Ace of Spades HQ

May 14, 2011

What if Supermakets Operated Like Public Schools? [ArthurK]
— Open Blogger

Greg Mankiw's indispensible economic blog excerpts a WSJ article...

Suppose that groceries were supplied in the same way as K-12 education. Residents of each county would pay taxes on their properties. Nearly half of those tax revenues would then be spent by government officials to build and operate supermarkets. Each family would be assigned to a particular supermarket according to its home address. And each family would get its weekly allotment of groceries - "for free" - from its neighborhood public supermarket.
No family would be permitted to get groceries from a public supermarket outside of its district. ...
... quality of public supermarkets would play a major role in families' choices about where to live. Real-estate agents and chambers of commerce in prosperous neighborhoods would brag about the high quality of public supermarkets to which families in their cities and towns are assigned.
... thoughtful souls would call for "supermarket choice" fueled by vouchers or tax credits. Those calls would be vigorously opposed by public-supermarket administrators and workers.
As for the handful of radicals who call for total separation of supermarket and state --- well, they would be criticized by almost everyone as antisocial devils indifferent to the starvation that would haunt the land if the provision of groceries were governed exclusively by private market forces.

Huh!

I had heard public schools described as the most socialized part of American life but this comparison makes it extra-clear!

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:08 PM | Comments (146)
Post contains 252 words, total size 2 kb.

1 And groing your own food would be offensive.

Posted by: Cicerokid at May 14, 2011 05:13 PM (Aqp6o)

Growing. We grow our own food. And educate our own children.

Posted by: Cicerokid at May 14, 2011 05:14 PM (Aqp6o)

3 What about extra-curricular food? Like dessert?

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes..... at May 14, 2011 05:14 PM (sJTmU)

4 First and second! Hey, where is everyone?

Posted by: Cicerokid at May 14, 2011 05:15 PM (Aqp6o)

5 NEA & Department of Education: The 2 most dangerous organizations to the future of America.

Posted by: Papa Editor at May 14, 2011 05:15 PM (6neGz)

6 Supermarket choice? That is just crazy talk right there. Vouchers? Yup, that too..... crazy talk.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 14, 2011 05:16 PM (lfOJH)

7 NEA & Department of Education: The 2 most dangerous organizations to the future of America.

Posted by: Papa Editor

You could add Organizing for America, Media Matters, and the New York Times, but I digress.

Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes..... at May 14, 2011 05:17 PM (sJTmU)

8 Please don't give Moochelle any ideas.

Posted by: Cicerokid at May 14, 2011 05:17 PM (Aqp6o)

9 And the supermarkets themselves would consist of wildly overpriced buildings with substandard food and overripe fruits and foods inside. And there would be long lines without those handy self-checkout lines you see at Giant and such.

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 05:17 PM (c0A3e)

10 NEA & DOE, the two most endangered orgs in America.

Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at May 14, 2011 05:18 PM (Jq4xH)

11 total separation of supermarket and state

Heh.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:20 PM (1fanL)

12
If Supermakets Operated Like Public Schools then we would be living in North Korea?

Posted by: sTevo at May 14, 2011 05:20 PM (VMcEw)

13 3 What about extra-curricular food? Like dessert? Posted by: Reader C.J. Burch writes.....

Such a thing would have been cut long ago to pay for more administrators!

Posted by: Dianna at May 14, 2011 05:20 PM (mKMj1)

14 Hey Kratos! They would have the old style cash registers that each item would have to be keyed into, thus making the shopping experience cumbersome and rife with mistakes that you wouldn't catch until you got home and studied the receipt.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 14, 2011 05:22 PM (lfOJH)

15 Supermarkets would only be open 180 days a year.

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 05:22 PM (c0A3e)

16 And give up some of your Constitutional rights when you went in. And the workers would be pumping you full of propaganda on the right foods.

But at least you could get "free" condoms.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:22 PM (1fanL)

17 I'd like to know if Ace is standing by his predictions that Ron Paul and Newt won't run.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:22 PM (7utQ2)

18 And you wouldn't have a choice of the food sold at the supermarket.

Posted by: John P. Squibob at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (/U/Mr)

19 Would state run supermarkets employ slow kids to bag your groceries or work the voucher register?

Posted by: Sub-tard Goober at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (fy8R6)

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 14, 2011 09:22 PM (lfOJH)

lol, indeed.

