While American taxpayers continue to subsidize the construction of totally unnecessary structures in foreign lands, China is cracking down on the erection of new government buildings.
And yes, we just said “erection.” Funny haha, right?
Anyway, in the latest example of the ongoing role reversal between the “communist” nation and our “capitalist” country, China’s premier Xi Jinping issued a directive this week banning the construction of new government buildings for the next five years.
“Tuesday’s joint directive by China’s cabinet and the Chinese Communist Party went much further than prohibiting the construction of buildings: it also banned a long list of strategies that local leaders have used to circumvent previous, more informal efforts to discourage them,” wrote reporter Keith Bradsher of The New York Times. “Expanding or restoring existing government compounds in the name of street repairs or urban planning? Not allowed. A new training center or hotel? Also forbidden. Multiple offices for the same official? Prohibited.”
Pretty impressive …
We wouldn’t ever insist on a total ban on government buildings because as cops and courts libertarians we know those are two core functions of government – and there are legitimate, evolving needs associated with the performance of those functions. Also in the event a courthouse or police station were destroyed, it would be ridiculous not to replace the structure.
Having said that, the Chinese are clearly moving in the right direction while the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama presses the accelerator down on the road to full-blown socialism and dependency.
Good for China … bad for U.S.
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12 comments
A few years ago The Chinese Government constructed the Three Gorges Dam. The largest hydro electric project in the world. In doing so they flooded the land, homes and businesses of 1.2 million people. Hundreds of thousands were forced off of farm land their families had farmed for centuries. As compensations these folk were given plenty of notice to get out of the way.
Comparing the Chinese Government to ours in a favorable way makes you look like an idiot. But then again that is what rabid partisan politics does. It takes away reasonable objectivity and turns people into bought and paid for propagandists, always looking for a way to attack an assigned target whether what they say has any basis in reality or not.
I suggest people who want to live in China, do so, because just like Mr. Snowden will soon experience, outside of the US, Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand you have no rights.
Don’t worry, given enough time we won’t have rights here in the US either. Indefinite detention, kill lists, government recording everything…
No shit Smirks. We already have lost most of our rights and the ones that we have left have been so watered down as to make them nearly unrecognizable.
If I remember correctly they were also given $1,500 a sum that at that time was roughly equivalent to 5 years pay. Those that refused to leave were beaten for a short period of time but they may have used more police to do the beating so they could make it count. China can never do any one thing good enough for me to compare them favorably to our country. Visitors, including businessmen, never see the way things really are in places like that, I wouldn’t trade for anything.
All the international civil rights groups will tell you that very little money ever reached most of the displaced farmers and villagers. It went to corrupt government officials, and people who took advantage displaced persons. Some charging as much as half of the compensation to help illiterate peasants fill out applications for compensation. More charging to help them “find a place to live” or jobs for people who had never done anything except subsistence farming. Many people were simply told to pack up their things, move into the slums of nearby cities and look for work.
A few years ago The Chinese Government constructed the Three Gorges Dam. The largest hydro electric project in the world. In doing so they flooded the land, homes and businesses of 1.2 million people. Hundreds of thousands were forced off of farm land their families had farmed for centuries. As compensations these folk were given plenty of notice to get out of the way.
Comparing the Chinese Government to ours in a favorable way makes you look like an idiot. But then again that is what rabid partisan politics does. It takes away reasonable objectivity and turns people into bought and paid for propagandists, always looking for a way to attack an assigned target whether what they say has any basis in reality or not.
I suggest people who want to live in China, do so, because just like Mr. Snowden will soon experience, outside of the US, Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand you have no rights.
Don’t worry, given enough time we won’t have rights here in the US either. Indefinite detention, kill lists, government recording everything…
No shit Smirks. We already have lost most of our rights and the ones that we have left have been so watered down as to make them nearly unrecognizable.
If I remember correctly they were also given $1,500 a sum that at that time was roughly equivalent to 5 years pay. Those that refused to leave were beaten for a short period of time but they may have used more police to do the beating so they could make it count. China can never do any one thing good enough for me to compare them favorably to our country. Visitors, including businessmen, never see the way things really are in places like that, I wouldn’t trade for anything.
All the international civil rights groups will tell you that very little money ever reached most of the displaced farmers and villagers. It went to corrupt government officials, and people who took advantage displaced persons. Some charging as much as half of the compensation to help illiterate peasants fill out applications for compensation. More charging to help them “find a place to live” or jobs for people who had never done anything except subsistence farming. Many people were simply told to pack up their things, move into the slums of nearby cities and look for work.
I think the new high school on Corley mill road has a sign up that says China Construction Company,,, go figure.
I think the new high school on Corley mill road has a sign up that says China Construction Company,,, go figure.