RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Cavema n Trade vs. Modern Trade

[Harry Pollard]

Arthur,   Good.   However, public acceptance requires such things as more services and lower taxes.   And there's the rub.   Harry   ******************************************** Henry George School of Social Science of Los Angeles Box 655  Tujunga  CA  91042 Tel: 818 352-4141  --  Fax: 818 353-2242 http://haledward.home.comcast.net ********************************************    From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 8:28 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Cavema n Trade vs. Modern Trade I don't think that left wing vs. right wing has much meaning any more.   It is not about A or B.  Rather it is about A and B.   It is about workable governance models that have some degree of sustainability ( which means that there is requisite public acceptance.)   arthur -----Original Message----- From: Harry Pollard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 4:42 PM To: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: Slightly extended (was Re: [Futurework] David Ricardo, Cavema n Trade vs. Modern Trade Arthur,   I'm falling behind in replying to you, but I'll catch up.   So many remarks about a simple and sensible statement.   If each member of a community is better off, is it difficult to concede that the community (of people) is better off?   Ray didn't like "better off" (def: In a more fortunate or prosperous condition). I have no idea why.   But, my humility is exceeded only by my infinite patience. For the umpteenth time, free trade and the free market do not establish justice. Free trade enables us to make a bigger pie with the same exertion. Protective tariffs reduce the size of the pie and force us into using more exertion for less return.   This is why goods are so expensive in socialist systems - or modern capitalistic systems which in many ways are similar. The US has somewhere near 9,000 tariffs, a slew of import quotas and vicious anti-dumping legislation.   (Chris thinks the US is a free trading country with an internal free market, but then he thinks some very peculiar things.)   So, the free market will produce the biggest pie, but that doesn't mean the pie will be distributed fairly. The "unfairness" comes from somewhere else. The left has its attention firmly fixed on the big corporations. This prevents them from looking anywhere else, so they haven't a clue as to the reason for the unfairness.   Corporate monopoly is not an effect of the free market. It's an effect of government irresponsibility in providing privileges in return for bribes (sorry, contributions).   Although governments have a poor record, there is a naive belief among the left that though present government is inadequate, once a socialist government is in power, they will be wonderful.   Hah!   Once the honeymoon is over, they get down to the real issues - what pay and perks will they get. Because (with reason) I am critical of modern governments, you seem to think I am anti-government. That is nonsense. Government is part of community life, in the first place to deal with things the market cannot efficiently handle - then some other things that we might prefer the community to do rather than individuals.   But, that's the rub. Those few other things burgeon, then erupt. So, we get the horrid situation (with which you apparently agree) where the record of all these regulations is compressed into the 75,000 page Federal register.   With all due respect to you well-meaning left-wingers (I bet that term arouses argument)or for that matter you equally well-meaning right wingers, I want neither private injustice, nor public penury.   George analyzed the rising inequality that accompanied the amazing increases in the power to produce back in 1878.   You must have missed it - but then you were young.   To summarize, free trade will produce a big pie, but that leaves justice to be attained.   So, what is justice and how do we get it? Certainly not by making the pie smaller,   Harry      --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.541 / Virus Database: 335 - Release Date: 11/14/2003