well done on the ROTW

[cheapclaimer]

The truth of the matter is that we\'ll never know if the socialist experiment would have ever worked.

What happened in Eastern Europe and the rest of the \"Soviet Empire\" had little to do with socialism. Quite simply it was Russian Imperialism that sucked out the lifeblood in every corner of the Republicks. The State had little use for the proletariate except as cheap labour for whatever scheme they needed them to play. Collective farms produced goods primarily for Moscow, Leningrad and other cities/places where Politburo members and the \"aparachniks\" resided and little remained for the workers. In fact, the little plots of land that people planted themselves privately, produced close to 30% of ALL agricultural products delaying a total collapse for decades. Proper State controlled newspapers informed the masses with appropriate propaganda how wonderful everything was and the agents of the KGB were there to make sure that everyone understood it, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Neither side has it right. At one time corporations in this country paid close to 75% of Federal Income taxes, now it\'s reversed, with you and me Joe Sixpack footing the bills, making sure that the likes of Exxon-Mobile are safe and secure.

Enough. It\'s very late and my mind is numb with figs dancing in my head.

jb

[TGJB]

Not that I mind it taking place here (until it gets out of hand), but I would really like to see this conversation take place on the Ragozin site. The one time I tried to have a conversation on the subject with Ragozin he said he didn\'t really want to discuss the nuts and bolts of it, but would show me that my political philosophy was a function of the class I was raised in, which ended the conversation. It was only later that I remembered that Ragozin was the son of a factory owner, and Friedman grew up in Beverly Hills and Scarsdale. I never got to ask him how that worked.
Friedman and I once had a 3 hour political discussion/debate on the train coming back from Delaware Park, and I have to say he was intellectually honest. I don\'t think people realize how serious he is about this stuff-- he ain\'t no utopian, and he don\'t call himself Robespierre for nothing.

[TGJB]

This is the same woman who makes Camille Paglia look like Suzanne Somers??

[Michael D.]

Alydar,

\"The pool of people who share my politics is tiny. I insist on choosing my friends from a bigger pool.\"

That is a good principle to stand on my friend. I wish more people thought like that.