Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

ruggedjackal46 said:In our supposedly "great" nation, the privatization scams and the absolute wreckage of the state were orchestrated by those ultra-conservative types, not some hippies with flowers in their hair. Let's be real: the leftists are basically irrelevant here; it’s the right-wing crowd that actually ran the con.

The sheer amount of red tape is all thanks to the EU's influence on global standards.

So, who exactly are these "leftists with flowers in their hair"? It’s funny how whenever someone mentions a "champagne socialist," everyone suddenly gets all worked up about it.

I mean, wasn't it actually guys like Linchenko making backroom deals with his buddies from big corporations during his time in office?

Seriously though, who counts as a leftist and who counts as a religious conservative in this mess?

The ones who actually picked our pockets were the former communists who just rebranded themselves as Democrats or moderate conservatives back in the early 90s. They weren't actually committed to any ideology, they were just crooks.

I'm honestly sick of people constantly picking sides between the far-left and the far-right, or arguing over old Civil War leftovers. When is this cycle ever going to end?

brightpilot6 said:Good grief, who on earth are you talking to? In the last decade, I haven't heard a single soul making jokes about the Czech Republic's economy.

PS

And honestly, a massive round of applause for those scheduling spreadsheets; whoever came up with that deserves a Nobel Prize in Bureaucracy.🙏

The same goes for those vehicle usage logs, especially since the government already accounts for those expenses through flat-rate tax deductions anyway.🙏

There’s an endless supply of this nonsense, but one that really sticks out—this little parting gift from the previous administration—was a literal stamp used just for liquidating incoming invoices. 🙏🙏🙏🙏

It’s funny how we're still obsessing over who robbed the country back in the early '90s—basically just debating whether the old administration or the current one is worse, or pointing fingers at who's responsible for which mess. The thing is, nobody is actually offering any real solutions.

restlesssurfer97 said:So, who exactly are these "leftists with flowers in their hair"? It’s funny how whenever someone mentions a "champagne socialist," everyone suddenly gets all worked up about it.

I mean, wasn't it actually guys like Linchenko making backroom deals with his buddies from big corporations during his time in office?

Seriously though, who counts as a leftist and who counts as a religious conservative in this mess?

The ones who actually picked our pockets were the former communists who just rebranded themselves as Democrats or moderate conservatives back in the early 90s. They weren't actually committed to any ideology, they were just crooks.

I'm honestly sick of people constantly picking sides between the far-left and the far-right, or arguing over old Civil War leftovers. When is this cycle ever going to end?

Go ask Justin James10; he brings them up in basically every single thread.

We were all swindled by those old-school socialists who flipped their allegiances to become "moderate democrats" back in the early 90s. They weren't actually socialists, and they sure as hell aren't democrats now—they’re just con artists.

Can we please stop with the endless bickering between the far-left and the far-right? This constant fighting between the old guard and the radicals... when is it ever going to end?

I'm with you on that.

shadowmarlin22 said:It’s funny how we're still obsessing over who robbed the country back in the early '90s—basically just debating whether the old administration or the current one is worse, or pointing fingers at who's responsible for which mess. The thing is, nobody is actually offering any real solutions.

Honestly, the answer is pretty simple if you look at how any functional modern nation operates—you just have to let the market handle everything it's supposed to handle. You can't really call it a free market when you're dealing with the kind of corrupt government interference we see here, because then it isn't true capitalism, it's just straight-up cronyism, kind of like what you see over in Russia. It's wild because while the Polish are busy looking toward Germany for inspiration, we seem perfectly content just following the Russian playbook.🤦

shadowmarlin22 said:It’s funny how we're still obsessing over who robbed the country back in the early '90s—basically just debating whether the old administration or the current one is worse, or pointing fingers at who's responsible for which mess. The thing is, nobody is actually offering any real solutions.

The solution is quite simple.
We should take a page out of Ronald Reagan's book.

I’m thinking specifically of Reagan National Airport.

brightpilot6 said:https://nscpolteksby.ac.id/ebook/fil...derperform.pdf

Our comprehensive study of 30 Singapore government-linked companies (GLCs) covering the period 1964 to1998 shows that share issue privatization has some positive impacts on their performance. However, there was no evidence that the GLCs were less profitable than a selected group of non-GLCs that match by size and industry. Taking a buy-and-hold strategy, we found that GLC stocks provide statistically equivalent returns relative to market or othercontrol sample returns over various investment horizons of up to four years. Given that GLCs also perform as well as averages for the market and industry up to five years before their listing, we argue that Singapore’s government-owned enterprises are comparable to privately run enterprises in efficiency.

