tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324774631393962009.post3191554285972726380..comments2023-09-08T03:39:23.264-07:00Comments on Tom Paine's Clubhouse: Schwarzenegger is Wrong on This OneThomas Paine Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11420800532745198891noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324774631393962009.post-66180815345690783102008-04-18T13:24:00.000-07:002008-04-18T13:24:00.000-07:00But is it really ever that deliberate? Seriously....But is it really ever that deliberate? Seriously. I used to think of such Machiavellian scenarios - for example, I used to think, "Hmmm. Congress often gives an inexplicably free pass to China RE human rights, which leads<BR/>But I know what they're REALLY doing - a democratic, capitalistic China would quickly develop and become Japan x 5, so really they're ENCOURAGING the communist government to remain in power to deliberately keep China weak." But no, in actuality, these Congresspeople either a) just don't have a clue or b) have constituents with business interests that trump national security, democracy, and human rights concerns.<BR/><BR/>While I don't underestimate the self-interestedness of [oliticians, I think I was strongly overestimating their ability to execute anything and get their s*** together.Thomas Paine Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11420800532745198891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324774631393962009.post-40220666065102746132008-04-18T07:34:00.000-07:002008-04-18T07:34:00.000-07:00I deal with local governments every day. When a b...I deal with local governments every day. When a budget crunch comes along, the first things to get cut are the most visible, most popular, most valued services the entity offers. Usually, it's parks & rec and police patrols.<BR/><BR/>The idea is that you shock and horrify just enough voters just enough to get them to consent to a tax increase, so that you never have to cut any services at all.<BR/><BR/>Heaven forbid you cancel some do-nothing program that nobody knows about, which does nothing except guarantee a government pension to some Council member's brother-in-law...Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05846309245873277004noreply@blogger.com