Eventually
I've been reading a lot of right wing blogs lately, including a fair amount free-market stuff like Cato. I have to admit, those guys are good at weaving Libertarian threads into magical nirvana carpets.
There's only one problem. Their magic carpets don't fly right now. They only fly eventually.
That's how it is with free markets. Everything is eventually.
One place where this awkward adverb comes painfully into play (no pun intended) is in the area of health care. The full-market extremists argue that all we need to do is cut regulation, cut taxes, get government out of health care and all will eventually be right with the world. They might be right, who knows? But my question is this: what happens between now and eventually? Do millions of poor people suffer because they don't have the access rich people have?
I believe so. And I also believe the free-market extremists think that's all well and good. Good old Darwin in action.
And who's to argue with them? So what if a bunch of unlucky suckers die from working in dangerous processing plants or living beside toxic dumps or getting their legs blown off in George Bush's god-damned war or being born to a meth-head mama in the mountains. These people are not the problem of free-market extremists, you see, because these people are not really people. They are poor people, which makes them entirely dispensable in the pursuit of profits.
Art Pope knows how it works. He has a retail empire called Variety Wholesalers, that includes stores you're familiar with, such as Roses and Maxway. I talk to people who work at the Roses here in Chapel Hill regularly. They're mostly nice, older women who are happy to have their jobs.
One of the women, let's call her Maggie, told me I could buy a really nice long-sleeved t-shirt on the sale rack for $4, which is a bargain by any standard. I told Maggie Art has to sell a zillion of them to keep all the little old ladies employed, so she said I should buy a dozen, which I did. I shop at Roses to make sure Maggie has a job, and Maggie works at Roses so she can have something resembling health care coverage.
Art Pope and his daddy have made a boatload on the backs of people like Maggie over the years. And a whole bunch of that money has gone into funding the Puppetshow, to the tune of more than $3 million a year. That means Maggie works her ass off partly so John Hood can argue against the kind of transportation planning that eventually created the bus system that Maggie uses to get to work. The irony is breathtaking.
Which brings us full circle. What exactly is supposed to happen between now and eventually?
Go ahead, let the planet warm to catastrophic levels. It'll eventually stabilize. Don't worry about acquiring land for transit corridors, more roads is all we need. The free markets will eventually work something out and all that storm water run-off and greenhouse gas pollution will magically disappear. Universal health care? Don't bother. Once enough people suffer and die, things will eventually find a happy balance.
Eventually.
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My feelings exactly
I see two choices here.
One: let things "stabilize" and let people suffer while it happens. And never mind that things are constantly changing so stability can never be reached. Result: the gilded age (which only Art Pope could be nostalgic for.)
Two: Government gets involves, recognizes that things are changing, helps people adapt, makes people play by the rules, forces people to act with long-term interests in mind. Result: Carrboro.
Not a hard choice at all.
Well said.
Isn't Carrboro awesome? I love that town.
Quoting John Maynard Keynes...
"The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead. Economists set themselves too easy, too useless a task if in tempestuous seasons they can only tell us that when the storm is past the ocean is flat again."
Wack that Ball your're Lord?
"The long run is a misleading guide to current affairs. In the long run we are all dead.*MTBinDurham
You got that right! However! Can you explain why Lord John Maynard Keyes played tennis in the nude to keep his game alive ?
Free marketers!
You have brought up a topic that really irks me. Recently, I flew across country, and while I was crunched in my seat, there was a fellow next to me, who after a brief hello, wanted to launch into his political beliefs.(I didn't bring it up) Seems he was a big Ron Paul supporter, and espoused all this getting rid of the Income tax, etc. So I asked how would we support any domestic programs, or have a defense dept to fight off aggressions. His answer was that people would 'donate' the necessary money! I referred to the reason why the Internal Revenue Act was passed around 1918. A very large percentage of the nations wealth was controlled by the very few Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Fords, etc. Anyway, my point being the large amount of money being raised politically by Paul right now tells me that there are many naive people out there! We really do need some kind of draft system, like Israel, if only to have people do some time for their country doing service to the communities. (like maybe 2 yrs)
I've had similar experiences
with Ron Paulitics. They don't seem to have much of a relationship with reality.
The weird thing is, some of the Libertarian ideals ring true for me, especially around personal choices and freedoms, like abortion rights, drugs, end-of-life issues, etc. But they always get carried away.
