tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60653412011-06-07T23:34:13.326-07:00Libertarian, Paleo & NaderiteWelcome to PurpleWonks.com, an ongoing, civilized debate about the Constitution, war, economics, Hollywood and anything else that strikes us as important. Why purplewonks.com? Because purple represents 1) the blending of red and blue (as in the political map), and 2) our favorite NFL team, the Minnesota Vikings. Wonks is (hopefully) obvious.Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comBlogger681100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1125324890211685252005-08-29T07:05:00.000-07:002005-08-29T07:14:50.216-07:00Pawlenty is Done, Part IIWhile at the Minnesota State Fair last week, I stopped by the State Republican booth. I asked each of the three volunteers working there, "So, who is the Republican party going to run for governor next election?". Despite the Tim Pawlenty posters, literature and buttons everywhere in the booth, each volunteer gave me essentially the same answer: a shrug, and then, "I Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1122556806840393022005-07-28T06:04:00.000-07:002005-07-28T06:20:06.863-07:00Tim Pawlenty is, Sadly, DoneIt pains me to write this about a man whose election I contributed time and money to just a few years ago, but Tim Pawlenty's political future is finished. He was elected on the simple premise that, in the fourth-highest taxed state in the country, there was no need for tax increases; and the simple promise not to raise them.By going back on his word on this issue (andTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1103755230981288322004-12-22T14:12:00.000-08:002004-12-22T14:54:44.380-08:00`Tis Truly the Season for Miracles
Or at least very odd occurrences. While not exactly pigs flying or the Vikings finally winning a Super Bowl, there was the very odd spectacle this week of a Republican (Minnesota) state legislator being wrong, while the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition was right. At issue was state representative Marty Seifert's bizarre and dreadfully wrongheaded proposal Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1103734276226579752004-12-22T08:15:00.000-08:002004-12-26T09:29:24.966-08:00Smoking Bans: Time to Tell the Government to Butt Out
On January 1, 2005, the latest example of exessive intrusion of the government into the rights of private businesses and citizens will take effect in Bloomington, Minnesota -- a city-wide smoking ban. Think this is just a matter of getting rid of that nasty, smelly cigarette smoke in bars and restaurants? Wrong -- this is about more, much Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1100282804786166172004-11-12T09:51:00.000-08:002004-11-12T10:06:44.786-08:00Still More Post-Election Good News
According to CBS MarketWatch today, "U.S. consumer sentiment improved...in early November...The UMich consumer sentiment index rose to 95.5 from 91.7 in October. It's the best reading in three months. Economists were expecting the index to rise to 93.8."
Everyone seems happy about the election outcome -- except for die-hard lefties and global elites. The red Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1099668306952879412004-11-05T06:58:00.000-08:002004-11-05T07:28:45.196-08:00More Good News on Jobs that the Lamestream Media Won't Report
CBS MarketWatch just reported that "U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by a surprising 337,000 in October, about double the expectation, the Labor Department reported Friday...In addition, payroll gains in August and September were revised higher by a cumulative 115,000." The unemployment rate now stands at 5.5%.
Apparently Bush's "Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1099351315861786752004-11-01T14:58:00.000-08:002004-11-01T15:21:55.860-08:00How Can Anyone Possibly Consider Voting for Kerry?
Seriously -- how can any thinking person comtemplate a vote for Kerry? How can this election possibly still be close at this point?
I know, you probably don't like some of the things that George W has done -- that's a universal feeling. He's human, he's made some mistakes. But his instincts are right, and he's gotten the policy right on the bigTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1095874568873392382004-09-22T10:10:00.000-07:002004-09-23T11:39:41.003-07:00Democrats, Drunks and Denial
I once knew a guy -- I'll call him Fred -- who was an alcoholic. Drank himself into oblivion with alarming frequency. Amazingly, all of the problems in Fred's life (according to Fred) were someone else's fault: lost his job (again)? The boss was a jerk. Wife left him? She was a -- well, as they said about Leona Helmsley, "rhymes with rich." Kids didn't want to be Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1094135942440469282004-09-02T07:19:00.000-07:002004-09-02T07:39:02.440-07:00Record Cold Summer? Must Be Global Warming
Only the Minneapolis Star Tribune (or the Star & Sickle, as we like to call it) could do this: on the same day, in the same section of the newspaper, they publish this article detailing how cool the summer of 2004 has been in Minnesota (record-breaking), and this editorial bashing George W. Bush for not act quickly enough to combat global warming. Once Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1093979821516974722004-08-31T11:04:00.000-07:002004-08-31T12:17:01.516-07:00What Boyd vs. Powerline Really Reveals
On August 18th, John Hinderaker and Scott Johnson of Powerline published this piece in the Minneapolis Star Tribune (sorry, the commies at the Strib make you register for their site and I can't just post the articles here because they turn real capitalistic when it comes to their content) discussing the controversy surrounding John Kerry's statements about Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1085596919285858832004-05-26T11:37:00.000-07:002004-05-26T11:41:59.286-07:0022 Reasons Bush Will Win in November
