Thoughts Aloud

I’ve been thinking… How many watched the one-on-one TEA Party debate, between Newt and Cain? To me, their good-natured discussion was a very enjoyable experience; and it struck me at the time that they would make a great ticket. It was cool the way they teased that very idea. When introduced, they posed for the cameras in the classic embrace, each with their free arm in the air, and Newt commented that someone had said they could be the ticket, they just hadn’t decided yet who was to be at the top. Then, at the end, Cain had the best line of the night, when he asked Newt what he would wish to tackle as his first project, if offered the VP position. Great theater. 

It occurs to me that they could take that show on the road immediately, and knock Romney out of the race early. What would happen if they announced a winner-take-all agreement, whereby they were offering themselves as a ticket, each agreeing ahead of time, to accept the VP nomination, if the other won the Primary. Then, they could campaign together as a team, by holding lots of similar Lincoln/Douglas debates that were more or less choreographed. The ostensible purpose being, to help the Primary voters to choose which one they wanted on the top of the ticket. I suspect the good-natured camaraderie between them on the Primary stumps, would be a real crowd pleaser.
 

Thoughts? Would such a move make you more or less likely to vote for either one of them? Would it put you off to the point where you would vote for Romney or Paul to stop them? Which one would you prefer on top? Why?  ◄Dave► 

In a number of articles in this space, I have implied – or outright stated – that I think it is too late for the United States to recover from its current ills and that, instead, we should focus on trying to rebuild as quickly as possible after what I consider the inevitable collapse. I have often made these statements as if they were common knowledge. In all fairness to the few people who are kind enough to read what I contribute, I realize a more in-depth explanation is overdue. I will attempt that now.

It is human nature to concentrate the hardest on the current circumstance, usually at the expense of any broader or long-term view. I propose now that we take such a view – in fact, views.

I propose that, while there is plenty to complain about in the current administration and the current congress, the ills that are bringing us down are actually long-term trends. I further propose that any real recovery would, therefore, necessarily require a reversal of those trends.

First, let me cite the three trends I think most responsible for our national condition:
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In many of the articles I have contributed to this blog, I have been sharply critical of President Obama – for the simple reason that he deserves it. That said, if one wanted to very precisely place the major blame for the downfall of our republic, one need look no further that that bunch of con artists we call a CONgress.

For example, as I write this, the so-called “Super Committee” is looking for a way to “cut” $1.5 trillion in spending over the next 10 years. Spelled out the long way, this figure is $1500,000,000,000. For each of the 10 years, the “cuts” would then be $150,000,000,000. Or, $150 billion per year.

So, a federal government that currently spends over $3.5 trillion per year proposes to slash its spending by a whooping 4.28%, based on approximate 2011 spending. And, if this is not insult enough, the so-called “cuts” are actually a reduction in the planned increase in real spending. In other words, they propose to very slightly “cut” the projected growth in spending such that “real” spending will actually continue to increase each year.

If any private business in the United States tried to pull off an accounting “con” (fraud) like this, our elected con artists would hold hearings insisting the guilty be carted off to the pen. But, our guys are such good con artists that they have insulated themselves from the rules they would impose on others.
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In the most recent GOP debate, Texas Governor Rick Perry seemed to suffer a “brain freeze” when he could not remember the third of three departments of the federal government that he was promising to eliminate.

Much is being made about whether or not this spells the end for Perry. I don’t presume to know nor do I care.

What bothers me about the incident is that it clearly illustrated something that is very wrong in our system yet, to my knowledge, none of the media have raised the point. The point being that Governor Perry obviously did not forget his own idea. What he forgot is what others had coached him to say – and more obviously, something he did not believe in strongly enough to have it etched into his mind.

In other words, we witnessed the real-time failure of a process that dominates far too much of our current politics. That is, the hiring of a cast of researchers who scan the polls, trying to determine what people what to hear, then pumping the appropriate words into the candidate just prior to a speech or debate.

This does not help us sort out the candidates. Candidates who do this are, in effect, asking us to look into an electronic mirror and see just what we want to see, without regard to what they might intend do if elected. And, the media assist them in this fraud at every opportunity.
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One cannot visit any kind of media without being blasted with rumors that GOP front-runner Herman Cain is a dirty old man.

Maybe so, maybe not.

My first question is why so many of us pay attention to this crap. Now, don’t misunderstand me – actual sexual harassment is a serious thing that should not be tolerated in the workplace regardless of the gender of those involved. But, it has been my observation that true sexual harassment rarely leads to some manner of secret “agreement” between the parties that leaves the offender in place and untouched. And, that is as it should be.

Were we ever to grow up as a nation, we might begin to realize that, lacking open and egregious acts of harassment, much of what goes on in the workplace (and everyplace) is the normal sexual tension that exists everywhere in nature where potential mates are present. Nature designed us this way to ensure the perpetuation of the species.

Next, we must realize that some women are naturally attracted to powerful men. This is a deep-seated instinctual holdover from earlier times when women were quite dependent on men to protect them and provide for them.
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Some stories coming out of the “occupy” where ever movement have reminded me that it is time for my more-or-less annual screed about equality and how an entire nation can be confused about the notion.