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (c0A3e)

21 5 NEA & Department of Education: The 2 most dangerous organizations to the future of America.

Posted by: Papa Editor at May 14, 2011 09:15 PM (6neGz)

NEA & Department of Education & The ACLU: The 3 most dangerous orginizations to the future of America.

FIF the spanish inquisition.

Posted by: Unclefacts Luxury-Yacht at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (6IReR)

22 Clever, ArthurK, but the analogy fails. Although the government has an interest in what people eat, it is limited to insuring that food is not contaminated, poisonous or mislabeled. With education, however, the future of children is involved. Accordingly, the state must necessarily assume an expansive role to guarantee equality of opportunity and uniformity in the curriculum. Former President Clinton has wisely proposed that the government take a similar educational initiative with respect to the internet. The imbalance between fact and misinformation is vast, and the lack of regulation has led to an intellectual anarchy which has lowered the national level of discourse. The only rational solution is a federally-funded "FactCheck" or Snopes, with future balances provided by a blue-ribbon, independent commission which is appointed that thus immune to improper electoral influence.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (liBQN)

23 Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food?

Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at May 14, 2011 05:23 PM (h3POu)

24 Supermarkets would only be open 180 days a year.

And not on weekends.

Posted by: John P. Squibob at May 14, 2011 05:24 PM (/U/Mr)

25 Of course, in this situation, illegal aliens undocumented workers would be exempt. Otherwise it would be racist.

Posted by: Peaches at May 14, 2011 05:24 PM (afUO8)

26 Actually, there is a voucher system for poor peoples' supermarket choices. Food stamps.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:24 PM (1fanL)

27 Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:23 PM (liBQN)

I seriously hope this is a sock. Otherwise you're as full of shit as anyone I've seen here in a while.

Posted by: Unclefacts Luxury-Yacht at May 14, 2011 05:25 PM (6IReR)

28 What a great idea!

Posted by: Walter Duranty at May 14, 2011 05:25 PM (/izg2)

29 The first big strep in going Galt is going down an signing your kids up for Catholic (or whatever) school. You immediately feel a liberating, f--- you attitude with respect to all of the local government clowns who have been annoying you for years. Then you start paying taxes for the schools you not using and the attitude starts getting a little darker with each property tax assessment - pretty soon your in the basement reloading your own brass and hanging out here.

Posted by: Jean at May 14, 2011 05:26 PM (7P7Ij)

30 And somehow, after 12 years of modern supermarket experience, your kids would not know how to open a can of beans or pick a ripe melon.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:26 PM (64xTs)

31 Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:23 PM (liBQN)

OK, this is too over-the-top retarded for anything but a sock. Out yourself! Is that you AmishDude?

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:26 PM (1fanL)

32 Accordingly, the state must necessarily assume an expansive role to guarantee equality of opportunity and uniformity in the curriculum.

Yes, because that goes so swimmingly in every other government endeavor.

Things government does well: Big, broad brush stuff like war and highways. That's pretty much it.

Things government does poorly: All matter of things involving market forces and individual choice.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:27 PM (7utQ2)

33 And somehow, after 12 years of modern supermarket experience, your kids would not know how to open a can of beans or pick a ripe melon.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 09:26 PM (64xTs)

Only 60% of them would live to graduate, the rest will have starved to death.

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 05:27 PM (MtwBb)

34 The CalFresh Program, formerly known as Food Stamps

The above is what you see if you search on "California food stamp program." They changed the name recently because they felt it was unfair to have any possible stigma attached for those fat illegal fucks the rest of us are forced to over-feed.

Posted by: Peaches at May 14, 2011 05:27 PM (afUO8)

35 Unclefacts, we have hundreds of federally-funded agencies already insuring that science is not subject to public whim. The Center for Disease Control, the FDA, etc. etc. There is nothing inherently objectionable about government-funded "truth", regardless of the sinister overtones conservatives inevitably attach to it.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:28 PM (liBQN)

the lack of regulation has led to an intellectual anarchy which has lowered the national level of discourse

Local control, anarchy. Potato, tomahto.