22. Tax cuts are always popular, and (see reason #21)
21. Voters don’t really care about the federal deficit, and (see reason #22)
20. Bush is more fun to listen to – just how many different ways can “Abu Ghraib” be mispronounced?
19. Most Americans prefer BBQ to consommé. Hell, most Americans can’t even spell “consommé.”
18. In politics, one ranch beats Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1083184456208350242004-04-28T13:34:00.000-07:002004-04-28T13:38:31.983-07:00When The Past Matters
As a general rule, the 30-year-old indiscretions of political candidates have little or no bearing on their likely performance in their sought-after office, and should be off limits for campaigns. Name the race, and the vast majority of voters will care a great deal more about what the candidate is likely to do over the next 2/4/6 years than about what he or she did 30 Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1082048591237343852004-04-15T10:03:00.000-07:002004-04-15T10:07:09.373-07:00And my gout and my hangnail and my nearsightedness and my...
Found in today's Minneapolis Star and Sickle (Tribune) in the Letters section:
Bye, bye refund
Now that tax day is upon us, many are faced with the question of how to spend our great big rebate checks.
Clearly, with our present administration continually telling us how successful its tax cuts have been, we all have some weighty Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1081976491820276582004-04-14T14:01:00.000-07:002004-04-14T14:05:28.810-07:00No Respect for Voters
Tom makes some good points, but after cutting through the analysis one is left with a very important question answered: "Does John Kerry think average voter is a moron?"
I find it amazing that same man who travels the country lamenting the three million jobs President Bush has lost is claiming he will not only replace those jobs, but he will add to them an additional sevenMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1081616705420090952004-04-10T10:05:00.000-07:002004-04-10T10:08:56.670-07:00Kerry's "Job Creation Plan" (and Scott's True Leanings) Exposed
First off, to dismiss Scott's "independent" credentials once and for all: "I think that will come when we put Greens and Reforms in the Senate, not the White House. Those are the races and roles that can make coalition rule possible...Maybe his (Dick Cheney's) being a hard right voting loyalist and a loyal lieutennant of the GOP Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077892080863291472004-02-27T06:27:00.000-08:002004-02-27T06:30:52.590-08:00I found it. I put it on my emergency back up blog by mistake.
Personalities, Policies and Past Performance
Nader, is that guy still getting press? Maybe until the tribes merge on Survivor All-Stars tonight.
We could go on all day about what, in addition to "Gore spoiling," transpired since 11/1/00 and makes his braying jackass run this week a poor replacement for a great perennial we lost when MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077891951041416462004-02-27T06:23:00.000-08:002004-02-27T06:28:42.796-08:00I hope I can remember it to recreate it
Well if that doesn't just take the cake. I published a big comment on Nader and Cheney last evening and here it is not. Bummer. MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077736964080693082004-02-25T11:22:00.000-08:002004-02-25T11:25:33.420-08:00The Wacko Ninth Circuit is Overturned Again
Wait a minute... this isn't Tom or Mark posting, its Steve! Has he lost his mind!?
No, I'm pleased to see that the Supreme Court, in a resounding 7-2 decision, reversed the ninth circuit on Locke v. Davey, wherein the court had found that the state could not exclude from scholarship programs those seeking to use the money to study devotional theology.Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077722523815280362004-02-25T07:22:00.000-08:002004-02-25T07:24:52.936-08:00Nader
Well, it looks like we'll need to change the name of the blog. I am officially not supporting Mr. Nader this year.
