On Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:41:31 -0700 (PDT), Mark-T
<MarkTanner50@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>On Mar 17, cr113 <cr...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> > I've heard this before - "if we collapse
>> > back to the Stone Age, people will wake
>> > up, they''ll realize that statism is a
>> > disaster, we'll revert to the constitutional
>> > principles on which the country was founded."
>>
>> > To connect the dots in that way, requires
>> > a capability for abstract reasoning far
>> > beyond the proles. In fact, the opposite
>> > will happen! They will demand even more
>> > 'solutions'... "We live below sea level, we
>> > got hit by a hurricane, the gubmit has to
>> > do something!"
>>
>> There are some examples of countries that got sick
>> of being bogged down in socialism and moved towards
>> free enterprise. New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, and Estonia
>> for example.
>>
>> I agree that some people will want more government solutions
>> when the economy tanks, but I think there's also a chance
>> people will want more free enterprise. They certainly are not going
>> to want less government if everything is going well.
>>
>> Would you at least agree that a move towards free enterprise is more
>> likely under a bad economy vs a good economy? Even if it is unlikely?
>
>Those examples offer some cause for hope,
>but it's a matter of degree. Sweden had a
>90% tax bracket, and the others similarly. So
>they had to be pretty far gone to turn course,
>and then how far did they really go? After these
>reforms, how much does the state still spend,
>and regulate?
>
>Another problem, is the economic fallacies
>that prevail. i.e. those countries eliminated
>cor****ate and capital gains taxes, and you cheer.
>But what about gov't spending levels? If they
>did not drop, it's a mirage... there is no such
>thing as a tax cut, in isolation; total spending
>determines total taxes, that IS the tax! 'tax cuts'
>merely ****ft the tax burden, or disguise it.
so few seem to realise that...congratulations...
welcome to ukpm
>But the main attraction of socialism is the something
>for nothing aspect. There is deep in the human
>breast the dream of a free lunch. And rationally,
>people know no such thing exists... but the promises
>of the politicians - "vote for me, I will reward you" -
>lures them into suspension of rationality. Yes,
>Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...
>
>It is only a few honest, intelligent men who can
>resist this siren song... of course they lose the
>elections, end up without influence, the beasts
>of burden carrying their masters.
>
>Sucks, don't it?
>
>
>Mark
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