The idea that government will self-regulate is folly. Man is either incapable of understanding or unwilling to understand that government and freedom are antithetical. Few people are actually advocates of freedom and individual rights. Yes, there are those who insist that "some" government is necessary, but I'm one of those who believes that anarchy, the absence of government, simply hasn't been tried nor implemented correctly. Now might be the time. I fail to see where government has made the case for its existence.
Anarchy has been tried, but only in small communities. It does work, even on freeways. https://ww2.motorists.org/press/montana-no-speed-limit-safety-paradox/ As for being 'implemented correctly,' some communists say that communism hasn't been implemented correctly, either. There is a type of government that works 100%, where everyone is free and prosperous. That is God's government, where everyone has His spirit of agape. That has existed in the past, after the resurrection of Christ, in the seven churches, and even for short periods of time in the nation of Israel, till they fell into idolatry (again). I believe we will see it again, before the sky is rolled up as a scroll, Isaiah 34:4, Revelation 6:14, all the unbelievers are destroyed, and the redeemed are taken beyond the belt of Orion.
"Implemented correctly", as you correctly surmised, was a dig at the commies and socialists among us. As for the other, I will likely be among the "destroyed", but thanks for the response. Best always. PM
A distinct possibility: If you add the conservative’s 23% to Milieu’s 30%, palpably, you get 53% (always based on some assumptions, but maybe a sign of HOPE).
I worked for Steve Hanke in the mid-‘70s at Johns Hopkins. He’s remained steadfast in his free-market and libertarian positions despite being grossly outnumbered by radical-chic liberals on campus. He attended my wedding in 1977.
I’ll never forget two of his comments upon his return from a multi-week trip to the Soviet Union: 1. imagine, he said, an entire country run by Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration, and 2. if only someone had told him to take on his trip a few dozen Levi’s jeans, he could have made a bundle selling them to apparatchiks ostensibly impervious to the charms of a consumer society.
Once a Uniparty is allowed to mestastasize it becomes exponentially more difficult to reign in an out of control government. California went the Uniparty route once Jerry Brown allowed government employees to unionize. We all know how that turned out :-) Just watch the Uniparty's machinations as they sabotage Jim Jordan's Speaker Candidacy. The Uniparty decided some years ago never to allow another “populist” - meaning someone who actually responds to the public in reality and not just in rhetoric - near the center of power. So Jim Jordan, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Trump, Ron Paul, etc. will all get the same treatment. The good news is the cat’s finally out of the bag. The bad news is the Uniparty will resort to anything to maintain their institutionalized system of graft. You almost have to feel a little sorry for the Tribalists who’s parties have been hijacked by the Uniparty and they still don’t even realize it. The problem is, these same Tribalists are preventing us Americans from taking back the powers of government for the people. I've come to the conclusion long ago that our society simply isn't intelligent enough to vote the rascals out, but I'd love to be proven wrong.
When Arnold (I can never spell his last name correctly, and don't want to look it up) was governor, he put three initiatives on the ballot to curb the California government workers unions. All three failed. There are too many government workers in California; they all vote, and their families vote too. After that, Arnold went with the flow.
Imagine negotiating your salary while sitting on both sides of the negotiation table and then having someone else pay for it. You will eventually run out of someone else's money, but you're living large in the interim :-)
Seems to me that the vast majority of the Conservative Bullrich vote would be more inclined to vote for Milei over Massa. But I have no feel for the nuances of Argentinian politics.
... can the ‘political caste’ ever be brought to heel? Never! But with a non-negotiable gold standard in place you can limit the damage. Booms and busts will continue to occur with a gold standard... and as always initiated by politicians at election time but the duration and degree of harm will be limited... at least to a point in which we can recover from... so the next generation can repeat the same mistake!
Firstly, you’ll need to run many surpluses to discharge the debt before you can consider a balanced budget. That said, the key to any successful monetary system is discipline. Balanced budgets are a very good start but without a gold standard I’m sure the ‘elite’ will find a way to manipulate the figures to their benefit at the expense of everyone else. A classic example is the paradigm shift in the measuring of inflation. But, a gold standard is a gold standard ... inherently limited.
