I had no idea he'd written on that subject, should be pretty awesome.


Perhaps. The acid test though really is whether you feel you have been stripped of any freedom to act that you feel is important. Some people feel that the right to smoke in a pub is pretty much sacred, and so a nanny state law that forbids it on the grounds that it is bad for other people seems like oppression. I don't have a strong opinion either way on issues like that, for me the freedom to smoke with my pint indoors doesn't seem to be too critical, so I can live with losing it.

Other people are incensed that they aren't allowed to keep firearms in their house and execute those who trespass upon their property with intent to steal. Personally I am glad to suffer the oppression of enforced civil disarmament, but those inclined to chafe under that yoke will no doubt grumble.

Unless those that benefited from the government support pay a lot more then the general public will feel ripped off. It could mean to a end of support for governments that are trying to maintain the status quo. Ireland are making the mistake of putting bank defaults as the same as a sovereign default. They need to walk away from the bank guarantees and let the banks fold. Then nationalise the branch networks and allow a new banking system to be started. The same should happen here. Unless governments force people to cope with their liabilities then all they do is delay the inevitable collapse. The most European nations are not in a position to support their banks to the extent that Japan has done. Unless the pain is spread fairly then governments will face serious problems in future.