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The modern tragedy of government at any scale is the inability of small-minded people to accept the fundamental paradox of Capitalism: that it is _simultaneousl

The modern tragedy of government at any scale is the inability of small-minded people to accept the fundamental paradox of Capitalism: that it is _simultaneously_ the best system for arbitration of price and one of the worst forms of government. It is no accident that all the remaining first-world nations have a very similar setup: a healthy free-market nucleus operating inside of a strong pro-social shell.

redis_mlc 6y ago
> It is no accident that all the remaining first-world nations have a very similar setup: a healthy free-market nucleus operating inside of a strong pro-social shell. It depends how you define "first-world nation". A lot of the EU members had to cook their books to gain admittance, since they're close to being failed states economically. Goldman Sachs made billions off creative financing during their appication processes. (Germany's reponses to EU bailout requests told volumes.) So I don't lump the US into any group of other states since the US has a real economy (at least before the 2020 election.) Puerto Rico is a microcosm for how Europe ruined itself. The PR governor said, "If I don't provide handouts, they won't vote for me in the next election." Admittedly, the US health care system is a failure in terms of cost and access, so joining civilization in that respect makes sense. It will take another doubling of premiums for widespread support, so give it 24-36 months.
- eesmith 6y ago
  > The PR governor said Can you provide more context to that quote? I am unable to track it down. Your caution against lumping the US into any other group of states surely also applies to PR's economy. What European nation is subject to equivalents to the Jones Act, the Jones-Shafroth Act, the federal limits on Medicaid funding, PROMESA, federal prohibitions from declaring bankruptcy, and special tax codes like the ex-section 936? For that matter, what does it mean that "Europe ruined itself"?
  - redis_mlc 6y ago
    I can't tell if you're sealioning, or just ignorant. So I'll be charitable and assume you're just ignorant, being HN and all. Half of the most-western EU members, including Italy, Greece and Spain, essentially give all their tax receipts to former civil servants (like PR does.) That would be bad enough, but after the African economic migration to EU states, another burden of an additional 10% has been added to total welfare payments in most of those countries. So they're ruined economically. The EU doesn't need the Jones Act, since they keep shooting themselves in the feet. There's a long (about 10 pages) 2019 interview/expose with PR officials. If I find a link, I'll post it.
meowster 6y ago
Contrary to popular social media sites, capitalism isn't a form of government.

redis_mlc 6y ago

> It is no accident that all the remaining first-world nations have a very similar setup: a healthy free-market nucleus operating inside of a strong pro-social shell. It depends how you define "first-world nation". A lot of the EU members had to cook their books to gain admittance, since they're close to being failed states economically. Goldman Sachs made billions off creative financing during their appication processes. (Germany's reponses to EU bailout requests told volumes.) So I don't lump the US into any group of other states since the US has a real economy (at least before the 2020 election.) Puerto Rico is a microcosm for how Europe ruined itself. The PR governor said, "If I don't provide handouts, they won't vote for me in the next election." Admittedly, the US health care system is a failure in terms of cost and access, so joining civilization in that respect makes sense. It will take another doubling of premiums for widespread support, so give it 24-36 months.

eesmith 6y ago
> The PR governor said Can you provide more context to that quote? I am unable to track it down. Your caution against lumping the US into any other group of states surely also applies to PR's economy. What European nation is subject to equivalents to the Jones Act, the Jones-Shafroth Act, the federal limits on Medicaid funding, PROMESA, federal prohibitions from declaring bankruptcy, and special tax codes like the ex-section 936? For that matter, what does it mean that "Europe ruined itself"?
- redis_mlc 6y ago
  I can't tell if you're sealioning, or just ignorant. So I'll be charitable and assume you're just ignorant, being HN and all. Half of the most-western EU members, including Italy, Greece and Spain, essentially give all their tax receipts to former civil servants (like PR does.) That would be bad enough, but after the African economic migration to EU states, another burden of an additional 10% has been added to total welfare payments in most of those countries. So they're ruined economically. The EU doesn't need the Jones Act, since they keep shooting themselves in the feet. There's a long (about 10 pages) 2019 interview/expose with PR officials. If I find a link, I'll post it.

meowster 6y ago

Contrary to popular social media sites, capitalism isn't a form of government.