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Chris
07-20-2013, 10:29 AM
You be the judge...

Seven Surprising Truths about the World (http://reason.com/archives/2013/07/15/seven-surprising-truths-about-the-world):


Cancer Rates Are Going Down

A 2007 American Cancer Society poll found that seven out of 10 Americans believed that the risk of dying from cancer is going up. In fact, not only have cancer death rates been declining steeply, age-adjusted cancer incidence rates have been falling for nearly two decades. That is, in nearly any age group, fewer Americans are actually coming down with cancer.

...

More Porn, Less Rape

Over the past two decades, as pornography has become much more easily accessible over the Internet, the rate of rape and sexual assault has declined by about 60 percent, according to the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).

...

Longer Life Expectancy Stops Population Growth

An exciting convergence between demography and evolutionary theory is shedding considerable light on why people the world over are having fewer children. It turns out that the longer people can expect to live, the fewer children they have. In fact, if current fertility trends continue, world population could well top out in the middle of this century at between 8 and 9 billion, then begin to decline.

...

People Everywhere Are Getting Smarter

About half of Americans two generations ago would have been diagnosed as mentally retarded based on today’s IQ tests.

...

Trade Creates Jobs and Makes People Richer

Benjamin Franklin once declared, “No country was ever ruined by trade.” Franklin believed that the free exchange of products across borders was good for everybody, “even seemingly the most disadvantageous.” But in the 21st century, many voters and the politicians they elect believe the opposite. Being open to trade, people fear, allows rapacious corporations to “ship jobs overseas.”

...

Local Biodiversity Is Increasing

Ascension Island is about as isolated as a piece of land can get, sitting in the Atlantic Ocean about midway between Africa and South America. When the British claimed authority over the uninhabited, barren hunk of stone in the early 19th century, it was frequently likened to a “cinder” or a “ruinous heap of rocks.” The new owners named Ascension’s central peak White Mountain, after the color of the bare rocks of which it was composed.

...

Markets Make People Nicer

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx thundered that the bourgeoisie and the markets that allow them to prosper “left remaining no other nexus between man and man than naked self-interest, than callous ‘cash payment.’ ” In other words, markets destroy fellow-feeling, turning human beings into cold, cruel calculators. But recent research on how 15 small-scale societies play certain canonical economic games suggests that simply isn’t so.

...

Germanicus
07-20-2013, 11:42 AM
That last one is absurd.
edit- HA! Reason.com. - Free minds and free markets. Thats funny. Would have been less obvious propaganda if they were content to slip in this



Trade Creates Jobs and Makes People Richer

Benjamin Franklin once declared, “No country was ever ruined by trade.” Franklin believed that the free exchange of products across borders was good for everybody, “even seemingly the most disadvantageous.” But in the 21st century, many voters and the politicians they elect believe the opposite. Being open to trade, people fear, allows rapacious corporations to “ship jobs overseas.”

But that last one makes it such obvious propaganda its actually kinda sad.

midcan5
07-20-2013, 12:11 PM
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tiny blasts of tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us." Pogo

Five and seven are libertarian fantasies. Seven is too vague for comment, but five assumes the magical 'free' market. Detroit isn't in trouble because of the typical scapegoats, they are in trouble because Americans do not support America any longer. That is true in tax structure, outsourcing, tax havens overseas, and failure of everyday people to support each other through purchases of American made. How many Americans today drive a mobile ad for Japan, and then whine about jobs. See item below.

"Pam Sexton, a market researcher and engineer with two college degrees, described her version of the American dream like this: "The American dream is that you can work hard and be rewarded for your hard work. You'll be able to have a home and family and prosper and have medical care and nor have to worry about expenses and bills. This is a country of opportunity." But Pam, along with thousands of others, lost her telecommunications job in 2009, and the dream died: "I feel like the last few years that's all disintegrated or evaporated." It is a refrain we've heard across the country." Ms Sexton lost her job because ATT shipped it to India. p246 'The Betrayal of the American Dream' Donald L. Barlett, James B. Steele


"Because Ford, GM and Chrysler conduct far more of their research, design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly work in the U.S. than foreign automakers do, buying a Ford, GM, or Chrysler supports almost three times as many jobs as buying the average foreign automobile. Some comparisons are even more striking. Buying a Ford supports 3.5 times more jobs than buying a Hyundai. Comparing a Honda and a Hyundai? Buying a Honda supports more than 2 times more jobs." The Level Field Institute (http://www.levelfieldinstitute.org/jpc_rating.html)


"The U.S. Government has expressed concern with the overall lack of access to Japan's automotive market, as well as with specific aspects of Japan's regulatory system that limit the ability of U.S. automobile and related companies to expand business in the Japanese market,"


China: "Many U.S. industries complain that they face significant nontariff barriers to trade .... These include regulations that set high thresholds for entry into service sectors ... and the use of questionable ... measures to control import volumes."


What's most troubling about the 2011 report is that it contains nothing new; every year the report reads the same as the year before. The types of barriers change, but the obstacles remain, with the same result-many of our products cannot be sold in other countries.


What can be done?" Quoted here: p253 'The Betrayal of the American Dream' Barlett and Steele



"In corporate culture, keiretsu refers to a uniquely Japanese form of corporate organization. A keiretsu is a grouping or family of affiliated companies that form a tight-knit alliance to work toward each other's mutual success. The keiretsu system is also based on an intimate partnership between government and businesses. It can best be understood as the intricate web of relationships that links banks, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors with the Japanese government.¶ These ironclad corporate alliances have caused much debate and have been called "government-sponsored cartels." While some think keiretsu are a menace to trade, others see them as a model for change. Features common to most keiretsu include "main bank," stable shareholding, and seconded directors. Some keiretsu concepts have no American parallel such as "general trading company." The keiretsu system is one of the profound differences between Japanese and US business structures." http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/keiretsu#

Chris
07-20-2013, 12:44 PM
That last one is absurd.
edit- HA! Reason.com. - Free minds and free markets. Thats funny. Would have been less obvious propaganda if they were content to slip in this



But that last one makes it such obvious propaganda its actually kinda sad.

