Recent content by eworthington

I also think it would be better if Obama beat a RINO; that would send the message that the GOP lost because they nominated another moderate like McCain. Personally, I am going to vote for a third party candidate and encourage everyone I know to do so if Ron Paul isn't the candidate. If more...

Women aren't a monolithic voting block. Ron Paul should just target the groups likely to vote for him in the primary -- homeschooling parents and evangelicals. He might also get some liberal women to vote for him if he pushes his anti-war and anti-drug war views in states with open primaries. I...

Silverhandorder, I, for one, am undecided about George's economic rent theory. I do think, for the sake of obtaining revenue -- if you are not an anarchist -- that a land value tax of some sort is the fairest tax. I do agree that one can create value from property; i.e., one can plant crops or...

Silverhandorder, that is not necessarily true. If one were to pay the rental value for the resources, and then sell the car for more than the sum total of the resources, the difference is wealth, and that, is what I believe Georgists determine to be justly acquired property. The car would then...

Roy L, I know what you are talking about with regards to Detroit; the metro is becoming the ultimate doughnut. People just keep building around the city. It's sad, but it is becoming the opposite of some parts of Europe -- where some cities are surrounded by a green belt; Detroit has an...

Your post brings up a good point. One benefit to property taxes, over other forms of taxation, is that it tends to localize government more -- especially when compared to sales and income taxes.

I don't see how land ownership would be any different than it is now. If you don't pay your property taxes you will eventually have your property taken from you.

Becker, I'm not taking sides here, I do, however, believe that you are misunderstanding what Roy L. is saying. Georgists, I believe, assert that nobody owns the right to collect rent on undeveloped land; i.e., they did not create the land, they only possess due to privilege, conquest, or by...

I would wager to say that North Korea probably trades a lot more than we think. Much of it might be through front groups based out of neighboring countries or just outright smuggling, but they obviously bring in enough currency to build a large scale defense infrastructure. Their neighbors also...

I'm not sure how much I agree with George's assertions; I haven't studied them enough, but I think what he was getting at, and this could explain the relative prosperity of Singapore and Hong Kong, is that if the government collects the rent on land, that eliminates a landlord class whose...

I rather sure that Ron Paul has a plan for ending corporatism, and I think it starts with limiting the size of the state, and eliminating many regulations.

I am not defending the government of Singapore's actions Becker. The loss in personal freedom is not simply worth it. Regarding the land issue, if you misunderstood what I wrote I apology. From what I understand, in Singapore land is sold/leased to developers, and they, the developers, build and...

Becker, I don't think anybody is claiming that Singapore is a free market utopia; most are saying that overall, Singapore has a freer market than many countries. While private property rights are protected; the government largely owns the land, and land is, someone correct me if I am wrong...

The lack of a private renting class, I would surmise, also drive private capital into other commercial ventures; i.e., trade, production, etc.. The success of those countries is probably a rather good indicator that Henry George was on to something.

I wouldn't count myself a fan of Singapore's government either. I don't know if the one-party state is the biggest problem or even day-to-day corruption; they have conscription, and they do seem to use the death penalty for not terribly serious crimes. That said, the country does seem to...