Category: Politics

Will someone please explain…

…why anyone should have to pay to raise someone else’s child?

Warren set to release $70B-per-year plan for universal child care, will tap wealth tax

Whatever happened to being responsible responsible for ones own actions? When debts incurred were our own, not our neighbors?

<rant mode on>
Government programs such as this only add expensive government overhead to our tax burden and increase the dependence of people on the government for their basic needs.

The end goal seems clear: by increasing dependence on the government, those who propound such dependencies control the vote of those made dependent. They are no different than drug dealers providing a “free” fix to secure a lifetime of addiction. What is truly sad is that the real victims – those dependent – are simply too ignorant to realize the trap into which they have fallen.

My argument against such socialist policies is that they remove the motivation and ability to contract on your own for better (and merit-based) wages, thus removing incentives to excel. We all just become another cog in the machine, striving to do the least work for the identical alms we are each provided by the state.

In addition, any time we create a government bureaucracy we add overhead that produces nothing of value. You cannot eat the product of wealth redistribution, nor can you drive it to work. You may have more money in your pocket from these policies, but the products available to purchase with it have not changed. There is nothing more to buy than there was before, and possibly less due to reductions in productivity that result from these socialist policies. The result of receiving unearned money will always be increased prices.

Our education system leans democrat 2:1, and this has a dramatic effect on what students learn. If we taught students critical thinking skills and basic economics instead of liberal politics they might actually understand why socialist math doesn’t work. But getting free stuff from the government? We teach them it’s a right… and that it’s OK to make someone else pay for it.
<rant mode off>

The intolerance of the ultra-liberal left

A disheartening student op-ed:

It’s OK that conservatives don’t feel welcome

If you want to know how I feel about this op-ed published in Student Life, the independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis, just replace the word “conservatives” with any of the following: women; African-Americans; hispanics; Jews; Muslims; or even liberals… you get the drift. Would you be so accepting of this op-ed piece then?

It’s interesting that the ultra-left claim to support diversity – except when it disagrees with their opinion. It matters not that almost 50% of the people in the U.S. are to be left “unwelcome” in their scenario. Thankfully, the Constitution protects minority opinion.

I am encouraged, however, by the responses posted to this op-ed piece on the Student Life web site, and I would encourage all to take a moment and read them. These responses indicate to me that the ultra-left are a vocal minority that receive a lot of press (and whom most are afraid of confronting), but that many students – of all political beliefs – see the irony in the position of this author.

Democracy 101

This article by from NPR makes an interesting statement:

Analysis: How The Rise Of The Far Right Threatens Democracy Worldwide

The article essentially bashes some world leaders for their nationalist rhetoric, opposition to globalization, and other political views while accusing them of undermining democracy. However, while I do not agree with the views expressed by many of the politicians the author singles out in the article, each has still been democratically elected. The point I’m trying to make here is that just because it’s not the democracy you envisioned does not make it undemocratic.

People have the right to support nationalist governments and to oppose globalization if they so please (or vice-verse), and it is not up to you to make the decision that if they do somehow democracy has been undermined. For all you know nationalism might make for a more competitive, productive and diverse world marketplace than the homogenization brought on by globalization. If not, people still have the right to make mistakes – even when those mistakes might eventually require a revolution.

Also, democracy essentially means governing by majority rule. In countries with a pure democracy or democratic republic (rule by democratically-elected leaders), the majority has the power to suppress the minority. It is really this aspect of these leader’s rule with which the author takes issue. However, when this occurs it is not un-democratic; rather it is precisely democratic. But people learn; their next iteration of democracy might improve by including a constitution and bill of rights that are beyond the easy reach of elected leaders.

In any event, this is how a democracy works – and the approval of this NPR author is not required.

Palestinian pressure

NPR has published an article that seems to chastise the U.S. for abandoning humanitarian programs in Palestine. The U.S. has long been a significant donor to Palestinian aid projects; however, some see this aid as allowing Palestine to continue to its rhetoric against Israel rather than negotiate peace.