Then why can't you counterargue? Ahahaha that's not true is simply not an argument.

Chris
07-20-2013, 12:45 PM
"There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve, then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tiny blasts of tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us." Pogo

Five and seven are libertarian fantasies. Seven is too vague for comment, but five assumes the magical 'free' market. Detroit isn't in trouble because of the typical scapegoats, they are in trouble because Americans do not support America any longer. That is true in tax structure, outsourcing, tax havens overseas, and failure of everyday people to support each other through purchases of American made. How many Americans today drive a mobile ad for Japan, and then whine about jobs. See item below.

"Pam Sexton, a market researcher and engineer with two college degrees, described her version of the American dream like this: "The American dream is that you can work hard and be rewarded for your hard work. You'll be able to have a home and family and prosper and have medical care and nor have to worry about expenses and bills. This is a country of opportunity." But Pam, along with thousands of others, lost her telecommunications job in 2009, and the dream died: "I feel like the last few years that's all disintegrated or evaporated." It is a refrain we've heard across the country." Ms Sexton lost her job because ATT shipped it to India. p246 'The Betrayal of the American Dream' Donald L. Barlett, James B. Steele


"Because Ford, GM and Chrysler conduct far more of their research, design, engineering, manufacturing and assembly work in the U.S. than foreign automakers do, buying a Ford, GM, or Chrysler supports almost three times as many jobs as buying the average foreign automobile. Some comparisons are even more striking. Buying a Ford supports 3.5 times more jobs than buying a Hyundai. Comparing a Honda and a Hyundai? Buying a Honda supports more than 2 times more jobs." The Level Field Institute (http://www.levelfieldinstitute.org/jpc_rating.html)


"The U.S. Government has expressed concern with the overall lack of access to Japan's automotive market, as well as with specific aspects of Japan's regulatory system that limit the ability of U.S. automobile and related companies to expand business in the Japanese market,"


China: "Many U.S. industries complain that they face significant nontariff barriers to trade .... These include regulations that set high thresholds for entry into service sectors ... and the use of questionable ... measures to control import volumes."


What's most troubling about the 2011 report is that it contains nothing new; every year the report reads the same as the year before. The types of barriers change, but the obstacles remain, with the same result-many of our products cannot be sold in other countries.


What can be done?" Quoted here: p253 'The Betrayal of the American Dream' Barlett and Steele



"In corporate culture, keiretsu refers to a uniquely Japanese form of corporate organization. A keiretsu is a grouping or family of affiliated companies that form a tight-knit alliance to work toward each other's mutual success. The keiretsu system is also based on an intimate partnership between government and businesses. It can best be understood as the intricate web of relationships that links banks, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors with the Japanese government.¶ These ironclad corporate alliances have caused much debate and have been called "government-sponsored cartels." While some think keiretsu are a menace to trade, others see them as a model for change. Features common to most keiretsu include "main bank," stable shareholding, and seconded directors. Some keiretsu concepts have no American parallel such as "general trading company." The keiretsu system is one of the profound differences between Japanese and US business structures." http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/keiretsu#

You too.


Five and seven are libertarian fantasies. Seven is too vague for comment, but five assumes the magical 'free' market.

OK, then provide a counterargument.

midcan5
07-24-2013, 06:18 AM
OK, then provide a counterargument.

You cannot counter a fantasy. The free market doesn't exist. Markets exist, but they are the creation of a great many things, need, society, government etc. If one claims free markets make people nicer, show us. I for one don't see it.

As a reality check wouldn't it be nice if all Americans had healthcare similar to the well to do, that would be nice don't you think? http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/

"Governments provide a stable currency to make markets possible. They provide a legal infrastructure and court systems to enforce the contracts that make markets possible. They provide educated workforces through public education, and those workers show up at their places of business after traveling on public roads, rails, or airways provided by government. Businesses that use the "free market" are protected by police and fire departments provided by government, and send their communications - from phone to fax to internet - over lines that follow public rights-of-way maintained and protected by government." http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0312-08.htm

Chris
07-24-2013, 06:23 AM
You cannot counter a fantasy. The free market doesn't exist. Markets exist, but they are the creation of a great many things, need, society, government etc. If one claims free markets make people nicer, show us. I for one don't see it.

As a reality check wouldn't it be nice if all Americans had healthcare similar to the well to do, that would be nice don't you think? http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/

"Governments provide a stable currency to make markets possible. They provide a legal infrastructure and court systems to enforce the contracts that make markets possible. They provide educated workforces through public education, and those workers show up at their places of business after traveling on public roads, rails, or airways provided by government. Businesses that use the "free market" are protected by police and fire departments provided by government, and send their communications - from phone to fax to internet - over lines that follow public rights-of-way maintained and protected by government." http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0312-08.htm

OK, so you can't counter it except with mumbojumbo about free markets don't exist, contradicted by they do exist. Show us you ask, you were shown, return to the OP, follow the link.

Oh, wow, Krugman, the guy who suggested we could solve poverty by loading planes with money and dropping it over poor countries!

The market is free inasmuch as it is not managed by a corrupt crony capitalist government.