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 05:28 PM (XdlcF)

Only 60% of them would live to graduate, the rest will have starved to death.

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 09:27 PM (MtwBb)

Heh. And some of the rest would go on to even more enormously expensive supermarkets, with even less individual attention from the supermarket workers. And when they got done with that supermarket, they still wouldn't know how or where to get food.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:29 PM (1fanL)

38 A parent must sign your permission slip for the class trip to the Produce Section.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:29 PM (64xTs)

39 OK, this is too over-the-top retarded for anything but a sock. Out yourself! Is that you AmishDude?

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 09:26 PM (1fanL)

See, I love it when it turns out that the OP is actually an earnest troll. That's when it gets really fun!

Posted by: NC Ref at May 14, 2011 05:29 PM (/izg2)

40 FIF the spanish inquisition. Well, can't say that I was expecting that.....

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 14, 2011 05:29 PM (9Lm5R)

41 OK. who is the sock?

Fool me once, etc., etc.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (7utQ2)

42 Anyone not laughing at this , should be .

Posted by: Bill D. Cat at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (npr0X)

43 There is nothing inherently objectionable about government-funded "truth", regardless of the sinister overtones conservatives inevitably attach to it.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:28 PM (liBQN)

Who gets to decide what the "truth" is? What if there is disagreement about what the "truth" is?

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (1fanL)

44 Who's gonna make the Varsity night stock team?

Posted by: Papa Editor at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (6neGz)

They changed the name recently because they felt it was unfair to have any possible stigma attached for those fat illegal fucks the rest of us are forced to over-feed.

Don't the "stamps" come in the form of some type of credit card as well? No sense of shame in line anymore.

Posted by: Delta Smelt at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (dWPyO)

46 Mom! Dad! I got accepted into Whole Foods!

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:30 PM (64xTs)

47 There is nothing inherently objectionable about government-funded "truth",

Finally, a fellow traveler! Glory to the Chi-Coms!

Posted by: Thomas (Mao) Friedman at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (c0A3e)

48 There is nothing inherently objectionable about government-funded "truth", regardless of the sinister overtones conservatives inevitably attach to it.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:28 PM (liBQN)

And, um, what to do about that pesky "freedom of speech" thing?

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (1fanL)

49 Ah, yes, local control. States' rights, Jim Crow, and all that good stuff. At the lowest level, of course, there is the glorious individual. So let's abandon government altogether and leave everything up to Average Joe.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (liBQN)

50 (liBQN)

hash = Greg/Average Joe

Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (h3POu)

51 Don't forget that there would be exclusive supermarkets such as Whole Foods that only the elite would be allowed to shop at, no matter their residency.

Posted by: Darth Randall at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (O/onO)

52 Don't the "stamps" come in the form of some type of credit card as well? No sense of shame in line anymore.

Yup! And they worked at strip clubs and Indian gambling casinos. California is like a sneak preview of what's coming for the rest of y'all if we don't get 'er done in '12.

Posted by: Peaches at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (afUO8)

Who's gonna make the Varsity night stock team?

Star bag boy gets all the babes?

Posted by: Delta Smelt at May 14, 2011 05:31 PM (dWPyO)

54 Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food?
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at May 14, 2011 09:23 PM

Yes, but they would still have to subsidize the food of the hoi polloi through taxation.

Posted by: huerfano at May 14, 2011 05:32 PM (IN2A4)

55 Well all adults need to eat so at least all of them would get some use out of the supermarket, as bad as the situation would be. Not every adult has a child, though, so it's not like education where parents force non-parents to subsidize them. Statists are all about pitting groups against each other while basically insulting the recipients of aid (food aid, education aid, etc.) by assuming they're too incompetent to provide for their own needs or the needs of their children.

