Greedy, selfish NYC transit workers threaten strike

[*End Is Forever*]

What's the rate of inflation in NYC? What are living costs compared to the rest of the States?

[David Floyd]

A good exercise is to look at the economy of the US as a portion of the total global pie and assume that national power = economic power. You can see that the US only has 25% of the power, augmented by our allied power of 25% in many/most situations.

Oh, well, if you want to use THAT argument, then right after WW2 the US was much closer to being a hegemon, because it made up about 50% of the world's GNP and manufacturing capacity. Yet obviously the US was not a hegemon right after WW2 - it was a bipolar world at that point.

[Edan]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

And btw, most of the Judges at Nuremburg were American, the first test for human rights being the underlying force in international relations.

IIRC, there were four justices at Nuremburg, A US judge, a British judge, a French judge and a Russian judge.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by *End Is Forever*
What's the rate of inflation in NYC? What are living costs compared to the rest of the States?

It varies from area to area, of course. Manhattan has the highest land values, and it again depends on the neighborhood.

It is usual to see a basic two bedroom apartment in the nicest neighborhoods of Manhattan be $2500-3000 per month in rent. Even in the less-prosperous areas, rent is often double or triple what it would be anywhere else. I had a 600 sq foot apartment in Astoria that was $1250 per month, and I can't see it being more than $450 elsewhere.

[GePap]

Originally posted by *End Is Forever*
What's the rate of inflation in NYC? What are living costs compared to the rest of the States?

The NYC area is one of the most expensive, if not the most (San Fran. is also expensive) areas in the country. I would say that cost of living is at least 50% higher than in the rest of the country, with housing being the single biggest cost of all. A recent study by a housing group found that 1/3 of people in the Bronx and Brooklyn (too outer boughroughs with lower costs than Manhattan) spend 1/3 of their annual income on housing costs alone. This fraction is probably lower i manhattan, 'cause while the housing is far more expensive here, the earnigs of most Manhattannites are too. Example: the apartment I live in, 2 BedRooms, 1.5 bathrooms, common dinnind-living room, small kitchen (not a very big apartment at all) goes for in the market for about $300,000 if you wan to buy.


As to the workers: I agree that the Unions demands are far too high given the finacial situation of the State and the city, both of which are deep in red ink. The city can't afford a transit strike at this moment, and the union needs to do everything in its power not to strike, and they shou;ld be penalized if they do.

The flip side is the MTA: This Authority is an independent group, with a board made up of political appointees (the governor, not the Major of NYC, is in charge), which does not allow for independent monitoring of its books. No one, only the board, knows the financial situation of the system, and they don't let anyone see it. Just a few years ago, they had a surplus but now they are in a billion dolla hole, but won't tell anyone how they got there. The board is as guilty as the Union about the current situation and the governor is really not doing enough at all to put pressure on the board. As I have said, they need to increase fares, and an increase is already in the works: in theory then, more money wil come into the system. The MTA needs to start honest negotiations with the union at this very moment, and Pataki is not doing enough.

[chequita guevara]

New York needs sunshine laws.

[Imran Siddiqui]

A hegemon by definition is the only great power in the system. Merely being the most powerful state in the system doesn't cut it.

That's false. The hegemon is the main power in the system which sets out the rules of the world order.

There is not an IR professor worth his weight who will say the US is not the hegemon in the world system today. Every IR prof I've talked to or read points to establishment of US values as rules of the system to point to the US hegemony in the after-Cold War world.

Even by your own definition, the US doesn't set the rules of the system alone.

The basic rules are US based. Being the hegemon of the Western world after WW2, we were able to push much of our views on the world.

Was not a hegemon because of the existance of other great European powers.

BS, Great Britain was the global hegemon because it set the rules in much of the world. In the confines of Europe, however, it wasn't the hegemon.

You can be the world hegemon without being hegemon in a region. It all depends on who made the basic rules. And for the world in the mid 1800s, Britain was instrumental in how the rules were formed and worked.

[Caligastia]

It's good to see the conversation staying firmly on topic...

[GePap]

Well Caligastia: what do you think of the MTA board? yeah, those wonderfully honest folks...

[Caligastia]

They are probably corrupt.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
And for the world in 1600, Britain was instrumental in how the rules were formed and worked.

1600?

[Imran Siddiqui]

typo... 1700s, 1800s.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
That's false.

A hegemon is a state that is so powerful that it dominates all other states in the system. No other state has the military capability to put up a serious fight against it. In essence it is and can only be the sole great power in the system. This is not the case in the global system today and the US is the only state to ever achieve the vaunted distinction of regional hegemon.

[Imran Siddiqui]

A hegemon is a state that is so powerful that it dominates all other states in the system. No other state has the military capability to put up a serious fight against it. In essence it is and can only be the sole great power in the system.

Once again, you are W-R-O-N-G. The hegemon makes the rules the system works under. It is the one state that is basically in control of the system.

If the hegemon is the state that is so powerful no one can go against it, then the Power Transition Theory that defines what happens when a rising power challenges the hegemon would be ludicrous, because according to what you think, no one can challenge the hegemon. The system ends when there is a hegemon, and that is simply false!

US is the only state to ever achieve the vaunted distinction of regional hegemon.

That's ridiculous. Rome, when Caesar entered? China for much of its history? Persia before they went to war with the Greek states?

[Imran Siddiqui]

From The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition:

Hegemony - The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others.

Oh, and if you were wondering:

Predominant -
1. Having greatest ascendancy, importance, influence, authority, or force.
2. Most common or conspicuous; main or prevalent

--

So it is obvious that the US, which has the predominent influence in the world, is the hegemon.