tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post6901184493912360749..comments2023-08-08T02:26:23.907-05:00Comments on Blog of Timothy, Son of Peter: Cuba has Finally Read 'Atlas Shrugged'Tim Faragehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08104599438906310838noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post-45752750252720864072014-02-21T19:04:43.244-06:002014-02-21T19:04:43.244-06:00Mike,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments and que...Mike,<br /><br />Thanks for your thoughtful comments and questions.<br /><br />You make goods points about questioning what I mean by 'Communism', because it's very important to define terms in order to have any sort of communication.<br /><br />My definition of a Communist country is one that controls most or all of the economy. For example, it would own most property and businesses, decide which businesses are allowed, and what jobs people should do. No, there's never been a pure Communistic country but the former USSR, North Korea, China a few decades ago, and Cuba come close.<br /><br />We know historically that all of these countries have created poverty and suffering amongst its people.<br /><br />In addition, a country that protects individual rights and freedom is the only type of country that is sustainable - because people will eventually want to be free to live their lives in peace however they wish.<br /><br />The United States Constitution does not define what kind of economy we should have, just as it does not decide what people's religion should be. So I would call our economy a free-market economy. This basically means we Americans should be free to start or do business however we wish, as long as we don't infringe on another's life, liberty or property.<br /><br />This last sentence implies that laws and regulations on businesses could be appropriate. For example, regulations that limit pollution, regulations that don't allow banks to loan out more money than they have, and other such laws and regulations that protect life, liberty or property. <br /><br />(An interesting, but related aside is that I believe that a business that extracts natural resources should be taxed based upon how much of the resources they extract. This is because the company did not create these natural resources, and so should compensate the rest of us for allowing them to extract them. And I'd actually prefer to have a natural resource tax replace the income tax. One of the many benefits is that natural resources would be more expensive, leading to companies and people toward conservation.)Tim Faragehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08104599438906310838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post-16651631329481756062014-02-21T14:58:33.106-06:002014-02-21T14:58:33.106-06:00It's worth noting that there has never been an...It's worth noting that there has never been an actual instance of Communism in human history. Countries like Cuba and China are communist in name only. It's primarily used as a blind label.<br /><br />For example, you call North Korea communist. North Korea's actual name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I'm sure we both agree that they are neither a republic nor a democracy. Yet what policies make them communist? Do the people have any say over property?<br /><br />What is your opinion of free markets tending towards monopolies? Do you think government regulation is sometimes necessary?Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post-76990003701676419242010-10-05T03:03:13.818-05:002010-10-05T03:03:13.818-05:00Yes.Yes.Marynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post-24804002505844745742010-10-05T03:01:00.610-05:002010-10-05T03:01:00.610-05:00Ha! How did we ever get to the point where we'...Ha! How did we ever get to the point where we're dependent on China?<br /><br />Will it take an act of God to find a way to balance our budget?Tim Faragehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08104599438906310838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1495601837554159435.post-81368239816754914612010-10-04T22:19:50.518-05:002010-10-04T22:19:50.518-05:00Well done -- It's ironic that China's inte...Well done -- It's ironic that China's integration of capitalism made them so propsperous that it's their investment in our paper that now has them so motivated to see us get our problems straightened out.Marynoreply@blogger.com