Singapore: The Last Bastion of Freedom
Some people are just fucking retards.
Despite my criticisms of the ruling party in the past, I’ve come round to the idea that Singapore is the closest possible incarnation to a libertarian state, in terms of what is politically and pragmatically feasible.
The USSA
Compare and contrast. The Congress of the United Socialist States of America are about to spend taxpayer’s money bailing out failed businesses that have no right to those taxpayer money. When the Bill to do so was rejected the first time round, I thought that sense had prevailed amongst the Members of Congress. Watching an additional 170 billion dollars being added to the package, I realise that it was not sense, but GREED that motivated the parasites.
All the lobbyists and special interest groups contacted their Congress critters to make a grab for a share of the pie. Anything that can be added to the bill for some group or other was added. It was a mass orgy of suckling at the teat of Washington D.C. The USSA will have to borrow money from foreign sources to finance the bailout, taking them deeper into debt. Unproductive assets mired in those failed banks will not be re-allocated to more productive uses. And continued involvement by the government in the operations of those banks will guarantee that Congress critters will have every opportunity to extend their influence and profit from that influence.
Cry me a river, motherfuckers
So the next time some whiney ass-licker from ToC or some other cry-myself-to-sleep blog complains again about Minister salaries in Singapore, I will tell them to go fuck themselves. There was this popular meme going around about how the PM of Singapore earns so much more than the President of the USA (its the USSA to you now assholes) or how our MPs earn more than the Members of Congress in the US. Well, now we know why don’t we. Congress critters profit immeasurably from their power and influence, and the corruption is endemic throughout the American political system.
I’d rather pay our Ministers and MPs tons of cash upfront, and have all that TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY, rather than have them try to weasel up goodies off the books from supplicants trying to garner government favour.
I’ve also heard another complaint, that if we’re paying Ministers so much, why aren’t they doing more? Here is the magic of why our government is so great. We’re paying them to do less! The less that government does, the less likely they’ll fuck things up. Seriously people, go read up your history books. When was the last time that any government did MORE, and resulted in a happy ending for the common man?
And to all those mouth-breathing morons saying that public service should not be about the money, why don’t you then quit your job and go help beggars or something? Can’t do it? I know. That’s cuz you are a dick and only know how to complain.
ISA? No, Gitmo, mofo!
Of course, I’m not saying Singapore is perfect. We still have the ISA, which the most best free country in the world, the USSA, doesn’t have…. oh fuck [USA PATRIOT Act].
Or how about the rumoured omnipresent surveillance that our government supposedly put normal Singaporeans through on a daily basis? Say no more! They got da FISA [FISA original][FISA extra crispy]! Hell, most major cities in “liberal western” countries are blanketed with CCTV cameras observing your every move!
Or how about random searches without probable cause [TSA]? Throughout all my times travelling in and out of Changi Airport, never have I been searched, and I can bet all the money I have in my bank account that 99.99% of travellers through Changi have not either.
Of course we have other monumentally retarded laws such as marital rape immunity or prohibitions against gay sex (no thanks to fucking religious fundamentalists like Focus on the Family or Gerald Giam), but those are otherwise tolerable incursions into personal sovereignty, when measured against worse intrusions perpetrated by the governments of other countries.
SG is not for you
In fact, it bothers me that the PAP seem to be pandering to the fucktards of the country, people like those in ToC. Toughen up bitches! You’re supposed to be hardasses who don’t take no bullshit, so what happened? Why are you bending over and listening to the crap shat out by people who supposedly care about Singapore, but are actually more interested in being invited to tea?
I say, Singapore is great! Low taxes, easy to start up your own business, low crime, authorities don’t hassle you unless you try to fuck things up. Seriously, what more can a libertarian ask for?
If you’re still not happy, gtfo. SG is not for you.
transparent? accountable? yea right.
Desmond
6 Oct 08 at 3:17 pm
Desmond:
Here’s a simple question. Can you find out how much our Ministers are earning? Now compare. Can you find out how much a US Senator is making on the side?
Think.
Han
6 Oct 08 at 3:27 pm
Is this article meant to be sarcastic ?
“I’d rather pay our Ministers and MPs tons of cash upfront, and have all that TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY,”
Huh ? Didn’t we pay our ministers and MPs tons of cash every month upfront and did we get the Transparency and accountability for important issues ? So how much is enough is enough ? Does greed even has limit without transparency and accountability ?
