Comments on: Scratching By: How Government Creates Poverty as We Know It

By: Cry Little Girl, Cry « Human Iterations

Cry Little Girl, Cry « Human Iterations — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:42:21 +0000

[...] are endless, from native-plantlife restoring landscaping to bike repair. Of course the government actively suppresses such wildcat production and commerce, but imagine how awesome it would be to be greeted at the [...]

By: Libertarianism and Beneficiary-Bashing « Brad Taylor’s Blog

Libertarianism and Beneficiary-Bashing « Brad Taylor’s Blog — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:30:54 +0000

[...] government policy today disproportionately harms the poor. Mandated minimum levels of safety and quality on housing and other goods outlaws the products many [...]

By: Jeanette

Jeanette — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:00:10 +0000

Well, I will start off by saying that I believe that the US Constitution is wonderful. Bu like any human creation, it is valuable and fallible.
Jefferson strove to fight tyrannies: Political, economic, religious, and majority rule. He wanted government to be strong, but not impotent. It is supposed to speak for those who are bullied into submission.
It sounds like you have a political tyranny going on in your community. Good thing there are recourses to protest and rectify that. You sound as if you have the physical, emotional, and intellectual resources to do just that.
An idea, like any human creation, is valuable and fallible. But some people take a position that their ideology is perfect in every situation, everywhere in the world, for every population, in every period of time. THAT is myopic.

By: julie

julie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:50:37 +0000

I disagree that this particular view is, as you say, \"myopic.\" Rather, it is presenting facts from the point of view of, say, someone who might want the government to respect their personal rights. This is exactly, in large part, what is happening with the government in general right now. \"We\" (that is, Big Brother) wants to \"take care\" of everyone, so \"we\" are going to force all of you insignificants that can\’t really fight against it (thus, the involuntary part)into doing what \"We\" feel is best for you. Oh, and by the way, thank you very much for your cash for our decision on your behalf. \"You\" can\’t logically decide whether or not you want the city to pick up your garbage for you or if you want all of the benefici of living within the boundaries of the neighboring city. We have this issue occurring right now. Our city wants to annex the unincorporated areas (much, if not all is farming land, which individuals have purchased for that sole purpose–because it wasn\’t within the city boundaries, specifically) because it just passed a new budget, nearly doubling our current taxes. When I first read about them possibly doing this, the red flags were violently waving in my face, telling me to go and help defend those having their rights violated. Yes, violated. Shame on those who sit on these city councils, or at the state level, and ever consider involuntary o.k. Just my personal opinion, perhaps too \"free\" for our current political climate thinking, of course.

By: Jeanette

Jeanette — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:54:55 +0000

This article is completely oblivious. It ignores the poverty/disability cycle – and advocates solutions that would exacerbate the problems. See: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/disabled/disabday.htm
and
http://www.preventblackcrime.com/pcbc.nsf/ae787fdf52e79d63852567b4006ae820/d3de709c7033275e852568500056c87a?OpenDocument
and
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/disability.pdf

The author glosses over the fact that violence and crime are very often the means of scratching by.
Non-licensed hairdressers work out of their home all the time under the table, as a barter or cash only basis. They are available to anyone who wants to risk health problems or poor quality.
And, BTW, I started my own home business from scratch legally– and my out-of-pocket expenses to government bureaucracy were $15.

I agree that the status quo should be continually questioned, evaluated, criticized, and improved. But this train of thought is myopic.

By: Lynn Atherton-Bloxham

Lynn Atherton-Bloxham — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:34:48 +0000

Well written and organized. I will email this to all my well meaning “progressive” friends who just do not get the concept of voluntary exchange and the actual progress this brings to people who are allowed to freely participate.