Bit busy, so here's some other libertarians instead

This week family duties prevent me spending time on the blog, so I can only refer you to some excellent stuff by fellow libertarians.

If you have been following the lies, half-lies and obscurantist twaddle posing as ‘research’ behind UK attempts to introduce alcohol minimum pricing, then take a look at some intelligent analysis instead at http://www.iea.org.uk/blog/a-total-ban-on-alcohol-advertising-the-next-logical-step-0 .

You also really, really need to take advantage of a free download opportunity for a 75 page paper (i.e. a small book) by Chris Snowdon. He demolishes the myth that “sinners”—those who drink, smoke, and eat 'unhealthy' food—cost more to society than everyone else. Then he suggests that this fairy story has been perpetuated in large part because “government has no incentive to tell the public that these groups are being exploited and the affected industries dare not advertise the savings that come from lives being cut short by excessive use of their products.”

Strong, funny, provocative… and also properly researched, which is more than you can say of the guff from ‘health bodies’ which has recently been sprayed all over the UK media like so much Friday midnight adolescent upchuck. See it at http://cei.org/studies/wages-sin-taxes .

 By the way, you can keep up with Chris at his blog, Velvet Glove Iron Fist, to the right of this page.

Elsewhere Dick Puddlecote, another excellent libertarian blogger, has been uncovering some astounding stuff about shady goings on at Westminster between politicos and the sock puppet ‘public health’ outfits they use to pretend the public have been consulted before losing their civil liberties.

Last week, (see http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/exclusive-attempt-to-kill-plain.html ) Dick revealed exclusively that Anne Milton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, had held a meeting - which was initially hidden from her official ministerial record - with ASH and the APPG on Smoking and Health, the aim of which seemed to be to discount a massive public objection to the ‘plain packaging’ of cigarettes. It has been all over the libertarian blogosphere since, but not picked up by the ‘proper press’. Funny that.

This week (see http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.com/2013/02/earl-howe-held-inappropriate-meeting.html ) he found CRUK - a bogus ‘cancer charity’ that these days seems more interested in underwriting government sock puppets than researching causes or cures for cancer - try to take it further.

Well, what a surprise. Bogus charities who depend on government for the majority of their income (in return for pretending to lobby government on ‘our’ behalf for the introduction of draconian social policies that their sponsors thought up in the first place) holding secret meetings with those parts of government who don’t directly employ them, aimed at making sure that genuine public opinion about such policies is buried, disbarred and, in general, struck from the parliamentary record.

Granted, this nonsense happens in the UK in far more sophisticated ways than, say, the clumsy broom cupboard fumblings between fundie charities and their dim Manx political friends. The thing to bear in mind, though, is that we will see this pitiful drivel produced as ‘fact’ and ‘academic research’ over here before inevitable attempts to parrot UK policies.

For one thing, because the Manx government are either too dim or too idle to do their own research on public health issues. For another, because Manx health and social care professionals seem a little undereducated themselves.

How else would you explain this (see http://www.gov.im/lib/news/education/collegehealthfay.xml) being presented quite seriously as ‘health education’?

Should aid be used as a political tool to encourage change?

A few weeks ago I was asked if I’d lend a hand to (or at least try and interest Isle of Man Freethinkers in) the local arm of a major campaign which will kick off in 2013.

Though I and others involved have some doubts, unfortunately, by the terms of the invitation, I cannot yet say more than it is another attempt by one powerful interest group to consolidate both their stake in (and the terms of debate for) foreign aid. This is possibly before another powerful interest group can beat them to it: though actually I suspect the boat set sail months ago with that other interest group navigating it. For now, I can only say that the campaign is due to launch in the UK around 17^th January, so possibly also in the Isle of Man.

Thankfully, others seem to share my worry that what is wrong in this debate is the attempt by two fixed though opposing interests to rig it so that the general taxpaying public think we are involved, contributing and being listened to while, in actuality, we are jerked around by equally abhorrent puppet masters who think it is our job to simply shut up, pay up and, in general, leave it to the experts.

The sick joke being that neither pseudo-side in this potential pseudo-debate has yet demonstrated the ability to organise a chimps’ tea party – never mind a full blown domestic policy – in a former colony.

Think of the worst, most petty-minded Manx public body you can and their disastrous attempts to, say, fix a hole in the road or organise a bin collection. Then think of the same bunch of blow-hards, malingerers and pocket-lining plonkers being let loose on a large impoverished country.

Worrying, isn’t it?

So, before the ‘official’ local debate between the official (if somewhat calcified) parties begins, why not join an honest attempt to discuss this knotty problem?

On Sunday, 13^th January, 2.30 PM at Douglas Yacht Club, Andrew Dixon (Chairman of the Freethinkers) and Phil Craine (Chairman of the One World Centre and local Christian Aid worker) ask ‘Should aid be used as a political tool to encourage change?’

Both are personal friends, and both people I’ve worked with on ‘good causes’, so, though their views on this topic will differ astronomically, I am sure both speak with honest and humane intent. So I also have no hesitation in urging the real Manx public to get along and get the debate going - before it is taken out of our hands.