Quote from: Cavebear on February 20, 2017, 01:17:54 AM
Votes are free.

Once you've purchased the proper ID from me, of course.

Quote from: SGOS on February 21, 2017, 05:41:47 AM
Aren't there things besides money that should determine what threads are allowed (or government services)?  However, money is what drives our current government spending.

It sounds like you would prefer a capitalist system, but we live in the most capitalistic society on the planet, just not capitalistic enough, apparently.

Send me money.  I will use it in onlygood thinks.  Goodthinks will result in goodresults!  I will to good HUGE ideas that advance EVERYONE!  Everydollar will make 2.  Every 2 will make 4.  We will all become rich.  Poverty will end.  War will bring peace eventually, my very name will assure it.  Every foreign leader will get in line seeing the advantages of following ME!

Quote from: Cavebear on February 26, 2017, 02:28:28 AM
Send me money.  I will use it in onlygood thinks.  Goodthinks will result in goodresults!  I will to good HUGE ideas that advance EVERYONE!  Everydollar will make 2.  Every 2 will make 4.  We will all become rich.  Poverty will end.  War will bring peace eventually, my very name will assure it.  Every foreign leader will get in line seeing the advantages of following ME!

Another politician is born every minute!!!

Quote from: fencerider on February 26, 2017, 02:34:08 AM
Another politician is born every minute!!!

Ah you doubt my goodintents?  I will assure that allpeople thrivebow.  Of wait, thrivesuccess.  You didn't see bow. I never said that.  "Bow" is fake news.  Very fake.  Fakest.  Most fakest...  You will, but you'll enjoy it.  You just don't know it yet.  All will bewell!  I assure you.

I think I can see a problem here, and it's one of accountability.

If I choose option A1, and if things go tits up, there's a definite person to hold responsible and you can not elect them again if they make a hash of things.

If I choose option A2, and if things go tits up, there is no one single person accountable and no mechanism for changing that outcome in the future.

Quote from: Jason78 on February 26, 2017, 10:31:16 AM
I think I can see a problem here, and it's one of accountability.

If I choose option A1, and if things go tits up, there's a definite person to hold responsible and you can not elect them again if they make a hash of things.

If I choose option A2, and if things go tits up, there is no one single person accountable and no mechanism for changing that outcome in the future.

Oh gosh no.  Iam the Perfect leader.  It only needs OneElection OneTime...

Quote from: Jason78 on February 26, 2017, 10:31:16 AM
I think I can see a problem here, and it's one of accountability.

If I choose option A1, and if things go tits up, there's a definite person to hold responsible and you can not elect them again if they make a hash of things.

If I choose option A2, and if things go tits up, there is no one single person accountable and no mechanism for changing that outcome in the future.

Status quo and CYA will choose A2.

Quote from: Jason78 on February 26, 2017, 10:31:16 AM
I think I can see a problem here, and it's one of accountability.

If I choose option A1, and if things go tits up, there's a definite person to hold responsible and you can not elect them again if they make a hash of things.

If I choose option A2, and if things go tits up, there is no one single person accountable and no mechanism for changing that outcome in the future.

Let's take global warming for example. 

A1 = You can hold your congressperson responsible and not elect him again. 
A2 = You can hold the EPA responsible and boycott it.

With A1 the EPA is beholden to your congressperson.  With A2 the EPA is beholden to you. 

Now if you're sure that A1 will do a better job of combating global warming than A2 would... then why don't we use this website to test your belief?  We'll all pay a reasonable fee and elect one member to decide which threads to spend our fees on.  If after a reasonable time we see an improvement in the supply of threads then this will provide evidence to support your belief in A1. 

A1 = producers should be indirectly accountable to consumers
A2 = producers should be directly accountable to consumers

In a consumer society, businesses and government are accountable to consumers/voters.  But things are more complicated, and corrupt, than your binary choice.

I see accountability more as something we owe to ourselves and our environment.  There are some billionaires who would apparently gladly spend their last dime to power a generator to create their last gasp of oxygen.  I do not understand such people.  You solve problems before they are fatal, not after.

Or they assume their deity will somehow save them...

Cavebear, in the private sector, you can get really rich by solving problems.  But in the public sector?  Well... defense contractors sure get rich... but it's not the same thing. 

So if we really want problems solved... do we rely on altruism or avarice?  Here's Adam Smith's answer...

QuoteIt is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.

This makes sense to me.  Imagine we create a market in the public sector.  Each year there would be trillions spent in the public sector.  So I'm guessing that pretty quickly some public servants would become billionaires... by solving global warming, curing cancer, inventing warp drive and so on. 

Everybody has an interest in having problems solved and most people have an interest in getting rich.  These two things really aren't mutually exclusive.  They are actually wonderfully compatible. 

Of course I might be wrong.  But I'm willing to put my beliefs to the test. 

Quote from: Xerographica on March 02, 2017, 06:14:49 AM
Cavebear, in the private sector, you can get really rich by solving problems.  But in the public sector?  Well... defense contractors sure get rich... but it's not the same thing. 

So if we really want problems solved... do we rely on altruism or avarice?  Here's Adam Smith's answer...

This makes sense to me.  Imagine we create a market in the public sector.  Each year there would be trillions spent in the public sector.  So I'm guessing that pretty quickly some public servants would become billionaires... by solving global warming, curing cancer, inventing warp drive and so on. 

Everybody has an interest in having problems solved and most people have an interest in getting rich.  These two things really aren't mutually exclusive.  They are actually wonderfully compatible. 

Of course I might be wrong.  But I'm willing to put my beliefs to the test.

Oh sure, quote some old guy...  ;)