While the article appears to blame the U.S. for the impending hardships on Palestine inhabitants resulting from the loss of these programs, the article also quotes Jericho’s Mayor Salem Ghrouf as saying “… this is political pressure on our president, Mahmoud Abbas.”

The Israel-Palestine conflict has been going on for decades; maybe “political pressure” is what it needs. The Palestinian government can no longer expect the U.S. to shield their citizens from the effects of their war-like actions. Maybe this will drive them to seek peace instead.

Anti-gun propaganda

Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib of Washington refused to attend Gov. Jay Inslee’s State of the State speech. His reason? A perfectly legal activity might occur. In Washington, concealed carry (CCW) permit holders can carry their firearm in most public locations – including the galleries of the state House of Representatives where the Governor’s speech was held.

CCW permit holders in Washington are highly vetted, undergoing a background check conducted by state and federal entities. In addition, permit holders are far less likely to be involved in criminal activity; one study focusing on Texas suggests that permit holders are 10 times less likely to be convicted of a misdemeanor or felony offense, and 7 times less likely to be convicted of a firearms violation, than a police officer.

I’ve got news for you, Lt. Gov. Habib: It’s not the licensed, vetted, law-abiding CCW permit holders that should be of concern. The individuals who don’t follow the law are the ones to watch, but they won’t have any need for a CCW.

So when politicians take actions such as that by Lt. Gov. Habib, where they refuse to attend an event because the rights of the people under the 2nd amendment of the Constitution of the United States are being upheld, what they are really doing is making a political statement as to their position regarding firearms. Such actions are not based on any real or perceived danger; it’s simply propoganda. Even Lt. Gov. Habib admits as much:

“There is no specific threat to me. There is no specific threat we know of, period,” Habib said. “It’s about the policy.”

Thanks for insulting the integrity of every CCW holder in Washington, Cyrus, and for ignoring that it’s the ones without permits with whom we should be concerned.

Hammer control

From USA Today:

1 dead, 2 critically injured in hammer attack at Brooklyn restaurant

How much longer can we allow such acts of violence to continue? Even if only one life is saved, we must take action. Hammers should be banned, or a permit with background check be required for their purchase. Strict records should be kept so that confiscation can occur when hammer crimes spike. In addition, nail possession should be restricted to those with a hammer permit, and only in quantities sufficient for the task at hand.

OK, so I’m making light of a tragic situation. But it is important to understand that it is the person who is the danger, not the weapon. I also make this point to stress the futility of proposed “assault weapon” bans, such as the one making its way through Congress right now.

These proposed bans on so-called “assault weapons” (termed multi-purpose rifle, or MPR, by much of the gun industry) are as pointless as the hammer ban I propose above, and will do little to curb firearm related deaths. Want proof? I offer data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report database.

For example, between 2012 and 2017 rifles of all types – including assault weapons – accounted for only 2.3% of homicides. By comparison knives or sharp instruments account for 11.5% of homicides, personal weapons (hand, feet, fists) for 4.9%, and blunt objects for  3.3%. In summary, you are 5 times more likely to be stabbed to death and more that 3.5 times as likely to be beaten to death (without or without a weapon) than you are to be shot to death with an “assault rifle”.

Why then do some lawmakers, politicians and anti-gun organizations favor these restrictions? In my opinion, it is solely to punish those who are ideologically different from themselves. Consider it the ideological equivalent of racism; it’s not that these people hate guns, it’s that they hate gun owners. I have come to this conclusion because there is simply no reason to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens by creating onerous rules or restrictions that will have little to no impact on crime.

Pelosi’s got a wall…

… and some alleged illegal aliens jumped over it to set up camp. I have to admit, I LMAO when I read this story:

Conservative Activist Jumps Pelosi’s Fence With Illegal Aliens to Prove a Vital Point

They were removed by police, of course. Nice that she has a wall (and police) to protect her interests. I wonder how she would feel about illegal immigration if the trespassers were allowed to stay in her yard (or home!) while their case wound its way though our court system, eating her food and demanding she pay for their medical care and education? Think she’d make changes to our outdated immigration laws then?