From: riggs@descartes.tec.army.mil (Bill Riggs)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,sci.econ
Subject: Re: Derailing the Reagan Revolution, part 2: Seven more years?
Date: 22 Aug 92 01:02:03 GMT
Followup-To: talk.politics.misc,sci.econ
Organization: LNK Corporation, Riverdale, MD

In article <1992Aug21.184816.14428@mcshub.dcss.mcmaster.ca> bunker@physun.physics.mcmaster.ca (Alex Bunker) writes:

>>	The Laffer curve is real, supply side works.  When you examine the
>>countries with the most improved economies, they have switched from
>>socialist/interventionist economies to supply side economies.
>
>This is simply false. Germany and Japan have highly interventionist
>economics and are kicking US butt. The nations with the highest
>"quality of life index" all have socialist/interventionist economic
>policies. But of course you have the blinkers on and are blind to
>what goes on in the rest of the world because examining this would
>be "unamerican". Have you seen the posts comparing poverty,health
>wellbeing,employment,equity rates, in the USA as compared to countries
>with socialist/interventionist economies? (USA#1 for all the wrong
>reasons) I think you, Gary and all the other net reaganomicists
>should have them mailed directly to you. You still there HAREL?
>
>ALEX
>(the social-democratic secular humanist)

	
	I have just about had it up to my eyeballs with this "Ain't
government economic management great" drivel that Alex is putting out.
I realize that this guy is a Canadian, and that the Canadians have
been groving on taxing and spending and Big Government since King
George and the Stamp Act. BUT:

	He is WRONG !

	The Canadian economy is a dog with fleas. What do you think
would happen to good ole' statist Canada's economy if it weren't
right next to the USA ? Do you think there wwould be LOTS of jobs
up there without the BIGGEST market in the world right next door ?

	The Germans and the Japs have successful economies because
their citizens work hard and they are focused on the international
economy. Find me a US Democrat in Congress who believes in free
trade and expanding US trade dependency. I dare you. Find me a
Democrat who goes around telling workers that what they really need
to do is work longer hours and keep their families together...most
of these guys make you think it's all George's fault that we make
crappy automobiles.

	What Mr. Bunker does not seem to understand is how much
the leading economies HAVE liberalized themselves. Germany is a country
of small businesses, and even though the CDU loves regulations, they
are not in the business of bailing out dying industries. In fact, when
that yuppie Lafontaine was the SPD'd chancellor candidate, neither was
the SPD. 
	The Europeans are very,very,very frightened of Japan, 
Inc. EC 1992 is NOT designed to keep US industry out of Europe - 
it is meant to keep JAPANESE industry out. If Mr. Bunker could read 
Die Zeit, he would read some very familiar debates about the "Yellow Peril" - 
from the Chairman of Daimler-Benz, no less. Alas, Hansie can't
read code, and he doesn't really have a prayer in the high-tech
future world economy with his superb craftsmanship learned in
Realschule...or so they whine.

	But what about ALL those happy, happy European socialists
out there in Sweden, etc. ? 

	HOW happy are those people anyway ? 

	The US has the highest murder rate in the world. Sweden and
Japan duke it out for the highest suicide rate.

	The US has urban slums and ethnic ghettoes. Holland and Denmark
are full of poor white people whose lifestyles are barely civilized.
So what if the state cleans the streets in Amsterdam ? Would you rather
be a crack baby there than Harlem. Only "Archie" Bunker's racist views
keep him from seeing these societies for what they are.

	I'll make a prediction - give South Africa to the ANC, and see if
its economy grows even ONE percent. Alternatively, put in a market-oriented
biracial government in South Africa, and just watch the place become an
economic paradise.


	Bill R.


	"My opinions do not represent those of my employer or any
government agency."
-- 
Bill R.
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,talk.politics.guns,talk.politics.clinton