We pride ourselves over our quest for equality. After all, our Declaration of Independence contains the noble words that “… all men are created equal…” and that this equality comes from our very existence. How then could anyone, as I do, think of equality in negative terms? Please allow me to explain.

First, Mr. Jefferson said “…created equal…”. He purposely did not add “…and shall remain so no matter what they may do or not do in their lives…”.

Traditionally, the notion of equality was that all “men” were to be treated equally at the bar of justice and further, that all “men” should have an equal right to pursue life on their own terms.

Now, at that time in history, everyone understood that the Declaration was effectively referring to “white males” when it spoke of “men”. The degree to which Mr. Jefferson truly thought that all humans deserved an equal chance to live their own lives was known for sure only to himself and I do not presume to speak for him. However, the events of those times do make their own statement.
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I have added my latest entry as an essay, as I hope to carry on an extended discussion to develop the idea of giving the ‘Occupy’ movement what it seeks, and allow the Federal government to go ahead and collapse now, rather than waiting for the financial collapse that is now unavoidable in the near future. Please read it and join me in kicking around the idea, which I think has real merit. ◄Dave►

Why Live in a Salad Bowl

As I have noted before, I consider Austin, TX home, even though I was actually born in Arkansas.

J9 and I are finishing a week in Austin, something we do on a regular basis because: 1) most of our medical practitioners are here (and Austin has some of the best available anywhere) and, 2) my youngest daughter has a lovely family here that we love to spend time with. My two grandsons are growing like weeds and are into every sports and scouting activity one might imagine.

But, that is not the subject of this screed. The point is that my beloved Austin has become a prime example of the hypocrisy of the liberal/progressive mindset.

For those not familiar, inner Austin is one of the very most liberal cities in America. Every law, every ordinance, every act of the city council is carefully crafted to be perfectly politically correct, perfectly in line with liberal/progressive thought, and, above all, totally in keeping with the supposed needs of humanity. Indeed, these folks have so much collective concern for the plight of humanity that it nearly chokes me up to think about it.
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The following is an elaboration of a presentation I recently made at a local Tea Party meeting. My motivation is that the misunderstanding of our Constitution, indeed, of all aspects of our government, is not only appalling, it has become a threat to our very freedom.

As we well know, the most common misconception is that our government is a democracy. In the last week, I have heard at least 3 people make public statements to this effect, including two liberal pundits and one GOP Senator. I understand why the progressives push this idea… why a supposedly conservative Senator would do so is beyond me — unless he too is becoming brainwashed.

Obviously, we know better, as do those making such claims. The problem is that the intellectually-challenged citizens produced by our failed public education system don’t know better -and- given their crippled reasoning systems, most of them allow the media to do their thinking for them.

The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that, at a glance, democracy might seem a good thing. After all, what can be wrong with a situation where the people rule? It turns out, on closer examination, that there are some very significant problems. First, in a real democracy, there is nothing to protect the rights of minority groups from predation by the majority. Second, democracy lacks any semblance of stability. The majority can change the “rules” at any time, based on whims, emotional reactions and the like.
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I have just finished the most informative and most entertaining book I have read in many a year. I refer to THE MAGIC OF REALITY by Richard Dawkins and illustrated (fantastically) by Dave McKean.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004T4KR6A/ref=pe_5060_21019210_snp_oe_kindle_edition

Troy L Robinson

I have been thinking for a while now that I should comment on the “Occupy…” movements. It happens that I actually agree with a few of them, particularly those who want to audit/end the Federal Reserve. However, most of the occupiers are so uninformed that it stretches our credulity to understand the depths of their ignorance.

Now I find that Peter Schiff on Reason.TV has done the job for me. This video is a bit long but it is very instructive (and depressing) to watch.

http://reason.com/blog/2011/10/27/peter-schiff-at-occupy-wall-st

Now, I wonder how these idiots might be turned into “useful” idiots?

Think about it.

Troy L Robinson

Don’t miss “What Have I Done” at the shutupnsing blog. E.g.:

How in the world can we sit in a movie theater, follow and comprehend the mind-numbing twists and turns of a movie like Inception and yet be completely oblivious to the plot of the very simple and straight-forward movie we’re actually starring in ourselves? Especially when we’ve all seen the same movie before?

…and:

How many times have we heard people say, and said ourselves looking back on the pure evil that manifested itself during Hitler’s rise to power, “How could the German people have allowed this to happen? How could they not have seen this coming?” Well when people are out of work, hungry and demoralized they tend to lend an ear to the promise of jobs, food and…hope and change! I would also ask you how are the Obama Youth Corp, Code Pink, AFL-CIO, SEIU, ACORN, NEA, AARP and today’s Democratic Party any different from the Hitler Youth (HJ), League of German Girls (BdM), German Workers Front (DAF), National Socialist People’s Welfare (NSV) and the various Professional Organizations that served very effectively as Hitler’s propaganda arms?