My support for him last go 'round was predicated first on his association with the Green party, and secondarily on his own reputation. Since there was essentially no chance of his actually becoming President, his actual qualification to be President was irrelevant; what Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077660914169942252004-02-24T14:15:00.000-08:002004-02-24T14:33:37.606-08:00Briefly
Free trade, like the free market generally, is a good thing, but must be fettered. "Fair trade" is a vacuous political term until you put some policy behind it. Shipping jobs off to third-world children is not good policy, although it is free trade. Ditto buying beef from Brazilian clear-cutters. Shipping programming jobs off to Indian college-graduates (often US colleges) is good Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077646249299018612004-02-24T10:10:00.000-08:002004-02-24T10:15:35.436-08:00More on Protectionism and The Left
This excellent piece from Tech Central Station beautifully illustrates how protectionism is embraced by the left. The author shows clearly how those "fair trade" requirements so beloved of the left (the EU, Democrats, and the nut cases who show up to protest at every trade conference -- and these aren't libertarians or Young Republicans, Steve) -- "Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077575598194402772004-02-23T14:33:00.000-08:002004-02-23T14:38:28.936-08:00Protectionism: Sometimes Right (and Sometimes Left) but Never Just "right"
I asked Steve for his opinion on stock option expensing, and I appreciate the (for the most part) thoughtful reply, but I was taken aback by this: "But first, let me begin by pointing out to Mr. doody-head name-caller Pick that protectionism, despite being anti-laissez-faire, is historically a Republican drum - who can Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077567879028069882004-02-23T12:24:00.000-08:002004-02-23T12:27:25.746-08:00You Can't be Serious
Letter to Senator John F. Kerry.
February 23, 2004
Senator John F. Kerry
Senate Office Building
Washington, DC
Dear Senator Kerry,
Due to the President's busy schedule, what with a war going on and all, I thought I'd take it upon myself to answer your letter of February 21. Before you believe me to be presumptuous, you need to know that I don't pretend to speak for Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077566373574287182004-02-23T11:59:00.000-08:002004-02-23T12:02:19.716-08:00Jobs and Options
I have been away for awhile, so I'll ease back in with this one, as it is both a rare opportunity for agreement, and an easy (because familiar) rant for me.
But first, let me begin by pointing out to Mr. doody-head name-caller Pick that protectionism, despite being anti-laissez-faire, is historically a Republican drum - who can forget its most recent serious beaters Pat Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077345814622930372004-02-20T22:00:00.000-08:002004-02-20T22:47:19.700-08:00Briefly
Mark is right that I stepped past his point. Thank you for restating it. I will not embrace it tightly since it remains to be seen if intelligence was cooked to bring the U.S. from the rhetoric cited into full scale combat operations. Any of Tom's outlined scenarios may be valid. I did't mean to deny the plausibility of their menace but the validity of the administration's drumbeats to MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077293650355631672004-02-20T08:14:00.000-08:002004-02-20T08:36:50.153-08:00Missing The Point
Scott either missed or ignored the point of my last posting. My intent was to show that the belief in the existence of Iraq's WMD program was long-standing and widely held. That San Fran Nan would rather use international negotiation to solve the problem is irrelevant. The individuals quoted can argue about Bush's policy for dealing with Saddam, but they do not have a leg Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077291712418496202004-02-20T07:41:00.000-08:002004-02-20T07:44:34.420-08:00And Now for Something Completely Different -- "Offshoring" Our Jobs and the Effect of Option Expensing
I found this article interesting because a) it's got a great title, b) Steve is an accountant, and c) I'm concerned about the number of US jobs moving offshore, but still not convinced that political intervention is wise or would be effective (and concerned that any such action may turn out to Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077291087924333922004-02-20T07:31:00.000-08:002004-02-20T10:39:15.686-08:00Scott, Your Left Side is Showing
"Dick Cheney is just a crooked thug" -- ?? That's hardly something a "moderate" would say, which exposes your true placement on the political spectrum, which is what I suspected all along. That's okay, but I prefer honesty. In addition, there is no evidence that Vice President Cheney is either crooked or a thug -- actually, the guy has a bad ticker, and I suspectTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077230375176876562004-02-19T14:22:00.000-08:002004-02-19T14:43:46.170-08:00I see, Bush and Clinton are like peas in a pod
Both had concerns about WMD in 1998.