So, it isn't as if it's an absolute impossibility. If the system of checks and balances actually functions, then any economic framework can work, naturally bringing its own set of advantages and drawbacks. But if those fundamental mechanisms fail, no economic system—regardless of its design—is going to find success. That is my take on privatization; it certainly isn't a magic cure-all for every ailment.

By the way:

The top six Singapore-listed GLCs accounted for about 17% of total capitalization of the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

Which implies we aren't talking about just a handful of insignificant firms here.

The US GDP over the decades:



The reason for the success:

So why did Singapore succeed so comprehensively? The simple answer is exceptional leadership. Many in the world have heard of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, the founding prime minister who passed away in March this year. Far fewer have heard of Dr. Goh Keng Swee, the architect of Singapore’s economic miracle, and Mr. S. Rajaratnam, Singapore’s philosopher par excellence.

Together, they made a great team.

This exceptional team also implemented three exceptional policies: Meritocracy, Pragmatism and Honesty. Indeed, I share this “secret” MPH formula with every foreign student at the Lee Kuan Yew School, and I assure them that if they implement it, their country will succeed as well as Singapore. Meritocracy means a country picks its best citizens, not the relatives of the ruling class, to run a country. Pragmatism means that a country does not try to reinvent the wheel. As Dr. Goh Keng Swee would say to me, “Kishore, no matter what problem Singapore encounters, somebody, somewhere, has solved it. Let us copy the solution and adapt it to Singapore.” Copying best practices is something any country can do. However, implementing “Honesty” is the hardest thing to do. Corruption is the single biggest reason why most Third World countries have failed. The greatest strength of Singapore’s founding fathers was that they were ruthlessly honest. It also helped that they were exceptionally shrewd and cunning.

There you have it. Everything else is just window dressing.

That’s only half the story. If you take a closer look at those state-owned enterprises in Singapore, you'll realize the government actually plays a secondary role in these conglomerates. Sure, the state holds a majority stake, but they don't micromanage the day-to-day operations—they let the experts call the shots. It’s that specific brand of liberalization and deregulation—even more aggressive than what we see in the US—that is the true reason for their success...🙂

It is one of those tragic delusions often found in developing nations—this idea that politicians and bureaucrats can actually handle entrepreneurial roles effectively. It’s strange how that belief sticks around, even when the evidence says otherwise... And so, under the guise of social programs, equity, and justice, millions are robbed of the chance to break free from systemic poverty—a cycle that only rapid, market-driven economic growth could truly break...

Dr. Ken Swee...
Department of Defense—
New York City, 1975...

The man explained... ☕

restlesssurfer97 said:Honestly, the answer is pretty simple if you look at how any functional modern nation operates—you just have to let the market handle everything it's supposed to handle. You can't really call it a free market when you're dealing with the kind of corrupt government interference we see here, because then it isn't true capitalism, it's just straight-up cronyism, kind of like what you see over in Russia. It's wild because while the Polish are busy looking toward Germany for inspiration, we seem perfectly content just following the Russian playbook.🤦

I'm with you on this.

But then you have to ask—why is it that countries like those in Scandinavia, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, or Switzerland always seem to outpace the US or Germany when it comes to standard of living and democratic stability? There’s a reason those specific places consistently stay ahead of the curve.

And there's the second part of the puzzle: who should we actually be emulating? We need to look at the economic and social frameworks used by the most well-organized nations. In our current setup, almost everything needs a total overhaul—it's not just about boosting the economy. And let's be real, massive economies like China or Turkey aren't exactly the blueprints we should be following, regardless of their growth numbers.

Personally, I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel. There are already developed nations doing things the right way—they should be our models. Of course, the first step has to be clearing out the corrupt leadership—doesn't matter which party is in power—and fixing the judicial system so it actually moves. Then, you make it incredibly easy for private companies to get permits and licenses, similar to how streamlined things are in Estonia.

ruggedjackal46, when it comes to our economy, you’re basically looking at a bunch of leftists. You’ve got one group claiming to be nationalistic socialists, while the rest are just plain old socialists.

