Crazy leftist things Jae-in administration has instituted thread

[Chester Jim]

So,  I have noticed a pattern since the silent protestors ushered in the new leftist  administration.  Things along the lines of New York’s law against selling large soft drinks; you know things that make it look like they are doing something.
So forbidding people to work overtime.  No smoking everywhere, and now alcohol free zones.  There must be hundreds.?

I see that they trying to blame the slow economy that inevitably accompanies democratic rule with talk about protectionism being the cause.  How convenient to blame the US.

[AMDC]

Should this really be its own thread? Seems like a rambling thread would be more appropriate.

[tylerthegloob]

Why did you use his given name? Do you also refer to current American leadership as the Donald administration?

[kyndo]

So,  I have noticed a pattern since the silent protestors ushered in the new leftist  administration.  Things along the lines of New York’s law against selling large soft drinks; you know things that make it look like they are doing something.
So forbidding people to work overtime.  No smoking everywhere, and now alcohol free zones.  There must be hundreds.?

I see that they trying to blame the slow economy that inevitably accompanies democratic rule with talk about protectionism being the cause.  How convenient to blame the US.

No smoking in public spaces? Inconceivable!
No boozing up at school or in hospitals? Preposterous!
No unpaid overtime? The gall!
Raising the minimum wage? Oh the humanity!
What's next? Livable pensions for the elderly? Peace overtures to North Korea?
Damn those left wing-nuts.

[SPQR]

Yeah, like everyone wants to live in a right wing American utopia.  The American
dream is dead.  Has been for a long time.  Quite obviously a nation in serious
decline.

Happiest countries in the world are socialist.  Where people treat their neighbors
with compassion.  NOT, a country run like a business where the bottom line
Trumps all other considerations.

[eggieguffer]

Yeah, like everyone wants to live in a right wing American utopia.  The American
dream is dead.  Has been for a long time.  Quite obviously a nation in serious
decline.

Happiest countries in the world are socialist.  Where people treat their neighbors
with compassion.  NOT, a country run like a business where the bottom line
Trumps all other considerations.

If you're talking about Scandinavia, They're not Socialist countries.

https://www.thelocal.dk/20151101/danish-pm-in-us-denmark-is-not-socialist

They're just capitalist countries with higher taxes. 

[Mr.DeMartino]

It should be noted that all those socialist countries essentially subcontract their defense to the United States, and in return they often purchase US sovereign debt. It's a mutually beneficial relationship, but it allows them to focus on their social welfare. This was specifically our plan during the Cold War as part of the ideological struggle against the Soviets. It was a good plan that benefited both parties, but it's a bit misguided to point at Norway or Sweden and leave it at that. If those countries were reliant upon only themselves for national defense and to secure things like say, international shipping lanes or energy, they might (not always- Norway would probably be energy independent) have significantly higher %s of their budget devoted towards defense and have large-scale national conscription, or at least they would have until the fall of the Soviet Union.

I think people on all sides, both liberal and conservative, are still somewhat stuck in a Cold War-era mindset. It's a mindset that served us well and promoted peace, but there might need to be some updates and re-evaluations. For example, I think the conservative (U.S.) resistance to a national health care system might be somewhat antiquated, but on the other hand, maybe the socialist health care model is also antiquated in an era of high-tech and innovation, such as startups and the development of apps that could significantly reduce health care costs. Likewise, the left-wing devotion to traditional public education structures might not be the best system moving forward into the 21st century (not that a conservative approach is the better alternative). Similarly with trade deals. While one may disagree with Trump's approach and areas of interest, his central idea that it's time for an updating of trade deals is not necessarily a bad one. Anyone who isn't a blind partisan should be able to acknowledge that things change and that revisiting deals every 20 years or so to look for areas of improvement, with both parties equally participating, is probably a good thing.

[kyndo]

It should be noted that all those socialist countries essentially subcontract their defense to the United States, and in return they often purchase US sovereign debt. It's a mutually beneficial relationship, but it allows them to focus on their social welfare. This was specifically our plan during the Cold War as part of the ideological struggle against the Soviets. It was a good plan that benefited both parties, but it's a bit misguided to point at Norway or Sweden and leave it at that. If those countries were reliant upon only themselves for national defense and to secure things like say, international shipping lanes or energy, they might (not always- Norway would probably be energy independent) have significantly higher %s of their budget devoted towards defense and have large-scale national conscription, or at least they would have until the fall of the Soviet Union.

Not that it makes much of a difference to your point, but I do want to point out that many NATO countries *did* have mandatory conscription until the collapse of the soviet union.

[SPQR]

Yeah, like everyone wants to live in a right wing American utopia.  The American
dream is dead.  Has been for a long time.  Quite obviously a nation in serious
decline.

Happiest countries in the world are socialist.  Where people treat their neighbors
with compassion.  NOT, a country run like a business where the bottom line
Trumps all other considerations.

If you're talking about Scandinavia, They're not Socialist countries.

https://www.thelocal.dk/20151101/danish-pm-in-us-denmark-is-not-socialist

They're just capitalist countries with higher taxes.

You're right.  Not strict socialism.  But definite social policies.

Moreover, you get what you pay for.  You want low taxes?  You'll get low quality government.

[SeoulAlone]

Yeah, like everyone wants to live in a right wing American utopia.  The American
dream is dead.  Has been for a long time.  Quite obviously a nation in serious
decline.

Happiest countries in the world are socialist.  Where people treat their neighbors
with compassion.  NOT, a country run like a business where the bottom line
Trumps all other considerations.

