New Govt To Unveil Populist Policies

[TAWP]

The less the government is involved, the better.

If they want make things better, they have to act as enablers.

It can be making sure there are proper roads and train tracks throughout the country, making sure basic education is available for all or making sure the market playing field is leveled.

So, gov't should take care of public goods such as railways and roads, make sure competition is fair and provide for basic education. These costs would be financed via the tax bill I suppose. How about national security, a judicial system and maybe even higher education? Are you actually a social-liberal after all?

Don't confuse ideological end-goal and pragmatic approaches to the current situation to finally reach it.

You cannot start at the finish-line.

And even in a nightwatchman-government-society the national security and judicial system is run be the government, as there is no gain for privately run versions. (Prisons however can be.)

[samgrowth]

Mark policy on the crackdown doesn't seems to be very popular.

I guess discussion about the abuse of crack down to silence human rights view should be OK.

Any discussion related to the monachy must not be discussed here.

= = = = = = =

Thai govt is under fire for Internet crackdown

BANGKOK: Rights activists accused Thailand's new government yesterday of stifling freedom of speech and silencing its political opponents under the guise of a crackdown on Internet pages criticising the m...

The Democrat-led government's plans to add 400 web pages to 2,300 already blocked for les maj was ironic given the party's frequent championing of freedom of expression while in opposition, said Sunai Phasuk of US-based Human Rights Watch.

It was also similar to the tools used by its arch rival, ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra, to gag dissent, he added.

"The Democrat-led government must not hypocritically use the les maj law to further undermine the state of human rights and democracy in Thailand," he said.

Full news here

http://www.newsmeat.com/news/meat.php?arti...;channelId=2951 (source from Reuters)

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/arti...9&version=1

Edited January 8, 2009 by samgrowth

[Plus]

The decision comes from non-Democrat minister of Information and technology, btw. I doubt Abhisit even saw before it hit newspapers.

[samgrowth]

And what about giving the land under the temple to Cambodia? I am sure PAD will not be happy.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/12/26...cs_30091895.php