Political PyroNovember 29, 2008 8:19 pmFree Market vs. Socialism: Take the Challenge
While this country seems to be in the midst of a whole-hearted lurch toward European-style Socialism, I must confess to being among those of a shrinking minority who still have grave doubts about Obamanomics and the direction we are headed.
The following chart provides statistics available online from The Heritage Foundation, The CIA’s World Factbook, and the Human Development Reports.
Singapore, rated the second freest economy in the world, represents the direction most conservatives believe this country should be headed. Germany, the twenty-third freest, is a classic example of European Socialism and the preferred direction of the newly elected administration.
I encourage any Obama supporter or Progressive Democrat to explain how a high tax, big government economy is in any way superior to free market conservatism…
|
|
#2 Singapore |
#5 U.S. |
#23 Germany |
|
Fiscal (Tax) Freedom |
90.3 |
68.3 |
58.4 |
|
Individual Taxes |
< 20 % |
< 35 % |
< 47.5 % |
|
Corporate Taxes |
< 20 % |
< 35 % |
< 25 % |
|
Tax Revenue by GDP |
12.9 % |
26.8 % |
34.7 % |
|
Poverty |
5.2 % |
15.4 % |
10.3 % |
|
Unemployment |
3.1 % |
5.1 % |
11.7 % |
|
Homicide |
0.5 % |
5.6 % |
1.0 % |
|
Prison Population |
15,038 |
2,186,230 |
78,581 |
|
WHO Healthcare Ranking |
#6 |
#37 |
#25 |
|
Public Expenditure on Health |
1.3 % |
6.9 % |
8.2 % |
|
Education Spending |
3.7 % |
5.9 % |
4.6 % |
|
Military Spending by GDP |
4.9 % |
4.06 % |
1.5 % |
|
Government Spending by GDP |
14.4 % |
36.6 % |
46.9 % |
|
Freedom from Government |
93.07 % |
59.81 % |
34 % |
|
Inflation |
0.5 % |
3.4 % |
1.9 % |
|
External Debt |
24.3 billion |
10 trillion |
3.9 trillion |
As you can see, the individual tax rates in Germany are more than double the rates of Singapore. It would seem the Germans are interested in spreading the wealth like Obama, yet their poverty rate is still twice as high as Singapore’s, and their unemployment rate is nearly four times higher.
The World Health Organization’s healthcare ranking places Singapore at #6 in the world despite the fact that government spending amounts to only 1.3% of their GDP. In contrast, Germany spends 8.2% of their GDP on their healthcare, yet manages to place at only #25 on the list.
In every instance, Singapore outshines both Germany and the United States with a successful free market economy that neither punishes success nor allows the development of a welfare state.
According to statistics — in every instance — when government simply gets out of the way, the people will prosper.
Disagree? Show me where I went wrong…….

Well…
There’s lies, damn lies, and statistics. You can make numbers say whatever you want. Just because taxes are low, doesn’t mean that it’s a cure all, end all to every social-economic-political problem! It’s the conservative solution to everything. lol. There’re MANY factors involved in those numbers. I mean, I agree, I think freedom should be HIGH and taxes should be reasonable-low… but you can’t say that those two things are the reason for all those numbers….
For example, Singapore allows for public caining. Should we follow that example? Does that factor in to any of those numbers? Singapore’s penalties for many crimes are EXTREMELY tough. Hey… maybe that’s a good thing, maybe a bad thing. I dunno. But I do know it’s a factor in those numbers.
My solution?
Make pot legal and force everyone to have a joint after a hard day’s work.
Who could be motivated to commit a crime then?
Comment by Brian C — November 30, 2008 @ 12:42 am
It’s amazing how we are so completely hard wired into the national media’s agenda that you can recall Michael Fay’s caning fourteen years ago. That is some seriously powerful brainwashing. (Yet, I confess, as I was copying Singapore’s numbers down I knew the subject would be brought up.)
And of course statistics should generally be taken with a grain of salt, yet when poking around the numbers on Heritage.org, I couldn’t help but think those nations hovering in the top quarter of economic freedom were much better off than those in the bottom.
As to whether a 47.5% income tax bracket is economically healthy compared with 20%, I think statistics can be of some use. If we tried to compare 47.5% with 46% (for example), I agree we might run into some problems.
As far as caning is concerned, I’m afraid we have become much too sensitive to that. Yet, perhaps that is part of our problem. We all recognize having a crime problem, yet we do nothing about it. I suppose the American equivalent would be “community service,” like picking up trash on freeways.
Still, isn’t it interesting that an island nation of 4 million people with a land area “slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC” can become a world economic powerhouse? You must agree they are doing something right.
Finally, I disagree that we should legalize pot and force everyone to have a joint after a hard day’s work. If we did that, the only thing people would do afterward is sit around on their computers all night posting comments to political blogs ;P
Comment by Political Pyro — November 30, 2008 @ 7:40 am
You seem to be ignoring the fact that this REPUBLICAN administration just made the sudden lurch towards socialism with its unending series of bailouts, which both McCain and Obama voted for.
Comment by gregdn — November 30, 2008 @ 10:01 am