BL> subsidising rail transport for wheat,

 RS> Poor old Bob, the wheat and coal traffic subsidises the REST of
 RS> the traffic.

 FM> Oh dear, now you *have* fucked up.

  ROFL! The logic is mind-blowing! There are times like this that I
regret not reading Rod (but not many).

  Free-marketeers are easy to twit because the concept of subsidy is
so deeply engrained in our society. We pay a dole, pensioners, Abos
and cripples when China does not. We subsidise health, education
and transport when China does not. We maintain infrastructure where
China makes do with dirt roads and bicycles. Are these subsidies? Of
course they are. A free market is only possible under anarchy. As soon
as a government is involved, subsidies proliferate. The so-called
"level" playing field gets a tilt... both ways.

  Lee Iococca of Chrylser's favourite is health insurance etc built
into labour when competing with Japan. He has generated figures that
neatly halve the US labour rate compared to Asian rates operating on a
"level" field with none of these reverse subsidies. His argument is
that accounting procedures alone could remove the 20% price difference
of US manufactureds; that "efficiency" has nothing to do with it;
that imports are actually subsidised - mostly by the USA.

Regards,
Bob
 


 
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