There is a fairly simple construct in the Bible that defines legitimate government as well as the proper relationship between the government and the people. It is this: Government as an institution is only legitimate when it is ‘under God’. When the government operates according to God’s laws and precepts(as defined in the Bible) then the people are under obligation(to God) to obey the government and to be good citizens under the government’s protection. It should be noted that protecting the safety and security of citizens is the only legitimate function of government mentioned in the Bible. It is noted as “the power of the sword”. Taking care of the poor is not the responsibility of government according to the Bible, rather it is the responsibility of the citizens, both individuals and what we now call civil society. So legitimate government is Godly government. If government becomes ungodly, if it becomes corrupt and operates against God’s moral principles and commandments, then the situation becomes very different. At that point citizens are obligated to throw the government off, to engage in what is known as Civil Disobedience and even to break the “law” of the corrupt government in doing so. If this requires God’s help, He will provide it if asked.
Nobody wants to admit this fact, but it's true: all government eventually goes bad. "It can't happen here" is a dodge and a deception. It sounds as if the Argentines are ahead of us on this score. The amazing part is what people end up tolerating. I'm 70. I get suicidal when I contemplate the USA I knew in 1960 and what I am experiencing now. Best always. PM
While we’re discussing the heavy hand of government, I’d like to direct those interested over to Matt Taibbi’s (Twitter Files) Substack page this morning. He’s testifying before the House today regarding the government sponsored censorship of online platforms. He published his opening statement for all to read, and its worth taking a look. https://open.substack.com/pub/taibbi/p/my-statement-to-congress?r=16pjh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Well I am not too sure about the "simple" contruct from the Bible below....Another portion says clearly "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar and unto god the things that are God". Rome never resembled a Godly government.
My understanding regarding tax evasion in Argentina is that it never or rarely leads to incarceration.
So the risk is limited to penalty or at the worse loss of some of your property. A far cry for the ole USA who will take one of your children, left or right testicle, penalty, interest and maybe put you in jail....
Bill's assessments of human conduct are more nuanced than mine. My takeaway from his revelation how wealth-making farmers in Argentina evade their wealth-taking government reads like an adventure story.
Pardon the literary stretch, but these clever farmers are akin to the gentiles in WW II Europe who hid Jews from Nazis. Both are using all sorts of ruses literally to keep alive their commitments. Of course, hiding revenue from confiscation is no comparison to hiding people from certain death. My point: It's the ruling authority that is the proverbial fly in the ointment.
Just like in the USA, it's our politicians who routinely spend more money than it has available borrowing from the unborn to bridge the shortfalls they create today. We now have a national debt that economic pontificators declare can never be repaid, with all that this failing portends.
Just as I'm amazed and disappointed by the governing authorities in Argentina for the mess its created, I feel the same way toward our way of government. Lacking any restraint, our Congress -- regardless of political party -- routinely over-spends and our Federal Reserve routinely enables inflation.
Since neither country short of a revolution will change its ways, both should at least remove impediments discouraging risk-taking entrepreneurs from making more wealth. After all, more wealth gives both countries more to tax
What a country! You have to lie and cheat in order to grow crops. The inflation rate is over 100% per year. The vice-president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is a convicted felon (sentenced to 6 years and barred from holding political office), but holding office anyway, and she survived an assassination attempt when the assassin's gun jammed. I could go on and on. And Bill and Joel love the place!
Exactly thirty years ago I was doing a medical mission - charity work in an extra-impoverished region of an impoverished Asian nation. When we landed there, we were picked up by some local businessmen who were part of the organization sponsoring the mission. Making polite conversation as we drove, our host said something I thought at the time quite profound. He said “Do you know the difference between the United States and my country? The difference is that in the United States you can be an honest man and be successful. That is not possible here.” I’ve thought about that conversation a lot in the last few years. The United States is a lot more like the “developing” ( always developing, never quite developed) world today than the developing world is like the USA in a number of regards, including the ability to be honest and make a good living. Obviously I’m speaking in general here, but I can tell you that from my perspective as taxpayer and small business owner, the aggravation and corruption in the USA is a lot more like Argentina than it used to be. And I’ve spent time in Argentina as well. The government in both places is full of low quality people who abuse their power and their constituents routinely in matters financial and beyond. At least in Argentina they don’t have the galactic hubris we see here. Bigger government= bigger disasters. The Argentines are a very proud people. I’m not sure why exactly, given their track record, but it’s also clear that we in the USA are currently less than stellar in the brains and ethics departments. Shades of gray, I can deal with. The overt deterioration in so many aspects of American life is the hard thing to tolerate.
