Romney vs. Obama - 2012 Presidential Debates - Let's score it!

[Gandalf]

Not at all, I have my own views on what freedom is, but with it being one of those words with a multitude of different interpretations and nuances we clearly think quite differently. I don't believe in a large welfare state, but I do believe in governments supporting their key industries. I also believe in the nationalisation of utilities.

Also I see nothing wrong in discrediting Friedman who was an economic idealist and thus his ideas had no place in the modern world. Markets left to their own devices lead to crony capitalism and ultimately make the world a worse place for the vast majority. They don't work and I would love to hear of an example where they have. You need government involvement, it's a necessity.

I am not going to get into personal swipes or long drawn debates, but will just tell you to read Klein's The Shock Doctrine. It tells you all about what America with its Chicago school economists tried to do globally. Needless to say, smaller government being swarmed by US multinationals is seldom good for the freedom of people in sovereign nations. And neither does any of it trickle back to the American public. I'm sure you know about the history of Chicago school economics, it doesn't take me to tell you what Google can't.

Anyway, sorry if I offended you by saying that thing before. Personally, I am not even that high on welfare states. I prefer the model we have out here TBH. I pay for my health and my pension and taxes are relatively low. I prefer that kind of model to the ridiculous UK system. It is one of the reasons I will never return....income tax, council tax, more VAT, tax on beer, just everything. Get out of here with that. On the flip side I am also against the utilities costs, the fuel costs, public transport costs, rent costs. The UK is a joke.

It is a mixture of both sides. Big government and out of control private corporations and the middle man can't really do all that much. For me a lot of freedom is about being able to do what you want free of that nonsense and to save money and to just have free time. Mind you my job is also partly the result of government investment so perhaps I have some bias too!

Edit: That post was typed out quickly, so excuse any flaws. I wanted to get to the Grand Prix on time.