was right. But they also knew that my brother was right. I'll never forget it.They looked at me, like, I was both an asshole, and right. I could sense their empathy.
They actually felt sorry for me. They knew. They knew we should be at least breaking even.
But, my brother and his hare brained schemes........
After four or five times, I quit.
Hey, he's my brother.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
This wingnut perfectly lays out the fact that spending money on creating jobs and giving unemployment until one can get a job will in the long run fix the economy and allow us to pay down the debt. But facts only matter when it suits Republicans or whenever they can tirade on little kids.
Those little girls are probably all going to end up in hell for that egregious slap in the face to Americas' gated community snobs.
Those brats need to read their Bibles and learn how to avoid Hell.
Jesus told the multitude why he was sending them to Hell: "I was thirsty and you GAVE me a drink." He didn't like those moneychangers giving away money at the Temple either.
I think Jesus' last name was Savage too.
charity--a Christian value regarded above even faith and hope
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
And should be treated with the most vile thing pharma can come up with to treat it.
For one thing, Savage writes that his family has a rule to "Always stop to buy lemonade from kids who are entrepreneurial enough to open up a little business." That's a subsidy, just like buying local or buying American made products. You're saying that the American companies or local stores or kids selling lemonade couldn't stay afloat without people making a conscious effort to buy their products. Why can't conservatives admit that some subsidies obviously work and that it's not the kind of "free market" they claim, never has been?
On the other hand, Savage complains about kids giving away things that they don't own, the cups and cost of the lemonade. Does he really think the parents extract costs for overhead and only let the kids keep their profits? Or that they haven't been allowed to open the lemonade stand until they saved enough of their own money to pay for the overhead upfront? What happens in most cases is that the costs of the lemonade stand is subsidized by the parents anyway. That's basically consistent with the way conservatives and capitalists operate today, playing down the actual massive subsidies they rely on.
You have to wonder if Savage continued down the street with his window rolled down bitching as they passed the Salvation Army, the church potluck, people in line to donate blood at Red Cross, or other wholesome, red-blooded American examples of sharing and giving.
Terry Savage takes a crack at clarifying her remarks: http://www.suntimes.com/business/savage/24813...
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