Aquino Says Impeaching Corona will “establish a government that would provide for the people” – Really?

Is the government really in the business of providing for the people? Or shouldn’t it be that government should get out of the way so that people can go about providing for themselves – in the manner they deem fit – without the burden of taxes, regulations, subsidies, and rent-seeking vested interests?

In the recent 33rd founding anniversary of Aurora province held in Baler, Aquino said that his main aim in having Corona impeached has always been to establish a government that would provide for the people, including justice.

Whoa whoa whoa… Hold your horses.

In case you guys haven’t been listening – “a government that would provide for the people” is a WELFARE STATE.

What does providing for the people mean in the context of Aquino’s current actions? These are:

1. Fuel subsidies – paid to Petron which is chaired by Uncle Danding.

2. CCT subsidies (laden with fraud) and political patronage

3. More Unaudited Pork Barrel – Aquino’s Pork Barrel is PhP60 Billion – and he does not want his pork barrel disbursement as congressman disclosed like all the Congressmen who want Corona impeached

4. Higher electricity rates – monopoly of MERALCO cronies

5. Higher telephone rates – monopoly of PLDT

6. Restrictive retail trade – SM/Gaisano AND THE laborers still on temporary status after 10 years

7. Restrictions in trading of agricultural commodities (sugar, rice, onions, etc) – farmers restricted from selling to buyers that can buy at best prices; consumers restricted in buying from those who can sell at the best prices

8. Restrictions on 100% foreign-owned direct investments that can generate jobs for Filipinos and pay much better than ABS-CBN, BPI, MERALCO, MAYNILAD -and the entire slew of crony corporations that make up the Makati Business Club.

9. More bond flotations (read: more government loans that have to be repaid by taxpayers).

And with all these actions supposedly to come up with a government that provides, what does Aquino have to show for it? Here’s what:

1. An economy stuck in the doldrums at 3.5% growth in GDP.

2. Continuing execution of Filipino drug mules overseas.

3. OFWs in Syria, Libya, Egypt not wanting to return to the Philippines even at the height of the civil disturbances. That sorta stuff happens only once in a while in those countries – in the Philippines, it happens daily.

4. Poverty remains high at 45% – and that’s according to Aquino’s lapdog pollsters.

Was Corona responsible for all of these? Is it such that by impeaching Corona – the Philippines will have lesser poverty, a more competitive economy – I BEG TO DISAGREE.

The Taxation Question

Noynoy further quipt

“How can we have confidence that every centavo of our taxes will go to good use if you have a member in government who doesn’t understand simple arithmetic?”

The answer to this is that GOVERNMENT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND SIMPLE ARITHMETIC.

I’ll make it simple – DO NOT GIVE GOVERNMENT ANY MONEY, so that it will have NOTHING to corrupt. No need for SALN.

The simple arithmetic is this – when government increases taxes, incurs more loans, awards projects to cronies – people have less money to provide for themselves – and not because Corona is the sitting Chief Justice.

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Claude Frédéric Bastiat may have been writing about the Philippines when he wrote this in the 19th century

…it is the original inclination which exists in all men to divide the lot of life into two parts, throwing the trouble upon others, and keeping the satisfaction for themselves. It remains to be shown under what new form this sad tendency is manifesting itself.

The oppressor no longer acts directly and with his own powers upon his victim. No, our conscience has become too sensitive for that. The tyrant and his victim are still present, but there is an intermediate person between them, which is the Government – that is, the Law itself.

What can be better calculated to silence our scruples, and, which is perhaps better appreciated, to overcome all resistance? We all therefore, put in our claim, under some pretext or other, and apply to Government. We say to it, ” I am dissatisfied at the proportion between my labor and my enjoyments. I should like, for the sake of restoring the desired equilibrium, to take a part of the possessions of others. But this would be dangerous. Could not you facilitate the thing for me? Could you not find me a good place? or check the industry of my competitors? or, perhaps, lend me gratuitously some capital which, you may take from its possessor? Could you not bring up my children at the public expense? or grant me some prizes? or secure me a competence when I have attained my fiftieth year?