Posted by: Fishy at May 14, 2011 05:33 PM (tXM3V)

56 Ah, yes, local control. States' rights, Jim Crow, and all that good stuff.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:31 PM (liBQN)

Liberals: permanently stuck in the past, and scornful of the Constitution.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:33 PM (1fanL)

57 Urrrgh, too bad the WSJ article is behind a paywall. I wanted more.

Posted by: logprof at May 14, 2011 05:33 PM (BP6Z1)

58 Only NASA could lose two shuttles so stupidly and spectacularly.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:33 PM (64xTs)

Teacher's unions don't give a crap about their customers - kids and parents.

Teacher's unions are another part of the "get democrats elected" money laundering machine.

Posted by: Abolish the Teacher's Union at May 14, 2011 05:33 PM (0fzsA)

Mom! Dad!

I got accepted into Whole Foods!

Majoring in arugala??

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 05:34 PM (XdlcF)

61 Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:28 PM (liBQN)

lawl

Posted by: Unclefacts Luxury-Yacht at May 14, 2011 05:34 PM (6IReR)

62 I wanted more.

That's what she said!

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 05:35 PM (c0A3e)

63 Ah, yes, local control. States' rights, Jim Crow, and all that good stuff.

If it's still 1962, I'd like those gas prices back, please.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:35 PM (7utQ2)

64 And, um, what to do about that pesky "freedom of speech" thing? I haven't proposed limiting freedom of speech. No one would be required to accept the truth agency's findings, anymore than they're obligated to accept the FDA's finding of an e coli outbreak. Conservative blogs could continue to call the findings a hoax and engage in conspiracy theories, in the same way they are now contesting the international consensus on global warming.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:35 PM (liBQN)

65 No matter how poorly the floors are cleaned, or how badly the cashier fucked up your bill or how badly your bread was crashed under the bottles of coke by your crappy bagger, it would be impossible to fire them.

Posted by: logprof at May 14, 2011 05:35 PM (BP6Z1)

66 At the lowest level, of course, there is the glorious individual. So let's abandon government altogether and leave everything up to Average Joe.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:31 PM (liBQN)

Excuse me, did I read you right? Did you mention Bill Clinton wants to start a fact check organization? The same Bill Clinton that had his law license yanked for perjury?

You know what perjury means right?

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 05:36 PM (MtwBb)

67 If it's still 1962, I'd like those gas prices back, please.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 09:35 PM (7utQ2)

I'd like a couple of '62 vettes please!

Posted by: Unclefacts Luxury-Yacht at May 14, 2011 05:36 PM (6IReR)

68 Only NASA could lose two shuttles so stupidly and spectacularly.

Give them credit. They can create one hell of a crash site on Mars.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:36 PM (7utQ2)

69 I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but Billy failed his Deli final exam and his Frozen Foods essay and will have to repeat.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:36 PM (64xTs)

70 Ahh, Huck (pbuh) is out and we can talk about other stuff. Life is good. I think I'll go read a few more chapters of the first book in the new Preston & Child thriller series, "Gideon's Sword". I read the first 70 or 80 pages last night and it hasn't quite caught my full attention yet. Hopefully I'll have a better picture of it in time for the book thread.

Posted by: Lincolntf at May 14, 2011 05:37 PM (xMT+4)

71 23 Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food?

Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at May 14, 2011 09:23 PM (h3POu)

--Heh.

Sidwell Friends = Harris Teeter/Bruno's

Posted by: logprof at May 14, 2011 05:37 PM (BP6Z1)

72 The Supermarket Collective will provide all customers with a voucher good for a 10lb block of fresh frozen Pollock on a monthly basis. _{small gov core charge for container}

Posted by: melvin at May 14, 2011 05:37 PM (3OCZw)

73 Oh, and a big bomb by V-tek to top it off. Life is grand. Sox up 6-0.

Posted by: Lincolntf at May 14, 2011 05:37 PM (xMT+4)

74 Conservative blogs could continue to call the findings a hoax and engage in conspiracy theories, in the same way they are now contesting the international consensus on global warming.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:35 PM (liBQN)

Right. So if there was disagreement over "objective truth," of course your liberal fantasies would win the prize.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:38 PM (1fanL)

Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food?

Not necessarily.