Don't paid any attention to that 20 M by those crazy Paul fans
I've had similar experiences
with Ron Paulitics. They don't seem to have much of a relationship with reality.I* A
Yeah! Sorted like those crazy founders of this country.. Merry Pagan Xmas!
Drafting for Haliburton?
We really do need some kind of draft system, like Israel, denno
Are you prepare to tell your neighbors why their son or daughter should be drafted into the military industrial-complex and fight for Hailiburton?
Not just a military draft, but something like the Peace Corps.
Max-I understand your point, but I didn't just mean military draft. I meant something where citizens would have to stand up for their country, even in hospital, public parks, etc. When you see that more than 30% of this country still thinks the Iraq thing is necessary, don't you have the feeling that people are out of touch? We have a whole generation who believe war is like their video game, because they don't take any part in the pain and suffering. Instead they go shopping like their moron president told them.
I understand the point you're trying to make, Denno.
But I've had the feeling that at least 50% of the country has been out of touch with reality since 2000. I don't know if a draft would wake them up, honestly. I think they'd be the ones who would find a way to avoid it (like their idols did), and it would be my 18 year old who would be paying the price. Say what you want about it being a peace-corps type situation; I am a worst case scenario optimist. I'm positive my son would be the one to wind up in a uniform with a rifle in his hand.
I am dramatically opposed to the war, a draft, the president, and everything related to it (in case there was a misunderstanding.) And as for a free market eventually fixing things - even every illness eventually is cured if you leave it alone - by death. It's not always the outcome we desire. I think it's fairly clear that the free market is not free, and is not fair.
Just my .02. :)
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
It 's all in the myth numbers
When you see that more than 30% of this country still thinks the Iraq thing is necessary, don't you have the feeling that people are out of touch? *denno
Not really! When you have 70% of the American people against the War. In the Sports world that would be consider a killer lead and somebody should stop the game due to the defeat of the loser......
American is build on choice, not force, a draft is anything but a choice, but police state force where the corporate majority rules over the individual minority.......That is not American but old soviet style or National state fascism at it's worst over individual rights....You cannot force people into a myth base paradise, unless you lie to them and promise them bread and show business bull shit......ie....ancient imperial roman empire.....America is the new Rome and it is headed South big time like all Empires in history.
We have a whole generation who believe war is like their video game, because they don't take any part in the pain and suffering. Instead they go shopping like their moron president told them.*denno
You have had over 5 generations in this dumb downing establishment game......However hope is here now...thanks to the internet,,,,A revolution is occuring and the establishment knows it and they are trying to stop it......They will fail.........
We do understand each other on this,
and no way I'm going to be critical of a mother's viewpoint! Have a Merry Christmas!
What free market??... There is no free market...
Can anyone tell me which country actually practices "free" trade??
Every country charges Tariffs, has Product Restrictions and out right "Bans" on finished products and some raw and natural materials. There is NO free trade in the world. America simply has the fewest restrictions and has become the patsy.
America will not allow the import of raw sugar from anywhere in the world. We subsidize our own sugar industry, 90% of which belongs to about three families. The world market today is about 9 cents for Sugar.....but we subsidize our own industry at 22 cents, consequently doubling the price American industry and individuals pay for sugar. Every thing that is made in America which requires sugar is almost twice as much as the rest of the world.... Where is the free trade in sugar??..... This is just an example...Free trade proponents are not honest...not at all.
Japan , Korea and China all ban MOST American Products, even today. They have moved a bit in recent years, but for the most part ban about 80% of all American products.
This Christmas season for some reason
this part of A Christmas Carol really made an impression on me, I think that it fits here:
Ghost of Christmas Present: I see an empty place at this table. I see a crutch without an owner, carefully preserved. If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, the child will die.
Ebenezer Scrooge: No. Say he'll be spared.
Ghost of Christmas Present: If these shadows remain unaltered by the future, none other of my species will find him here. But if he is to die, then let him die...! "AND DECREASE THE SURPLUS POPULATION!"
Ebenezer Scrooge: You use my own words against me?
Ghost of Christmas Present: Yes! So perhaps, in the future, you will hold your tongue until you have discovered where the surplus population is, and WHO it is. It may well be that, in the sight of Heaven, you are more worthless and less fit to live than MILLIONS like this poor man's child.
Every year when I watch this I hope that the message finally sinks into those who could make a difference in this world and don't.
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
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