if your the president

[Snorri1234]

Ahh, see snorri, this is where you and I fundementally disagree.

Yes sure, socialism to a basic thinker seems like the be-all and end-all to every financial issue. It sounds great, businesses pay for the subsidisation of national services and welfare of the nation, whilst a healthy levekl of stealth taxes on all products and services ensures that the country can provide thousands upon thousands of needless, pen-pushing, public secter jobs for the slightly less practical and useful people in the nation....sounds fantastic, to the naive and basic economic thinker.

Well, the other side of the spectrum might sound totally awesome in economist's ears, but the problem is that it screws over many people. The idea that a total free market will somehow work to the benefit of everyone is quite frankly ridiculous. Big businesses will always go for more money, so the only solution is introducing laws and regulations to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. Nationalising their bussinesses isn't an option, because that would make it futile to start a business and that is just the thing we need to encourage.
I'm not a fan of a purely socialist state or a purely capitalistic state. They both bring something to the table. The free market brings money and profit to the economy, and the socialism makes sure people aren't treated like crap.

Basically, I think there needs to be an encouragement of small businesses and a discouragement of big business.

[Napoleon Ier]

Ahh, see snorri, this is where you and I fundementally disagree.

Yes sure, socialism to a basic thinker seems like the be-all and end-all to every financial issue. It sounds great, businesses pay for the subsidisation of national services and welfare of the nation, whilst a healthy levekl of stealth taxes on all products and services ensures that the country can provide thousands upon thousands of needless, pen-pushing, public secter jobs for the slightly less practical and useful people in the nation....sounds fantastic, to the naive and basic economic thinker.

Well, the other side of the spectrum might sound totally awesome in economist's ears, but the problem is that it screws over many people. The idea that a total free market will somehow work to the benefit of everyone is quite frankly ridiculous. Big businesse;s will always go for more money, so the only solution is introducing laws and regulations to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. Nationalising their bussinesses isn't an option, because that would make it futile to start a business and that is just the thing we need to encourage.
I'm not a fan of a purely socialist state or a purely capitalistic state. They both bring something to the table. The free market brings money and profit to the economy, and the socialism makes sure people aren't treated like crap.

Basically, I think there needs to be an encouragement of small businesses and a discouragement of big business.

Really? When have the masses benefited from socialism? Always, liberalism and capitalist competition (the true liberal ideology, in the neo-classical sense) has spearheaded the great leaps forward of humanity. The fact that (and by your own admission), all serious economists oppose socialism, shows quite how beneficial capitalism is. It means individuals, people, yes even 'the' people are able to do as they please with their life, their guranteed inalienable liberties and the product of the two, their property.

[suggs]

Ok. I know this is an obvious, somewhat cliched point.
But Napster, there has NEVER been a socialist country, so no one knows how it would pan out.

You're bright enough to know that the USSR, China, Cuba etc were not/are not AT ALL socialist.

Suggs-"Socialism of The Heart"

[Snowpepsi]

I thought young people these days were OK with immigration.

I guess I'm wrong.

Why do y'all hate immigrants, anyway?

Hate is too strong a word. And not immigrants but illegals. Those people that their first act in this country is to break the law. This country was built on immigration. With the exception of pure blooded Native Americans, all of our ancestors were immigrants.

[apey]

I whole heartedly agree with pepsi

[Snowpepsi]

Introduce the death penalty for the most heinous of offences

Agreed. Let's hang them health & safety inspector bastards.

Note about your avi: I miss him.

[apey]

I don't get it
Miss who

[Napoleon Ier]

Introduce the death penalty for the most heinous of offences

Agreed. Let's hang them health & safety inspector bastards.

Note about your avi: I miss him.

Everyone badmouths him in Europe...

[apey]

nevermind I get it

[Napoleon Ier]

Ok. I know this is an obvious, somewhat cliched point.
But Napster, there has NEVER been a socialist country, so no one knows how it would pan out.

You're bright enough to know that the USSR, China, Cuba etc were not/are not AT ALL socialist.

