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gridloreThings are not well in the Dominion of Queen Mauds Land!
My people have excellent civil and political rights... they can read and say what they want, and get to vote for what they want the budget spent on, but the economy is failing! I've gone from "Strong" to "Weak" in about four days!
What is their malfunction? You'd think that opening the nation to uranium mining would have pumped some money into the economy, but noooo.. Now I'm being forced to erect tariffs against cheap foreign cars to save my auto industry.
If you blighters don't start spending some Pebbles soon, I'm letting big business back in! I swear!
My people have excellent civil and political rights... they can read and say what they want, and get to vote for what they want the budget spent on, but the economy is failing! I've gone from "Strong" to "Weak" in about four days!
What is their malfunction? You'd think that opening the nation to uranium mining would have pumped some money into the economy, but noooo.. Now I'm being forced to erect tariffs against cheap foreign cars to save my auto industry.
If you blighters don't start spending some Pebbles soon, I'm letting big business back in! I swear!
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no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2003 17:04 (UTC)Looking at Queen Mauds Land, your sluggish economy is both reflected in and caused by your relatively high income tax rate. I suggest that, when issues relating to taxation and spending come up, you consider the tax-cutting route. It's worked well for Musialstan (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/target=display_nation/nation=musialstan). When I was able to have uninterrupted 'Net access again (upon my return to the States), I found that Musialstan's economy had considerably weakened, as a result of misguided United Nations policies. Taxes were in the 20% range and climbing, with steeply progressive rates that penalized our most productive citizens. By cutting taxes and resisting increased spending, I've brought Musialstan to its present prosperity, without resorting to Draconian measures that would hurt our Civil Rights or Political Freedoms, both of which are impressively high.
With highest regard,
Red Schoendiest
Manager Emeritus
Republic of Musialstan
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2003 17:34 (UTC)(Laffer's on my mind because he just joined the board of directors at my company. Everyone seemed to think they had to explain to me who he was. For some reason nobody imagines that a mere dumb software engineer might possibly have been an Econ minor, 1980-85, just as Mr. Laffer's theories were in the spotlight for all us policy wonks. I love people who think all engineers are one-dimensional code machines. Grrr.)
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2003 17:16 (UTC)Cordially,
Erik Carl Ludwig Ansbach-Saxe-Gotheburg
Grand Duke of Mercedes (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/target=display_nation/nation=mercedes)
Supreme Grand Master, Hermetic Order of the Silver Moonrise, Mercedes Lodges
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2003 17:25 (UTC)I am confused as to why you think a tax rate over 20% is a burden to an economy. In the Republic of Pangaelica, our tax rate is at 26% and we have a strong economy despite daily union strikes. The tariffs we instituted to protect our fledgling auto industry may have had an ameliorating effect, but our tax rate has never been below 20% and the economy has yet to falter. (OOC: Watch, I log in tomorow and it's dropped like a rock.)
May the road rise to meet you,
Brigid NicDaibhoreann
Prime Minister, Republic of Pangaelica
Wysteria Region
no subject
Date: 4 Feb 2003 19:28 (UTC)With regard to a 20% income tax being burdensome, the point that our Musialstan colleague Manager Schoendiest was trying to make was that the combination of interim governments and various United Nations resolutions had simultaneously harmed Musialstan's economy and imposed an income tax of over 20%, with wealthier citizens paying far more in tax. Diligent efforts to cut taxes (which are now a flat 1% of income) have brought Musialstan back to her early prosperity, without harming Musialstan's standings in Civil Rights and Political Freedoms.
The Grand Duchy of Mercedes (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/target=display_nation/nation=mercedes) has been fortunate enough to avoid imposing any income taxes; our economy has similarly prospered. Admittedly, I have had to grant minor, non-inheritbable patents of nobility to the leaders of certain biker gangs, in recognition of their services in maintaining order; this seems a small price to pay for our cherished way of life. We are pleased to note that your land has also prospered, despite what our citizens would view as oppressive taxation. It is to be hoped that the Dominion of Queen Mauds Land may experience an economic renaissance as well.
As for "the road rising" to meet me, this happened with some regularity in my younger days, generally following a strenuous evening of carousing. ;-)
May both you and your posterity continue to enjoy the blessings of prosperity and liberty,
Erik Carl Ludwig Ansbach-Saxe-Gotheburg
Grand Duke
Supreme Grand Master, Hermetic Order of the Silver Moonrise, Mercedes Lodges
no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2003 08:44 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Feb 2003 11:05 (UTC)New nations come into the world like bastard children
Date: 5 Feb 2003 18:15 (UTC)