North Korea's utter economic failure is no better proof of the futility of trying to manage a highly centralized economic system driven by the supply choices of a few rather than the individual consumer demand choices of the many.

Now, Ed, despite what you regard as my "liberal-pinko" tendencies, I regard socialism as a proven failure. And while, my "leftist" tendencies want to argue for more humanitarian aid for North Korea, I think the better solution may be to simply let the country collapse. One would think that the populace is getting fed up with the fat cats in Pyongyang. The risk here is the Kim would act against his southern neighbor in desperation. But collapse is inevitable...perhaps we should hurry it along.