a common sense approach to a liberal world
“If it disagrees with experiment, it is wrong. In that simple statement is the key to science.” – Richard Feynman
“In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.” – Galileo Galilei
“The debate is settled. Climate change is a fact” – Barack Obama
There is a certain purity to science. The Scientific Method – elegant in its simplicity and maddening in its application – lays down the path to knowledge:Continue Reading
Democrats and Republicans are diametrically opposed in so many ways but I think it comes down to a couple basic factors. As I noted in the The Left and the Right – Shoulds and Coulds, the Left tends to argue with emotion while the Right tends to argue with logic. I think most on the Left start with good intentions and end in poor implementation. I summed up the article thusly:
Liberal policies tend to tell you what to do. Conservative policies tend to motivate you to do something.
When I engage in discussions with Democrats I always seem to come away from the conversation having just heard a mandate of some kind. Continue Reading
I used to identify as a Libertarian. I no longer do – although I retain many Libertarian ideals.
Libertarianism fails for me on several counts. Particularly on borders and defense.
Someone once said, “Conservatives tend to be libertarian, but libertarians tend not to be conservative”.
I think there’s a lot of truth in that statement.
So, what do I believe?Continue Reading
A Paranoid is someone who has all the facts – William Burroughs
When the election ended the Left’s claims grew louder.
The Russians hacked the election.
Except they didn’t.
When Donald trump assumed the Presidency, the Left’s claims grew deafening.
President Trump colluded with the Russians.
Except he didn’t.
It all seems a bit unreal.
The truth might be even crazier.Continue Reading
The current uproar over Russian influence in the election process has reached a crescendo with the furor over Jeff Sessions’ testimony. Which is odd, given the Left’s silence on so many similar – and larger – issues.
Attorney General Jeff Session has been accused by Democrats of lying under oath and perjury. Here is the pertinent portion of the transcript containing the question posed by Franken and the answer by Sessions.Continue Reading
News of a Department of Justice “Slush Fund” has been making headlines recently.
Unfortunately, this is not new information – the activity goes back to 2012 and can be traced to The Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group (Working Group), created in 2012 by none other than Obama’s first Attorney General, Eric Holder. Let’s just say that I view Mr. Holder as “ethically-challenged”.
The Working Group was created within the Justice Department in 2012 as a means of prosecution and punishment for those perceived to be responsible for the financial crisis of 2008. At its formation Mr. Holder made the following statement:Continue Reading
The United States utilizes a “Worldwide” tax code – and that’s a problem.
Most other nations use a “Territorial” tax system – companies are taxed by the country where the economic activity takes place. This territorial system is better suited to the multi-national landscape companies operate in today – which is why all other G-7 nations use the “territorial” approach. Under a territorial system, a multi-national company pays taxes to each of the nations it does business in according to the amount of economic activity done in each nation’s borders and according to the particular nation’s tax rate. This has the obvious advantage of placing all companies operating within a given nation on the same economic footing from a tax burden perspective. Under our current Worldwide system, U.S. corporations are taxed at the same 35% federal tax rate – less taxes paid to foreign governments and allowed deductibles – no matter where their profits are made.Continue Reading
Capitalism – a social system based on the principle of individual rights. Politically, it is the system of laissez-faire (freedom). Legally it is a system of objective laws (rule of law as opposed to rule of man). Economically, when such freedom is applied to the sphere of production its result is the free market. – capitalism.org
And so I give to you my favorite definition of Capitalism. It encapsulates much of everything that is great about Capitalism – individual rights, freedom, rule of law, free markets. It stands defiantly against the definition of Globalism. Read on.
I’ve always found it ironic that Liberals have feared global rule by a handful of giant corporations yet they would willingly turn over leadership to a handful of elitist politicians in the name of Globalism. But it makes more sense if you view Globalism for what it is – a political goal with Marxist origins.Continue Reading
“But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what’s in it” – Nancy Pelosi
“You don’t get to hold the entire economy, the entire country, hostage because you don’t like the outcome of the election” – Elizabeth Warren
“There are many things that can be done administratively by the IRS and other government agencies” to silence groups that obstruct Democratic policies – Chuck Schumer
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi held a press conference on Friday to berate President Trump for “accomplishing nothing” in his first 4 weeks as President. I could only shake my head – and hope that she keeps talking.
Here’s a quick list – in no particular order – of President Trump’s accomplishments so far:Continue Reading
The Spoils System has been around as long as politics – to the victor goes the spoils – political appointments. President George Washington attempted to push back on this effect during his two terms as President. He utilized “fitness of character” as the primary litmus test for government employees. Washington’s efforts were noble in practice, but under subsequent Presidencies many desired positions in government were simply being paid for through bribes. The election of Andrew Jackson brought about a reversal, as Jackson employed a completely partisan approach to staffing. The stated motivation was to ensure a more representative cross section of government employees – not just the rich and powerful. And so the Spoils System became the official staffing policy in our government. And the level of corruption was exactly the same as before – and perhaps even intensified.Continue Reading