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From: hinsenk@cyclone.ERE.UMontreal.CA (Hinsen Konrad)
Subject: Re: talk & travel
In-Reply-To: livesey@solntze.engr.sgi.com's message of 21 Feb 1995 04:18:01 GMT
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Date: Tue, 21 Feb 1995 22:49:38 GMT
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In article <3ibphp$fac@fido.asd.sgi.com> livesey@solntze.engr.sgi.com (Jon Livesey) writes:

   But they *do* decide about economic policy.   Most European
   countries held direct referendums to decide on whether or not
   to join the EC, which is the most important economic decision
   of the last fifty years.    European countries regularly hold

It was not a purely economic decision. One can argue whether
it was the most important economic decision, but it definitely
was an abstract decision. Neither the voters nor any politician
can predict which consequences this decision will have. It
is not like deciding how much money to spend on education
or whatever else.

   national elections in which the direction of economic policy
   is usually one of the top items.

But no more than the general direction!

   spent are their funds.   Whether they are economic wizards 
   or not, they, and not some abstract group of self-appointed 
   "experts" make the ultimate decisions.

The ultimate decisions - how much money to spend on what - are
made by the government and controlled by the parliament.

--
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