I dream of living in ... a World Without Dictators! I'm a Libertarian Paternalist in Slovakia - Freedom with Responsibility - 10% of income into your own Pension; Tax Loans for education, health, housing; now supporting Employment Maximizing Companies!

It's all about Policing, Stupid -- good guys using force

More Strategy Page on the need for good Police work as part of 'Peacekeeping'.

What peacekeepers are finding out, again and again, is that the first line of defense is not soldiers, but police. Peacekeepers are needed, in the first place, because local policing efforts have failed.

Let's remember that there are bad guys, willing to use force.  They can only be stopped by good guys willing to use force.

That's what gov't is, good guys using force.  Whenever you need good guys to use force, you need gov't.

Wherever you have gov't, you have force.

Posted by: TomGrey at 12/02/08 02:31 | link | comments (1)
democracy, world cop

Too Many Big Banks - downsize Finance

The popping of the housing bubble, after over construction of houses (by about 2 million), has meant a loss of jobs for some 500-600 000 workers (legal), and perhaps twice that among illegals (many going home).

The FINANCE bubble built on top of this also means too many bankers, and too many banks.

We need to help the solvent banks, and quickly let the insolvent banks die. There should probably be some 500 000 fewer bankers before the finance crisis is over.

The Big Banks, like Citi, which were too foolishly risk-seeking to avoid the high-risk derivatives, already have most of the toxic assets. They already are insolvent. There's no need for a new holding area, just let the bankrupt banks go into Chapter 7 (not 11, they're insolvent), and dispose of their assets at 20% of book value or so -- and let the solvent banks take over the good business.

Posted by: TomGrey at 12/02/08 02:24 | link | comments
economics

Africa should try Tribal Cantons

The depressing news about Africa continues, now from Strategy Page:
The basic problems are corruption, tribalism and raw materials (from oil to diamonds and minerals) that enable warlords to sustain themselves, and their gun toting followers, for years. Somalia and Congo are the worst examples of this sort of thing. Then there's Sudan, where the government actually supports much of the mayhem. Many countries are seemingly peaceful, but are actually ready to slip into anarchy.

Thru the article, there is a feeling that nothing can be done about the tribes.

But I think Switzerland should be more of a model, with tribal cantons as a goal.

Posted by: TomGrey at 12/02/08 02:23 | link | comments
africa