My country isn't that much different than what Bill describes. Industrialized agriculture with family farming nearly a thing of the past, no-one wanting to work down on the farm any more, incredibly stupid new rules and regulations on a weekly basis, people figuring ways of getting around these new rules and a general sense that "somethings rotten in the state of Denmark" Agree that Argentina is ahead of most of us, it would appear, but, boy, we got here fast
Finally, some good prose about Argentina farming. Bill, take the advice of your neighbors! THINK LIKE AN ARGETINO. I have been telling you for years. THINK LIKE AN ORIGINARIO! The old adage,
WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO". You are not an Argenio. I am going to assume you don't have Argentine Citizenship. There is nothing wrong with being a Citizen of two or more countries, if it is allowed. In Mexico, you could not own property unless you were a Mexican Citizen, or your wife was a Mexican Citizen. I don't know if that is still a fact. It was that way in the 1970's. Must not be that way in Argentina, because you "OWN" property in Argentina. The Originarios don't own the property they are "squatting" on. They claim ownership by fictious ancestral ownership. The Argentine Government seems to have bought the lie for now. There is no way to prove they are right or wrong. I would bet they don't pay any taxes to the government.
You are a rich expat Gringo. You may or not pay taxes on your property. You seem to treat the Originarios fairly. You need to become an Originario by hook or 'crook'. There is an answer in there somewhere. I am not going to spell it out in detail for you.
Are your friends, the Eastern farmers, Citizens or Rich Oligarchs or rich expats like you.? Learn from them! There is always a way. Please keep the prose coming. Just saying! Florida Jimmy.
I love these articles that Bill writes since they teach about the gray areas for people living increasingly in a dysfunctional society due to debt and overspending. America is supposed to be about citizens choosing the right and honest path, even when the tax man isn't hunting them. However, there wasn't a taxman after the Revolution. It took Woodrow Wilson and over a century to get to that point. My point being that America is going to face the South American dilemma, "Do I do right and go under, or do wrong and survive?" It takes a while, I guess, to get to the moral stance where you don't care and just do what works to keep afloat.
This good guy bad guy argument is getting a little extreme and affecting logical conclusions. None other than Christ delineated the good guys from the bad. “You can not have two masters, you will either serve one or the other.”
The problem is deducing which is which. “You will know them by their fruits.”
“You either serve God or evil.”
It’s pretty definitive, unless, you don’t believe in all that crap.
The description of the Argentines’s property made me realize that the crop is GMO (genetically modified organism), sprayed with Roundup. This is the herbicide poisoning ourWal food supply.
There is a fairly simple construct in the Bible that defines legitimate government as well as the proper relationship between the government and the people. It is this: Government as an institution is only legitimate when it is ‘under God’. When the government operates according to God’s laws and precepts(as defined in the Bible) then the people are under obligation(to God) to obey the government and to be good citizens under the government’s protection. It should be noted that protecting the safety and security of citizens is the only legitimate function of government mentioned in the Bible. It is noted as “the power of the sword”. Taking care of the poor is not the responsibility of government according to the Bible, rather it is the responsibility of the citizens, both individuals and what we now call civil society. So legitimate government is Godly government. If government becomes ungodly, if it becomes corrupt and operates against God’s moral principles and commandments, then the situation becomes very different. At that point citizens are obligated to throw the government off, to engage in what is known as Civil Disobedience and even to break the “law” of the corrupt government in doing so. If this requires God’s help, He will provide it if asked.
Nobody wants to admit this fact, but it's true: all government eventually goes bad. "It can't happen here" is a dodge and a deception. It sounds as if the Argentines are ahead of us on this score. The amazing part is what people end up tolerating. I'm 70. I get suicidal when I contemplate the USA I knew in 1960 and what I am experiencing now. Best always. PM
While we’re discussing the heavy hand of government, I’d like to direct those interested over to Matt Taibbi’s (Twitter Files) Substack page this morning. He’s testifying before the House today regarding the government sponsored censorship of online platforms. He published his opening statement for all to read, and its worth taking a look. https://open.substack.com/pub/taibbi/p/my-statement-to-congress?r=16pjh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Sounds like a plan to me. I really enjoy Bills stories when he is in Argentina. I would love to visit him there.
Well I am not too sure about the "simple" contruct from the Bible below....Another portion says clearly "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar and unto god the things that are God". Rome never resembled a Godly government.
My understanding regarding tax evasion in Argentina is that it never or rarely leads to incarceration.
So the risk is limited to penalty or at the worse loss of some of your property. A far cry for the ole USA who will take one of your children, left or right testicle, penalty, interest and maybe put you in jail....
Bill's assessments of human conduct are more nuanced than mine. My takeaway from his revelation how wealth-making farmers in Argentina evade their wealth-taking government reads like an adventure story.
Pardon the literary stretch, but these clever farmers are akin to the gentiles in WW II Europe who hid Jews from Nazis. Both are using all sorts of ruses literally to keep alive their commitments. Of course, hiding revenue from confiscation is no comparison to hiding people from certain death. My point: It's the ruling authority that is the proverbial fly in the ointment.
