March 29, 2017 at 2:08 pm
This video has been making the rounds on social media – namely Facebook. A few Facebook friends have shared it and expressed positive opinions on it. Today I’m going to offer you the counter-argument. Below is the video. Following that, I’ll make my case. So let’s take this point-by-point. Points listed within quotation marks are direct quotations from the video, those listed without them are paraphrased. Premise: “Having a CEO run the country like a business is one of those things that sounds good in theory, but when you actually stop and think about it for 5 seconds, you realize it’s a really terrible idea.” A CEO is supposed to run a business, but the government is not a business. This is correct. Government is not a business. Government is its own monstrosity armed with a monopoly on violence that it wields against its citizens to acquire “revenue” via taxation (theft), tariffs, and other means. It would be far better if it were a business, or even a charitable organization. As a business, government would be bound to the will of the market (consumers) and would be forced to follow their demands, and discontinue “services” that were not wanted […]
September 27, 2016 at 2:45 pm
Last night, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton took the stage for their first head-to-head “debate”. Absent was Gary Johnson – evidently because the Commission on Presidential Debates believed an adult in the room was unnecessary. As expected, there was a lot of interrupting, speaking over one another and generally ignoring the existence of the moderator as he ineffectually attempted to keep the topics on track. Clinton sounded well rehearsed and as such came off more polished. What little policy she did articulate though was almost complete incorrect. I found it to be no surprise that her most glaringly erroneous statements involved economic matters. From her support for higher taxes on companies and the “rich” to an increased minimum wage, “debt-free” college, and paid family leave, she demonstrated either complete ignorance of economic forces or an unbelievable level of hubris that she could overcome such natural law by sheer government fiat. Trump started off the debate strongly, all things considered. He stuck to his message that politicians were the problem… for the first 30 minutes or so. Beyond that, he started taking every bit of bait Clinton put out for him. At times, he ran off into the weeds, losing sight […]
April 21, 2016 at 10:07 pm
Local Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick is leaving office at the end of his current term. As usual, a few candidates lined up for the chance to take his place. At the moment, one of them in particular seems sure to win the primary race next week. That would be… Fitzpatrick?!? Yes… but not Mike. His brother Brian Fitzpatrick is running to take the office. Now, to the part I find interesting, and perhaps even a touch devious. Brian’s campaign signs are colored and stylized just like Mike’s signs were in previous elections. They boldly proclaim the last name, “Fitzpatrick”, listing the first name in much smaller text. Brian has also been keeping a very low profile. He has had limited interactions with the press and is generally trying to stay out of the limelight. This is by design. The strategy is clever – hope no one notices that you’re not actually your brother, and gain the advantage of being the incumbent, without actually, well, you know… being the incumbent. Based on the little bit of poking around I did on Brian Fitzpatrick’s website, there doesn’t seem to be much difference between him and his brother. So even though I find the […]
August 7, 2015 at 7:19 pm
Last night the top 10 GOP candidates for president faced off at the first official Republican primary debate. More or less they all said exactly what you’d expect – universal condemnation of Obamacare, illegal immigration, Hilary Clinton, President Obama, and his lack of even more intervention in the Middle East. Here is a brief rundown of the candidates and their notable moments: Donald Trump – “The Donald” is a pompous, arrogant, combed-over clown. I do have to give him points for his entertainment value, and his non-PC remarks. He has no filter, which is likely why so many like him. The debate opened with a question to all candidates, requesting a show of hands. Any candidate who would not commit to supporting the eventual nominee and who would not rule out a third-party run was asked to raise their hand. Only one hand went up. It was Trump’s. As a result, I’m not sure how his poll numbers will fair. That was an unpopular move with typical Republicans. Jeb Bush – He doesn’t speak particularly well. He was the only candidate on the stage who supports Common Core education standards. When questioned about it, he attempted to dodge the question […]
December 22, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Violence is everywhere. We see it in the news daily, it’s in our TV shows, our movies, our video games and sometimes a part of our lives. Recently we’ve read multiple news stories about police violence against unarmed individuals. In some of these stories the innocence of the alleged victim is dubious. In others, video seems to prove beyond doubt that the police used unnecessary lethal force. As Issac Newton’s Third Law observed in physics, so we are seeing in society; an equal and opposite reaction to ever increasing levels of police violence and brutality. Most recently, two members of the NYPD were shot to death while they sat in a patrol car. Anti-police sentiments and protests are on the rise everywhere. Some of the outcry is the result of perceived racism. Some stems from a recognition that the police – once known as “peace officers”, have become something quite different. This isn’t Mayberry. Today your average hometown police squad has a cache of automatic weapons, body armor, tear gas, grenade launchers, armored military vehicles and perhaps even a weaponized drone. I have yet to meet someone who expressed a feeling of comfort, safety or peace upon seeing one of […]
October 18, 2014 at 3:37 pm
There, I said it. Despite the hysterical masses who are just eating up this media hype that the human race is on the brink of Ebola-induced extinction, I hold – quite comfortably – that Ebola is not a serious threat to the US. Talk of closing borders is sensationalist over-reaction. Even IF we were in the midst of a true epidemic, my answer to the above posed question would remain a resolute ‘NO’. Here is why… I recognize that everyone has a right to travel anywhere they wish so long as they are not trespassing on another persons property. The government has no authority to curtail this basic natural right – even in the event of a catastrophe. As it is, in the three cases of Ebola in the US, the government has messed up multiple times. The government – as always – is an utterly worthless, blitheringly idiotic monstrosity that fails even the most basic of tasks with the possible exception of hurting and killing people. In the event of a serious Ebola outbreak, should travel restrictions exist? Would they help to slow the spread of the disease? Yes, I believe they should, and would slow the spread. No […]
January 18, 2013 at 4:42 pm
In the words of Rahm Emanuel, “You never let a serious crisis go to waste.” That is exactly the philosophical approach some members of our government are taking in the shadow of the horrific tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. On Wednesday President Obama held a news conference to present his plan for reducing “gun violence” in American. Notice that it’s not “gun control” any more, instead he’s seeking to “reduce gun violence”, which sounds better. His plan outlined a number of initiatives. At the forefront was his call to reinstate an assault weapons ban and to limit the size of firearm magazines to ten rounds as well as a call to enforce background checks at gun shows and in private sales of firearms. Additionally he signed 23 Executive Orders designed to address the issue ranging from clarifying the mental health services of Obamacare to requiring federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check database. Let us examine these items closer. First off, banning ‘assault weapons’ – there was no such thing as an ‘assault weapon’ until Congress created it when they banned them the first time in the 1990s. The definition basically boils down to cosmetic traits […]