Yea, that's why people all over the world still refer to America and the land of opportunities and millions are flocking in to get a piece of the action. 
ALL countries are a business and socialism don't work.  Remember the USSR? (probably not)  No, they were NOT a communist country, they were socialist and they collapsed. 

[eggieguffer]

Moreover, you get what you pay for.  You want low taxes?  You'll get low quality government.

And more money in my pocket which I can decide how to spend.

[kyndo]

Moreover, you get what you pay for.  You want low taxes?  You'll get low quality government.

And more money in my pocket which I can decide how to spend.

Not if you earn less than the median income.  Poor people don't pay much in the way of taxes, even in Scandinavia. ...which is the whole point of the social welfare programs: ensure that those who aren't making much money can still enjoy a relatively high quality of life.

[SPQR]

Yea, that's why people all over the world still refer to America and the land of opportunities and millions are flocking in to get a piece of the action. 

I'm from the world and I certainly don't want to live there.  Nor, do I suspect, most Europeans, Aussies,
Kiwis etc.

However, I would think that a lot of Syrians, Iraqis, Somalians, Venezuelans... would want to live there.  The USA is
certainly a step up from absolute squalor.

[eggieguffer]

Yea, that's why people all over the world still refer to America and the land of opportunities and millions are flocking in to get a piece of the action. 

I'm from the world and I certainly don't want to live there.  Nor, do I suspect, most Europeans, Aussies,
Kiwis etc.

However, I would think that a lot of Syrians, Iraqis, Somalians, Venezuelans... would want to live there.  The USA is
certainly a step up from absolute squalor.

People from sh-thole countries?

[gideonvasquez]

It's not an idea from the Moon administration but I thought this: http://news1.kr/articles/?3478539 was interesting. Following the US-KOR FTA the legislature and Ministry of Agriculture (and other stuff) established a fund to provide support for those Agri-businesses that were negatively impacted by the FTA. The fund was authorized around 2015 and became active in 2017. The funding goal was 100 billion a year for ten years.

The bonkers thing about this is, the funding is comprised of completely voluntary contributions from private and state-owned businesses. The idea is that if your company has gains from the FTA you should give money to the farmers that have loses from it. That's why they call it the 'win-win fund'. So far out of the two year goal of 200 billion won they raised ~56 billion.

The connection to the current administration's actions is that they recently called 15 chaebols/conglomerates into hearings about the fund. Talking about the need to contribute. Some people are saying this might lead to a similar influence-peddling scandal that sunk the Park administration.

I just thought this was less an insane socialist action and more a hopelessly optimistic, yet still interesting, one.

[Chester Jim]

Yeah, like everyone wants to live in a right wing American utopia.  The American
dream is dead.  Has been for a long time.  Quite obviously a nation in serious
decline.

Happiest countries in the world are socialist.  Where people treat their neighbors
with compassion.  NOT, a country run like a business where the bottom line
Trumps all other considerations.

This is possibly the dumbest comment ever.
The ‘socialist’ countries of 6 million people in Europe, that you think are socialist, in fact are not.
Also, they benefit from the us market;  innovation in tech,and pharmaceuticals, us defense etc..

The us in fact is the most generous nation in the world.  Look at the amount of money people donate.  .  Our government pays millions of dollars to other poor countries all over the world. 
Mexico is the richest country in the Western Hemisphere after the us and Canada.  How are they not treated well by the us.  If anything Mexico is hostile to the us. 

Oh and if the American dream is dead then it’s because people who work today earn less than their parents.  This is because of trade deals and massive immigration undercutting wages. 

[Chester Jim]

So,  I have noticed a pattern since the silent protestors ushered in the new leftist  administration.  Things along the lines of New York’s law against selling large soft drinks; you know things that make it look like they are doing something.
So forbidding people to work overtime.  No smoking everywhere, and now alcohol free zones.  There must be hundreds.?

I see that they trying to blame the slow economy that inevitably accompanies democratic rule with talk about protectionism being the cause.  How convenient to blame the US.

No smoking in public spaces? Inconceivable!
No boozing up at school or in hospitals? Preposterous!
No unpaid overtime? The gall!
Raising the minimum wage? Oh the humanity!
What's next? Livable pensions for the elderly? Peace overtures to North Korea?
Damn those left wing-nuts.

You forgot forbidding people to work overtime, conveniently. 
It’s government overreach.

[Chester Jim]

Should this really be its own thread? Seems like a rambling thread would be more appropriate.

Nope this isn’t rambling.  It’s focused and specific.
Don’t let their foolish mistakes pass you by.
This admin ends in disgrace.  It’s just a matter of time. It’ll be interesting to see how they shoot themselves in the foot.
These politicians are getting photo ops with the north at the expense of any real change. It’s just like the last sunshine policy.  That’s my hypothesis.  I hope I’m wrong. 

[gogators!]

Should this really be its own thread? Seems like a rambling thread would be more appropriate.

Nope this isn’t rambling.  It’s focused and specific.
Don’t let their foolish mistakes pass you by.
This admin ends in disgrace.  It’s just a matter of time. It’ll be interesting to see how they shoot themselves in the foot.
These politicians are getting photo ops with the north at the expense of any real change. It’s just like the last sunshine policy.  That’s my hypothesis.  I hope I’m wrong.

This definitely belongs in the USA forum.

[KimDuHan]

The thing I hate most about korea is sidewalk kimchi. Drinking laws need a good revision in korea. Public drinking areas are ok but getting wasted in a park at 8:30 am on a Sunday isn't cool.

Also getting wasted and falling down a mountain hiking path isn't good either.