Fatalism

I so enjoyed Tyler Cowen’s Post on Uncertainty that I have decided to list my own Thoughts on the area in an Point/Point format. Readers should understand that this is the Means by which both Debate and Consensus becomes effective–with Individuals taking Positions which they are willing to argue and defend.

1. Medical Costs–I agree with Tyler that Means-Testing is functionally worthless; the essential Question being the provision of Medical Services, or the refusal to do so. Widespread medical provision will generate high Social Costs, which Private Sector payment will not cover; this because of increasing Medical Costs from shortage of medical personnel and equipment. The only method to limit Medical Costs effectively remains limits of medical provision.
2. School Vouchers are a non-sequitur. They will work only in experimental Cases. Universality will destroy any viability to the programs, with even mediocre performance being granted Rent-Seeking opportunity without consequential benefit.
3. Social Security funding is aided by Inflation, but only if Medical and Living Costs are suppressed. Tyler is correct in sensing no real Crisis in the numbers, and realizing that the danger lies in the extension of Services covered by the original program.
4. Tyler, like myself, doubts the efficacy of remedial correctives for global warming. We are already trapped within a matrix of damage from Greenhouse Gases, due to Capital construction already in place, when necessary alteration stays impossible because of the huge magnitudes of replacement involved. Large-scale Carbon sequestration policies appear as the only viable substance.
5. Biodiversity must be approached from the position of Replacement fertilization policies; constraint of current Food possibilities is not a viable option, noncompliance will be systemic as long as People are hungry.
6. Non-criminalization of Drugs will only guarantee of Drug use; Everyone under 30 would have tried practically all Drugs decriminalized within two decades. The only viable Option is to keep criminal penalties in place with massive publicity of the dangers.
7. I differ with Tyler on Immigration, thinking that American society is already over-populated. This may be my rural upbringing, and bias against Crowds. I do believe that exploitation of material resources could be more efficient and ecologically sound with reduced human population. Do I sound like a dinosaur?
8. Tyler and I are of one mind, I believe, concerning foreign policy. Any American foreign policy must face the traditional manner of foreign social conduct developed over Centuries, with incumbent deep resentment against America for any pressured change. We would do essentially better to exploit areas of mutual interest.
9. I also have advocated an effective Water policy for over a decade. The trouble here resides in an like sentiment towards foreign policy, with Water policy advocates facing traditional Water practices.

Do I think much will change about the listed conditions?–No! The only real Change will come through real Shortages of one type or another. I have always been a fatalist! I was once asked what I thought the human population size would be in 2100, and I replied that I estimated it would be around a billion people. There is a whale of human grief in that assessment, but I haven’t changed that evaluation. lgl