http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/ Rational Refreshing Reflections on What's Happening Now en-en Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/recent.gif http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/ http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/index.html http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/index.html 18A042.htm   18A042 VOGs Part 2 by Jim Davies, 10/16/2018       Today's ZGBlog continues and concludes the subject begun last week: the long list of Victims of Government. We saw there how it hurts taxpayers, blacks, children, prisoners and pensioners. Now in addition, here are some more of its victims. The sick have been swindled for more than a century past, by government laws that compel them, firstly, to consult only those physicians on a list approved, ultimately, by government. Starting in the late 1800s on the pretext of putting "quacks" out of business, that profession became subject to licensure, so creating a cartel. As above like monopolies, cartels never give a good deal; competition is artificially limited. Prices rise; the sick pay far more for their cure than a market price. Then a gradually increasing forest of laws have prohibited new drugs until exhaustively tested by its agents, so raising their prices and killing those patients waiting for them to become prescribable. This has done the pharmaceutical firms no harm but has forced most of us to buy insurance or do without; currently the intent seems to be to make even insurance mandatory. No wonder Americans pay more for health care than anyone else on Earth. That's not to say the treatment isn't good when delivered; I've had a uniformly favorable experience of physicians and hospitals and perhaps you have too. The problem rather is that it comes at far too high a price. Free Health Care has more. Business owners suffer too under government, especially those with small and medium firms; the very large ones don't do so badly. If they are "too big to fail" they can be bailed out by taxpayers, courtesy of their government cage-wielding pals; in return they donate generously to re-election funds. This is the "cronyism" or the "state capitalism" against which Leftists wax eloquent; it's just plain Fascism. It's especially ominous in the weapons business, euphemized as "defense" and in the data collection business; Facebook and Google "spy" on us so as to help advertisers target offers tightly, but are induced (by offers difficult to refuse) to help government also; and thereby enlarge the Surveillance State. Orwell would be horrified. But below that threshold, government is a menace to business in every trade. The forest of regulations applies to all, but proportionally is a much bigger burden, the smaller the firm. So do large companies use government to hobble smaller rivals. They are forced to collect taxes (from workers) without compensation, to take race and gender into account when hiring, and to provide employee benefits regardless of their own wishes - and of those employed. They must obey countless rules regarding each product, producing and even labeling it just as Nanny demands. All this is a useless distraction; it takes management time which would be far better spent in finding new ways to increase sales or cut costs, so serving customers better. Civilians in war are injured or killed by governments pursuing their primary function: using violence against rivals. Currently the euphemism is "collateral damage". The numbers seem very hard to obtain accurately, but even one is too many; those who live by the sword (members of the military of any country, whether they volunteered or just failed to refuse the draft) knowingly embark on a kill-or-be-killed endeavor; folks back home just want to get on with life. Governments prevent that Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/12A012.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/12A012.htm Read more about '12A011: What's To Be Done?, 2/29/2012 Fresh out of arguments, they silence the opposition ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A042.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A042.htm Read more about ' ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A041.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A041.htm Read more about '18A041: VOGs Part 1, 10/9/2018 A few Victims of Government ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A040.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A040.htm Read more about '18A040: Jamal, 10/2/2018 Some migrants don't need carrots ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A039.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A039.htm Read more about '18A039: All or Nothing, 9/25/2018 Modified Minarchism cannot cut it ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A038.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A038.htm Read more about '18A038: Why Government Cannot Work , 9/18/2018 An alternative proof ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A037.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A037.htm Read more about '18A037: A Discordant Party, 9/11/2018 Not one of amp;quot;principleamp;quot; ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A036.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A036.htm Read more about '18A036: Child Abuse, 9/4/2018 Ubiquitous ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A035.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A035.htm Read more about '18A035: Meet M. Proudhon, 8/28/2018 Nobody saw the problem more clearly ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A034.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A034.htm Read more about '18A034: Bleats from the Booboisie, 8/21/2018 Pitiable ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A033.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A033.htm Read more about '18A033: They're Desperate, 8/14/2018 Fresh out of arguments, they silence adversaries ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A032.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A032.htm Read more about '18A032: The Mind of a Statist, 8/7/2018 Seriously damaged ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A031.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A031.htm Read more about '18A031: Unilateral Free Trade, 7/31/2018 Far better than none ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A030.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A030.htm Read more about '18A030: Rampaging Looters, 7/24/2018 How to lose the least ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A029.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A029.htm Read more about '18A029: The Great Polluter, 7/17/2018 endangers the environment ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A028.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A028.htm Read more about '18A028: Oaths, 7/10/2018 Far, far worse than amp;quot;Dammit!amp;quot; ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A027.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A027.htm Read more about '18A027: Thanks to Uncle?, 7/3/2018 Not exactly ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A026.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A026.htm Read more about '18A026: Prisons in the ZGS, 6/26/2018 Very, very different ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A025.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A025.htm Read more about '18A025: Music of the Wars, 6/19/2018 Rising resentment of the State ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A024.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A024.htm Read more about '18A024: 1918, 6/12/2018 Government folly, piled upon government folly ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A023.htm http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/18A023.htm Read more about '18A023: Social Security in the ZGS, 6/5/2018 At long last, it will resume ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q18.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q18.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April - June 2018 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q18.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q18.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January - March 2018 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q17.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q17.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for October - December 2017 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q17.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q17.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for July - September 2017 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q17.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q17.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April - June 2017 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q17.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q17.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January - March 2017 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q16.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q16.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for October - December 2016 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q16.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q16.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for July - September 2016 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q16.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q16.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April - June 2016 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q16.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q16.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January - March 2016 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q15.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q15.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for October - December 2015 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q15.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch3q15.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for July - September 2015 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q15.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2q15.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April - June 2015 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q15.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch1q15.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January - March 2015 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q14.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch4q14.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for October - December 2014 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch78914.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch78914.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for July - September 2014 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch45614.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch45614.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April, May amp;amp;amp; June 2014 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2012.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2012.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January amp;amp;amp; February 2012 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch101211.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch101211.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for October - December 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch5911.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch5911.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for May - September 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0411.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0411.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for April 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0311.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0311.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for March 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0211.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0211.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for February 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0111.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch0111.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for January 2011 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2010.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/arch2010.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs for 2010 ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500 http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/rondex.htm" http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/"http://www.theanarchistalternative.info/zgb/rondex.htm" Read more about 'ZGBlogs about Ron Paul's Presidential Campaign ' on the Zero Government blog... Fri, 19 Oct 2018 13:39:24 -0500