Posted by: Mama AJ, HomeFooder at May 14, 2011 05:38 PM (XdlcF)

76 22 ... Accordingly, the state must necessarily assume an expansive role to guarantee equality of opportunity and uniformity in the curriculum. Former President Clinton has wisely proposed that the government take a similar educational initiative with respect to the internet. ... Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg That's a modest proposal!

Posted by: Comrade Jonathan Swift at May 14, 2011 05:38 PM (/gY+v)

77 Conservative blogs could continue to call the findings a hoax and engage in conspiracy theories, in the same way they are now contesting the international consensus on global warming.

Ah, the international consensus that half of the world's population don't seem to give a rip about?

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:38 PM (7utQ2)

78 the international consensus on global warming. Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:35 PM

A consensus is still just an opinion. Dumbass.

Posted by: huerfano at May 14, 2011 05:38 PM (IN2A4)

79 The above is what you see if you search on "California food stamp program." They changed the name recently because they felt it was unfair to have any possible stigma attached for those fat illegal fucks the rest of us are forced to over-feed.

Posted by: Peaches at May 14, 2011 09:27 PM (afUO

--Don't they also put it on a nice, handy swipe card so it looks just like a normal credit or debit card?

Posted by: logprof at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (BP6Z1)

80 A small, but significant number of the women cashiers would be attempting decadence with the younger male patrons?

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (c0A3e)

81 Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:35 PM (liBQN) Either a sock or a Borg drone.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (64xTs)

82 Buzzion, I officially hate you.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (7utQ2)

83 Who gets to decide what the "truth" is? What if there is disagreement about what the "truth" is? Interesting how right-wingers who accept the absolute truth and infallibility of the Bible suddenly become complete relativists with respect to all of reality.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (liBQN)

84 > 23 Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food? Posted by: mpurinTexas Yeah, that's in the linked article. I only copied bits and pieces of it. Go ahead and Read The Whole Thing.

Posted by: Comrade Arthur at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (/gY+v)

You know there was another guy that ran a government back in the 30's and 40's. He was worried about the truth too, in fact he started a government funded Ministry of Information. What was that fuckers name? Bill wasn't it Bill Hitler? No no no, Adolf, Adolf Hitler.

That worked out just fine as I remember.

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (MtwBb)

86 You probably don't want to think about the phrase "regurgiate knowledge".

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 05:39 PM (XdlcF)

87 A small, but significant number of the women cashiers would be attempting decadence with the younger male patrons?

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at May 14, 2011 09:39 PM (c0A3e)

Second look at gummint supermarkets!

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:40 PM (1fanL)

88 So let's abandon government altogether and leave everything up to Average Joe.

Word.

Posted by: Joe the Plumber at May 14, 2011 05:40 PM (/izg2)

89 Either a sock or a Borg drone.

I caused a lot of young men to use socks every Wednesday at 9 Eastern.

Posted by: Seven of Nine at May 14, 2011 05:40 PM (zzcyw)

90 Interesting how right-wingers who accept the absolute truth and infallibility of the Bible suddenly become complete relativists with respect to all of reality.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:39 PM (liBQN)

Consider your straw man beaten to death.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:41 PM (1fanL)

91
Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:31 PM (liBQN)
_____________________________________
Yer silly.
Good joke though...real Andy Kaufman's "Tony Clifton"
Keep it up..yer a riot!

Posted by: You Idiot!! at May 14, 2011 05:42 PM (qpERk)

92 Interesting how right-wingers who accept the absolute truth and infallibility of the Bible suddenly become complete relativists with respect to all of reality.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:39 PM

Funny how leftist assholes who don't believe in God can put so much faith in a failed divinity student like Al Gore.

Posted by: huerfano at May 14, 2011 05:42 PM (IN2A4)

93 Interesting how right-wingers who accept the absolute truth and infallibility of the Bible suddenly become complete relativists with respect to all of reality. Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:39 PM (liBQN) You mean like Liberals and the way they take UN climate reports?

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:42 PM (64xTs)

94 As for the handful of radicals who call for total separation of supermarket and state --- well, they would be criticized by almost everyone as antisocial devils

Backyard gardening would be regulated.

