@Jack Spirko have you ever looked into ground nut (apios americana) cultivation?
Nitrogen fixing perennial vine producing tubers. No need to replant...
ImYour Huckleberry
ImYour Huckleberry
npub1lme7...d0ae
For the moment, let's leave religion out of this discussion. I will come back to it later.
All Humans(people), by nature, have the same rights; not dependent on when, where, how, or what gender they are born. These Rights supersede all national affiliations and national laws. These are natural laws. They existed before there were governments and will remain after.
First and foremost, All people own themselves.
All people are entitled to the fruits of their own labor.
All associations, transactions, contracts, agreements, sales, etc. of Any kind, for Any reason must be voluntary. (Non-Aggression Principle or NAP - Aggression/Coercion should not be used to force anyone to do, say, or agree to Anything. The ONLY time aggression may be used is in the defense of the life and rights of yourself (or others) from another party initiating aggression.)
Theft of any kind is wrong.
These represent my ETHICAL stance on way human society should be. I understand that this model of
Efficiency of National Governments in Using Resources
Data from Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) show a grim picture, with the 2024 CPI ranking 180 countries and over two-thirds scoring below 50 out of 100, indicating serious corruption that diverts citizen resources like taxes into private pockets rather than public goods. This aligns with Gallup's 2013 global survey (still reflective of ongoing trends) where majorities in 108 out of 129 countries viewed government corruption as widespread, leading to inefficiencies such as embezzlement and cronyism that waste funds on short-term favors instead of infrastructure or services. The World Bank's Government Effectiveness indicator, averaging -0.04 globally in 2023, further substantiates this, with low scores in unstable regions attributed to bureaucratic self-interest and rule-breaking that prioritize personal or partisan gains over efficient allocation. Because government employees routinely break rules and slow-roll policies, this inefficiency is amplified, as seen in analyses of bureaucratic resistance where civil servants delay or sabotage reforms not aligned with their preferred ideologies, resulting in stalled resource deployment and heightened waste across nations.
Alignment of Government Actions with Citizen Desires
Data reveal profound misalignment, with actions often serving elite or institutional agendas over public will. Pew's 2024 survey across 24 countries found 74% believing officials ignore ordinary citizens, a sentiment exacerbated by corruption that funnels decisions toward bribe-takers or power brokers. Studies on "deep state" dynamics highlight real instances of bureaucratic resistance, such as U.S. executive branch employees prioritizing continuity over presidential mandates, effectively undermining voter-expressed desires through delays or non-compliance. A 2023 Nature study showed citizens favor shared decision-making, yet corruption and partisan entrenchment in government ranks ensure policies reflect internal power struggles rather than broad preferences, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and low trust in representation. This is compounded by moves of power consolidation, where governments prioritize self-perpetuation over responsiveness, as evidenced in analyses of executive overreach that sidelines citizen input.
Trends in Short-Term vs. Long-Term Policies and Laws
Global trends heavily favor short-term political and financial gains, often at the expense of long-term national stability, as corrupt actors exploit immediate opportunities while resisting sustainable reforms. U.S. CBO projections show rising deficits from short-term spending, intensified by bureaucratic slow-rolling of fiscal discipline measures that threaten entrenched interests. Internationally, a 2022 systems study on policy-making notes group biases leading to short-termism, worsened by corruption that incentivizes quick wins like patronage over enduring investments. Trends in democratic erosion, including election manipulation and executive overreach, further entrench this, as governments consolidate power through policies that yield immediate control (e.g., emergency declarations) while eroding long-term institutional health. This bias is systemic, with data indicating persistent short-term focus amid power grabs that prioritize regime survival over national futures.
Insights on Personal Liberty from Data
Data confirm a steady erosion of personal liberty, with indices showing declines driven by authoritarian creep and rights restrictions. Freedom House's 2025 Freedom in the World report marks the 19th consecutive year of global freedom decline, with 60 countries deteriorating in political rights and civil liberties due to assaults on institutions, repression, and armed conflicts that centralize power. The Cato Institute's 2024 Human Freedom Index echoes this, with global averages dropping since 2008 amid weakened rule of law and security, as governments expand surveillance and censorship to diminish individual autonomy. V-Dem data highlight lows in autocracies, but even democracies show backsliding through executive expansions and rights curbs, aligning with assumptions of tyranny's rise via power consolidation that systematically reduces personal freedoms like expression and assembly worldwide.
#Corruption
#Inefficiency
#Misalignment
#ShortTerGains
#Tyranny
#Bureaucracy
#PowerGrab
#Erosion
#Authoritarianism
#Backsliding
#Cronyism
#Entrenchment
#Overreach
#Patronage
#Decline
#Centralization
#Surveillance
#Repression
#FreedomDecline
#RegimeSurvival
Relevant links:
- Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2024
- Gallup global corruption survey: https://news.gallup.com/poll/165098/worldwide-majority-say-government-corruption-widespread.aspx
- World Bank Government Effectiveness Indicator: 
- Pew Research Center survey on democracy: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2024/09/19/satisfaction-with-democracy/
- Freedom House Freedom in the World 2025: 
- Cato Institute Human Freedom Index: https://www.cato.org/human-freedom-index
- V-Dem Institute indices:
World Bank
Home | Worldwide Governance Indicators
Freedom House
Freedom in the World
Freedom in the World is the most widely read and cited report of its kind, tracking global trends in political rights and civil liberties for over ...
V-Dem
V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) is a unique approach to conceptualizing and measuring democracy