Are you watching Latvia implode?

[Narmer]

Pegging their currency to the Euro wasn't a good idea either.

 

[theeedude]

Well was it corruption or not?

You could say our lax regulation is result of politicians being corrupted by corporate money.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Is this second in a series? What is the next country to implode?

Spain or there is a 4th country (I forget what it is). The Daily Show/Colbert Report did a report on Greece and mentioned the 4 that aren't doing well right now.

 

[lothar]

Spain or there is a 4th country (I forget what it is). The Daily Show/Colbert Report did a report on Greece and mentioned the 4 that aren't doing well right now.

Iceland, Greece, Spain, and Portugal.

 

[sandorski]

Iceland, Greece, Spain, and Portugal.

I've heard Ireland mentioned with those as well.

 

[Munky]

But... but... but... the market was supposed to take care of itself!

It would have if the market was allowed to fail insolvent banks. Not that it would have prevented bad consequences for a lot of people, but the long-term problem would have been solved.

 

[ElFenix]

businesses don't bear the burden of taxes. people do.

 

[soccerballtux]

Looks like they adopted every policy that our conservative "free market" economies want us to adopt, flat taxes, deregulation, privatization, etc.

http://www.balticbusinessnews.com/a..._has_problems_Latvia_is_on_the_way_to_serfdom


Sounds like a GOP wet dream, what could go wrong?
Read and find out.

I'll raise your Latvia with my Germany. They've been heading in the smaller-government direction for years now and it's paying off-- they're the best economy in the EU, bar none.

 

[theeedude]

I'll raise your Latvia with my Germany. They've been heading in the smaller-government direction for years now and it's paying off-- they're the best economy in the EU, bar none.

Great, if Germany is your idea of small government, I am all for it.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Corruption exists in corporations and governments. That's the problem and when it exists and harms the people it needs to be corrected. It's not really that complicated.

 

[rudder]

You mean they don't have enough regulation?

Nice try... but I am referring to laws and the ability to enforce them. Regulations whether too many or too few are irrelevant if there is no enforcement mechanism.

Look...trying to paint latvia as a failure of conservative policies is well fail. Would you like a list of countries that would classify as leftist wet dreams that I am sure even you would be too scared to set foot in?

 

[Fear No Evil]

Why are you bringing up Bush? No one else did. Oh I know why, you're a stupid troll.

For the same reason the OP said it was a 'GOP wet dream'.

 

[Zebo]

Gotta have balance.

 

[theeedude]

Nice try... but I am referring to laws and the ability to enforce them. Regulations whether too many or too few are irrelevant if there is no enforcement mechanism.

Look...trying to paint latvia as a failure of conservative policies is well fail. Would you like a list of countries that would classify as leftist wet dreams that I am sure even you would be too scared to set foot in?

It's absolutely a failure of conservative economic policies. They implemented the things conservative economists want to implement in this country, flat tax, unrestricted free trade, etc, and it's an unmitigated debacle. You can try to blame it all on corruption, but corruption will always be there, and if conservative economic policies are not robust enough to withstand it, then they are a Utopian pipe dream to begin with.

 

[her209]

..

 

[MotF Bane]

That article is hilarious. It's as bad as Fox.

 

[JS80]

It's absolutely a failure of conservative economic policies. They implemented the things conservative economists want to implement in this country, flat tax, unrestricted free trade, etc, and it's an unmitigated debacle. You can try to blame it all on corruption, but corruption will always be there, and if conservative economic policies are not robust enough to withstand it, then they are a Utopian pipe dream to begin with.

Then it's fair game to bring up what socialism is doing to Cuba and North Korea. Look at those shitholes. I'd rather live in corrupt free market Latvia than fascist socialist North Korea.

paging AzN

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

It's absolutely a failure of conservative economic policies. They implemented the things conservative economists want to implement in this country, flat tax, unrestricted free trade, etc, and it's an unmitigated debacle. You can try to blame it all on corruption, but corruption will always be there, and if conservative economic policies are not robust enough to withstand it, then they are a Utopian pipe dream to begin with.

So government can't withstand the pressure of corruption, and so that recommends it?

It is the regulators and law makers who would have allowed what we see.

The truth is more complicated than that of course, but we don't do reality. We just like to hack around here as a rule.

 

[theeedude]

Then it's fair game to bring up what socialism is doing to Cuba and North Korea. Look at those shitholes. I'd rather live in corrupt free market Latvia than fascist socialist North Korea.

paging AzN

Sure it's fair game to bring up Cuba and North Korea, just like it's fair to bring up Latvia as example of failed economic policies.

 

[theeedude]

So government can't withstand the pressure of corruption, and so that recommends it?

It is the regulators and law makers who would have allowed what we see.

The truth is more complicated than that of course, but we don't do reality. We just like to hack around here as a rule.

Claiming that the failure of economic policy is due to corruption is just as much of a hack. It failed by design mainly.

 

[MotF Bane]

Sure it's fair game to bring up Cuba and North Korea, just like it's fair to bring up Latvia as example of failed economic policies.

Sure, let's play. Cuba, North Korea, Greece, Iceland, Venezuela... versus Latvia. Your turn.

 

[theeedude]

Sure, let's play. Cuba, North Korea, Greece, Iceland, Venezuela... versus Latvia. Your turn.

This thread is about Latvia. I am sure there are plenty of failed economic policies. The one economic conservatives in this country are pushing just happens to be one of them.

 

[BoberFett]

The law unfortunately doesn't apply to corporations the same way as it does to individuals. If it did, you'd see hundreds if not thousands of Wall St banksters going to prison. Instead, they get slapped with fines, and that's only if a regulation is enforced and they stir up enough trouble.

In other words, regulation doesn't work.

 

[her209]

Sure it's fair game to bring up Cuba and North Korea, just like it's fair to bring up Latvia as example of failed economic policies.

Don't you get it? Whenever something fails, its not because the ideology failed. Its the implementers of said ideology that failed.

 

[her209]

This thread is about Latvia. I am sure there are plenty of failed economic policies. The one economic conservatives in this country are pushing just happens to be one of them.

Exactly. I don't know of anyone who's advocating going to a system like Cuba, North Korea, etc (and is taken seriously).