Quote :

"We're in it right now. Hlaf the time we're in inflation and the other half we're in recession. It's like driving a car with square wheels."

So what is your definition of not being in a recession? Last I checked, the current economic climate was pretty good. Prices are going up a little fast for my taste but unemployment is historically and internationally low. GDP is growing at an amazing clip of just under 4%.

Not to mention, inflation has been low for two decades now. 2% a year is paltry, even you must recognize that.

BTW, you canot drive a car with square wheels, where-as our economy is rather impressive. Never in history has such a sustained burst of productivity occured. It is finally slowing down but is still at an historical high of 3% a year.

Quote :

"Yeah it's served us, just like horse drawn buggy has served us, that doesn't mean the car isn't a great deal better."

Good, at least you can admit that capitalism "works" such as it is. As such, I don't see the need to abandon a system that works for another system which probably will fail miserably just on the off-chance that it works a little bit better.

You see, the vast majority of the people find your lack of respect for their economic liberties so offensive that they are most likely going to rise up in arms against your system, should you ever attempt to implement it. Your attempts to brainwash the population are not likely to suceed as long as the majority of the population is in active revolt.

How are you going to plan the economy when the majority of economic actors insist on acting illegally?

10/11/2005 2:28:15 PM

Quote :

"Last I checked, the current economic climate was pretty good."

If you completely ignore oil prices, the falling dollar, and rising deficits. I'd imagine it is all sunshine and rainbows without those, but then again, a depression isn't that bad if you ignore the depression.

Quote :

"BTW, you canot drive a car with square wheels, where-as our economy is rather impressive."

You could drive a car with square wheels, it just doesn't work as well. And our economy is impressive compared to what? It could be exponentially more effective.

Quote :

"Good, at least you can admit that capitalism "works" such as it is."

Depends on what you consider "works". Banging two rocks together works for making fire, but it certain;y doesn't work when comapred to a zippo.

Quote :

"As such, I don't see the need to abandon a system that works for another system which probably will fail miserably just on the off-chance that it works a little bit better."

Socialism has proven itself to work.

Quote :

"You see, the vast majority of the people find your lack of respect for their economic liberties so offensive that they are most likely going to rise up in arms against your system, should you ever attempt to implement it. Your attempts to brainwash the population are not likely to suceed as long as the majority of the population is in active revolt."

And I'm sure a lot of people hated the idea of taking a bath every day. There are always conservatives like yourself, deathly afraid of progress, but just like every other great development, you waver with time.

Quote :

"How are you going to plan the economy when the majority of economic actors insist on acting illegally?"

This has never been a problem for any government that has made slow steps to socialism.

10/11/2005 2:43:02 PM

I wouldn't say we are affraid. A better description would be well armed. Perhaps another proper description would be "confident of victory."

In most countries these arch-individualists just move on, often to America. But if you tried to convert America they'd have no place left to go, a line would be drawn and we would fight to the death.

And since the majority of the population tacitly agrees with us, I don't think we have much to fear from you.

Quote :

"This has never been a problem for any government that has made slow steps to socialism."

Really? So, statistics showing that the black market in France as percentage of GDP is twice the size of Americas doesn't impress you? The French are renound for pro-government feels, and yet even they feel the urge to "Go their own way" beyond the regulation of the government regime.

If the American government started pushing nearly as hard as France's to control the marketplace then very quickly we too would find a large portion of our economic activity taking place illegally.

[Edited on October 11, 2005 at 2:53 PM. Reason : ...]

10/11/2005 2:49:54 PM

Quote :

"In most countries these arch-individualists just move on, often to America."

No they don't.

Quote :

"But if you tried to convert America they'd have no place left to go, a line would be drawn and we would fight to the death."

Then I'd recommend you booby trap your cabin in the woods and stock up on ammo.

Quote :

"And since the majority of the population tacitly agrees with us, I don't think we have much to fear from you."

Which majority would that be? The government expanding liberals or the governmnet expanding conservatives?

Quote :

"So, statistics showing that the black market in France as percentage of GDP is twice the size of Americas doesn't impress you?"

Nope, it's been historically larger.

10/11/2005 3:34:51 PM

Quote :

"Nope, it's been historically larger."

I know, because France's government has historically been more opressive economically.

Does everyone remember the 1500 merchants the king of france put to death for the crime of importing cotton?

10/11/2005 3:41:41 PM

I wouldn't blame it on that. It probably has more to do with their government's relative instability.

10/11/2005 4:09:17 PM

So you do recognize that there is a correlation between government regulation and political instability? Excellent, this is progress. Now, all I need to do is demonstate that political instability will tend to produce economic instability and we are SET!

[Edited on October 11, 2005 at 10:25 PM. Reason : .]

10/11/2005 10:23:17 PM

Quote :

"So you do recognize that there is a correlation between government regulation and political instability?"

You can't prove that because it doesn't exist.

[Edited on October 11, 2005 at 10:58 PM. Reason : ]

10/11/2005 10:58:26 PM

Quote :

"Either the gov. would truly have to engage in a communist-level of redistribution, people will starve to death (thinning the population), or there is some variable I am missing (which is where you all come in)."

I favor a near-100% inheritance tax. People deserve the wealth of their own accomplishments, not their parent's.

10/15/2005 1:23:40 AM

Kim Jong Il: "And now you see, the new world in inevitable."
Lisa: "It's what?"
Kim Jong Il: "Inevita-- Inevitable."
Lisa: "One more time?"
Kim Jong Il: "Inevitable!"
Lisa: "Things are inevitbly going to change. Goddamn it, open your fucking ears."

10/15/2005 3:11:50 AM

I was so smart back in 2005

1/1/2025 5:04:38 PM

Nah, i thought you were a moron then, too

1/1/2025 6:06:03 PM

20 years of being a moron

1/1/2025 9:02:20 PM

https://bsky.app/profile/bennettgilbert.bsky.social/post/3lgcazdcd522z

Never realized this. I knew inequality was bad, but I didn’t know our poor people are really poor compared to our peer nations

1/25/2025 2:54:04 PM

Getting a good position on that graph has an easy cheat code. Just add a Nordic Cross to your flag.

1/25/2025 3:11:26 PM

Yeah, but muh freedums make up for it in spades

1/25/2025 6:06:14 PM

Yeah, but muh freedums make up for it in spades

1/25/2025 6:06:52 PM

Everybody oughta have the freedom to choose to be poor!

1/25/2025 7:14:42 PM

1/25/2025 11:51:58 PM

I am not willingly clicking a video that says bill maher

1/27/2025 2:51:11 PM

He will, however, unwittingly click a video that says Bill Maher

1/27/2025 9:57:36 PM