IntenseDebate - Bergelmir

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · +1 points

"blow up or burn to the ground any enterprise seized by government"

Or let the government in question destroy the enterprise on its own.

If the government liquidates the enterprise, the total exchange value of the components will be far less than that of the original amalgamation.

And if the government chooses to operate the enterprise, it becomes a gigantic engine of wealth destruction like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have become.

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · +1 points

"isn't living up to its contract. "

Do you need a remedial reading class? The article states: "the US firm declined to negotiate a new service contract"

What contract did it breach exactly? Are you saying it was contractualy obligated to enter into new contracts? Which court was it that found it guilty of breach of contract, and chose a just remedy?

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · +1 points

"Don't you believe in private companies living up to their contracts?"

Of course. But the article states that the rigs were OWNED by a US company. Unless the rigs were seized through due judicial process as some kind of remedy, then the property was unjustly stolen. I don't see how someone who chooses to not enter a new contract deserves to have a bunch of thieves vote on which property they should steal from you.

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · 0 points

"What I think the USA should to is confiscate $43 million (plus the additional worth of the oil rigs) of Citgo assets here and give them over to Helmrich and Payne. Then everything will be fair and square. "

That will make Helmrich and Payne whole. But why is it Citgo's fault that Venezeula's government commits thefts? And if the Venezuelan politicians are willing to drive their own countrymen into poverty through socialism, I doubt they care much about Citgo's wealth. The pain needs to be brought to the Venezeulan government.

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · +1 points

"Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan would have dispatched the appropriate number of navy vessels to protect our property and interests."

Yes, the US government should step up to its responsibility to protect US residents against crimes like theft. Since we're forced to pay taxes, we should at least get some services back I'd hope.

But remember, it is not "our" property that was stolen. It is the property of some specific group of US residents.

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 0 replies · 0 points

"What we are seeing is the typical progression of socialism... Venezuela will continue to feed on itself, and all of its resources, until it has used up all of the wealth created by others"

Very apt description. I believe Mexico's nationalization of oil-producing capital was also a disaster per your description of the problem. Capital works poorly when run operated by socialists, who do not participate in the economic calculation made possible by market prices and the market signals of profit and loss. Capital works best when in the hands of the those entrepeneurs who avoid financial losses and prove that they can best satisfy the demands of consumers.

15 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Venezuela govt to nati... · 1 reply · 0 points

"I think it was called national pride. Can't be sure cause it has been so long since I've seen it."

You seem to worry a lot about national pride for someone who calls themselves "Libertarian". If it makes you proud that people from Alaska and Hawaii are connected by virtue of their subjugation under an overreaching government, then would you not also feel pride if they were freely acting people in voluntarily formed relationships?

You can criticize and boycott the companies all you want, but as a "Libertarian" you should also fundamentally recognize their freedom to do business where they choose.

16 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Oil tax increase would... · 0 replies · +1 points

"The Tax should be $5 a barrel"

So you are saying that if I want to buy a barrel of oil from Exxon Mobil, then we should each pay $2.50 in tax because of some reckless thing BP did?

"you people are as stupid as they come - BP has already spread the cost to you - in lost jobs, lost seafood, lost revenue and lost environment."

So you want to hurt people further by taxing them. Not only do we have to pay extra for non-oily shrimp, we have to pay extra to have it trucked to our communities too. Thanks a lot. I wish I was BP instead, then people would pay for my mistakes and I could continue to be reckless. Taxing poor people on the street is a brilliant solution to the monumental logical conundrum of how to stop oil companies from irresponsibly spilling oil everywhere.

16 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Oil tax increase would... · 1 reply · +6 points

Yes, you are technically right. It might be more like this. 10% of the tax will be paid by consumers of gasoline and plastic products. 10% by the gas station workers and truck drivers who are fired or who are forced to accept a pay cut. 10% will be paid by poor people who buy the food produce trucked in to their community. 10% will be paid by rich oil execs who act responsibly and do not work at BP. Etc.

But does it really matter? It's still theft. It still hurts consumers.

Apart from being harmful and immoral, the tax is stupid as well. If everyone chips in to pay for BP's irresponsibility, then it is guaranteed that BP will be irresponsible in the future.

16 years ago @ Breitbart.com - Oil tax increase would... · 0 replies · +2 points

"government taxes at the pump are 5-8X as high as what the oil oil company makes"

But we need to punish the oil companies for being greedy.

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