No matter how it’s translated, the meaning rings, “against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain,” (Schiller). A more virulent affliction affecting most of mankind, ignorance, or stupidity, seems widespread and incurable. Maybe the WEF is right. I hope not, but...
Overcoming stupidity can be daunting. I speak from person experience. Floating downstream is so much easier, and less lonely than challenging the currents.
For the last 70 or so Years, that would have been a Solid Plan.
But!! “The Times, they are a Changin”.
Given the Tortured Trajectory of the A-Peso for the last 80 years, to replace it with the next “A-Peso/Dollar” seems like “Heaping Huge New Insults onto Old Injuries “.
Please think through this one.
**And, if they can’t pivot on this Plan now Please, at least, build in an “Escape Hatch/Lifeboat” that Argentina can deploy to escape the rather inevitable trajectory of the USD.
I truly hope that the “Jav-Mi” experience/experiment is given the chance to succeed.
Your post mentioned that the winner could be declared with just 45% of the vote. Is that only for elections with more than two candidates, or is it just Argentina/Peronist math?
The idea that government will self-regulate is folly. Man is either incapable of understanding or unwilling to understand that government and freedom are antithetical. Few people are actually advocates of freedom and individual rights. Yes, there are those who insist that "some" government is necessary, but I'm one of those who believes that anarchy, the absence of government, simply hasn't been tried nor implemented correctly. Now might be the time. I fail to see where government has made the case for its existence.
Government is not our friend. I live by this fact and plan accordingly.
Anarchy has been tried, but only in small communities. It does work, even on freeways. https://ww2.motorists.org/press/montana-no-speed-limit-safety-paradox/ As for being 'implemented correctly,' some communists say that communism hasn't been implemented correctly, either. There is a type of government that works 100%, where everyone is free and prosperous. That is God's government, where everyone has His spirit of agape. That has existed in the past, after the resurrection of Christ, in the seven churches, and even for short periods of time in the nation of Israel, till they fell into idolatry (again). I believe we will see it again, before the sky is rolled up as a scroll, Isaiah 34:4, Revelation 6:14, all the unbelievers are destroyed, and the redeemed are taken beyond the belt of Orion.
"Implemented correctly", as you correctly surmised, was a dig at the commies and socialists among us. As for the other, I will likely be among the "destroyed", but thanks for the response. Best always. PM
You don't have to be. It's easy to be saved, and hard to be lost. Matthew 11:28-30. You may also want to see https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/book/e/35/t/is-it-easier-to-be-saved-or-lost-#All-Will-Be-Saved-Who-do-Not-Resist
Just because it says it in a book it doesnt mean its true.
Um, you know that God inspired the Bible, right?
A distinct possibility: If you add the conservative’s 23% to Milieu’s 30%, palpably, you get 53% (always based on some assumptions, but maybe a sign of HOPE).
That’s the hope!
I worked for Steve Hanke in the mid-‘70s at Johns Hopkins. He’s remained steadfast in his free-market and libertarian positions despite being grossly outnumbered by radical-chic liberals on campus. He attended my wedding in 1977.
I’ll never forget two of his comments upon his return from a multi-week trip to the Soviet Union: 1. imagine, he said, an entire country run by Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration, and 2. if only someone had told him to take on his trip a few dozen Levi’s jeans, he could have made a bundle selling them to apparatchiks ostensibly impervious to the charms of a consumer society.
Love it! Thanks for the insights!
Come On “ Jav-Mi”..... You know You Want It!!!! 🤞💪☘️
Wonderful article, Bill! Where do you dig up the clever lines like the one about individual ignorance and collective wisdom? A classic!
I believe it was Joel that came up with individual ignorance cannot be multiplied into collective wisdom.
