General Newsey Things and politics

Read a story in the paper the other day about Saudis celebrating the onset of Ramadan -- I suppose it's a bit like their "Lent" -- making this celebration something of their "Mardi Gras". The article went on to talk about how it struck the author that many of these young men were among the newly unemployed, and lamented that in a country with so much oil wealth, and especially while reaping recent huge windfall profits of the oil market -- that the job rate would be so low. This exposes the underlying progressive assumption that wealth creates jobs and not the other way around.

Of course, wealth can be used to create jobs -- those in turn would create production, which is really what creates wealth. But where's the incentive for that in a non-free-market system?

Here in a local race, I note that Claire McCaskill's senatorial ads emphasize that while she was state auditor she investigated nursing homes 15 times and had 94 "findings". Because, you know, it's all about the "findings". We don't know what the "findings" were, or whether they were relevant or accurate -- but that doesn't matter. There were 94 of them, and that's a Good Thing™ . Because more is better. Guess that makes her a good senatorial candidate. Meanwhile, the negative side of her ads attempt to bash Jim Talent for doing things that benefit business. Because, you know, people who run businesses aren't American. Again exposing another underlying progressive assumption -- wealth is finite. If some people make "too much" money, it must be because they are taking advantage of other people. Ergo big companies are bad, and anything that helps big companies is wrong. Wal-Mart, of course, being the obvious worst offender.

The city council passed an ordinance last night banning smoking in local restaurants. I see this as a blow to liberty -- even though I am not a smoker and I ask for non-smoking seating when I go to restaurants. I think restaurant owners should be allowed to provide whatever kind of environment they want to. If people don't like it, they won't go there. If they do, they will. Nobody ever held a gun to anyone's head and said "you must eat at this restaurant" (breathe the smoke, breathe the smoke... mwahahahahahah!). The Declaration of Independence's inalienable rights clause didn't say anything about the right to eat at a restaurant at all, much less a smoke-free one. It did mention Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness ... both of which get a mighty swat from this ordinance. Which exposes progressiveness for what it is -- a movement that says "we know better than you do, let us make the rules". It's tyranny with a condescending smile.

Which is why I find it imperative to defeat the Democratic Party in general (though on a person by person basis I may differ -- there is ONE Democrat I plan to vote for for local judge. But that's a whole 'nother issue). The party has been taken over by this progressive movement and its disparate little sub-movements from animal rights to peace at all costs to economic policies that look a whole lot more like communism than a free market. If you're anti-america, you're a Democrat -- it's pretty much as simple as that. I'll grant that it doesn't necessarily go the other way, but the fact that if you're Anti-America, you're very likely to vote Democrat speaks volumes.

Of course, there are those who say they aren't anti-America, that they love this country and only want what's best for it. You know, like smoke-free restaurants, and mandatory hybrid cars, the repeal of the second amendment, state-regulated business, and a foriegn policy that says "don't mess with us anymore or we'll have to have a really really serious talk. Again." You know, that America. The one that doesn't exist... yet.

Then there's North Korea -- as far as I can tell, the world is proving once and for all -- as if we didn't all get the message before, that "UN" actually does stand for "Useless Nitwits". Now I like John Bolton, but it's like an adult working with a bunch of children. Spoiled ones at that. Why in the hell should North Korea or anyone else listen to anything the United Nations says? What are they going to do? Write another letter of condemnation? Whoooo! Scary!

China warned North Korea that it was in danger of "damaging" their relationship. Just in danger, though, the relationship hasn't actually been damaged yet.

And lastly, please, Mr. Bush? Jimmy Carter drove me crazy during his presidency with his inability to prounounce the word "nuclear" -- and you pronounce it the same way he did. It's driving me nuts -- again.

The word is pronounced NEW - CLEE - UR

not NEW - QUEUE - LUR

nu-cle-ar

got it?