“Here is the magic of why our government is so great. We’re paying them to do less! The less that government does, the less likely they’ll fuck things up.”
Don’t be naive. We have unique government here. Do you think if you pay them much that they will be satisfy ? Greed has no limit. As a pro-business entity themselves, whether they fuck up or not, they will still do business because if they lost money, it taxpayer to bear, and if they get profit, it is for them to keep.
Did you ever work in government holding high position ? Don’t ask if I ever work in such position but I tell you that greed is running the show in the government. The great loser is the gullible and chickenly citizen but as long as no one loud enough to make impact, the officials will such take it as mark of approval.
David
6 Oct 08 at 9:53 pm
Han, do you know our ministers are NOT earning on the side? Touche!!
George says:
6 Oct 08 at 9:55 pm
David:
Ok, so what “important issues” are you talking about?
You lost me here. Are you making an argument, or are you just stating random assertions?
Lol ok I won’t ask, but I highly doubt you are. I’d have much greater cause for worry if you were… lol
Han
6 Oct 08 at 10:10 pm
George:
Because I don’t look for conspiracy theories up my anus! Touchy!
PS: Congress critters loading up legislation with earmarks is a well-documented occurrence. ^_^
Han
6 Oct 08 at 10:14 pm
[...] Daily Discourse - Social Problems in a Global Context: Singaporean Identity Under Oppression? - The Legal Janitor: Singapore: The Last Bastion of Freedom [...]
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Daily SG: 7 Oct 2008
7 Oct 08 at 11:02 am
I’d rather pay our Ministers and MPs tons of cash upfront, and have all that TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY, rather than have them try to weasel up goodies off the books from supplicants trying to garner government favour.
There is nothing very transparent or accountable about our government. There is no Freedom of Information Act and the media is deliberately muzzled. The Department of Statistics in Singapore selectively releases population and economic figures. In America, the incomes and assets of public figures are known. No presidential candidate will dream of not disclosing his/her tax returns.
Take Finance Minister Tharman for example. Ask yourself the following question: what is his wife’s job? Does his wife work in the finance industry? Does he or his family hold any stocks in any banking corporation? In a country like the USA, such matters are public knowledge.
Fox
7 Oct 08 at 11:31 am
apart from excessive self rewards, there is the irresistible power to play god. that’s the reason why it is so difficult to vacate the throne. being paid millions per annum is nothing compare to handling billions of taxpayers monies for global game of monopoly.
too intoxicating for anyone in power even for minor ministers.
i presume the farter is enjoying the crumbs from the rich and powerful for now. hope the farter will not be at the bottom of the heap begging for welfare one of these days.
the sad reality is, it is not a zero sum game. change the game play or be played.
checker
7 Oct 08 at 4:47 pm
If Singapore is the closest possible incarnation to a libertarian state, in terms of what is politically and pragmatically feasible, then a libertarian state is hardly a great place to live in.
Agagooga
7 Oct 08 at 5:29 pm
There should be an equivalent of Poe’s Law. I don’t know if this guy’s being sarcastic or not. Doesn’t seem so.
elysian-
7 Oct 08 at 9:13 pm
In retrospect, I was wrong about 1 thing. A conversation with Agagooga led me to list 2 other countries that would be closer to the libertarian ideal than Singapore: Netherlands and Hong Kong.
That still makes Singapore number 3 on the list.
Han
8 Oct 08 at 9:17 am
I doubt you have been reading or listening much to the coverage on the “bailout” among the reputed international media, viz, BBC, International Herald Tribune and Financial Times. If not, you would not be holding such a flippant perspective on this “bailout”.
IrCTP
8 Oct 08 at 11:59 am
IrCTP:
Flippant? Hardly. Did I not sound serious enough? I think it is a horrible mistake. Witness the crashing of the markets AFTER the bill was passed.
Mainstream media would like you to think that the bill is “not enough”, but I think a more accurate assessment would be that the markets realise what a horrible idea it is to let the Bush Administration, which has been abjectly incompetent in almost every way so far, have such power to intervene and meddle around with an already unstable economy.
Or unless you don’t know what “flippant” means…
Han
8 Oct 08 at 12:21 pm
Your response to my comment hints of how you may not have a good picture of what is going on and how it got to this stage, not least the reasons why the US Government had to intervene.
