"to sicken and starve"

[ama_gi]

Selling a physical object that could be used for bludgeoning is not a victimless act.

Obviously, selling, or giving, somebody a wooden stick is not a crime under normal circumstances. However, selling somebody a stick after you see them beat somebody up with a stick should be a crime.

I want somebody to answer the Israeli/Palestinian subject I brought up. The U.S. government forbids Americans from supplying money and arms to the Hamas and Hezbollah, ostensibly because they kill civilians and violate human rights, but does not criminalize sending weapons to the Israeli government, which also kills civilians and violates human rights. Obviously, there is some inconsistency there. Should the government open up the floodgates to Hamas/Hezbollah? Or should it restrict money and arms to the Israeli government?

U.S. defense industries supply most of Israel’s weapons. That supply of weapons would disappear with a simple act of Congress.

A second, and completely hypothetical question. Suppose you were unanimously elected President of the human race. Suppose that a powerful nation, such as China or the United States launched a genicidal invasion against a much smaller, weaker country. How would you deal with that?

a) raise taxes and send troops and military forces to repel the invaders

b) order foreign countries to restrict trade with the aggressive state, particularly to deprive them of fuel, computer systems, military supplies, and–most importantly–access to credit markets

c) something else I haven’t thought of

Sound off.

[Giant_Joe]

ama gi,

Do you have a theory of law? Or are laws “just obvious”?

[chloe732]

@ama gi

However, selling somebody a stick after you see them beat somebody up with a stick should be a crime.

What if the person receiving the beating was attacking the stick swinger’s wife and children?

@ama gi

Should the government open up the floodgates to Hamas/Hezbollah? Or should it restrict money and arms to the Israeli government

It should do neither. It should exit the situation completely.

@ami gi

U.S. defense industries supply most of Israel’s weapons. That supply of weapons would disappear with a simple act of Congress.

How would Congress benefit from passing such an act? Members of Congress rely on the defense industry, and all other major industries, for campaign funds and political support. The Congress would never consider such and act.

@ami gi

Suppose you were unanimously elected President of the human race.

Can you bring the question down to Earth? The answer, though, is “C”.

[krazy_kaju]

Compare North Korea and Cuba to China and Vietnam. We trade with the latter two, but not with the former two. The latter two are freer than the former two. Why? Because free trade allows ideas to move with the goods that are being traded.

[Marko]

Compare North Korea and Cuba to China and Vietnam. We trade with the latter two, but not with the former two. The latter two are freer than the former two. Why? Because free trade allows ideas to move with the goods that are being traded.

Plus there is less siege mentality and spite.