andrel wrote:
>> Damn. Would *you* trust our government?  :-)
> 
> yes, because I trust mine. I would first need personal proof that they 
> can not be trusted.

What, Iraq wasn't enough? :-)  I'm asking would *you* trust *our* government.

>> Seriously, the whole govenment is set up on the prinicple that the 
>> government can't be trusted, even by the people who set it up.
> 
> No, *your* government, not mine.

That's what I'm saying, yes.  I'm not saying it's inappropriate for you to 
trust your government. I'm saying I'm not sure how approppriate it is for 
*me* to trust *my* government to that extent.

> Needing a countersign from one of the parents until they are 16 or so of 
> course.

Oh, alright. :-)

>>>> That's rather different, yes. Our banks aren't quite as 
>>>> customer-focused.
>>>
>>> And as you wouldn't trust a bank anyway...
>>
>> I didn't say *I* don't trust them.  
> 
> I know you didn't, I was extrapolating from the government remark.

I trust banks more than the government, perhaps. Firstly, there's 
competition between banks. Secondly, they're after money, not power.

> Sure. And if you are brought up here in a socialist country you'd 
> understand that a good government is the best defence against ruthless 
> capitalist egoism. (knowingly using words that may have a different 
> meaning to you)

I'm not an unbridled capitalist. There are lots of stuff that make sense to 
enforce everyone paying for (for various definitions of "pay").

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a nut-case. I don't even particularly distrust 
"the government."  But I think giving petty bureaucrats decision powers over 
individuals can lead to bad results. If it's up to some bureaucrat to take 
action to let you do something reasonable, then it's not uncommonly going to 
lead to corruption and nastiness. (Now, informing the old tax authority that 
you're not paying taxes there and informing the new tax authority you are 
isn't what I'd call petty actions over individuals. I'm talking about stuff 
like getting *permission* to move in the first place.)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   I ordered stamps from Zazzle that read "Place Stamp Here".

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