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The Forum > Article Comments > Tony Abbott should support anti-dumping measures > Comments

Tony Abbott should support anti-dumping measures : Comments

By Chris Lewis, published 1/3/2011

Only free trade zealots could support China dumping product in Australia damaging our industry and furthering her own mercantilist aims.

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There is nothing 'voluntary' about slave labour including children, exploitation of labour, competing with subisdies and a less than level playing field. The extent to which these transactions are voluntary is highly debatable and is the stuff of mythology.
Posted by pelican, Friday, 4 March 2011 12:16:04 PM
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PW
Even if the price is less than the costs, so what? If I sell something for less than it cost me, should that be illegal, should it?

So long as the seller and buyer agree, what business is it of anyone else's?

Even if the cheaper products are the result of foreign government policies, so what? All it means is that the foreign government is taxing its own population so as to provide cheaper goods to Australians. Let 'em!

The only reason big businesses are big - apart from support from government - is because they supply what many people scramble to buy.

What this idiot is saying is that Australians should be prevented by law from buying cheaper products. He dreams of a world in an economic stasis controlled by - him, on the basis of his ignorant conceit that he knows better than everyone else in the world put together.

Even if Chris Lewis and Pelican did understand the social processes they criticise - and they don't, or they wouldn't be so hopelessly illogical - it still wouldn't provide any justification whatsoever for their forcing everyone else to obey them.

Pelican
You're in favour of threatening to bash and rape people and lock them in a cage to get them to work under compulsion for someone else's benefit - it's how your beloved government gets all its revenue, remember? You're in favour of exploitation and greed and slavery and child labour - so long as it's the government that's dictating the terms, remember? You think employment is exploitative remember? because it is motivated by profit which you think is immoral. So spare us your disgusting hypocrisy.

You haven't defined level playing field, and as usual you are only thinking in slogans. The only way there could be a level playing field is if everyone in the world had the same conditions, in which case, there'd be no reason for trade. What you're saying is that all social co-operation should be illegal unless and until you approve of it on the basis of your complete ignorance.
Posted by Peter Hume, Saturday, 5 March 2011 3:06:29 PM
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You complain about big business getting favours from government at the expense of the population, and here you are advocating for it yourself! Perhaps now you can understand that the reason big business get so much handouts from government is because there are so many people in the population whose thinking is as confused and sanctimonious as yours.
Posted by Peter Hume, Saturday, 5 March 2011 3:15:41 PM
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Peter Hume,

I think you owe Graham Young an apology for your comment "this fool has the gall to call "zealots" those in favour of voluntary transactions?".

They were not my words.
Posted by Chris Lewis, Monday, 7 March 2011 4:40:10 PM
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Chris
If they were not your words, I owe *you* an apology.
Posted by Peter Hume, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 3:38:51 PM
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What rot Peter.

The difference is you have this almost religious faith in the markets to fix all ills, that competition will inevitabley lead to the level playing field, and an unshakeable belief in voluntary transactions that very often are anything but voluntary in the real world. You have created a fantasy world where reality is non-existent.

You know very well my faith in governments is limited and have often argued that governments are too wedded to vested interests; that there are some arenas where governments should keep out; and have continually argued for greater transparency and accountability for the money paid to them by citizens.

Libertarianism only works when all parties are free to experience and enjoy the same liberties, it doesn't work when power and money is so overwhelmingly balanced in favour of one small elite group.

Perhaps you should turn your critical eye to your bathroom mirror and really sound out some of the more extreme views you hold in terms of personal liberties and freedom. More slogans no substance.
Posted by pelican, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 4:55:26 PM
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