Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Politics is Becoming Uninteresting

I'm not sure that politics isn't a waste of time.  Its not like your vote would accomplish much anyway.

But I have found the issues to be interesting.  How, for example, have we had only 8 balanced budgets since 1950?

In any case, I will now attempt the total refutation for any political argument whose answer is supposed to be government.

I realize that this is the following are the sort of arguments that are only convincing to people who think like me (more or less).  If we introduce those things called "feelings," then my following arguments won't convince anyone.

Then again, I'm not trying to convince anybody of anything.  I'm laying out I'm laying out my political thoughts to explain why I shall be focusing more of my attention elsewhere, because I am cool with my positions as they stand now.

Logical, historical, and anecdotal evidence are the three types of evidence that I can think of right now.  (Statistics should be included in "historical.")

Logical Evidence Against Government
  • Taxing means that someone thinks that he knows how to spend your money better than you do.
  • Regulating means that someone thinks that he knows how to protect you and live your life better than you do.
  • Why would you work if you're paid not to?
  • There is no way that a centralized organization can know what is best for all of millions, or thousands, or hundreds, or tens, of people better than they themselves.
  • What percentage of government employees truly do their jobs with the good of the public in mind for every decision that they make?
  • Basic economics (the book too) says that artificial rules and regulations distort and prevent individuals from interacting in their best interests.
Historical Evidence Against Government
  • The periods of economic decline, in American history, coincide with massive government growth.  (The [un]civil war was about arguing the laws of government. The Great Depression was worsened by the New Deal.  Seventies shortages were worsened by government inflation.  Our current situation has been worsened by bailouts and "stimulus." etc.)
  • Less government West Germany was better than more government East Germany
  • USSR was socialist and millions died of politics and/or starvation.
  • China was communist and tens of millions died of politics and/ or starvation.
  • North Korea is communist and millions have died of politics and/ or starvation.
  • Same with Vietnam, Cuba, Ethiopia, etc..
  • Sweden went from richer per capita than the U.S. to poorer per capita since becoming socialist.  Are they still rioting in Stockholm?
  • Various socialist countries in Europe are going bankrupt.
Anecdotal Evidence Against Government
All the above (and more) is all well and good but I haven't personally seen any of the historical evidence.  What have I seen personally?
I've been to less government and more prosperous Hong Kong and to more government and less prosperous China.

I've read P.J. O'Rourke's various accounts of what eastern Europe and Russia were like before 1989.  I haven't witnessed it but I've asked my dad who was there before 1989:

me: "P.J. O'Rourke says that Eastern Europe was bleak, dreary, depressing, and awful before 1989.  Was that true?

dad: "Oh yeah."
So I'm saying that I'm convinced with these arguments and more of similar ones, that the places with more government are worse than the places with less government.

I shall be endeavoring to avoid much politics on this blog and avoiding it in real life...to the extent that I am able considering that every aspect of my life has lots, and lots, and lots of rules and regulations directing what I can do, can't do, and how much I can do.

Millions have died thanks to government.  How can anyone support such an abomination?

1 comment:

  1. Politics is much broader than being limited to government. It can involve community and other non-government institutions.

    ReplyDelete