Signs of a Dying Empire

[David Horn]

(09-17-2017, 11:56 PM)Warren Dew Wrote:

(09-17-2017, 03:32 PM)Mikebert Wrote:

(09-15-2017, 07:06 PM)Warren Dew Wrote: Just because you personally wouldn't prefer 1927 doesn't mean others wouldn't.  For my part, magical technologies are a plus, but there's far less personal choice in 2017 than in 1927.

How so? Seems to me people have far *more* personal choice today than in the past, perhaps too much.

Back in 1927, in most states I could drive an automobile without the hassle of getting a license; in many states I could drive at any speed as there was no speed limit. 

Yes, you could drive on dirt roads and suffer a plethora of auto accidents due to bad roads and bad drivers.  Is this a net plus?

Warren Dew Wrote:I could make a reasonable wage and choose how I would spend over 95% of it, rather than having to pay 20-40% in income and payroll taxes, and being coerced to spend much of the remaining 60-80% in ways the federal government forced on me to avoid even higher taxes. 

You might be able to secure a good job, or not.  labor was definitely not in the driver's seat in any way, shape or form.  Then there were the bad roads and bad drivers, sketchy law enforcement and the same Gilded Age issues we have today, with less ability to do anything about it.

Warren Dew Wrote:In general the government imposes far more restrictions on personal choice now than it did in 1927.

True enough, but those restrictions were put in place for a reason, and removing them won't make the world a better place to live.