It looks obvious

This is more than just funny, it is - sadly for some - is accurate. Back in 2006 I linked to an article in the economist that argued that divided government is the key for fiscal restraint - and god do we need this now…

The economic crisis effected NY state budget badly - many corporations and individuals that paid taxes are no longer paying them. As a result the state budget, that was nothing to be proud at to begin with, is expected to generate a much larger deficit. The proposed budget is ensuring that the state economic crisis will be longer and deeper than it should have been otherwise.

Along blessed budget cuts the governor’s proposed budget aim in raising taxes on many items that will increase the burden on individuals and corporations and will push more of them over the edge. Taxes on fuel, insurance and many other items will make already hard situation of many into dire.

And as final blow to any hope of sanity is the stupid urge of paternalistic of telling people how to live their life. The obesity tax - on non-dietetic drinks - does the Governor intend to raise money by making people not buy a taxable item? He might make people buy less non-diet drinks, and increase the unemployment, but he will not get the money he needed or the opposite people will pay the higher price and will keep drinking the “bad” drinks; But he cannot achieve both!

I can only wonder who is illusion enough to think that diet drinks are healthier than non-diet drinks?

Considering how horrible Bush was as a President One have to wonder why this didn’t more often

I also wonder why did it take so long for the secret service agents to react, and prevent such incident. Maybe they aren’t that motivated to protect Bush, I know I can’t blame them.

A very interesting discussion, on a Canadian TV channel, about the great depression and the New Deal. Really worth the time watching:

One has to wonder what cause people to be so delusional to believe that Ron Paul, specifically - not any Libertarian leaning candidate, will win the GOP 2012 nomination:

As far fetched as it sounds, Ron Paul can actually win the Republican nomination in 2012 and change history. Step One: Win the Iowa Straw Poll in 2011.

Even before the public realized the full extent of the current crisis the preferred choices of the American voters were as non-libertarian as you can get. And although I do not think that the current crisis demonstrate, in any way, the philosophical or practical failure of Liberty minded theories, I have to admit that this is general opinion. Ideas of Bailout, Practically nationalization of industries, National Service and other collectivist symptoms seems more favorably to the general public and Ideas that involve less government seems lunatic as best.

So instead of wasting time and energy trying to elect fringe candidate, which will be 76 years old at 2012, we should be focusing on more important things. We should start from the base - build the base of the meetup groups in the colleges to engage with students and present the alternative for collectivism. We should establish grants for essays, for research and for teaching. We should inspire people with ideas much before we start asking for their votes.

Yes, it is not going to effect the 2012 - but so is the winning of the Iowa Straw Poll.

Ryan Sager make an excellent point; I disagree, however, with his argument that Blagojevich’s conducted a victimless crime - we, as in all these cases, were the victims.

ANY thoughtful consideration of Illinois’ Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s alleged crimes would find that, compared to many other governors and legislators considered “clean,” Blago is an out-and-out straight-shooter.

For instance, when New York’s then-Gov. George Pataki wanted a third term back in 2002, he had to pony up — but not out of his own pocket. He cut a deal with Dennis Rivera, president of 1199/SEIU, for $1.8 billion in raises for health-care workers — a bribe drawn straight from the public fisc.

If it wasn’t sad it would be pretty funny.

The new campaign

And while we are on subject of wealth distribution from me to failing corporations I have short message to the Republicans congressmen from NY who voted today in favor of bailout - King, Knogllenberg, LaHood and LaTourette - you are never, ever, going to get any type of support from me - not a vote, not a donation, nothing! and I promise to donate and help any candidate that will run against you - from any party.

(via kids prefer cheese)

Living in the US meant for me, the immigrant, one simple thing - the promise of freedom to be whatever I can be. I admit it was a romantic view more than reality, but yet it was the place that represent individual freedom more than any other place in the world. As always reality never lived up to the dreams and the level of individual freedom was less than I was hoping for and yet, there was the hope that the trend of the collectivism will turn.

The new administration plans for National Service are a major shift in the concept of what the US is about. And like little drops more evidence are piling and demonstrating the new path - a tyranny of the collective over our live. I don’t know how do you fill, but for me the idea of the government forcing my children to work in the kolkhoz is very scary idea.

It is clearer than ever now that the Change promised during the election was more than real. It is a change for the core of what the US was all about - the protection of Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Here we go again: as part of the effort to promote as many and as comprehensive distractive policies as soon as possible the government is creating a new role, that will be a corner stone in nationalizing the car industry, of a Car Tzar. This decision is being justified by former horrible decision to protect failing corporations. And since these measure will not “save the economy”, and how could they?, they will not be the last.

In her excellent book, The forgotten Man, Amity Shales asks why it took the US so long to recover from the great depression. She answer and demonstrate how the policies of the New Deal worsen the depression and made it harder to recover. With the promises from another New Deal, and the signs of aggressive socialist policies, we are going to face a very long and dark winter.

I understand why auctioning political office is considered corruption; but why bribing voters by forcing banks to grant loans that will never pay back isn’t?