Shock: Renfrewshire Councillor Devoid of Clue

Well, Terry seems to be back on form and posting irrelevancies and insults rather than answering any of the points made to him.

An anonymous commentator, remarking on Terry's blithe "command economy" statement and suggesting that some time in North Korea might allow him to rethink his opinion (it certainly wouldn't do his body mass index any harm) was subjected to this:

A command economy relates to the economy nothing else. “what you need is a good spell in a North Korean concentration camp” what’s wrong with Guantanamo then, what have you got against good ole Amurkin torturers ?

Now, firstly - there are two problems with command economies - to have one at all, you need a command society and that means a radical restriction on freedom and human rights, and, more importantly, limits on information and human behaviour mean they cannot work efficiently. The infamous shock expressed by a Soviet planner when told that there is nobody in charge of ensuring the bread supply to London demonstrates this quite appropriately, if anecdotally. Secondly, there is absolutely no connection between the inefficiencies of a command economy (and the suggestion that a good demonstration of this might be found in prison conditions) and the deliberate maltreatment of prisoners: whether in American (including Guantanamo), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cuba, North Korea or, even here in the UK.

However Rumbold really struck a core:

How about privatising the Polis and the armed forces then ? not one of you free marketeers has jumped on that yet, why is that ?

Let's all look back at the trailing sentence of our hero's whittering tomfoolery:

Under Socialism and a command economy this would not happen, perhaps if sections of society want to embrace capitalism that much that they want more than others, they should advocate the privatisation of these services, I’ll wait for their answer.

Regardless of the facts:

• the Royal Navy was, to a considerable degree, composed of both Royal and private ships until after the Restoration (hence the naval maxim - "Happiness is a private ship") and STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) played a hugely significant role in the Falklands War.
  
• Regiments of Horse and Infantry were still raised by their Colonels into the 19th Century: the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (Alan Cameron of Erracht, 1793) and the Green Howards (Honourable Charles Howard, 1744 although initially raised by Col Francis Luttrell in 1688) being amongst the last to retain their Colonels' names in the Regimental title.
  
• as a previous member of the Strathclyde Police Board, Terry would (of course) be aware of the Burgh Police (Scotland) Act, 1833 (3 & 4 Wm IV c.46)

However, to his point - that we free marketeers / capitalist running dogs / privatisers - should be suggesting private police and military is, again but not surprisingly, completely missing the point. Apart from the fact that the target-driven policing approach of successive nu-Labour Home Secretaries has driven many people to employing private security guards, most libertarians agree that there are certain services that, because of the potential for abuse (and for making markets less free or efficient) should be provided by an otherwise minimalist state. These are the coercive services: justice (including policing) and military. It doesn't, fundamentally, matter where these services are obtained from by the state - both citizen militias and posse comitatus have a distinguished history, the press gang somewhat less so - or from permanent state employees (probably a better idea). However, they should be provided under state aegis, with the elected politicians being held accountable for their (ab)use by the electorate (and the judiciary if we actually catch them at it.)

So b*gger off and think (again would be completely incorrect here), you disgusting sleaze-bound faux-socialist oxygen thief.

Edited to add: Although the above probably reflects the views of many TerryWatch contributors, we are an open church and this should not be taken as a joint statement of policy. Except the paragraph above, of course.