From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Sun Dec 12 2004 - 14:17:48 GMT
Dear Wim,
> In your 10 Dec 2004 20:12:51 -0500 post you did not concede that the
> social security part of my propsed solution to Islamist terrorism would not
> imply giving in to terrorist blackmail. Maybe I should have been clearer
> that -of course- the terrorists themselves should not be on the dole. Once
> they have committed terrorist acts, they are criminals that have to be
> dealt with as such. The (globalized) social security system I propose is
> meant for their (potential) supporters, preventing them to BECOME
> terrorists themselves.
The best globalized social security system would not be a welfare program
but democracy and free markets. That way, people would be encouraged to
produce, not relieve them of their responsibility for making bad choices
by providing for them.
> I already DO pay taxes and contributions to the
> social security system voluntarily. There's no policeman needed to collect
> them from me and from 99,999% of the Dutch. Of course there IS a real risk
> of getting a policeman at your door when you don't pay. Without that risk
> the percentage of voluntary payments might fall to say 99%. Another 9%
> might be tempted to profit from that situation even though they agree that
> they would be immoral doing so. Even then 90% of the Dutch would
> voluntarily pay from 'their money' (hard-earned or not) a social security
> system that prevents people from falling into poverty if the economy
> doesn't need their labour.
So why not make it voluntary? Think of the enforcement money you would
save that could be used to feed the hungry.
>'Democracy is a punishment we inflict upon our enemies,
> like Afghanistan and Iraq. It is not something we give our friends. Egypt,
> Tunesia, Saudi-Arabia, most of the coutries in the region, have been
> shortening the reins. Partly because of that the US have lost almost all
> credibility in the region. Even good plans and ideas will be thwarted just
> because they originate form the US.' Spreading democracy by luring
> countries into the EU seems a more effective way to me than enforcing
> democracy by war.
What has transpired in Afghanistan belies this statement. We shall see
what transpires in Iraq, and then the other countries in the Middle East.
I think the wave of the future is with democracy and capitalism, not more
tyranny.
> The obligation to spend 0,7% of GNP on development aid for all OECD members
> is one the USA took upon itself as UN and OECD member in 1970, but never
> observed. You can read the history of this obligation in
> www.oecd.org/dataoecd/3/39/1896816.pdf . It was an outflow of the Marshall
> plan thinking.
The U.S. is the OECD's largest contributor with 25% of the annual budget.
Typically, others want the U.S. to kick in more.
> Whether UN and a Global Court of Justice represent US values seems to be
> bitterly disputed among Americans. Kerry-voters seem to have different
> 'American values' than Bush-voters.
Yes. And the Bush-voters won.
> A good social security system doesn't free people from having to earn a
> living if they can. At least in the Netherlands social security payments
> are gradually reduced if the receiver doesn't seriously apply for jobs or
> tries to find other ways to make a living. Sometimes people are even set to
> work in socially useful ways if they don't find a job themselves and want
> to stay on the dole.
"Social Security" to Americans refers specifically to a New Deal
government retirement program (actually a Ponsi scheme) that is rapidly
going broke. By "social security" you apparently mean what we politely
call "welfare," otherwise known as a "freebie" or a "handout." It helps to
be reminded from time to time that no nation was ever built by its
citizens seeking handouts.
Best,
Platt
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