Posted on 10/04/2007 1:13:26 AM PDT by bruinbirdman
Our little hotel in Paris had an official, pay-to-play hot spot for the hotel, and three wide open wifi routers from neighboring buildings.
Guess which I used. ;OD
Thanks.
I do believe gubmint has its place, even in a free market society. One of the key components of the ongoing American debate is to define that place at any given time. The judicious application of gubmint resources (money, expertise and facilities) can be of large benefit. Likewise, I believe the willy-nilly application of gubmint can be a roadblock to progress.
“Not all socialism is bad, mate. Just like not all capitalism is good. Neither are mutually exclusive and neither exclude conservatism.”
Socialism, in it’s purest form and in concept is not bad at all. It’s when you mix in human nature that it goes bad.
NZ has the luxury of being able to have more elements of socialism than are possible in most parts of the world. In the US, it fails quickly, because we have a much larger population that will migrate to wherever a free-lunch is to be had. We also have a large population of illegal immigrants who reflexively will take any and all handouts that are available to them.
So socialist institutions will just take longer to fail in NZ. They will fail, however, as all socialism that is foisted upon free-thinking people by governments fails.
You are largely correct on your constitutional observations in the US. To me though, the second amendment IS crystal clear. My guess is whatever wording is used, some folks will over time find ways to reinterpret it away from it’s original intent.
Ok, so I’ll address your issues, since you admirably didn’t take the bait on my goading (all in fun, mind you).
Electricity, internet, water, or any other “essential” service cannot be provided to the masses in the most efficient way possible by government.
With a private enterprise that is under competitive pressure, ways to increase profit margins are always thought up.
With internet, the reason why Paris’ wireless venture will fail is simply a modification of the reasons why they have and are failing in the US. In the US, municipal WiFi projects were created under the false promise of “bridging the digital divide” and that somehow ads could support the service while “the poor” and any municipal services receive the service for free.
When something is “free” some, probably many people will consume all of whatever “it” is as long as there is some perception of value.
Municipal Water will eventually fail to provide water to Southern Californians. Why? because it will be seen as affecting “the poor” if the rates are raised to the level required to find new sources of water to provide to the good people of Southern California - oh, and it’s mostly arid desert there!
Electricity monopolies - that are so highly regulated that they are not able to charge what is required to maintain viable service over the long-term will also fail (ironically Southern California will get hurt as well)
Government-run enterprises always allocate fund based not on “need” but on political expediency. In true free-enterprise, “need” is quickly expressed by people’s willingness to part with hard-earned money.
Everything, and I mean everything, wrong with governments can be fixed with free enterprise. Now, I temper that with the obvious concept that poor and downtrodden will not be allowed to die in the streets if they can’t pay for medicines.....so no “free enterprise” will ever be truly “free”.
Socialism may work, for now, in NZ. It can’t and won’t in the US. God help us and the rest of the world if we try it in a big way. The engine of world prosperity will stall and everyone will get hurt.
Bravo! Vive le resistance.
That's a matter of opinion. I refuse to give my dollars to thugs no matter if they're Chinese, South African, or Burmese.
Surely a full-on invasion would be kinder?
I'll vote for that.
L
NZ accepted independence in 1947.
Such fundamental fact spinning casts doubt on your other assertions:
- that NZ enjoyed disproportionate success on most every battlefield of the last two centuries...with no infrastructure.
- that NZ was not British, and has the Victoria Crosses to prove it.
- that socialism works, and is an obligation of civilization.
If I had a turn-key nation handed to me, I might develop socialist tendencies as well.
> NZ accepted independence in 1947.
NZ became an INDEPENDENT Dominion in 1907 and to all practical intents and purposes, autonomous. You clearly have no practical understanding of this, and are seeking to engage me in an unprofitable and futile debate.
Like I said, I disengage from this discussion: your ignorance is embarrassing, and it leads you to be highly offensive to my countrymen, our proud history and to the veterans of our wars.
This channel is now closed. I do not welcome further discussion with you on this matter. And if you continue to be deliberately insulting I shall report it as Abuse.
Fair warning.
You've expressed nothing but contempt & insult for the US, and her people.
"Abuse" button away, brave friend.
> I’ve expressed nothing but praise and compliment for the country, & people of New Zealand.
Bollix. Let’s be clear on this. Among other things, you have claimed that the British paid for what the people of New Zealand paid for. And you have claimed that our New Zealand soldiers were British, and that the decorations for valor that they earned were awarded to British soldiers (that would certainly be news to the Maori recipients, of which there are not a few).
These claims are neither praise nor compliments despite your claims to the contrary, and are matters that I will not discuss with you further.
True enough. They are not. What they are is facts.
When I repeatedly called your country "beautiful", and your people "magnificent"; those were praise & compliments.
Despite this being a thread about nationalizing private enterprise, you have chosen to argue how boorish & bumbling America is. Not surprisingly, deriding America was a matter you were willing to discuss.
Cheers, mate.
> True enough. They are not. What they are is facts.
They are not “facts”. They are false.
History is fun. I'm happy to be of help.
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