On Wed, 1 Aug 2012 10:15:47 -0700 (PDT), popinjay999
Post by popinjay999Post by ChrisRobinPost by FL TurboYou're a real hoot, Chris Robin.
Go watch the video I posted and then come back and tell me about all
those "bumper sticker soundbites".
I'm perfectly aware of Friedman's philosophies going back to the '50s, I
Friedman's primary function during the important (latter) phases of his
career was as an imperial propagandist, NOT as an economist.
Post by FL TurboI fear you are one of the people who don't have the attention span
required to absorb any more than one of the current soundbites that
the Media delivers.
on the actual track record of policies he's championed all over the globe.
I've like, read about them, in detail and stuff. Reality, not gum-flapping
nonsense on a TV talk show that catered to housewives (lol).
Believe it or not, I do believe in some conservative/libertarian economic
principles, and many of the things that Friedman has said over the years
make a lot of sense. My issue with the guy is that his actual policies, in
action, are the 180 degree opposite of his rhetoric. You need look no
further than the places his policies have had the most impact Latin
America to see that he's a disingenuous fraud. Every single one of his
"success" stories involved MASSIVE government intervention, both domestic
and foreign, into the economies in question, and they all had the same
outcome: complete destruction of the public sector, enrichment for the
global corporations that had no interest in the well being of the native
populations, and the abject impoverishment of everyone not connected to
the ruling elites who had basically sold out their own nations. All the
bullshit he's espoused about "freedom" for decades belies the fact that in
just about every case, his "reforms" have been accompanied by totalitarian
regimes that regularly imprisoned, tortured and killed people who dared
oppose these society-crushing policies. His philosophies were so
destructive and unpopular that they literally required the brute force of
government oppression in order to make them stick. Pretty stark contrast
to the freedom-loving persona he presented on the TV, eh?
I imagine you're unaware of this history, because instead of educating
yourself, you've been sitting around watching Donahue re-runs all day
long. IF YOU DON'T KNOW, DON'T POST.
I didn't dare mention that Freedman was a phony because I know Fl
Turbo would just answer back with his standard accusation against me.
"Well, Popinjay, you think EVERYONE is a phony. There are no
conservatives that you have ever endorsed, I think you're a closet
commie." I know he would have said that.
Heh.
You've got me pegged
That's exactly what I would have said.
That's exactly what I say today, except for the "closet commie" part.
(Hey, I was only joking about that part.)
I think that you and Chris are remarkably alike.
You both despise both political parties, and want something different.
I think that in your case, it's some form of Capitalism.
In Chris's case, it's some form of ????? (call it Kinda Utopian for
lack of a better term.
Neither of you make a case of who and what you are Actually For.
I try at least to find something or someone to be FOR rather than sing
the old Groucho tune of "Whatever it is, I'm Against it."
The only Hope for Change I can see right now is the TEA Party
Movement.
Smaller, less intrusive Federal government and adherence to the
Constitution.
The things that the Libertarian Party used to be at one time.
The only hope is to get enough of the TEA Party Conservatives into
Congress who will not only Talk the Talk but also Walk the Walk, and
kick Romney's if he decides to go all Wobbly once in office.
Hope springs eternal
--------------------------------------------------------
"Let us Pray"
"Oh Lord, can we accomplish all of this in 4 years? -
"Or are we just jerking off?"
Post by popinjay999At the same time, I cannot recall ever having seen Fl Turbo mention
the likes of Ludwig Von Mises, Hans Sennholz, or even Frederic
Bastiat. I'm pretty sure Turbo has led a sheltered life.
You're right about part of that.
I've never read the complete works of Von Mises, Bastiat or that
Sennholtz guy.
I have read a good many parts of what they had to say, so I think I
got the idea of what they are all about.
I pretty much gave up on trying to understand economic theory after I
got past the Micro part with those neato graphs explaining the
relationship between Supply, Demand and Price.
The basics still hold up, though.
Governments can possibly neatly control 1 or 2 of those variables, but
the 3rd will always be there to come around and kick them squarely in
the ass if they aren't careful.
You can call me a dilettante.