Instead of a full-fledged response, I’ll point you to this article from the International Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/06/business/buffett.php). Hopefully it will start you off in getting a better picture of the situation.
That is all.
IrCTP
8 Oct 08 at 12:59 pm
IrCTP:
The least you could do is to acknowledge that there are many learned opinions that are at least opposed to the bailout, rather than assume that a Warren Buffett puff piece from a mainstream media publication qualifies as an authority on economics and public choice theory.
I have nothing but respect for the Sage of Omaha, but at the end of the day he is still in this for profit, and what’s good for the Sage might not be good for the rest of us.
Han
8 Oct 08 at 1:09 pm
“Of course we have other monumentally retarded laws such as marital rape immunity or prohibitions against gay sex (no thanks to fucking religious fundamentalists like Focus on the Family or Gerald Giam),”
I think you give too much credit to Gerald. He may be anti-gay but he wields no lobby power
Alex
9 Oct 08 at 10:45 am
[...] in a Global Context: Singaporean Identity Under Oppression? [Recommended] - The Legal Janitor: Singapore: The Last Bastion of Freedom - Giapsby’s Weblog: Globalised identity: How did Singapore managed the situation - Wayang [...]
The Singapore Daily » Blog Archive » Weekly Roundup: Week 41
11 Oct 08 at 10:18 am
There’re also many learned opinions for the bailout, and there is the view that the alternative to so-called socialism is a new Depression.
Does this mean those against it are all puffs?
Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t mean they’re stupid, idiotic, moronic, evil, wicked. in it for the money, or otherwise flawed
Agagooga
11 Oct 08 at 11:46 am
And Re: Poe’s Law - you know Han is a libertarian. That tells you all you need to know
Agagooga
11 Oct 08 at 11:48 am
[...] Read full article here [...]
Singapore: The Last Bastion of Freedom « The Wayang Party Club of Singapore
11 Oct 08 at 6:10 pm
“Mainstream media would like you to think that the bill is “not enough”, but I think a more accurate assessment would be that the markets realise what a horrible idea it is to let the Bush Administration, which has been abjectly incompetent in almost every way so far, have such power to intervene and meddle around with an already unstable economy.”
Your comment re Bush Admin–don’t forget the dems have control of the congress, have had it for 2 yrs and what have they done? NOTHING!!! You think Obama is going to Change DC? What a joke.
Jon
20 Oct 08 at 4:37 pm
Jon:
Of course they have been doing nothing. They’re too busy carrying George Bush’s balls and trying to out-security the Republican Party on homeland security, each trying to see who can take away MORE of the civil liberties that Americans have.
Do remember to ask yourself, who started it. Anyway you Americans deserve the shit government you voted for. A pox on both their houses.
Han
20 Oct 08 at 4:42 pm
they are not carrying GB’s balls. You give him too much credit. He’s a lame duck. Pelosi made all kinds of grand statements just like Obama is doing now…I really don’t think anything is going to change no matter what happens. Who started it? It’s alreay happened so I think it’s better to ask who’s gonna stop it and which party said they were gonna change it and did nada?
Jon
21 Oct 08 at 4:10 am
There is no need for government bailout of SG banks, they are owned by gov already. Dare to explain why Temasek (owned by MAS meaning SG government) owns everything in this country ? Is this really libertarian ? Show me US government ownership of major US bank for last 40 years, or perhaps telco company ? How about TV network, newspaper holding, major and only airline, major real estate developer ? Rings any bells ? SG free country ? Best joke I ever heard. SG is a corporation not a country. BTW, I’m not American but I certainly lived around the globe and do know a bit about thing or two.
foreigner
23 Oct 08 at 9:44 pm
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw02/021107at.htm
Marx to Lenin to Lee
The Heritage Foundation, a leading US conservative think-tank, touts Singapore as one of the world’s two freest economies, but that’s just a myth. In fact, Singapore is the world’s most successful socialist state.
More than 80 percent of Singapore’s population lives in public housing, sheltered from the harsh realities of the government-controlled property market. While Singapore has the trappings of a democracy, the ruling People’s Action Party is living proof that the one-party state survives outside the dustbin of history. Rather than the sharp-elbowed unabashed capitalism of Wall Street, Singapore’s economic philosophy more closely mirrors that of another tropical island with a signature rum cocktail: Cuba.
foreigner
23 Oct 08 at 9:55 pm