All this talk about patriotism? Honestly, it’s just stuff kids believe. It’s all the same crowd of vultures.

Justin James10 said:ruggedjackal46, when it comes to our economy, you’re basically looking at a bunch of leftists. You’ve got one group claiming to be nationalistic socialists, while the rest are just plain old socialists.

All this talk about patriotism? Honestly, it’s just stuff kids believe. It’s all the same crowd of vultures.

And what exactly makes them leftists?

Matthew Young35 said:And what exactly makes them leftists?

They’re pushing for total government control over everything, especially when it comes to the economy. Their main goal seems to be protecting the web of political cronyism they've built, which is why they fight against any kind of meaningful reform at all costs.

Justin James10 said:They’re pushing for total government control over everything, especially when it comes to the economy. Their main goal seems to be protecting the web of political cronyism they've built, which is why they fight against any kind of meaningful reform at all costs.

If we follow that logic, then every nation on Earth is "leftist" because every government exerts control over its economy. Through taxes, tariffs, monetary policy, legislation... you name it.

As for these much-vaunted reforms... God forbid we face "reform" here in the States. In America, reform is usually just a polite euphemism for making life more expensive. A tax reform? That means higher taxes. Judicial reform? Expect rising court costs. Pension reform? Contributions go up while the actual checks go down. It’s a predictable cycle.

Regarding the systemic corruption and political patronage—that part is arguably irreversible. We’ve passed a critical mass of entrenched interests where there is simply no turning back.

Ultimately, this isn't about being left-wing or right-wing. It’s nothing of the sort. It is pure, unadulterated opportunism.

restlesssurfer97 said:Man, everyone’s losing their minds over the abortion bans and those religious fanatics running the show in DC, so look, here’s a quick take on what’s actually happening. I feel like on this forum we need a freaking 10,000-page academic thesis because apparently, we Americans are all supposed to be these high-level economic gurus who just somehow know that something isn't sitting right with the way things are going in places like Texas... this whole argument over one basic article is basically a perfect snapshot of our society right now, where everyone thinks they’re an expert on everything and knows it all, yet for some reason, we just can't seem to get anything right.

They privatized everything, went through the absolute wringer at first, and then you had the companies that were bleeding money either pivot or go bust, which eventually turned the private sector into this massive engine that pushed us into the top 10 economies in the world.

I mean, seriously, why is it so hard to just acknowledge a few positive things for once?

But hey, I guess wiredfalcon2 needs a 10,000-page dissertation instead.

It’s pretty wild that nobody even brought up that controversial Holocaust law 😂

Exactly. The other day I listed a whole bunch of practical things people could actually do, but instead of getting real advice, I got hit with "use specific keywords" or "keep it to a short article," blah blah blah.
And my personal favorite is the classic, "Well, why don't you just start your own business then?" As if being pro-business automatically means you possess the divine talent required to run a corporation or launch a startup tomorrow morning. Honestly, give me a break; not everyone is built for entrepreneurship, and that line of thinking is just fundamentally flawed. It’s like saying, "Oh, you support marriage equality? Well, you should probably go marry a man then." That's not how logic works.

shadowmarlin22 said:🤣

What’s the best way to deal with a massive influx of noise? Honestly, when guys like Jordan Peterson or Ben Shapiro weigh in, I find myself agreeing with a huge chunk of what they say—especially Peterson—but apparently, if you dare to offer even a little bit of constructive criticism toward the American system or express any appreciation for how things work in Scandinavia, you’re immediately branded a leftist or some other label. 🙏

I honestly have no idea where you're getting that from or who you think you're arguing with. If you want to fund massive social safety nets and welfare programs, you actually have to earn that money from somewhere. The reality is that a lot of people claiming to be "leftists" point to the Scandinavian model as an alternative to capitalism, which is just flat-out wrong; those countries are capitalist and highly competitive on the global stage.
Look, Scandinavia is great, nobody is arguing that. Personally, I’d love that lifestyle and would pick Copenhagen, Oslo, or Amsterdam over the UK or the US any day of the week.

Governments don't just print money out of thin air.

I honestly have no clue how anyone can argue that the Scandinavian model is some kind of alternative to capitalism. It isn't.

