Comments on: Return of the Dysfunctional Duo http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/ Musings on culture and politics by baseball writer Steven Goldman Sat, 19 May 2012 11:04:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Mike K http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1823 Mike K Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:35:06 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1823 @David: I smell cherry picking. I'm not going to generate a list, but I don't think it would be hard to find counter-examples. How about the nanny-state Scandinavian countries, which have the happiest citizenry on earth and remain prosperous? Or hey, Afghanistan doesn't have a very effective government right now, I bet Libertarians are emigrating there in droves. @David: I smell cherry picking. I’m not going to generate a list, but I don’t think it would be hard to find counter-examples. How about the nanny-state Scandinavian countries, which have the happiest citizenry on earth and remain prosperous? Or hey, Afghanistan doesn’t have a very effective government right now, I bet Libertarians are emigrating there in droves.

]]> By: David in Cal http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1809 David in Cal Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:04:59 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1809 I agree that we can't have the kind of tiny government that worked in Jefferson's day. But that still leaves the question of whether we'd be better off today with a somewhat bigger government or somewhat smaller. One way to answer is to look at pairs of places with comparable cultures, but different size government. E.g. Shanghai vs Hong Kong. E. Germany vs. W. Germany, Texas vs. California, N. Korea vs. S. Korea., Eastern Europe vs. western Europe. In each of these cases, the jurisdiction with the larger, more intrusive government was economically poorer, and generally less haappy.. I agree that we can’t have the kind of tiny government that worked in Jefferson’s day. But that still leaves the question of whether we’d be better off today with a somewhat bigger government or somewhat smaller. One way to answer is to look at pairs of places with comparable cultures, but different size government. E.g. Shanghai vs Hong Kong. E. Germany vs. W. Germany, Texas vs. California, N. Korea vs. S. Korea., Eastern Europe vs. western Europe. In each of these cases, the jurisdiction with the larger, more intrusive government was economically poorer, and generally less haappy..

]]> By: Mike K http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1807 Mike K Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:56:31 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1807 Yes David, but not for the mere sake of adding bureaucracy, and I think you know that. Whereas today's Republicans would happily kill off any given program, except for Defense, simply because "Government=Bad," regardless of merit. Yes David, but not for the mere sake of adding bureaucracy, and I think you know that. Whereas today’s Republicans would happily kill off any given program, except for Defense, simply because “Government=Bad,” regardless of merit.

]]> By: Dick Ryan http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1805 Dick Ryan Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:19:41 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1805 "this bromide is nonsense", "it seems ignorant", "dogma nearly a century old" --actually it is over 2 centuries old and was first uttered by Thomas Jefferson. This is the first time I have ever heard his statements called "nonsense" and Jefferson was anything but ignorant. Others, such as Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman, have said the same type of thing “this bromide is nonsense”, “it seems ignorant”, “dogma nearly a century old” –actually it is over 2 centuries old and was first uttered by Thomas Jefferson. This is the first time I have ever heard his statements called “nonsense” and Jefferson was anything but ignorant. Others, such as Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman, have said the same type of thing

]]> By: Louis http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1803 Louis Sat, 27 Mar 2010 17:12:00 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1803 "Yes, like it or not, government is something we’re stuck with, and it has a purpose to fulfill. It seems ignorant, then, to say that the least government is the best government, when really the best government has nothing to do with size and everything to do with quality." Amen. “Yes, like it or not, government is something we’re stuck with, and it has a purpose to fulfill. It seems ignorant, then, to say that the least government is the best government, when really the best government has nothing to do with size and everything to do with quality.”

Amen.

]]> By: David in Cal http://www.wholesomereading.com/2010/03/27/return-of-the-dysfunctional-duo/#comment-1802 David in Cal Sat, 27 Mar 2010 15:29:56 +0000 http://www.wholesomereading.com/?p=674#comment-1802 Steve wrote: <i>No one is suggesting we need more government....</i> Huh? Obama and the Dems have massively increased the size of government and propose even more of the same with Cap and Trade. 110 new bureacracies in Health Care, takeover of GM, takeover of Student Loan Program, governemnt supplied long term care insurance, etc. etc. Your video of Congressman Grayson claiming Reps are promoting violence and misleading the public is unconvincing. If you linked to actual evidence, that would be a different story. In particular, it's ludicrous to allege that when Palin proposed that Grayson be put out of office she was endorsing violence. She wants him not to be re-elected, as is appropriate for someone in the other party. Steve wrote: No one is suggesting we need more government….

Huh? Obama and the Dems have massively increased the size of government and propose even more of the same with Cap and Trade. 110 new bureacracies in Health Care, takeover of GM, takeover of Student Loan Program, governemnt supplied long term care insurance, etc. etc.

Your video of Congressman Grayson claiming Reps are promoting violence and misleading the public is unconvincing. If you linked to actual evidence, that would be a different story. In particular, it’s ludicrous to allege that when Palin proposed that Grayson be put out of office she was endorsing violence. She wants him not to be re-elected, as is appropriate for someone in the other party.

]]>