Laws Are For Legislators

 Posted by Mike  2008 Election, Fiscal Issues  No Responses »
Sep 302008
 

Democracy is a great form of government–but it doesn’t work for the reasons that most people seem to think it works. There is no inherent wisdom of the people; in fact, the people are pretty dumb most of the time. Study after study has been done indicating that most people have no clue where the candidates or parties actually stand on the issues that matter the most to them. Instead, democracy works because of the process itself. Citizens believe that they have a say in the system, thereby increasing the legitimacy of government policy and reducing the chances of potentially violent anti-governmental behavior (crime, riots, etc.). Opposition elites (that is those people who want to run government but aren’t currently running government) have a reason to play by the rules because they can do so and still achieve their goals. And the people in power buy into the myth of the power of the people enough to reign in some of their more outlandish ideas.

The thing is, all of those things only apply to the highest offices in the land. There are strong reasons to Democratically elect presidents, congressmen, governors, etc. But when it comes to lower level offices, and most especially particular acts of policy, those decisions are better off left with people who actually have some chance of knowing what they are doing. Leaving those decisions up to the people is unnecessarily playing dice with important decisions.
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What Is The Opposite of A Slow News Day?

 Posted by Mike  2008 Election, Bush Administration, Business And Regulation, Debt and Deficit  2 Responses »
Sep 262008
 

You know, you stop reading the news for a week to help your mother move, and the world goes to heck in a hand-basket. I saw in the paper this morning that the government was seizing WaMu (with a name like that it’s no wonder they are having problems), that the Bush Administration has proposed a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, that the president (not to mention many other political leaders in Washington) are actively working to undermine confidence in the American banking industry in order to spur action on this proposal, that John McCain announced that he wouldn’t participate in the debate tonight (he has sense reversed course on that declaration) to work on banking reform–although he had yet to take a stand on any of the policy proposals, was not actively participating in the negotiations, and serves on none of the relevant Senate committees. That’s not even counting Sarah Palin’s disastrous interview with Katie Couric, that Obama is giving up the high-ground in the ad wars for no apparent reason, or that Somali pirates have seized a Ukrainian vessel loaded with tanks and other armaments that was bound for Kenya. At least the Twins swept the White Sox to take a half-game lead in the AL Central and the Patriots lost a humiliating game to the Dolphins… if not for that I’d be pretty despondent right now. Nothing like sports to keep the world in perspective!
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“Country First”?

 Posted by Mike  Uncategorized  1 Response »
Sep 172008
 

I just don’t get how anyone, anywhere, could buy the whole “Country First” slogan that the McCain camp has been using since the RNC.

For one thing, it’s patently wrong as a governing philosophy. It is dangerous for any man, or even any president, to put the needs of the country above all else. After all, sometimes the country needs to do what’s best for humanity. Sometimes the president needs to send troops somewhere to stop genocide or to ensure that food convoys are getting to those who need them. That’s spending American money and risking American lives to help others; a noble thing that all presidents ought to consider, but decidedly NOT putting “Country First”. Heck, McCain himself has argued similar things in the past… so does that make him a hypocrite, a liar, or a flip-flopper on putting “Country First”?
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Because You Can’t Whack AIG

 Posted by Mike  Business And Regulation  5 Responses »
Sep 162008
 

I know that the recent Wall St. turmoil sounds complicated. And it is. To understand all the details, you need to be an expert in the intricacies of investment banking… or at least that’s what people a lot smarter than I am say. But at it’s essence, this financial collapse is basically like every other financial collapse I’ve ever heard of. At the heart of the matter, some people used borrowed money to make risky investments–and when those investments didn’t pay out, the whole thing fell apart.
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Fun With Graphs

 Posted by Mike  2008 Election, Fiscal Issues, The Media  No Responses »
Sep 162008
 

Check out this series of charts detailing the differences between the Obama and McCain tax plans. For one, the information itself is useful in comparing the two presidential candidates. Just as importantly, however, it makes it crystal clear how easily information can be manipulated to the whims of talking heads. After all, McCain can say that “Obama will substantially raise the taxes of those who are already shouldering the majority of the tax burden” while Obama can claim to cut taxes for over 95% of Americans… and they will both be absolutely correct statements.

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