4 ms·

They can maybe use the National Guard? They've used them to administer vaccines and drive school busses in some states.

AnimalMuppet 5y ago
I'm with pcj50. The answer for economic issues is not "call out the National Guard". Sure, call them out in an emergency. This isn't one.
- micromacrofoot 5y ago
  What's the downside?
  - AnimalMuppet 5y ago
    The downside of not calling them out? Stuff doesn't get off of ships in time for everybody to have their dream Christmas. The upside is that the National Guard gets to remain available to be the National Guard, instead of a trucking company. You know, so they can be available if we need them?
    - micromacrofoot 5y ago
      > Stuff doesn't get off of ships in time for everybody to have their dream Christmas. I don't celebrate Christmas and I get why you're being flippant here, but it can have a significant impact on the economy. > You know, so they can be available if we need them? I think they'd still be available if something higher priority came up, no? Like I said earlier, they're already driving school busses in some states.
      - AnimalMuppet 5y ago
        Having a significant effect on the economy does not make it an emergency, though.
  - dredmorbius 5y ago
    Look into the provision of free aid (usually goods, sometimes services) in areas. For a short-term measure, this can make sense. In the long term, it's a market distortion by introducing a free alternative to local production. Much as price or wage controls are argued as preventing the market from working properly, utilising an idle or contingent commandable labour force (army or national guard) to solve what is in large part a market problem only amplifies the market problem. If that is done, businesses aided by such services should be charged, and I'd make a strong case for above-market rates, perhaps with extended credit but also superior claims (such that other creditors are subordinate in the event of liquidation of the business). Such a strategy would address the immediate emergency but price in the previously ignored latent risk, and encourage entry to that specific labour market.

I'm with pcj50. The answer for economic issues is not "call out the National Guard". Sure, call them out in an emergency. This isn't one.

micromacrofoot 5y ago
What's the downside?
- AnimalMuppet 5y ago
  The downside of not calling them out? Stuff doesn't get off of ships in time for everybody to have their dream Christmas. The upside is that the National Guard gets to remain available to be the National Guard, instead of a trucking company. You know, so they can be available if we need them?
  - micromacrofoot 5y ago
    > Stuff doesn't get off of ships in time for everybody to have their dream Christmas. I don't celebrate Christmas and I get why you're being flippant here, but it can have a significant impact on the economy. > You know, so they can be available if we need them? I think they'd still be available if something higher priority came up, no? Like I said earlier, they're already driving school busses in some states.
    - AnimalMuppet 5y ago
      Having a significant effect on the economy does not make it an emergency, though.
- dredmorbius 5y ago
  Look into the provision of free aid (usually goods, sometimes services) in areas. For a short-term measure, this can make sense. In the long term, it's a market distortion by introducing a free alternative to local production. Much as price or wage controls are argued as preventing the market from working properly, utilising an idle or contingent commandable labour force (army or national guard) to solve what is in large part a market problem only amplifies the market problem. If that is done, businesses aided by such services should be charged, and I'd make a strong case for above-market rates, perhaps with extended credit but also superior claims (such that other creditors are subordinate in the event of liquidation of the business). Such a strategy would address the immediate emergency but price in the previously ignored latent risk, and encourage entry to that specific labour market.