Cato: US Needs to Look at Canada For Pointers On Capitalism, Small Government

In things I never thought I would be reading: The libertarian think tank Cato Institute is touting the merits of Canada. So much for being a socialist backwater. Canada and Jefferson’s Natural Progress

Major pro-market reforms are possible in advanced welfare states — Jefferson can be proven wrong, as Canada illustrates. U.S policymakers can prove Jefferson wrong as well. They can start by cutting spending, decentralizing power out of Washington, and making pro-growth tax reforms in response to globalization, as Canada has, rather than imposing self-defeating “Buy America” provisions and making childish rants about “corporations moving jobs offshore.”

This is another result of George W. Bush's disastrous administration. Who would have even considered reading something like this 10 years ago? Canada has taken some positive steps in the right direction while the US was getting worse and worse. It only took a less than a decade to see the rot show through in America.

Why Fiscal Conservatives Hate Bush

A contrite Bush is now saying: "I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,"

My blood boils reading that. I want to put my fist through the screen.

Listen to this description from AFP:

Bush's comments reflect an extraordinary departure from his longtime advocacy for an unfettered free market, as his administration has orchestrated unprecedented government intervention in the face of a dire financial crisis.

Are you kidding me?! Since when is Bush is a "longtime advocacy of an unfettered free market?" The biggest spending, big government, subsidy addicted junkie in US history? This guy has signed every f---ing pork bill that has ever crossed his desk! He is no free marketer.

It makes me sick that unknowing people will relate free market capitalism with Bush. He should be the frightening example of Big Government that you use for campfire stories to scare your kids.

Christmas Comes Early to the CBC

Do you think they were feeling a little smug when this came over the wire? U.S. World Dominance Fading: Intelligence Agency

China is poised to have more impact than any other country, but the report also foresees a rise by India and Russia.

....

What is striking, the report notes, is that none of the three rising stars adhere to a Western liberal model but rather a system of state capitalism, under which the government takes a key role in economic management.

I love the little nod to "state capitalism." Do you think the state-owned CBC have any supporters of that concept?

The fact that the US Intelligence community made this report is a good thing. They have trouble forecasting the sun rising in the east in the morning. Wasn't the biggest story of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fact that US Intelligence was completely caught by surprise?

In this case, I think India will definitely rise. I see that as a good thing. China, and Russia are handcuffed by non-democratic and authoritarian governments. They might start flexing their muscles in their regions. Maybe it would be a bit of a relief if the US has diminished power and can worry about its own troubles closer to home, instead of everybody else’s?