Leroy wrote on Apr 17^th, 2025 at 9:23am:


Crazy. The Greens probably want to spend billions serving refried beans and mashed potatoes to students. Meanwhile there are probably plenty of parents willing to provide free fruit that are being blocked by regulation. I would probably do the same if I was allowed. I just picked a huge bunch of bananas a few days ago and they are all ripening at once. I will have to give more than half of them away. Already got more than I need in the freezer.

Of the kids who are turning up to school having had no breakfast, and have no lunch, what % of them are kids of proud first nations parents?

freediver wrote on Apr 15^th, 2025 at 6:38pm:


The result of the current [i]'balanced government budget" post Thatcher neoliberal dogma  (see my reply to Leroy above) , combined with your freemarket religion.

Hence you see no role for government in eliminating the current social ills cause by the abandonment of Keynesian economics (due to 'stagflation caused by the Arab oil embargo in the 70s)......so now you two are discussing  fruit stalls in front of your homes to help undernourished  kids by giving away your excess food. 

Pathetic.      

thegreatdivide wrote on Apr 17^th, 2025 at 10:16am:


The government, they can just tax the rich people and make them pay for it.

freediver wrote on Apr 17^th, 2025 at 10:36am:


You would make a good politician - can't debate the argument on its merits (in this case, the failure of neoliberalism to house and feed everyone) so resort to what Mao did in China in the 60s, before the CCP changed course to adopt a limited free market -alongside state management of the economy -which resulted in China now becoming the world's largest manufacturer and  trading nation, while the US- style free market economy failed to compete with China, and allowed US de-industrialization to take place.

See - there are many  versions of "free markets",  and the US version failed.

Now Trump has woken up that he should be targetting only China with tariffs, not the whole world - BUT - since China has become the world's largest trader, he will only increase prices in the "free world" if he attempts to decouple from China, in concert with the rest of the world. 

Catch 22.

freediver wrote on Apr 17^th, 2025 at 11:33am:


You would make a good politician - can't debate the argument on its merits (in this case, the failure of neoliberalism to house and feed everyone) so resort to what Mao did in China in the 60s, before the CCP changed course to adopt a limited free market -alongside state management of the economy -which resulted in China now becoming the world's largest manufacturer and  trading nation, while the US- style free market economy failed to compete with China, and allowed US de-industrialization to take place.

See - there are many  versions of "free markets",  and the US version failed.

Now Trump has woken up that he should be targetting only China with tariffs, not the whole world - BUT - since China has become the world's largest trader, he will only increase prices in the "free world" if he attempts to decouple from China, in concert with the rest of the world. 

Catch 22.

Quote:


See how your blind "freedom values" ideology confuses you? (and our politicians):  there is NO debate re donating home grown food to schools, it's fine for the local school's tucker shop, BUT it's an absurdity for the nation to rely on private donations of food to ensure everyone can afford to eat.


Quote:



I exposed your (albeit blind) deceit  in the 'CCP propaganda' thread; the topic now (not 6 decades ago) is Trump's attempts to contain China's growing economic success, alongside US de-industrialization. 


Quote:



As explained above, you jumped to that false conclusion  because of your blind "freedom values" ideology.

I repeat: private generosity is great, but it's no basis  for  governing a nation.

Quote:


I'm pointing out (like Jeffrey Sachs -  did you see the youtube video) the US is angry because of China's success over the last 4 decades (especially after joining the WTO in 2000).  Many people, especially in the global south,  acknowledge the "Chinese miracle" which Trump is determined to reverse (he can't, he's  too late: Chinese tech is now too advanced and is now independent of US barriers; as demonstrated in the Deepseek AI case) 


Quote:


See - your blind "freedom values" ideology has you  merely repeating  your initial mistakes , aka GIGO.

Whereas China's  economic success - while the West was de-industrilaized under WTO freetrade rules -  which is now making Trump sweat, that success is real not propaganda. China has transformed itself from a nation of 'serfs'* to the world's largest manufacturer including of high value goods, and has created a middle class larger than the US middle class. *(JD Vance obvioulsy hasn't kept up...)

As for my "mindless dribble" re economics: try the high level economists in the MMT thread, to learn some basics re the current, post gold-standard, fiat-currency era.  The fact you have never tried speaks volumes.

Failing that, there's mainstream economists like Sachs and Wolff on Utube who can also educate you re China's rise and US decline.   

An unintended consequence of this policy will be that Aboriginal parents have more spare cash to spend on alcohol, increasing the dysfunction and abuse Aboriginal kids suffer.

Actually coming from the Greens who are the most racist party, they have probably factored this in as their stock in trade is to have Abos desperate and dependent on welfare.

There are no free lunches.