By this mean I shall gain my end with an easy conscience, for the law will have acted for me, and I shall have all the advantages of plunder, without its risk or its disgrace!”

As it is certain, on the one hand, that we are all making some similar request to the Government; and as, on the other, it is proved that Government cannot satisfy one party without adding to the labor of the others, until I can obtain another definition of the word Government I feel authorized to give it my own. Who knows but it may obtain the prize? Here it is:

“Government is the great fiction through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.

Noynoy’s Lost Marbles

The unsustainability of the welfare state and the coercion imposed by the government on people to “provide for the people” has led to Europe’s financial implosion, as it has in Brazil, Bolivia, Poland, and Singapore. The thing is, the people and leadership in these countries were able to turn this around – and set off on a path of austerity, smaller government, smaller taxes, and open markets. In contrast the Philippines is going the opposite way – more public spending, more taxes, bigger government.

Sure thingie – the government can “provide for the people” – but what exactly is the government “providing” which a free and open competitive economy can’t provide – cheaper, faster, more efficiently – sans taxes, sans government intervention?

Still, perhaps, the upside an imploding Aquino regime is that people will learn that pedigree or winnability, having more useless regulations, or impeaching a chief justice does not ensure prosperity.

Filipinos still have much to learn about sound economic free market-driven policies, respect for the rule of law, protection of personal liberties in our pursuit of personal happiness. Until then, it will be the same old Philippines – SITUATION NORMAL ALL FUCKED UP.

About the Author

BongV has written 364 stories on this site.

BongV is the webmaster of Antipinoy.com.

• 
  Joshua Cuyos wrote on 19 February, 2012, 11:35

  Haha! A government that will “provide for the people?” More like “provide for you and your allies ONLY while leaving out the rest,” am I right?

  [Reply]
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  Martin Lee wrote on 20 February, 2012, 9:12

  Ika nga ng isang mahirap, naka-ilang impeachment, coup d’etat at People Power ang naranasan niya, ngunit hindi pa rin siya nakaahon mula sa karukhaan. Lumala pa nga ang kanyang sitwasyon e, lalo pang nalugmok. People Power ba iyan? Isa palang “rebolusyong” para lamang sa mga iilan, ang mga negosyanteng kinamkaman ng mga Marcos. Hindi mababago ang aking pag-isip, para lamang muli sa mga oligarko ang naturang “pagbabagong” iyan.

  [Reply]
• 
  Martin Lee wrote on 20 February, 2012, 9:35

  What I mean is, a change in government or in the people in power won’t change anything for the living standards of the average Filipino. They remain poor because they believe that the government will provide everything for them, that is if they support the changes that the oligarchs desire .

  [Reply]
• 
  Hyden Toro wrote on 20 February, 2012, 13:30

  It’s like a “Pie in the Sky” promise of a bumbling politician…If Corona will be impeached: Your government will provide for you. It’s like the offer, he offered to the 188 Congressmen , who voted for the impeachment of Corona, without knowing what they were voting for. Noynoy Aquino may had said: “If you vote for the impeachment of Corona. I’ll give you 100 million pesos…” So the non-thinking Congressmen, voted for the impeachment, without any trial and Court deliberation. Corona was then impeached…Any Filipino Drug Mule in China, would had better Justice in any Chinese Court…to escape the Lethal Injection sentence…
  The root cause of the Supreme Court chief Justice Corona impeachment : is his decision on the Noynoy Aquino and the Cojuangco familyies Hacienda Luisita…Corona decided to distribute the lands to farmers…which was the right decision. The Aquino and the Cojuangcos, inspite of being filthy rich, want to keep the land for themselves…
  This issue is never answered by Noynoy Aquino…he’s silent about it…

  [Reply]
• 
  anon wrote on 22 February, 2012, 22:15

  “How can we have confidence that every centavo of our taxes will go to good use if you have a member in government who doesn’t understand simple arithmetic?”

  What I’d like to ask is:

  “How can we have confidence that every centavo of our taxes will go to good use when millions of pesos are spent daily on a weak and obviously forced impeachment trial?”

  [Reply]