At 10:14 AM 10/5/2002 -0400, Joseph B. Reid wrote: >John David Galt in USMA 22450 argued against compulsory metrication of the >private sector. Can he list the countries that have gone metric without >compulsion applied to the private sector, and add the dates of the start >and the finish of their metrication?
With all due respect, Joe, this is hardly a fair question, for several reasons: (A) just because all other countries that have converted have done so through coercive measures hardly means that coercion is the only avenue. I would admit it may be the FASTEST way to convert. However, the fastest way to get some money is to point a gun at someone's head and demand their wallet. That doesn't make it right. (B) As long as the USA is non-metric, and given its economic influence in the world, any other country has faced significant external forces against metricating. Clearly that is not the case with the USA when all other countries are already metric. (C) The USA has already STARTED metricating, and has done so voluntarily, with no compulsion applied to the private sector. Our metrication process may be taking a while, but there is no doubt whatsoever that we ARE metricating. I think a much better question is: "How much individual freedom are you willing to lose, and how much government bureaucracy are you willing to gain, to speed up the metrication process?" Jim Elwell, CAMS Electrical Engineer Industrial manufacturing manager Salt Lake City, Utah, USA www.qsicorp.com