The Nordic model—often labeled as Nordic capitalism or Nordic social democracy—describes the economic and social frameworks found in Northern European nations like Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Sweden. It essentially functions as a blend of free-market capitalism paired with an extensive welfare state. This setup relies on national-level collective bargaining with high union membership, alongside taxpayer-funded essentials like public education, healthcare, and reliable pensions. The model really started gaining traction in the post-WWII era.

While these countries aren't identical, they definitely share certain DNA. They all lean into a "universalist" welfare state designed to boost social mobility and individual independence. They also use a corporatist system—basically a three-way negotiation between labor, employers, and the government to set wages and market policy—all while remaining firmly committed to private ownership, free markets, and global trade.

Matthew Young35 said:If we follow that logic, then every nation on Earth is "leftist" because every government exerts control over its economy. Through taxes, tariffs, monetary policy, legislation... you name it.

As for these much-vaunted reforms... God forbid we face "reform" here in the States. In America, reform is usually just a polite euphemism for making life more expensive. A tax reform? That means higher taxes. Judicial reform? Expect rising court costs. Pension reform? Contributions go up while the actual checks go down. It’s a predictable cycle.

Regarding the systemic corruption and political patronage—that part is arguably irreversible. We’ve passed a critical mass of entrenched interests where there is simply no turning back.

Ultimately, this isn't about being left-wing or right-wing. It’s nothing of the sort. It is pure, unadulterated opportunism.

Not even close. Having an official currency and a legal framework isn't "leftist," it’s just the bare minimum required for a civilization not to collapse into total chaos; without those foundations, you’re either staring down the barrel of Bakunin-style anarchy or some wild, unregulated liberal free-for-all.

The real argument is that the government should stay lean—sticking to the essentials like policing, the courts, national defense, keeping the highways running, and providing basic education (maybe via vouchers) and fundamental healthcare.
There are plenty of "leftist" nations that actually grasp how economics works, and honestly, look at the Scandinavians; they prove you can have a robust social safety net once you've actually built up enough capital and let the private sector breathe for a while.

Then you have "right-wing" countries that couldn't care less about economic reality. It’s not really a simple left-versus-right binary; it’s deeper than that, playing out on the axis of socialism versus liberal economics. You end up with right-wing socialist parties (think certain factions within the GOP or old-school populists) and right-wing liberal parties (like the British Conservatives).

In reality, most wealthy nations are run by a coalition of classic liberals and conservatives. In the UK, you see the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats teaming up, rather than the Lib Dems pairing with Labour, simply because Labour leans much harder into socialist economic policies.

Even the Conservatives realized they were losing their way and pivoted toward being pro-market since they totally lost the plot on social issues; they’ve actually moved away from certain old-school dogmas to the point where they aren't just tolerating same-sex marriage, but are actively elevating LGBTQ+ leaders to the top of their party leadership.

Matthew Young35 said:If we follow that logic, then every nation on Earth is "leftist" because every government exerts control over its economy. Through taxes, tariffs, monetary policy, legislation... you name it.

As for these much-vaunted reforms... God forbid we face "reform" here in the States. In America, reform is usually just a polite euphemism for making life more expensive. A tax reform? That means higher taxes. Judicial reform? Expect rising court costs. Pension reform? Contributions go up while the actual checks go down. It’s a predictable cycle.

Regarding the systemic corruption and political patronage—that part is arguably irreversible. We’ve passed a critical mass of entrenched interests where there is simply no turning back.

Ultimately, this isn't about being left-wing or right-wing. It’s nothing of the sort. It is pure, unadulterated opportunism.

I’ll play the part of the ruthless turbo-capitalist—and here is my first proposal for the betterment of our great nation...

Let’s be realistic about the scale here. Our labor costs are currently sitting right in line with places like Mexico or Vietnam—low-cost markets where margins are thin. It’s pretty straightforward: if you can't find a way to boost productivity, you aren't going to make any money under these conditions. Daily wages are bound to drop...

If it’s actually true that Americans work longer hours on average than people in Western Europe—then we really need to ask ourselves what has actually been built with all that extra time... and why it turned out this way.