Thanks Tom
Once a Uniparty is allowed to mestastasize it becomes exponentially more difficult to reign in an out of control government. California went the Uniparty route once Jerry Brown allowed government employees to unionize. We all know how that turned out :-) Just watch the Uniparty's machinations as they sabotage Jim Jordan's Speaker Candidacy. The Uniparty decided some years ago never to allow another “populist” - meaning someone who actually responds to the public in reality and not just in rhetoric - near the center of power. So Jim Jordan, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Trump, Ron Paul, etc. will all get the same treatment. The good news is the cat’s finally out of the bag. The bad news is the Uniparty will resort to anything to maintain their institutionalized system of graft. You almost have to feel a little sorry for the Tribalists who’s parties have been hijacked by the Uniparty and they still don’t even realize it. The problem is, these same Tribalists are preventing us Americans from taking back the powers of government for the people. I've come to the conclusion long ago that our society simply isn't intelligent enough to vote the rascals out, but I'd love to be proven wrong.
When Arnold (I can never spell his last name correctly, and don't want to look it up) was governor, he put three initiatives on the ballot to curb the California government workers unions. All three failed. There are too many government workers in California; they all vote, and their families vote too. After that, Arnold went with the flow.
Imagine negotiating your salary while sitting on both sides of the negotiation table and then having someone else pay for it. You will eventually run out of someone else's money, but you're living large in the interim :-)
Plus all the immigrants in California who overwhelmingly vote Democrat.
That's exactly what the Uniparty had in mind, right :-) Easy to do when its someone else's money.
Seems to me that the vast majority of the Conservative Bullrich vote would be more inclined to vote for Milei over Massa. But I have no feel for the nuances of Argentinian politics.
... can the ‘political caste’ ever be brought to heel? Never! But with a non-negotiable gold standard in place you can limit the damage. Booms and busts will continue to occur with a gold standard... and as always initiated by politicians at election time but the duration and degree of harm will be limited... at least to a point in which we can recover from... so the next generation can repeat the same mistake!
Nick. What’s your opinion of a balanced budget amendment? Wouldn’t it achieve the same result?
Hi Kam
Firstly, you’ll need to run many surpluses to discharge the debt before you can consider a balanced budget. That said, the key to any successful monetary system is discipline. Balanced budgets are a very good start but without a gold standard I’m sure the ‘elite’ will find a way to manipulate the figures to their benefit at the expense of everyone else. A classic example is the paradigm shift in the measuring of inflation. But, a gold standard is a gold standard ... inherently limited.
Thanks Nick
I think the "Rich men north of Richmond" meme has served its purpose.
Who counted the votes?
Exactly.
No matter how it’s translated, the meaning rings, “against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain,” (Schiller). A more virulent affliction affecting most of mankind, ignorance, or stupidity, seems widespread and incurable. Maybe the WEF is right. I hope not, but...
The WEF plan to take what is left after all the stupid people have departed the scene, with the remainder as economic slaves.
Overcoming stupidity can be daunting. I speak from person experience. Floating downstream is so much easier, and less lonely than challenging the currents.
RFK my friend. That’s what they want you to think.
Gentlemen.
“Dollarization” as a means of Salvation??...Hmmm.
For the last 70 or so Years, that would have been a Solid Plan.
But!! “The Times, they are a Changin”.
Given the Tortured Trajectory of the A-Peso for the last 80 years, to replace it with the next “A-Peso/Dollar” seems like “Heaping Huge New Insults onto Old Injuries “.
Please think through this one.
**And, if they can’t pivot on this Plan now Please, at least, build in an “Escape Hatch/Lifeboat” that Argentina can deploy to escape the rather inevitable trajectory of the USD.
I truly hope that the “Jav-Mi” experience/experiment is given the chance to succeed.
Godspeed All.
It's difficult to constantly read about stupidity and how more stupidity is going to solve problems.
History is full of stupid actions by various empires, all of which have destroyed themselves eventually..
Your post mentioned that the winner could be declared with just 45% of the vote. Is that only for elections with more than two candidates, or is it just Argentina/Peronist math?
There needs to be a 🤣Emoji for some of the comments or at least a 💩. In addition to Like/Reply/Share. Or at least a 'I don't like'.
Bill and Joel are real modern day Philosophers.