They also both evaded service in Vietnam by going to England or someplace. I have seen and heard these sorts of broad brush tactics in the alternative media and I'd like to give Mark some credit for using actual text of real comments but the question is not what was said but to what purpose and what was done as a MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077215700394225852004-02-19T10:35:00.000-08:002004-02-19T10:37:41.293-08:00Bush Lied
The following admission will please some (Steve) and anger others (Tom), but I've come to the conclusion that President George W. Bush has lied from the start. Saddam never had WMDs and certainly never sought to acquire them. I did not come to this conclusion easily, nor did I do so happily. I want nothing more than to believe President Bush, but in light of the evidence and Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1077043504088495432004-02-17T10:45:00.000-08:002004-02-17T10:47:42.263-08:00Freedom Now Has the Pope's Support
Outstanding news for any freedom-loving capitalist, but particularly to those of us in the Catholic faith (and I need to find a way to get this piece to my parish priest, who still likes to use the term "social justice" as a club with which to bash "the rich," which is to say, anyone who has a job):
The Pope and Capitalism
As the author points out, and much Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1076446573644351222004-02-10T12:56:00.000-08:002004-02-10T13:04:54.343-08:00Penguins, Homosexuality, Human Nature, Nomadic Cultures, Socialism, and Day 10 of "Where's Hugh?"
Now for the challenge of making this content live up to the headline: a bunch of us recently had an e-mail exchange that began with a NY Times article about homosexuality in the animal kingdom. The informal exchange finally reached the point where we decided to take in online. Herewidth, the best Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1076099533701605492004-02-06T12:32:00.000-08:002004-02-06T12:34:36.920-08:00Day 6 of Where's Hugh, and Making Steve Think
First off, I welcome Mark back to contributing to the discussion. Excellent points all, I'll leave it to Steve to explain why competition is bad but any variety of "marriages" are good.
Second, it's now Day 6 of our campaign to join the Northern Alliance. Helloooo?
Finally, I found this commentary, "Bleeding Heart Libertarianism" interesting, and Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075924105603871072004-02-04T11:16:00.000-08:002004-02-04T13:41:47.483-08:00Massachusetts High Court Legalizes Same Sex Marriage
From Foxnews.com: "The history of our nation has demonstrated that separate is seldom, if ever, equal," the four justices who ruled in favor of gay marriage wrote in the advisory opinion. The bill that would allow for civil unions, but falls short of marriage, is "unconstitutional, inferior, and discriminatory for same-sex couples."
Where Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075835293434623872004-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:002004-02-03T11:13:26.216-08:00Hugh Hewitt, the Democrats, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show
Because Hugh was offline over the weekend (actually he was here in Minnesota enjoying our recent balmy weather), we'll call this officially Day 3 of our effort to join the Northern Alliance. I'll send him another email request today, everyone else feel free to do the same at hhewitt@hughhewitt.com.
Much of the blogosphere is currentlyTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075497647644968972004-01-30T13:05:00.000-08:002004-01-30T13:23:01.420-08:00While I'm digesting that intriguing article I'll take a moment instead with your simile. Isn't it ironic that the Hon. Mr. Kennedy and his family owe their all to prohibition?MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075494997973058232004-01-30T12:36:00.000-08:002004-01-30T12:38:51.560-08:00Tort Reform Down Under
Mildly amusing article here from Australia's Courier Mail:
Coalition vows to halt frivolous court cases
My favorite line: "This is about making sure that people are more responsible for (their) . . . own actions. We don't want to have a situation where this rampant stupid American style of suing is let go unfettered."
No wonder I've always kind of liked the Aussies. Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075316912674855082004-01-28T11:08:00.000-08:002004-01-28T11:10:43.670-08:00Application to Join the Northern Alliance
I think our young-but-rapidly-maturing blog is ready and more than qualified to join the Northern Alliance, so I'm sending an e-mail to Hugh Hewitt on this subject. Did I mention that Mr. Hewitt (aka "AM radio shock jock Hugh Hewitt") is the finest radio host on the face of the earth?
Our editors traded e-mails regarding the Al Franken assault incident Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075316199028323202004-01-28T10:56:00.000-08:002004-01-28T10:58:49.356-08:00A Bit of Cleanup
A few items to tidy up here.