P.S.: You're better off not even trying. Otherwise, you might just wake up one day living in a Western country... 😁

ironpanther5 said:Exactly. The other day I listed a whole bunch of practical things people could actually do, but instead of getting real advice, I got hit with "use specific keywords" or "keep it to a short article," blah blah blah.
And my personal favorite is the classic, "Well, why don't you just start your own business then?" As if being pro-business automatically means you possess the divine talent required to run a corporation or launch a startup tomorrow morning. Honestly, give me a break; not everyone is built for entrepreneurship, and that line of thinking is just fundamentally flawed. It’s like saying, "Oh, you support marriage equality? Well, you should probably go marry a man then." That's not how logic works.

I honestly have no idea where you're getting that from or who you think you're arguing with. If you want to fund massive social safety nets and welfare programs, you actually have to earn that money from somewhere. The reality is that a lot of people claiming to be "leftists" point to the Scandinavian model as an alternative to capitalism, which is just flat-out wrong; those countries are capitalist and highly competitive on the global stage.
Look, Scandinavia is great, nobody is arguing that. Personally, I’d love that lifestyle and would pick Copenhagen, Oslo, or Amsterdam over the UK or the US any day of the week.

Truth is, the conservatives peddle this nonsense too. Norway ranks 6th in military spending per capita, and if you look at GDP growth, Sweden and Iceland are actually outperforming the US.

shadowmarlin22 said:

Truth is, the conservatives peddle this nonsense too. Norway ranks 6th in military spending per capita, and if you look at GDP growth, Sweden and Iceland are actually outperforming the US.

Look, I’m definitely not out here playing defense for the Republicans.
I just really wish we could pull ourselves together a bit before we end up being outperformed by everyone from the Bulgarians to the Mexicans.

Morgan Foster said:I’ll play the part of the ruthless turbo-capitalist—and here is my first proposal for the betterment of our great nation...

Let’s be realistic about the scale here. Our labor costs are currently sitting right in line with places like Mexico or Vietnam—low-cost markets where margins are thin. It’s pretty straightforward: if you can't find a way to boost productivity, you aren't going to make any money under these conditions. Daily wages are bound to drop...

If it’s actually true that Americans work longer hours on average than people in Western Europe—then we really need to ask ourselves what has actually been built with all that extra time... and why it turned out this way.

P.S.: You're better off not even trying. Otherwise, you might just wake up one day living in a Western country... 😁

I have an even better suggestion.
Abolish wages entirely. It would trigger hyper-efficient, low-cost production, making our top American entrepreneurs incredibly wealthy and driving up our GDP within the global market.

It’s the universal fix for everything: slash wages, gut Social Security, and scrap "free" healthcare.

The only catch is... how do I put this... who on earth is going to work for those slashed wages?
Americans won't do it; in twenty years, there won't be anyone left in this country.
Immigrants won't either; they're fleeing the States like it's a plague zone.
People from Mexico or Canada won't bother; why would they move here if they're already leaving their own homes just to head to somewhere like London or Tokyo instead of the US?

How does one propose cutting wages when people are already struggling just to cover their basic utility bills?
I'd love to see that play out.

Matthew Young35 said:I have an even better suggestion.
Abolish wages entirely. It would trigger hyper-efficient, low-cost production, making our top American entrepreneurs incredibly wealthy and driving up our GDP within the global market.

It’s the universal fix for everything: slash wages, gut Social Security, and scrap "free" healthcare.

The only catch is... how do I put this... who on earth is going to work for those slashed wages?
Americans won't do it; in twenty years, there won't be anyone left in this country.
Immigrants won't either; they're fleeing the States like it's a plague zone.
People from Mexico or Canada won't bother; why would they move here if they're already leaving their own homes just to head to somewhere like London or Tokyo instead of the US?

How does one propose cutting wages when people are already struggling just to cover their basic utility bills?
I'd love to see that play out.

Why don't we just hike the minimum wage to $1333? That’s the real fix, right? You feeling that same vibe as those geniuses Maras and Bernardic?
Do you agree with their logic that lowering tax brackets for higher earners is basically just taking money from the poor to hand it to the wealthy? Meanwhile, look at how places like Poland used much stricter measures to become a massive tech powerhouse compared to us.

Our "progressive" politicians are so brilliant that this brainless right-wing crowd is probably going to stay in power forever.

Maras and Bernardic are just one step ahead of being complete idiots. What absolute morons. 🤦