Top Gear, on Cash for Clunkers.
This came from my mate Angry Exile.
I posted on this scheme a while ago when Gillard proposed it. It is apparently also in vogue in England. It is said that a lie makes its way around the world, while the truth is putting its shoes on and it looks like a dumb idea does the same thing. Here is the Top Gear boys take on it:
They make a great point about the waste of energy in an attempt to save fuel.
In many ways the theory of ‘Cash for clunkers,’ is similar to the ‘broken window’ theory in which it is argued that vandalism is good. This assumes that the destruction of property is synonymous with economic revival, (thus wars are good for the economy) by causing the victims to spend money they might have been otherwise too selfish to. The fact that the victims may have had their own aspirations as to what to do with the money they have been forced to spend to get back where they started from is beside the point.
While those who accept this offer are not coerced into doing so the fact remains that the government is encouraging the destruction of productive units at a direct cost to the taxpayers and indebtedness to those who put their feet on Julia’s sticky paper.
Libs (Finally) Oppose Internet Filter
The federal coalition has announced it will scrap controversial plans for an internet filter if it wins the August 21 election.
I’m glad they finally made their position clear. Abbott had previously indicated a lack of faith in the technical implementation, but – worryingly – not much opposition to the concept (ie, you got the impression that if he thought it would “work” at blocking content, he might support it.) Hockey’s opposition has been more consistent, and more in line with libertarians:
“I have personal responsibility as a parent,” he said in March.
“If I want to stop my children from viewing material that I feel is inappropriate then that is my responsibility to do something about it – not that of the government.”
UPDATE: The Australian Christian Lobby has come out strongly against the Coalition’s rejection of the Internet filter.
The rise and fall of community welfare
[Cross-posted at my personal blog http://johnhumphreys.com.au]
In the long and complicated debate about welfare systems, there is one element that I think is of particular interest and yet is under-appreciated and unknown to many people: community welfare societies.
By “community welfare” I do not mean private charity, or help from friends, or even social business. All of those are important and positive elements of civil society, but when talking of “community welfare” I mean the coming together of people into mutual societies where everybody contributes and everybody benefits. In effect, I mean a collection of non-government societies that work very much like a mini welfare state.
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