It is short, read it all. What else can we do to wake people up, if it is not already too late? ◄Dave►

I enjoyed reading an “Exclusive Interview With Diapason’s Sean Corrigan” about the world economy, which I highly recommend for the insights provided. Then, near the end, his answer to the following question was so profound that I wanted to memorialize it here for future reference:

We here at Zero Hedge are labelled as fringe lunatics who thrive on bad news. We only take issue with this to the extent that the label allows “others” to dismiss us out of hand, while not debating us on the merits of our ideas and opinions. Central to our platform is the debunking of generally accepted conclusions of mainstream Wall Street Economist and Strategists. We do so, not only because it is sometimes fun, but because we want to encourage our readers and ourselves to think beyond what we are all being spoon fed. We are interested in what advice you would give a 25 year old graduating from University about the future. How should they think about money, how should they be investing, and what do you think their future will look like (10 year time horizon) in a developed nation? Would you give different advice to a 25 year old in an emerging nation?

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In the post A New Ottoman Empire, I offered the prospect that what has become known as the “Arab Spring” (or some-such) might actually be the start of the reformation of the Islamic Caliphate rather than the blossoming of democratic republics all over the region.

With Moammar Gadhafi (or however the hell you spell it) now dead and our pending exit from Iraq, it seems a reasonable time to pause and take score.

So far, the best I have seen is a military dictatorship in Egypt that makes promises of democracy somewhere down the road. In every case where a sitting dictator has been removed from power, the void seems (to me) to be being filled by Islamic rule. After Iraq disintegrates, with Iran taking over the major portion, it seems to me that the real question will be which of the major flavors of Islam will take over the region.

Given what is happening so far, I stand by my earlier prediction. Whether they actually call it a caliphate or not will be beside the point. The monster that results, will be the point!

A new empire in the formation stage while we drift toward 3rd world status — not a pleasing prospect.

Think about it.

Troy L Robinson

This is really thought provoking:

No wonder Iran got so indignant about this latest lie, which had some of our politicians beating war drums. When do they start inciting Patriots to do criminal acts they are fully prepared to do if necessary; but sincerely hope will never be necessary? There are a lot of angry folks out here in flyover country, who could easily be enticed to join a false flag operation to take back our country from the Marxists in the White House.◄Dave►

With every new debate, it becomes clearer that the media, FOX News included, is trying to determine the outcome of the GOP presidential nomination race. One way to prove this is easy… simply add up the minutes given to each candidate in the debates. The time preferences and distribution will be nearly the same from debate to debate, regardless of who is hosting the event.

More subtle, but even more powerful, is the choice of questions given to each candidate. Again, the pattern will be consistent from debate to debate, regardless of who is hosting the event.

Outside the debates, there is the overall news misreporting. The most obvious and most egregious example was after the Iowa straw poll when the headlines blared that Bachmann had won and Pawlenty had finished third, omitting the fact that Ron Paul had finished second, less than a full percentage point behind Bachmann in what was a statistical tie.
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Any who have read my old “Dark Ages II” essay, or ever pondered the implications of Mark Steyn’s, “America Alone,” will understand why this is my next read. From a Drudge Report Exclusive, profound quotes from Pat Buchanan’s new book, “SUICIDE OF A SUPERPOWER – Will America Survive to 2025?” :

Introduction: Disintegrating Nation

“As the faith that gave birth to the West is dying in the West, peoples of European descent from the steppes of Russia to the coast of California have begun to die out, as the Third World treks north to claim the estate. The last decade provided corroborating if not conclusive proof that we are in the Indian Summer of our civilization.”

“America is disintegrating. The centrifugal forces pulling us apart are growing inexorably. What unites us is dissolving. And this is true of Western Civilization….Meanwhile, the state is failing in its most fundamental duties. It is no longer able to defend our borders, balance our budgets, or win our wars.”

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Since the original ideas expressed in The Slope Just Got Slicker have morphed into a discussion of the meaning and ethics of war, I am starting this new thread for just that purpose. As an aside, it is nice to be having a real give and take again!

At the time our Constitution was created, WAR inevitably meant an armed confrontation between two governing entities, usually ending with one entity surrendering to the other. Over time, a body of ethics had been developed, intending to allow the conduct of a war while still somehow constraining its destructive effects.
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Troy and I have been having a debate in the comment section of his The Slope Just Got Slicker post below. The discussion is getting deep, and worthy of a new thread on ethics. Those not following the debate may want to catch up at the link above; but for setup, Troy had said:

None of these events can be defended on any rational basis. … If we allow ourselves to sink to the level of our enemies, what point is there in defending ourselves rather than simply joining them?

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One sunny day in January 2013, an old man wearing what was once very nice clothing, but now worn and ragged, approached the White House from across Pennsylvania Avenue, where he’d been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the U.S. Marine standing guard and said, “I would like to go in and meet with President Obama.” The Marine looked at the man and said, “Sir, Mr. Obama is no longer President and no longer resides here.” The old man said, “Okay”, and walked away. Read the rest of this entry »