Dear People Scared Of The (Big) Government

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Small government, i.e reduced financial regulation led us directly into the crisis we find ourselves today. We can trace the financial crisis in the US back through a series of acts of deregulation and laissez faire (hands over the eyes!) regulation. We let the masters of the universe ride roughshod and unchecked, greed led us to ruin, hyper-bonus culture removed any last vestiges of the concept of moral hazard. So it went until the bubble popped and we found our emperors standing buck naked in Wall St looking longingly toward their respective governments to clean up the mess ! Yet yeah, let's unleash the hounds, let the rabbit see the hare and hope the market 'self regulates' itself a little better this time.

Sound plan, what can possibly go wrong.

I am astounded that there are people out there who sincerely believe this approach wouldn't lead to crisis as it has previously. It is ludicrous to suggest big government caused this crisis, either that or willfully ignorant.

 

[captainmcd]

Only big governments with lots of power can do these terrible things, including the United States and Argentina who do not have a sterling record for governing their own citizens. If anyone is brainwashed here it is robwerwe and jamjam who think the government can solve all of thier problems.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

which is more naive? Belief that government should regulate against greed and exploitation or belief that big corporations unchecked will not greedily exploit?

 

[JamJam]

Only big governments with lots of power can do these terrible things, including the United States and Argentina who do not have a sterling record for governing their own citizens. If anyone is brainwashed here it is robwerwe and jamjam who think the government can solve all of thier problems.

I think your getting governments mixed up with the military.
If governments were stronger then they could stand up to the massive corporations wanting them to go to war.

So if you have a government that doesn't really control much, who does?

 

[JamJam]

Only big governments with lots of power can do these terrible things, including the United States and Argentina who do not have a sterling record for governing their own citizens. If anyone is brainwashed here it is robwerwe and jamjam who think the government can solve all of thier problems.

Ironically if you replace the word Government with Corporation your statement might make more sense in terms of the USA

 

[captainmcd]

It is big governments that allow big corporations to achieve power, granting them special favors that their competition does not have in return for large contributions. This is not capitalism. The problem of the housing bubble and needless wars would not exist unless the government found them useful for their own political purposes. Now the United States government claims power to execute any U.S. citizen whom they feel is a threat to national security, anonymous senior executives can act as judge, jury, and executioner of anyone who is not on U.S. soil. Do you think that this is a good power for a government to have?

 

[gsi16386]

LOL...this post makes me laugh. You big gov't people should feel right at home in Argentina, so have a coke and a smile and be happy where you are. Of course, there are no issues in Argentina, or Venezuela, or Cuba, or Europe for that matter.

The fact of the matter is, free market capitalism has pulled more people out of poverty than any big gov't entitlement system. I find it interesting that a majority of the people begging for bigger gov't are those that couldn't hack it in a free market system (a majority, not all). Gov't regulations should be minimal, to ensure the safety of it's citizens, then they need to get the hell out of the way.

 

[JamJam]

It is big governments that allow big corporations to achieve power, granting them special favors that their competition does not have in return for large contributions. This is not capitalism. The problem of the housing bubble and needless wars would not exist unless the government found them useful for their own political purposes. Now the United States government claims power to execute any U.S. citizen whom they feel is a threat to national security, anonymous senior executives can act as judge, jury, and executioner of anyone who is not on U.S. soil. Do you think that this is a good power for a government to have?

I think your problem is with the US government not governments in general.
That would be like saying all people from New Zealand are sheep shaggers. (Its fact that there are at least 3 people who have not had sex with a sheep there, A)

 

[JamJam]

LOL...this post makes me laugh. You big gov't people should feel right at home in Argentina, so have a coke and a smile and be happy where you are. Of course, there are no issues in Argentina, or Venezuela, or Cuba, or Europe for that matter.

The fact of the matter is, free market capitalism has pulled more people out of poverty than any big gov't entitlement system. I find it interesting that a majority of the people begging for bigger gov't are those that couldn't hack it in a free market system (a majority, not all). Gov't regulations should be minimal, to ensure the safety of it's citizens, then they need to get the hell out of the way.

And what about Germany recently?

 

[JamJam]

Gov't regulations should be minimal, to ensure the safety of it's citizens, then they need to get the hell out of the way.

So remind me again why we have an economic crisis in Europe and the US, wasn't that because of minimal regulations in lending?