But in the eighteenth century anyone would probably agree that Britain was running a mercantilist/planned economy. Are we sure anything changed? Why were the governments of said nations so committed to providing access to resources and markets?
What does a monetary unit represent?

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Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

I give you.....
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/sweden__rel96.jpg
Sweden: The happiest place on earth.

nope, that would have to be divided on a who benefits more basis. that is, those who benefit more from this economy would take on a bigger share of the deficit. how elitist of you to suggest that a single mom struggling to raise 3 kids and working at a kitchen owes more to this nation than the millionaire or even half millionaire who drives around in fancy cars and spends her monthly paycheck on entertainment.

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Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

Those who benefit more from the system pay more for the system. What rich man, that is not fair? Did your mommy tell you life would be fair??
That is unless they are fannie may and freddie mac. then the taxpayers assume their 'risk.'
But claims bankruptcy and doesn't.

Yes. they benefit more from the system.
Nope, just that people pay taxes according to how beneficial the system is to them.
So the bottom 1/3 is the middle class? Do you know what it is like to be a bottom 1/3 member?

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Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

I'll concede that I don't know much about the history of Britain, but in the West in the 19th century markets by and large where freer than they are now.

The medium of exchange.

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"Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create."

"Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of men."

"War is a defeat for humanity."
-Pope John Paul II

Free market or laissez faire was more of a banner than a practice. Tarrifs were definitely around then.

good reading here: Paul, Laissez Faire in Nineteenth-Century Britain, Fact or Myth?: Library of Economics and Liberty


exchange of...

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Anyone with a vision needs to see an eye doctor. -Helmut Schmidt.

"Mrs. Palin, which specific journals and news sources do you read? (after being asked once)"

"Oh, All of them!"

I guess I assumed you were trying to form an argument rather than point out the incredibly obvious. Silly me. Why? You feel the rich should be charged more just because they live more comfortable, so why not students for, oh yes, "benefiting more" from their education? Why don't we "punish" good grades that way? Just as we "punish" success.It's designed, as far as capitalism is concerned, to benefit the skilled and intelligent. However, as far as government involvement is concerned, it is designed to benefit the poor, the incompetent, and the lazy. The rich can afford their own bodyguards, anyway. I doubt that they rely too much on the police to get there in minutes when seconds count.Yes I am.Yes I am.Yes I am.

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If a neocon whines about big government wealth redistribution, just ask him what he thinks about the portion of that big government that sends aid to Israel.

When they're in town (which is often), they're both in their offices by 8:30am. One runs the production side, the other runs the sales side...

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

I am in disbelief over your comments. Am I getting this right? Your belief is that the rich are the ones benefiting from the system? In what alternate universe are you living? The Human Resources section of the federal budget has been allocated $1.8 trillion for 2008. This is money taken from the top half of wager earners, and given to the bottom half via social services. This is pure redistribution of income. How, exactly, do you figure the rich are benefiting from this system?

Surviving a bankruptcy and getting federal bailouts are benefits only given to huge corporations (1/10th of 1% of all companies in the US), usually for the point of preserving thousands of middle-class jobs. (By the way, conservatives like myself do not support such government intervention. One more example of how Bush is not a conservative.) But trust me, when Joe Blow’s Manufacturing in Duluth, Minnesota files bankruptcy, Joe loses everything.

If this were the case, we would have to raise taxes on the poor.

You simply are not understanding the numbers. 1/3, of all people filing taxes recieve a return of more money than they paid into income taxes. Via child tax credits, head of household credits, etc - the credits add up to much more than they paid in to begin with, so they actually are given money instead of paying. Am I making myself clear? Since less than 1/3 of the population is considered poor, some of this 1/3 must be middle class. Any questions?

How do some people benefit more from the economy than others? Do you think they are picked out of the crowd like The Price Is Right or something?

I never suggested she should pay more. I suggested that true equality would be for every adult in this country to pay exactly the same amount of tax each year. Not the same percentage, but the same exact amount. Now, I am not suggesting anyone propose such a thing, but I am using this example to demonstrate how far we have gone to the other extreme. Many people suggest that for everyone to pay the same percentage is the extreme. But it actually is not, as I have demonstrated. A flat tax would actually be a moderate compromise.

Oh, and about your single mom raising 3 kids example . . . do I owe her anything? I am nearing 40, never been married and have no kids. Those are choices I made. I wanted to start a business, so I worked my way through college, payed off my school loans, and now have been able to start my business. I understood that none of this would have been possible while raising children, so I chose not to have any. She chose to have a family instead. If you were to ask her, she would probably not trade her children for my business. So why am I being punished for the choices I made? I am not heartless, I do not mind her being helped by the government. While she is benefiting from several government programs geared toward her, paid for by me, I am insulted by her demanding more and calling me an elitist for drawing the line at 50% of all I earn.

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The (almost)Great SupPackFan Quotes:
"The more times you drive over a cat - the flatter it gets!"
"Differentiating legal and illegal immigration is as critical as separating child adoption from child abduction."

You do realise the state that Britians people got into during the 19th Centuary don't you? And Somalia and Ireland wern't/arn't exactly doing that well... The fact is that a pure free market has never existed and when we have come close to it it has had terrable human consiquences.

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I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. - Voltaire

There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. - Art of War, Sun-Tzu, Chapter 2, Paragraph 6

"An eye for an eye makes everyone blind"-Gandi

And I say the poor benefit more from the system. And they have a choice not to live here.

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http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

HOw does that make their work any less work?

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http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

Are you claiming Sweden is socialist? How so?

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http://www.fairtax.org

Elminate all taxes on income and replace with a national sales tax.

You seem to take issue with someone assuming rich people work more hours, yet you're completely comfortable making the assumption that most rich people are sissies.

Hypocrite much?

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Obama's New "57 State Patriotic Pin":




Sayeth John Drake - 10/13/08: "OK, you're right, I admit to LYING"

By your logic, can I say that most of the blue collar class would die of stupidity if they had to work one day running a corporation?