All quiet on the Southern front
Has it really been over a month since I've posted? Time flies... And though I have a lot to "talk" about, much of it doesn't really belong on a blog. Therefore I'll provide a link to a hilariously godawful article I'll file under "bad policy prescriptions". There are so many bad ideas packed into the starting paragraphs that it's really too much to refute line-by-line, but if someone is interested I'll take a stab at it (see, it's now an INTERACTIVE blog!). The article is about social and fiscal conservatism being the flip sides of the same coin, which can often be true. However (and it is a BIG however), you have to be very, VERY careful about how you mix them. The reason for this is simple- one concerns fiscal policy (government), and the other concerns ethics (usually defined by one's religion). If you make a bad policy based on private ethical beliefs,even if the ethics are sound, you erode the public trust in both the law and the ethical entity. Therefore you must be extra careful about separation of powers, and, most importantly, unintended consequences.
A good example of a bad mix is found in the Contract With America, championed by Newt Gingrich (who I'm going to come right out and call a nominal Catholic; may his words never be taken as the words of the faithful.). One of the resolutions that passed was a denial of medicaid benefits to underage teenage mothers (like here; http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html, item #3). I don't think I need to explain the awful consequences of that resolution, do I? I'd argue that one such bad law is has a more profound effect on the national dialogue than ten good ones. I'd also argue that arguing for impeachment of the President of the United States while cheating on your wife with your secretary is also the height of hypocrisy, but that's a separate issue (that won't stop me from taking a cheap shot. Score!).
I could get in to a much longer discussion on the issue but like I said, I'll let other people pick which issue to debate. Enjoy!
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37591
Today's music is (probably overplayed but nonetheless awesome) Disturbed's cover of Genesis' Land of Confusion
A good example of a bad mix is found in the Contract With America, championed by Newt Gingrich (who I'm going to come right out and call a nominal Catholic; may his words never be taken as the words of the faithful.). One of the resolutions that passed was a denial of medicaid benefits to underage teenage mothers (like here; http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html, item #3). I don't think I need to explain the awful consequences of that resolution, do I? I'd argue that one such bad law is has a more profound effect on the national dialogue than ten good ones. I'd also argue that arguing for impeachment of the President of the United States while cheating on your wife with your secretary is also the height of hypocrisy, but that's a separate issue (that won't stop me from taking a cheap shot. Score!).
I could get in to a much longer discussion on the issue but like I said, I'll let other people pick which issue to debate. Enjoy!
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=37591
Today's music is (probably overplayed but nonetheless awesome) Disturbed's cover of Genesis' Land of Confusion