Suggs-"Socialism of The Heart"

No, they always and inevitably degenerate. But seriously, the economic theory on which socialism is based is unmitigated horsesh*t.

[Snorri1234]

Really? When have the masses benefited from socialism?

You're right, universal healthcare has been the downfall of europe. I much rather have the US system where single mothers with 2 kids can't insure themselves and their kids.

Always, liberalism and capitalist competition (the true liberal ideology, in the neo-classical sense)

And like any ideology, it has flaws in the practical world. You're being ignorant if you think that capitalism hasn't ever been disadvantageous for people. It took socialist ideas to improve working conditions. (Or are you going to argue that unions aren't socialist?)

has spearheaded the great leaps forward of humanity.

Not always.

The fact that (and by your own admission), all serious economists oppose socialism, shows quite how beneficial capitalism is. It means individuals, people, yes even 'the' people are able to do as they please with their life, their guranteed inalienable liberties and the product of the two, their property.

Ah...propaganda.

[Snowpepsi]

Introduce the death penalty for the most heinous of offences

Agreed. Let's hang them health & safety inspector bastards.

Note about your avi: I miss him.

Everyone badmouths him in Europe...

He was the first president I ever voted for.

[autoload]

Teach people proper English. (To the original poster)

Legalize pot.

Legalize prostitution.

However, being president doesn't allow you to do anything. It would be easier if you were a congressman.

Yeah Baby!

[autoload]

2. Make my own personal harem (with more than hand-picked 100 women in it).

You more than hand picked 100 women? Give me an example of how can you more than hand pick a woman?

[0ojakeo0]

bomb japan

have chinesse and mexican chefs captured and made my personal cooks and then make china and mexico share any new recipies.

[Snowpepsi]

I would cut all government spending, end every single program and start from scratch. I would significantly lower the wages for all legislature and executive personnel. I would review judicial wages. I would have sales tax, and use permits (to be explained later.) I would end all income taxing. If all men are created equal, then they should pay to live here equally.

Military: I would review what is spent, and then insure we have everything we need going towards this. This would be my biggest expenditure, (probably).


(to be con't.)
Lot's of issues left to cover, wait for it.

[Napoleon Ier]

Really? When have the masses benefited from socialism?

You're right, universal healthcare has been the downfall of europe. I much rather have the US system where single mothers with 2 kids can't insure themselves and their kids.

Always, liberalism and capitalist competition (the true liberal ideology, in the neo-classical sense)

And like any ideology, it has flaws in the practical world. You're being ignorant if you think that capitalism hasn't ever been disadvantageous for people. It took socialist ideas to improve working conditions. (Or are you going to argue that unions aren't socialist?)

has spearheaded the great leaps forward of humanity.

Not always.

The fact that (and by your own admission), all serious economists oppose socialism, shows quite how beneficial capitalism is. It means individuals, people, yes even 'the' people are able to do as they please with their life, their guranteed inalienable liberties and the product of the two, their property.

Ah...propaganda.

Other than dismiss mainstream economic thought as propaganda, and extoll the virtues of universal healthcare, (yeah! go teh NHS!!!11) at the expense of the taxpayer and economic growth which would enable your single mother to get her healthcare, either through private charity or (shock horror) a job.

You want to know something great though? Tim Harford, an FT columnist, calculated the cost of govt. bureaucracy in the so-called "private! US healthcare, and he found that per capita, just nearly more is spent on healthcare bureaucracy alone ($1.000 p.a) in the US than is actually spent (by the individuals themselves) per capita on actual health in Singapore (where healthcare is hugely succesful). Just something to think about.

[Snowpepsi]

Roads:
I would privatize this. The building of roads would be bid on by road building companies. The lowest bidder gets the job. This would put some government workers out of a job. But those road builder companies could hire them. The government would sell user permits. People would pay for the use of the roads by buying a road permit sticker. Like a parking permit. You would buy permits for each vehicle you were planning on driving in any particular area. If the little red car is only going to be driven in this county then you only buy a permit for this county. Temporary permits would be issued for temporary needs. Just like parking permits. If you need a state permit, you buy a state permit. You get the idea. This would cause us to have to build toll booths, this cost would be included in the road price. Who will sit in the toll booth? Automated. You would buy the permit at the booth. We would have to have collectors. This could also be bid out to private industry.

