Illuminating Article on Real Motives of Gun Control Laws

[yellowfin]

The Curley Effect

http://www.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/shleifer/files/curley_effect.pdf

Abstract

James Michael Curley, a four-time mayor of Boston, used wasteful redistribution to his poor Irish constituents and incendiary rhetoric to encourage richer citizens to emigrate from Boston, thereby shaping the electorate in his favor. As a consequence, Boston stagnated, but Curley kept winning elections. We present a model of using redistributive politics to shape the electorate, and show that this model yields a number of predictions opposite from the more standard frameworks of political competition, yet consistent with empirical evidence.

This is an educational as well as enjoyable read about what we see as a prevalent political behavior in California, New York, New Jersey, and a couple other states. It formalizes into theory what we already generally know by observation. Notice how it fits another favorite policy tool of theirs: can there be any doubt that this is the real motivation for the gun laws as well, as part of this type effort, driving gun owners out of the state to shape the vote? It's good now that we can put a formal label on it, the Curley Effect, and identify it as such.

[Librarian]

Ah. Thus the policies of the current administration seem to be explained.

[Apocalypsenerd]

That was a very interesting read.

Librarian: My observation of Obama is not so cynical. He's just an idealogue. The effect is the same, but I think he believes in what he is doing.

[The Shadow]

The Curley effect explains a lot.

[MatrixCPA]

So, they pass laws to promote non-citizen (immigrant) groups because it allows them to expand the tax base without allowing them to vote--not that they collect taxes from illegal workers but from the businesses that employ them. As tax dollars devoted to these "benefit" programs grow, it drives away citizens who disagree which further consolidates the power of the incumbent.

[yellowfin]

I seem to recall a couple of people mentioning some time ago that Willie Brown and/or Phillip Burton employed similar political tactics to the same effect. Anyone else come to mind?

[tankarian]

I seem to recall a couple of people mentioning some time ago that Willie Brown and/or Phillip Burton employed similar political tactics to the same effect. Anyone else come to mind?

Antonio Villar.

[OleCuss]

Good article and worth reading. I quit doing that kind of math several decades ago, though, so I didn't spend too much time on the differentials. . .

I think, however, that it is too easy to generalize the Curley Effect and apply it to situations where other factors are the culprit.

In this case, we have a White House and a Sacramento government which are both devoted to fascist principles. They are willing to cause untold harm to freedom and liberty in the pursuit of the policies they believe will bring "social justice".

The pursuit if ideology may lead to a distortion of the electorate but it is not clear that this is the intent.

But I heard Ray Appleton for a brief bit the other day (KMJ 580). It turns out that a very good case can be made that Brown is specifically handing out goodies to his buddies and messing over those communities that did not vote for him regardless of need and merit. This may have a similar effect as the Curley one, but it is not clear to me that this surpasses politics as usual and all the harm to society that results from that.

[doginmirror]

amazing article long read though with all the math

[ALSystems]

I think, however, that it is too easy to generalize the Curley Effect and apply it to situations where other factors are the culprit.

In this case, we have a White House and a Sacramento government which are both devoted to fascist principles. They are willing to cause untold harm to freedom and liberty in the pursuit of the policies they believe will bring "social justice".

The pursuit if ideology may lead to a distortion of the electorate but it is not clear that this is the intent.

I think you're right. In cases like Sacramento, I believe the driving political force is just a pursuit of liberal ideology or punishing political enemies. This however results in the "Curley Effect" which distorts the electorate into a one party Democratic State which we have in California. This situation seems unlikely to change anytime soon, if ever.

[nicki]

It goes both ways.

It is interesting that probably alot of "Red States" probably make things so unbearable to encourage "exodus" of people to places like here.

This off course helps ensure "political power" for the "political right".

The thing I get from this is the following, as long as "gun owners" are percieved as "Red neck Christian Republican WASP conservatives, we will keep losing ground in this state because the powers that be want this specific demographic gone.

In going to actually Calguns events, many of us don't fit that mold and if we can change the view that gun rights is an issue that actually crosses the cultural, political and social spectrum, then we can slow down, stop and possibly even reverse these stupid gun policies in the court of public opinion.

Maybe we need to consider creating some kind of "public service" add, we can try it on "You Tube".

Basically what we could do is have a "script", we cover many things, but what we do is have different people talking about gun rights.

[Mulay El Raisuli]

The "Curley Effect"?

Are you sure Larry & Moe didn't have a hand in this?


The Raisuli

[Tripper]

I recalled Winkler being referenced, but not sure which thread.

http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=how_gun_control_got_murdered

[a1c]

There are plenty of other motives - most common one is ignorance.

[yellowfin]

There are plenty of other motives - most common one is ignorance.

Doesn't fly for long. Sure perhaps for the first time they vote, but nobody keeps going with the same thing over and over with results 180 degrees departed from what they claim to want for too long without questioning whether they're doing the right thing. Information being as easy to get as it is pretty much rules out the possibility entirely that they simply don't know, and even the stupidest of people can figure out they're in trouble and to change course when something isn't going the way they think it should in FAR less time than those of the anti gun political ideology have held their positions.