tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post8474208669416281298..comments2024-03-17T00:13:44.599-07:00Comments on Marty Nemko: A Proposal for an Almost Anarchist Small GovernmentMarty Nemkohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14850388752934193821noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-45022746241695592902013-03-05T16:30:52.666-08:002013-03-05T16:30:52.666-08:00Thank you most recent Anonymous for your thoughtfu...Thank you most recent Anonymous for your thoughtful comments. <br /><br />My reactions: I don't believe that job creation is sufficient justification for military spending. I'd sooner return the $ to the taxpayer who'd end up creating jobs that will yield more benefit to society and not require the US to be a military monster.<br /><br />With regard to the U.S. being the world's policeman. Those zillions have arguably done more to hurt us than help us. Again, I believe the money is more wisely spent by the people who can then unleash the brilliant invisible hand of the market. <br /><br />Marty Nemkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14850388752934193821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-46261850428185378102013-03-05T16:11:12.133-08:002013-03-05T16:11:12.133-08:00if the "defense budget" were "cut b...if the "defense budget" were "cut by 80-90 percent" you would effectively be destroying the most effective jobs program we ever have had since the destruction of the low-paying semi-skilled job sector. You would be throwing millions of young women and men back into their broken neighborhoods, where their only choice was to become part of the criminal economy or go into the service. <br /><br />Also every "cut in spending" slashes defense-related high tech and high skilled jobs. Elitist "service economy" white collar types in SF owe your ability to talk for a living to the fact that this other, strong, taxpayer base exists, and the capacity to keep producing defense-related goods and services continues.<br /><br />Also, I don't think you'd want to live on this planet if this--the only nation ever founded on the principles of the Enlightenment--was not the world's "cop." Who would take that role? Russia? Japan? Saudi Arabia? (#2, 3, and 5 globally after the US) That'd go well.<br /><br />It is the principles of civilized behavior behind the DoD that have allowed it to become both powerful and amazingly restrained. I think that as a taxpayer I get much better value for the dollar from the Pentagon than from, say, public schooling including both K-12 and "higher" education, welfare, food stamps (actually welfare for transnational agri-pharma businesses), health care for stupid degenerates, or services for illegal immigrants.<br /><br />If we want to slash something let's slash handouts to the nonproductive.<br /><br />http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/10/how-much-can-we-cut-defense.html<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-90322602976778018582012-09-07T13:32:47.499-07:002012-09-07T13:32:47.499-07:00I agree with these ideas, and especially appreciat...I agree with these ideas, and especially appreciate the "right to die" suggestion. The fact that we waste so many resources to involuntarily add a few miserable weeks to the ends of peoples' lives is terrible. I recommend the book "Final Exit", although I have to admit that I am procrastinating about buying the recommended ingredients.Marc Joffehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14238629927052142269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-68460976065257765492012-09-07T10:20:24.211-07:002012-09-07T10:20:24.211-07:00Your America would make for a much livelier place....Your America would make for a much livelier place. In the beginning, it would be very messy, as people would have to be weened off government services and potholes wouldn't be magically filled in. People would be forced to participate and be more accountable to their communities. But it seems the crime rate would go way down, in direct proportion to gun ownership going way up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7821345570811107481.post-33594363303715132072012-09-07T08:32:03.779-07:002012-09-07T08:32:03.779-07:00I agree with many of your recommendations. When I ...I agree with many of your recommendations. When I see cute trollies in downtowns with few people in them I suspect that a private company has “friends” in the state or local government who give them a contract. But I am cynical.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com