Koizumi dissolves parliament

[Az]

They are already working. If the government will privatize the post, they'll continue working there, hopefully for smaller wages, so that the money will go to those who "really need it". It also is a competitive bussiness, so it's supposed according to THE HOLY BOOK OF THE MARKET be slim and trim, because otherwise, it will give a much worse service, or the competition could take a bite out of it, or other theoretical crap.

[DanS]

If the government will privatize the post, they'll continue working there

Fewer. I don't think the goal is to get people to work for cheaper.

In any event, slimming down the cost structure isn't the main goal of privatizing the post office. Rather, it is to facilitate better allocation of the mind-bogglingly large deposits under post office management.

[Az]

not if they have a good union, no.

Why do you think that fewer? that will hurt service, and that will hurt the same millions of accounts where the ordinary japanese are holding there.

[DanS]

I don't think I need to explain further. I think you know the good arguments by now on the subject.

[Az]

And you know that there are plenty of good arguments against. And you know them too. Now, why on earth are your arguments better than mine?

[DanS]

Because they just are, commie. I don't feel the need to regurgitate arguments that both you and I know already.

Maybe Adam Smith or somebody will come along and take pity on you, but I gave at the office.

[Az]

You know yours a lame joke troll when I know your reply before I click the "Submit Reply" button.

[DanS]

Is this the point in the discussion when from the ruins of your homeland, the great Soviet Union, you see fit to lecture me about the virtues of government control of the economy?

[Az]

Not necessarily. My real homeland provides plenty of great examples, too.

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by DanS
The pen is mightier than the beaker!

You could put a pen in my beaker and see what happens

[Az]

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by DanS
The pen is mightier than the beaker!

How do you get pens from arrows?

[Timexwatch]

Thank god. The Japanese parliament needs a big shakeup. If the LDP splits, then that'll be a large step forward for Japanese democracy. Even if they are socialists, the DPJ gaining power would be a welcome change from nearly 50 years of the LDP. Too bad that Post Office won't be touched.

Does anyone want to take bets as to how many LDP lawmakers are going to commit suicide over this or the election?

[pchang]

Japan's Post savings accounts pay below market rates of interest. In addition, the government has used those savings to back many things that provided no service/benefit to the account holders such as currency buying/dumping to maintain the Yen at artificial trading levels (sometimes too low, sometimes too high), construction bonds for unneeded projects, etc. It is probably the greatest source of capital for financing pork barrel projects in Japan.

[Dracon II]

Japan's gotta do something with it's economy. I say they should keep the postal service public but allow for more inward FDI. It might be less or more contraversial... but I know very little about Japanese politics.