Liberals are intolerant of opposing views and opinions.

[Guy Threepwood]

I'll add that the modern liberal favors problem solvnig thru powerful government authority.
Government determines what is best, & imposes it upon us.
They aren't even the mythical "left libertarian".

okay, yes, that's a more concise way to put it!


it's nothing new for the left in general though; we can all rattle off a few socialist dictators on the fly..

But anyone heard of a libertarian dictator? a free-market dictator?

t'wouldn't be nearly as much fun, how would you even get those giant public statues of yourself built?

 

[metis]

That's my experience living in New York. I'm living in a state that is nationwide, the one with the least personal and economic freedom. I think California is at least on par with New York in that regard.

But you gotta be careful with that because many regulatory laws were passed to try and keep people from being taken advantage of by some with unscrupulous motivations-- snake-oil salesmen/women. Also, there are other concerns, such as environmental and some other factors.

I really like what the Swedes do in that a great many of their laws are referred to in English as "sunshine laws", which have to be reviewed after a set number of years by an ombudsman, who gives advice to legislators as to how well a law may be working and whether (s)he recommends extension, elimination, or alteration of the original law. Then their parliamentarians can do what they think is best even if it goes against the ombudsman's recommendation. The Swedes are well known for their pragmatism, and I wish we were more that way versus having the ideological constipation that we've developed in recent decades.

 

[Stevicus]

I'll add that the modern liberal favors problem solvnig thru powerful government authority.
Government determines what is best, & imposes it upon us.
They aren't even the mythical "left libertarian".

I think a lot of it really depends on what they're regulating or reacting to. At least historically, a lot of these government agencies and authorities were created in response to some situation the government was compelled to respond to.

It seems more a chicken-egg question. Is the problem due to the government making too many laws, or is it because society is so screwed up to begin with that the government has no other choice but to make more laws?

Every time I come across some nonsensical and seemingly useless regulation or directive, my first thought is that someone, somewhere along the line, screwed something up really badly that someone in charge had to decide "Well, we're going to have to make a new rule." That's how this stuff happens.

 

[Revoltingest]

okay, yes, that's a more concise way to put it!


it's nothing new for the left in general though; we can all rattle off a few socialist dictators on the fly..

But anyone heard of a libertarian dictator? a free-market dictator?

t'wouldn't be nearly as much fun, how would you even get those giant public statues of yourself built?

A free market dictator is possible,
although I've no examples.
I'm sure someone will step up.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

A free market dictator is possible,
although I've no examples.
I'm sure someone will step up.

I'll vote for ya!

 

[Revoltingest]

I think a lot of it really depends on what they're regulating or reacting to. At least historically, a lot of these government agencies and authorities were created in response to some situation the government was compelled to respond to.

It seems more a chicken-egg question. Is the problem due to the government making too many laws, or is it because society is so screwed up to begin with that the government has no other choice but to make more laws?

Every time I come across some nonsensical and seemingly useless regulation or directive, my first thought is that someone, somewhere along the line, screwed something up really badly that someone in charge had to decide "Well, we're going to have to make a new rule." That's how this stuff happens.

People of all political stripes always have reasons for doing what they do.
But liberals, Democrats, social conservatives, & Republicans tend toward government regulation.
Libertarians tend towards less of it.

 

[Stevicus]

A free market dictator is possible,
although I've no examples.
I'm sure someone will step up.

I suppose any dictator of a government often pejoratively referred to as a "banana republic" might qualify. They might be aligned with United Fruit or some other business consortium and rule as a dictator.

Or any mobster, such as Lucky Luciano or Al Capone. They operated somewhat like dictators and gained control of local governments from behind the scenes.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'll vote for ya!

I've long fantasized about setting up a constitutional dictatorship...with me in charge, of course.
Alas, it seems unlikely to be realized.

 

[Revoltingest]

I suppose any dictator of a government often pejoratively referred to as a "banana republic" might qualify. They might be aligned with United Fruit or some other business consortium and rule as a dictator.

Or any mobster, such as Lucky Luciano or Al Capone. They operated somewhat like dictators and gained control of local governments from behind the scenes.

Those don't sound so free marketish though.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

I've long fantasized about setting up a constitutional dictatorship...with me in charge, of course.
Alas, it seems unlikely to be realized.

maybe not, but you don't have to be a politician anymore to run for office, our own Kid Rock could be next!

All you need is to rule social media, and with > 22k positive votes, I think you have the lead in this here constituency!

 

[Revoltingest]

maybe not, but you don't have to be a politician anymore to run for office, our own Kid Rock could be next!

All you need is to rule social media, and with > 22k positive votes, I think you have the lead in this here constituency!

Some frubal wealth aside, I think I scare most people here....at least all the neurotypicals.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

And yes, they do segregate based upon color.
Here’s why Harvard is holding an individual graduation ceremony for black students this month

(not you, entirely all them)

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I really like what the Swedes do in that a great many of their laws are referred to in English as "sunshine laws", which have to be reviewed after a set number of years by an ombudsman, who gives advice to legislators as to how well a law may be working and whether (s)he recommends extension, elimination, or alteration of the original law. Then their parliamentarians can do what they think is best even if it goes against the ombudsman's recommendation. The Swedes are well known for their pragmatism, and I wish we were more that way versus having the ideological constipation that we've developed in recent decades.

It would be very nice if we did start taking more after the Swedes, Norwegians, Finnish. Without doubt they are leading the world in addressing and fixing their social/economic issues. I'm sure it's not all perfect, but it has to admitted that aren't just some something right, they are doing a whole bunch of right.

 

[VioletVortex]

Certainly true of some individuals, but it's ignorant of the liberal philosophy to stereotype it as wholly opinionated.

 

[VioletVortex]

It would be very nice if we did start taking more after the Swedes, Norwegians, Finnish. Without doubt they are leading the world in addressing and fixing their social/economic issues. I'm sure it's not all perfect, but it has to admitted that aren't just some something right, they are doing a whole bunch of right.

Sweden has gone down the drain, but Finland is certainly a model economy.

 

[Revoltingest]

Sweden has gone down the drain, but Finland is certainly a model economy.

But they pay thru the nose.
Daughter spends some time there, & many things are is really expensive (taxes, housing, food).

 

[Stevicus]

Those don't sound so free marketish though.

Yeah, but they weren't socialists or communists, so what else could they be?

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, but they weren't socialists or communists, so what else could they be?

Perhaps "criminal capitalism", eh?

 

[metis]

Sweden has gone down the drain, but Finland is certainly a model economy.

Actually that's not true. In the early 1990's they indeed had run across economic difficulties, largely cause by both foreign competition and an overbearing tax system that made Swedish products too expensive.

What the Swedes did to correct that was to lower the corporate tax rate and replace revenues lost with a VAT. The end result is that they are doing quite well as compared to most western countries: from Google: "Stability through reform. Sweden has among the EU's lowest levels of national debt, low and stable inflation and a healthy banking system. ... The Swedish economy used to suffer from low growth and high inflation, and the Swedish krona was repeatedly devalued."

Also, one might check this out: How Sweden created a model economy

 

[metis]

BTW, one needs to remember that Swedes have "cradle to grave" protection, and no one there goes bankrupt because of medical bills, for just one example. Day cares are publicly financed, and parents of new-borns have months of time to spend with their kids, and it's flexible so both Mom and Dad can determine if they want to split that time nurturing Junior(ess).

Obviously, this all has a price, but Swedes are willing pay for it and, frankly, I'm jealous of my relatives who live there for what they have. It's certainly not a utopia, but I much prefer what my cousins have there than the system we have here in the States.