Blog-IT-o ergo sum

	4/7/2005

Who Makes the rules in the New Flat World?

In his recent interview (via edcone.com), NYT reporter Thomas Friedman gives us his candid views:

"A lot of people just want to pass a rule. 'What we need is global government. If only there were a global government that would tell these companies you ought to do this.' Well, guess what? If you don't have people at the local level to implement that global rule, it's not going to get implemented, and you can pass whatever rule you want."

The immediate next question, "What role should government play in globalization?"

"Oh, yeah, a huge role for government. And I think the most important role for government is to strengthen its people to be untouchables.

Note that Friedman did not have a problem with global government just that to make it work you need dutiful agents down to the local level. That is, local and regional governments must accept the suzerainty of a global government first in order for the global government to work effectively. This is exactly the point the JBS has been trying to make regarding the transfer of national authority and independence to world governance bodies contained in "trade" agreements like CAFTA and the FTAA.

Also note that Friedman seems to believe that people belong to government rather than the other way around. (I sure hope at least that he was talking about the American people in general becoming untouchables and not the people in the government specifically. Doesn't that make you feel comfortable though that your government's job should be to help make you an untouchable?

Bottom Line: Who makes the rules in the new flat world is determines whether globalizaion is a good or bad process. Those who think borders protect them are not stupid as Friedman claims, if we are talking about the protections afforded by living in a terra firma zone such as the United States which was founded on the principle that government is a vehicle to protect our absolute rights NOT an overlord to grant them based on analysing core competentcies, comparative advantages or other relative in vogue techniques.

What kind of government do you want to live under?

7:39:11 PM

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Deconsolidation Plan for Government Schools in Charlotte moves forward

There will be a live broadcast of theTown Hall meeting on the proposal for Deconsolidation of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools on Friday (tomorrow) from 3-6pm. You can pick it up on WBT AM 1110 out of Charlotte or on the station's internet broadcast .

More info here:

6:02:50 PM

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