Posted by: Y-not at May 14, 2011 05:43 PM (pW2o8)

95 No mention of the hockey stick? Too 2008, I guess.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:44 PM (64xTs)

At the lowest level, of course, there is the glorious individual. So let's abandon government altogether and leave everything up to Average Joe.

It's almost as if he capitalized the A as a big stinking HINT.

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 05:44 PM (XdlcF)

97 You mean like Liberals and the way they take UN climate reports?

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 09:42 PM (64xTs)

No, more along the lines of Dan Rather's TANG memo. The one that accused W of neglecting his duties to play Wii all day.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:44 PM (1fanL)

98 74 Amazing how often people fall for a sockpuppet.

Posted by: buzzion at May 14, 2011 09:37 PM (oVQFe)

--I must admit, though, that it's also amazing how much effort some sockpuppets put into their craft. I usually just do a couple of fairly short posts, at most, and almost always just ape an existing troll rather than create a new identity.

Posted by: logprof at May 14, 2011 05:44 PM (BP6Z1)

Backyard gardening would be regulated.

Your food wouldn't be well-socialized!!!!!!1!

Posted by: Foaming at the mouth anti-homefooder at May 14, 2011 05:45 PM (XdlcF)

100 Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 09:44 PM (XdlcF)

It's you? AJ?

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:46 PM (1fanL)

101 The Supermarket Collective will provide all customers with a voucher good for a 10lb block of fresh frozen Pollock on a monthly basis. And the National Front for the Liberation of Supermarkets responds with illegal contraband.....Cod.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 14, 2011 05:46 PM (9Lm5R)

102 Excuse me, did I read you right? Did you mention Bill Clinton wants to start a fact check organization? The same Bill Clinton that had his law license yanked for perjury? Yes, here - - http://tinyurl.com/3hs9625 -- and predictably, Hotair is already disparaging it as a call for a Ministry of Truth. I don't dispute that Clinton has lied in the past about his private behavior. But it doesn't matter who the messenger is of this particular idea. It's clearly one this blog adopts to a certain extent, as the moderators delete certain "untrue" comments or ban commenter altogether. Clinton's proposal is merely to create a counter-balance to untruths, without forbidding anyone to spout them.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:47 PM (liBQN)

103 23 Does this also mean that those who could afford it could shop at private supermarkets to acquire superior food?
Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836)

Why, yes; and, of course, "those who could afford it" would definitely include the nomenklatura running the "public supermarkets."

Who, me? Cynical? Not a bit of it!

Posted by: Dianna at May 14, 2011 05:47 PM (mKMj1)

104 So, what if you ate out once a week or so? Would that be like tutoring?

Posted by: mpurinTexas (kicking Mexico's ass since 1836) at May 14, 2011 05:48 PM (h3POu)

105 I don't dispute that Clinton has lied in the past about his private behavior. But it doesn't matter who the messenger is of this particular idea. It's clearly one this blog adopts to a certain extent, as the moderators delete certain "untrue" comments or ban commenter altogether. Clinton's proposal is merely to create a counter-balance to untruths, without forbidding anyone to spout them. Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:47 PM

You forgot "under oath" which is kind of what made it perjury.

Posted by: huerfano at May 14, 2011 05:48 PM (IN2A4)

106 Clinton's proposal is merely to create a counter-balance to untruths, without forbidding anyone to spout them.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:47 PM (liBQN)

How 'bout we keep letting the marketplace of ideas sort it out? No gummint control necessary, no tax dollars necessary.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:49 PM (1fanL)

107 74 Amazing how often people fall for a sockpuppet.

Posted by: buzzion at May 14, 2011 09:37 PM (oVQFe)

or in this case, still falling.

Posted by: Unclefacts Luxury-Yacht at May 14, 2011 05:49 PM (6IReR)

108 How I pine for the days when erg would just call himself erg. Meh. Back to anime.

Posted by: eman: Japanese Babe and Mississippi Babe Rescue Team at May 14, 2011 05:51 PM (64xTs)

109

It's you? AJ?

