The Limits of Power (Thomas Sowell)

GOPUSA ^ | April 20, 2010 | Thomas Sowell

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Sometimes a carrot, sometimes a stick.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Ironically, the United States is moving in the direction of the kind of economy that China has been forced to move away from.

I've been mocked and called a ChiCom traitor here at FR for saying the exact same thing. China's moving to where were in the 60s, and we're moving to where they were in the 60s. In fact, in a purely objective view, the US is more communist than China.

An objective view would realize that China is no longer worthy of the title ChiComs; it should the ChiCaps (Chinese Capitalists) and we should be the AmeriComs (American Communists).

I'm sure this will get me labeled a ChiCom troll once again. At least I'm in good company with Dr. Sowell, however!

[highlander_UW]

Alan Keyes has been warning the nation since 2004 about Obama's slavemaster mindset. Few seemed to want to listen.

The majority of the warnings about Obama are coming to fruition...but America wasn't willing to listen...their ears are opening up now.

[Grizzled Bear]

Wait a minute! Has anyone ever seen Barrack Obama and Cindy Sheehan together? Look at the facial expression!

[Western Phil]

Thomas Sowell possesses the maturity and wisdom that the Messiah can only admire.

If only he would.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

The current leadership in Washington operates as if they can just set arbitrary goals, whether "affordable housing" or "universal health care" or anything else -- and not concern themselves with the repercussions

The question is, how many of them are really trying to achieve that, and how many are just saying it to bait the greedy fools who'd vote for them. After all, the immediate "repercussion" there is power; a seat in the legislature, and all its benefits. For some politicians, jobs and housing and health care are just promises you make to get elected; ideology is just cover.

[txnuke]

Thanks for posting.

[quintr]

excellent post — thank you

[unspun]

Thanks, Mr. Lowell. But I get really tired of the tertiary criticism of Barack Obama being “inexperienced.”

That is so, so not the point, about Barack Obama.

[Nepeta]

I wonder if Obama ever reads Sowell?

I doubt it. He probably only reads things praising him.

[csense]

A wise man, in a time and era, that really needs one...

[HighlyOpinionated]

The question is, how many of them are really trying to achieve that, and how many are just saying it to bait the greedy fools who'd vote for them. After all, the immediate "repercussion" there is power; a seat in the legislature, and all its benefits. For some politicians, jobs and housing and health care are just promises you make to get elected; ideology is just cover.

Another good reason why we MUST get the 17th Amendment repealed and go back to Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution. If Senators had to answer to their State Legislatures and not to their lobbyists and donors . . . the Senate would be a much finer place and Senators who did not perform well would not be sent back to Congress by their State Legislatures.

[Cyber Liberty]

An objective view would realize that China is no longer worthy of the title ChiComs; it should the ChiCaps (Chinese Capitalists) and we should be the AmeriComs (American Communists).

Ever been to China? just wondering.

[greatplains]

If he does, does he even remotely get it??

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Actually, yes; I live over there 6 months of the year (one month in the US, one month in China - have a nice apartment in Shanghai, not far from Qibao City and Xinzhuang terminal). Been doing so for the last few years, and have many expat and Chinese national friends.

China’s getting more and more open, and the US is getting more and more closed.

[Cyber Liberty]

I have work friends in Beijing. I don’t get much chance to talk to them about life outside the box....

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Ahhh... It’s really not as controlled and restricted as people tend to believe. In fact, the income tax even is pretty much truly voluntary because China has no way of really enforcing compliance, or auditing.

No socialized medicine, no social security, no unemployment, no free/subsidized housing, no free/subsidized food, and on and on. In many aspects, China is a lot more libertarian/capitalist than the US, and that is a sad thing.

[jabchae]

Do much Bible distribution over there?

[PugetSoundSoldier]

I am a Gideon (North Seattle camp), and I have distributed Bibles (圣经) in China, yes. You just have to be careful to declare them when you enter, and pay the import tariffs. Or they will be confiscated and you'll be hit with a triple tariff fine.

You can buy Bibles in most of the larger bookstores; there are dozens of Christian books - Bibles, concordances, writings of famous Christians - available for sale in the larger, better equipped Chinese bookstores. In fact you can even get Bible stories for children at the better bookstores in China; I know, I bought that very book for my GM's niece, at the Shanghai Book Mall (something like 6-7 floors of books - a HUGE bookstore).

Possessing or distributing Bibles won't get you into trouble; it's doing so with Bibles not taxed/declared. Of course, that's true for just about any item as well.

For that matter, I've even bought domestically printed Mandarin translations of Milton Friedman's classic Capitalism and Freedom - something you'd think would be even more forbidden in China!

[Cyber Liberty]

I’m glad to hear that of my friends’ living conditions. They are very good examples of Dr. Sowell’s thesis of this article. As scientists, I doubt their services can be had by force.