[Snowpepsi]

Mail: Privatize it. We already have DHL, UPS, and FEDEX. Privatize it. Stamps can be sold by the mail companies. Cheapest or most reliable gets the consumers business.

[Jack boot Joey]

Hmmm...I don't like the idea of privatised roads, for the reason that this can be manipulated by high-spec power mongers, on their route to governing and regulating infrastructure and travel.

In fact, I would say that transport links are one of the few things that public secter spending does well, in britain anyway.

[Snowpepsi]

Education: Privatize it. End school taxes. You choose where to send your kid and how much you're willing to pay. Teach them yourself. If you can't teach them yourself and can't afford to send them somewhere, you have a few options. 1.) Don't have kids. 2.) Move to a country that does have free education. 3.) Let charitable organizations open up free or reduced priced schools. They do it in other countries all the time. Anyone who chooses to donate to such a cause, may so freely.

[spurgistan]

Education: Privatize it. End school taxes. You choose where to send your kid and how much you're willing to pay. Teach them yourself. If you can not teach them yourself and can't afford to send them somwhere, you have a few options. 1.) Don't have kids. 2.) Move to a country that does have free education. 3.) Let charitable organizations open up free or reduced priced schools. They do it in other countries all the time. Anyone who chooses to donate to such a cause, may do it freely.

That's penalizing kids even more for not being born to wealthy parents, something they're penalized enough for already. If we can't guarantee that all kids will have an equal start, we can hope that public education will make this into some sort of meritocracy.

[Snorri1234]

Other than dismiss mainstream economic thought as propaganda,

I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about what you concluded from it.

and extoll the virtues of universal healthcare,

Fact is that I can just go to the doctor when I have to instead of waiting till I'm almost dead because I can't afford it.

at the expense of the taxpayer and economic growth which would enable your single mother to get her healthcare, either through private charity or (shock horror) a job.

Hahaha, you're a bit deluded if you think that single mother doesn't have a job. Do you have any idea how fucked up the healthcare system is in the US? The USA pays more per capita and as a proportion of the GDP on healthcare than any other nation in the world. While only 84% actually has insurance!

Anyone actually arguing for the US system as a good thing is a retard. Plain and simple.

You want to know something great though? Tim Harford, an FT columnist, calculated the cost of govt. bureaucracy in the so-called "private! US healthcare, and he found that per capita, just nearly more is spent on healthcare bureaucracy alone ($1.000 p.a) in the US than is actually spent (by the individuals themselves) per capita on actual health in Singapore (where healthcare is hugely succesful). Just something to think about.

You know what is also something to think about? The fact that an uninsured person costs more than an insured person for healthcare. Because of the fact that uninsured people go to the hospital when they require expensive and vital care (due to them not going to the doctor for non-threatening stuff and letting it grow).

You know what the main cause is for that spending on bureaucracy? The unbelievable amount of insurance companies in the country. This costs way more than a nationalized, single-payer system which many other countries have.

[Frigidus]

Education: Privatize it. End school taxes. You choose where to send your kid and how much you're willing to pay. Teach them yourself. If you can't teach them yourself and can't afford to send them somewhere, you have a few options. 1.) Don't have kids. 2.) Move to a country that does have free education. 3.) Let charitable organizations open up free or reduced priced schools. They do it in other countries all the time. Anyone who chooses to donate to such a cause, may so freely.

Voucher schools for the win. If our country wasn't bogged down with lobbyists we'd probably have them.

[Snowpepsi]

Sewer and water: privatize it. You pay to be hooked up, same as you do for power, and telephone. Landlords must include the price in the rent (which they do here anyway.) People can choose to have their own well and septic system.