[McWatt] > I think a more careful analysis of Labour's losses on Thursday would reveal > that they were mostly down to the electorate blaming the Labour Party for an > economic recession that was primarily fuelled by the mismanagement (and > possibly greed in some cases) of certain finance companies in the North > American sub-prime housing market and the use of cheap, sweatshop labour in > East Asia. I don't think the illegal US-UK occupation of Iraq (for its oil) > helped the Labour Party either (which thinking person concerned with global > terrorism would support this retarded policy?) and, on a more local note, > the abolishing of the 10% tax rate in the UK which affects those on a lower > income.
Like I said, other factors besides a desire to move towards free markets may explain the recent victories of the conservatives in England and elsewhere. But, I consider the trend a positive one and I think Pirsig would, too. > Regarding the MOQ and the free market, I think the latter is seen by the MOQ > as a tool for a higher quality life rather than a social pattern which > should be left completely unregulated as can be seen by the recent sub-prime > housing and ENRON scandals. At least recently, the Democrats are gaining > more power in the States which should lead to better financial regulation > there and the withdrawing of Western troops in Iraq that much sooner -- for > the eventual benefit of all. Now that you mention it, when the Democrats took over Congress consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high, gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon, and the unemployment rate was 4.5%. Since Democrats have been in power, consumer confidence has dropped, unemployment has increased, gas is now at $3.55 a gallon, Americans have seen their home equity value drop by more than a trillion dollars, and there has been no wholesale withdrawal of forces from the Middle East as promised. Americans voted for change in 2006. They sure got it! Platt > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sun, 4 May > > 2008 10:27:59 -0500> Subject: [MD] Trending toward free markets in > > Europe?> > Hi All,> > We're all familiar with Pirsig's support of free > > markets as being better > than socialism because freedom allows DQ to > > work. For years, Western > European countries have embraced socialism. But > > recent elections in France, > Germany and Italy have marked a trend > > towards free market conservatism. Now > the trend has reached England. > > Britain's Labor Party not only lost last > week's mayoral election in > > London but has also suffered massive losses in > local elections. > > This > > move to the right may be explained by many factors other than a desire > > > of the people to lift the burden of government restrictions on the free > > > market. But when conservatives gain power, the chances of lifting some of > > > the restrictions improve -- for the eventual benefit of all. > > > > Regards,> Platt> Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