No, it's Average Joe. Now come over here for a sec...

Posted by: Mama AJ, with a cluebat at May 14, 2011 05:52 PM (XdlcF)

110 wait, I thought Greg was a troll?

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 05:54 PM (MtwBb)

111 almost always just ape an existing troll rather than create a new identity. This is not a "new identity," it's my identity, as I am not afraid to put my name behind my beliefs. A simple Google check would reveal I've commented here before, including on the right's shameful incitement of the Tucson massacre. Not everyone is a sock or a troll just because you disagree with them. Ask my sister, Sherri Lynn Shriller-Harridan.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:54 PM (liBQN)

112

So, what if you ate out once a week or so? Would that be like tutoring?

Is your bread falling behind the other grains?

Posted by: Sylvan Growing Center at May 14, 2011 05:55 PM (XdlcF)

113 From HotAir:

"I could totally see this, too. Why, letÂ’s say a salacious rumor involving a high-ranking government official started swirling on the Intertubes. The Ministry of Truth could then issue a televised statement, with an angry man scolding the American public by wagging his finger at us and telling us that the rumor was absolutely not true."

Worth a read. And the YouTube link to Willie's Scolding is up.

Posted by: FUBAR at May 14, 2011 05:56 PM (1fanL)

114 wait, I thought Greg was a troll? Yes, Greg was, but "Greg" was a socked troll.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 05:56 PM (liBQN)

115 Not everyone is a sock or a troll just because you disagree with them. Ask my sister, Sherri Lynn Shriller-Harridan. Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg

Oh, Bravo! A true tour de farce!

Posted by: Dianna at May 14, 2011 05:57 PM (mKMj1)

116 Yes, Greg was, but "Greg" was a socked troll.

Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 09:56 PM (liBQN)

I'm not believing anything you say until the Ministry of Truth rules on it.

Posted by: robtr at May 14, 2011 05:58 PM (MtwBb)

117 Uhm, people? Can I just argue with the socks in peace?

Posted by: FUBAR Obama at May 14, 2011 05:59 PM (1fanL)

118 If Average Joe isn't profiting from his wit he is cheating himself.

Posted by: The Notion at May 14, 2011 05:59 PM (hD0CU)

119 Actually... White American students outperformed all European kids except the Finns. (Remember though, the Finnish kids are burdened with being called... "Finns") American Asians outperform all Asians except for Singaporeans. It would be interesting to compare American blacks and American South Americans with their overseas counterparts. Either way though, I get the feeling the problem does not lie in the quality of the schools.

Posted by: CoolCzech at May 14, 2011 06:00 PM (kUaEF)

120 Lancer Piper-Feinberg--of the Oshkosh Piper-Feinbergs? I used to wear your overalls!

Posted by: Bugler at May 14, 2011 06:00 PM (VXBR1)

121 Sort of related...Instapundit has a link to the Weekly Standard about David Mamet talking about higher education.

Posted by: Mama AJ at May 14, 2011 06:02 PM (XdlcF)

122 I used to wear your overalls! How you got into my overalls, I'll never know.

Posted by: Groucho Piper-Feinberg at May 14, 2011 06:02 PM (liBQN)

123 Actually... White American students outperformed all European kids except the Finns. (Remember though, the Finnish kids are burdened with being called... "Finns") Which gives me an excuse to link my favorite posting about Finns and Finland.....for about the 20th time. http://tinyurl.com/yd6xet3 Cracks me up every time. Every. Time.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 14, 2011 06:03 PM (9Lm5R)

124 OT. Strauss-Kahn commits a Bill Clinton and the New York Post pictures him with Bush the 2nd.

Why not use this photo?

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at May 14, 2011 06:03 PM (qIHlG)

125 On the bright side, our new socialist Supermarkets will have the best pdf and ipad converters available.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 14, 2011 06:12 PM (9Lm5R)

126 Damn, where can I get a pdf converter?

Posted by: CoolCzech at May 14, 2011 06:12 PM (kUaEF)

127 97
No mention of the hockey stick?

I tried to hijack tmi3rd's thread, but there were no takers.

