Carrying is not just a survival tactic for me; it’s a service, a net benefit to my neighbors and my nation and my civilization, and I feel good about that.
Eric Raymond
On why he carries.
From his post about carrying for 14 months.
I’m glad the message coming out of Delaware to everyone in the tea parties’ way, Republican and Democrat alike, is: Watch out.
Exactly…. especially to Republicans. And don’t expect me to donate to National Republicans again. You see, I’ve got the INTERNET and can decide who and where to send my money. I don’t need establishment gatekeepers.
That said… We won’t be donating to O’Donnell. She pissed my wife off by an ill considered crashing of a Moms for America rally that a friend of my wife organized. I hope she wins over the kooky Marxist the Democrats have running, but she will have to do it without Nelson funding. I was ready to overlook it, but the boss said “nope”.
"A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation." -James Freeman Clarke
Know of any statesmen running? I don’t.
Given all that, it is understandable both why America is very worried about what it has wrought — and why Barack Obama is miffed and lashes out.
You would too if both accountability and criticism were novel experiences at 49.
Victor Davis Hanson
on Obama’s odd immature petulance.
The Cuban model doesn’t even work for us anymore.
Fidel Castro
when asked if Cuba should export its economic model to other countries.
The terrifying part is that the President is promising to do something about it. Mr. President? Please. Just. Stop.
Ace of Spades on the new 9.6% August unemployment data
Bergeson said he’s a firm believer in AYP, but just doesn’t think it’s an accurate measure.
The quotation is from The Spectrum newspaper, quoting Larry Bergeson Principal, Dixie High School on why his school was identified as failing on the Annual Year Progress test of the No Child Left Behind Act.
I’m not sure who to question more on this quotation. The principal who “firmly believes” in an in-accurate measure, or the reporter who didn’t feel the need to question further such an oxymoronic statement by someone entrusted with thousands of kids education.
11 schools in Washington County failed the AYP goals.
I disagree with the NCLB, mainly because I don’t think the Feds ought to be sending money to local schools. Secondarily because I think it squelches what little teacher initiative is left in our overly bureaucratic and large school systems.
Government is necessary. But just as people must be governed, so must government be governed. A government not governed, or held accountable, by the people, ceases to be an advantage to its people, becoming, instead, a tyranny, however soft, that rules their lives.
So is our government governed? Clearly not. Maybe we can start to change that this November. I hope so, but I fear it will be too late. That pesky 16th amendment seems to be the ripe fruit which once bitten causes mankind to fall….
It would be far better for housing and the economy to announce "There will be no further housing tax credits."
I agree. Once subsidies are expected you’d be stupid to buy when they aren’t in effect. At a minimum not only would you feel stupid you would be competing against subsidized purchases when you sold your unsubsidized house later. Even worse are targeted subsidies aimed at people who can’t afford mortgages – been there done that.
Majority rule can be very nasty. As a way to govern a nation, it is not in my hierarchy of good things. It is vastly inferior to a constitutional republic, especially one where the constitution is respected.
Russ Roberts
Cafe Hayek
Commenting on Brad DeLong commenting on Hayek’s perceived lack of support for Democracy.
But as usual, Hayek was right. Unfettered Democracy sucks just as bad as Unfettered Dictatorship. This “fettering" part seems important doesn’t it?
Now… which way do we head? Towards unfettered or fettered? Towards or away from respect for a Constitution?
I’d say we head in the WRONG way on both questions. But I also believe that some changes to our Constitution (16th particularly) were the root of our direction and they key to our governments current unfettered state.
Again, the key is “fettered”.
I buy “organic” food because it tastes better and I can, but I feel guilty about reinforcing all the kinds of delusion and superstition and viciousness that are tied up in that label. We simply cannot feed a world population of 6.6 billion without pesticides and factory farming and GMOs and preservatives in most bread; now, and probably forever, “organic” food will remain a luxury good.
Eric Raymond
http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=2473#more-2473