Just like in the USA, it's our politicians who routinely spend more money than it has available borrowing from the unborn to bridge the shortfalls they create today. We now have a national debt that economic pontificators declare can never be repaid, with all that this failing portends.
Just as I'm amazed and disappointed by the governing authorities in Argentina for the mess its created, I feel the same way toward our way of government. Lacking any restraint, our Congress -- regardless of political party -- routinely over-spends and our Federal Reserve routinely enables inflation.
Since neither country short of a revolution will change its ways, both should at least remove impediments discouraging risk-taking entrepreneurs from making more wealth. After all, more wealth gives both countries more to tax
What a country! You have to lie and cheat in order to grow crops. The inflation rate is over 100% per year. The vice-president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is a convicted felon (sentenced to 6 years and barred from holding political office), but holding office anyway, and she survived an assassination attempt when the assassin's gun jammed. I could go on and on. And Bill and Joel love the place!
Exactly thirty years ago I was doing a medical mission - charity work in an extra-impoverished region of an impoverished Asian nation. When we landed there, we were picked up by some local businessmen who were part of the organization sponsoring the mission. Making polite conversation as we drove, our host said something I thought at the time quite profound. He said “Do you know the difference between the United States and my country? The difference is that in the United States you can be an honest man and be successful. That is not possible here.” I’ve thought about that conversation a lot in the last few years. The United States is a lot more like the “developing” ( always developing, never quite developed) world today than the developing world is like the USA in a number of regards, including the ability to be honest and make a good living. Obviously I’m speaking in general here, but I can tell you that from my perspective as taxpayer and small business owner, the aggravation and corruption in the USA is a lot more like Argentina than it used to be. And I’ve spent time in Argentina as well. The government in both places is full of low quality people who abuse their power and their constituents routinely in matters financial and beyond. At least in Argentina they don’t have the galactic hubris we see here. Bigger government= bigger disasters. The Argentines are a very proud people. I’m not sure why exactly, given their track record, but it’s also clear that we in the USA are currently less than stellar in the brains and ethics departments. Shades of gray, I can deal with. The overt deterioration in so many aspects of American life is the hard thing to tolerate.
My country isn't that much different than what Bill describes. Industrialized agriculture with family farming nearly a thing of the past, no-one wanting to work down on the farm any more, incredibly stupid new rules and regulations on a weekly basis, people figuring ways of getting around these new rules and a general sense that "somethings rotten in the state of Denmark" Agree that Argentina is ahead of most of us, it would appear, but, boy, we got here fast
Finally, some good prose about Argentina farming. Bill, take the advice of your neighbors! THINK LIKE AN ARGETINO. I have been telling you for years. THINK LIKE AN ORIGINARIO! The old adage,
WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO". You are not an Argenio. I am going to assume you don't have Argentine Citizenship. There is nothing wrong with being a Citizen of two or more countries, if it is allowed. In Mexico, you could not own property unless you were a Mexican Citizen, or your wife was a Mexican Citizen. I don't know if that is still a fact. It was that way in the 1970's. Must not be that way in Argentina, because you "OWN" property in Argentina. The Originarios don't own the property they are "squatting" on. They claim ownership by fictious ancestral ownership. The Argentine Government seems to have bought the lie for now. There is no way to prove they are right or wrong. I would bet they don't pay any taxes to the government.
You are a rich expat Gringo. You may or not pay taxes on your property. You seem to treat the Originarios fairly. You need to become an Originario by hook or 'crook'. There is an answer in there somewhere. I am not going to spell it out in detail for you.
Are your friends, the Eastern farmers, Citizens or Rich Oligarchs or rich expats like you.? Learn from them! There is always a way. Please keep the prose coming. Just saying! Florida Jimmy.
If the bugs die when they try to eat the cotton plants, what happens to the people who wear clothing made from the cotton?
Eva Peron for first woman U.S. President !!! We might as well get a head start to where we are heading so we get out the other side sooner...
I love these articles that Bill writes since they teach about the gray areas for people living increasingly in a dysfunctional society due to debt and overspending. America is supposed to be about citizens choosing the right and honest path, even when the tax man isn't hunting them. However, there wasn't a taxman after the Revolution. It took Woodrow Wilson and over a century to get to that point. My point being that America is going to face the South American dilemma, "Do I do right and go under, or do wrong and survive?" It takes a while, I guess, to get to the moral stance where you don't care and just do what works to keep afloat.
Interesting ...
are you intimating that Christians do not have to pay taxes ?
This good guy bad guy argument is getting a little extreme and affecting logical conclusions. None other than Christ delineated the good guys from the bad. “You can not have two masters, you will either serve one or the other.”
The problem is deducing which is which. “You will know them by their fruits.”
“You either serve God or evil.”
It’s pretty definitive, unless, you don’t believe in all that crap.
That seems to be the crux of the problem.
The description of the Argentines’s property made me realize that the crop is GMO (genetically modified organism), sprayed with Roundup. This is the herbicide poisoning ourWal food supply.