Posted by: NC Ref at May 14, 2011 06:13 PM (/izg2)

128 I just saw this, it's horrible, he was only 28.

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 06:14 PM (k1rwm)

129 Anybody up for a game of butt bongo with Scully? I'd bang that like Ricky Ricardo on amphetamines performing Babaloo.

Posted by: CoolCzech at May 14, 2011 06:16 PM (kUaEF)

130 Each family would be assigned to a particular supermarket according to its home address.

... unless the clientele of the neighborhood supermarket were not sufficiently diverse, in which case you will be assigned to the Piggly Wiggly clear on the other side of the county.

Posted by: pbrown at May 14, 2011 06:17 PM (vUpp0)

131 Did they not already try this in Venezuela. Where only a money like voucher is accepted and Hugo keeps the cost down but the selves are empty.

Posted by: Tjexcite at May 14, 2011 06:22 PM (vj6uv)

132 The comments sound like a conspiracy blog....

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 06:33 PM (k1rwm)

133 Ask my sister, Sherri Lynn Shriller-Harridan. Posted by: Lancer Piper-Feinberg

Love it!

And you must have one huge family! Every hyphenated woman is a Shriller Harridan. Makes it easy to recognize them without even meeting them.

harÂ·riÂ·dan/ˈharidn/ Noun: A strict, bossy, or belligerent old woman: "a bullying old harridan"

Posted by: crisis du jour at May 14, 2011 06:38 PM (J1eJz)

134 Plus we would all vote on what food was sold. And there would be all sorts of diversity outreach when the nutricrats and ethnic lobbies decided Americans weren't consuming enough of Mexican/Chinese/Indian food. And certain foods deemed "unhealthy" would be banned entirely.

Huge food board fights would be waged on what aisle certain foods are placed. Should chocolate mile be sold in the dairy aisle -- or the candy aisle?

..

Left-wingers are such human trash. Fuck em all sideways with a flaming NPR totebag!

Posted by: Clubber Lang at May 14, 2011 06:46 PM (QcFbt)

135 I wonder how rosemary feels about this?

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 06:47 PM (k1rwm)

136 "A Republican source, who was in the restaurant with friends that night, told TheDC they didnÂ’t have any papers on the table and looked Â“chummy.Â” He said it looked much more like a social meeting than a work meeting, as Chandler suggests."

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 06:51 PM (k1rwm)

137 so, why are they going after Peter king, by letting this out?

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 06:52 PM (k1rwm)

138 "Here's Why The World Is Going To End On May 21, 2011"

Posted by: curious at May 14, 2011 07:01 PM (k1rwm)

139 But, it's for the vegetables!

Posted by: Pissy Pessimist at May 14, 2011 07:13 PM (xhNbo)

140

What? No credit? I had this in the morning open thread!

Truman, you magnificent bastard!

Posted by: Truman North at May 14, 2011 07:33 PM (K2wpv)

141 You mean Publix ain't public?

Posted by: ExExZonie at May 14, 2011 07:55 PM (DRR4t)

142 59

Teacher's unions don't give a crap about their customers - kids and parents.

Teacher's unions are another part of the "get democrats elected" money laundering machine.

You guys need to watch "The Cartel". It is a documentary about the education system in America. It covers stuff I have known for a while but structures the arguments much better than I ever could.

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at May 14, 2011 08:19 PM (54F2e)

143

My golly - please don't give the left any ideas. Socialized super markets - the left's next big sick idea.

Posted by: Abolish the Teacher's Union at May 15, 2011 05:21 AM (0fzsA)

144 The Supermarket Collective will provide all customers with a voucher good for a 10lb block of fresh frozen Pollock on a monthly basis. _{small gov core charge for container

------

now, that is funny}

Posted by: matt foley at May 15, 2011 05:24 AM (R0Uy5)

145 ipod to mac transfer music from ipod to computer

Posted by: ipod transfer at May 15, 2011 07:20 PM (CNujj)

146 My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your post's to be exactly I'm looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content available for you? I wouldn't mind writing a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome blog!

Posted by: thomas sabo uk at May 15, 2011 11:14 PM (57bMN)

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