(Begin rant) First, I'm SICK AND TIRED of the "Bush lied" crap. If you had a principled stand against going to war in Iraq, that's fine, and there's nothing unpatriotic or America-hating about that. You can argue about the meaning of "imminent" (as in threat), or the precise nature of Saddam (a relative secularist for that region) and his Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1075143027652122142004-01-26T10:50:00.000-08:002004-01-26T10:52:35.310-08:00A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Imminent Threat
With David Kay's resignation on Friday and his harsh criticism of the intelligence surrounding Iraq's WMD programs, I think it is now very safe to conclude that we will not be finding any WMD in Iraq. It would be unfair to say, however, that the Bush administration hasn't uncovered any WMD; they just haven't found them where they wanted toStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1074291292758193082004-01-16T13:35:00.000-08:002004-01-16T14:43:16.826-08:00Steve is soft on crime
Impeachment has lost it's luster. If and, more likely, when we have a case let's charge these people with crimes and arrest them. Maybe Clinton's foolish behavior merited the puffery and hypocrisy of his proceedings. If lying about adultery results in impeachment I'll hold out for the lasting image of Rove, or whomever outed our agent, in handcuffs being loaded into a MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1074034561028078952004-01-13T14:56:00.000-08:002004-01-14T13:41:05.983-08:00Time for Another Impeachment.
(rant) I imagine I'll be the only one here to draw this parallel, but ought we not be convening an inquisition for Mr. Bush? According to Susskind's book "The Price of Loyalty" - and really according to Paul O'Neil, who has always had a reputation as an upright individual - the Bush Administration, and the man himself, lied to the public and Congress about the Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1074016216529949932004-01-13T09:21:00.000-08:002004-01-13T09:52:06.310-08:00This isn't a really good time for me to entertain the Doles right now. Maybe you can come back later.
It seems from Tom's breaking news that this might be a pretty crappy time for Khatami to have the Iranian populus associate moderate reformers with a progressive woman leader and a popular American spokesman for Pepsi and Viagara. Libby Dole is a great choice for this mission, no problems there, MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1074007564253284682004-01-13T07:26:00.000-08:002004-01-13T07:29:21.140-08:00They're at it Again
UN asks for money for Iran, U.S. told to stay home
Despicable. In essence, what Asefi is saying is: "We want to continue to blow up women and children in Israel, harbor those who blow up women and children in the US (and elsewhere), and build big bombs so we can threaten to blow up many more of your women and children -- but please keep sending the checks."
Moderates aren'tTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1074006020771928152004-01-13T06:18:00.000-08:002004-01-13T07:04:05.170-08:00"I love the 80's" not a big ratings getter for MTV Tehran
I don't want the role of Khatami apologist. I don't see any long term gain for Iraq rebuffing the U.S.. Moderates in Iran cannot hold power without showing that they can engage the rest of the world. The post-Shah generation Tom cites so appropriately won't accept cold storage in a fundamentalist state.
If they can't reach a critical massMrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073934413361560552004-01-12T11:06:00.000-08:002004-01-12T11:30:40.473-08:00Tom Responds on Death, Taxes and Iran; Mark Still MIA
Where does one begin? At the first part of this debate I suppose, so "bottoms up"!
First, Steve misses my point about passing along wealth vs. disposing of it - what I meant was not that, under a 100% inheritance tax, the wealthy would SPEND all of their money before they passed away, but rather that would find a way to pass it along to Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073599884841170802004-01-08T14:11:00.000-08:002004-01-08T14:11:44.930-08:00First Thoughts on Why I am not a Conservative
This is principally in response to the article Tom cites below. My comments apply mostly to Mark, who is the true Conservative. Tom is just a grumpy Libertarian. And he's old.
I do think I have matured over the years, and that at least some of the changes in my views are based on that maturity, and that this maturity in turn comes largely from Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073576810027902772004-01-08T07:46:00.000-08:002004-01-08T07:47:09.740-08:00On Iran...
Yes, we have been a bad country at times. And yes, Tom's rant against them below does not consider for one moment how they might feel about us (when did a right-wing policy ever consider the perspective of someone else?), but what are our alternatives to diplomatic overtures?
It is ridiculous to think that the Iranians would just "come around" because we are helping them out, but Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073576786037481382004-01-08T07:36:00.000-08:002004-01-08T07:46:45.566-08:00Forgot the link
I did not do a deep background search on this site but it presents most or more of the history that I would cite but cannot locate from a recent BBC World Service documentary on the topic.
Secret History of 1954 Iranian CoupMrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073574269559987962004-01-08T06:32:00.000-08:002004-01-08T07:06:07.320-08:00Back to Bam
I can't say I like 'em but I can see where they are comin' from
If we have any dialogue with Iran out of this event it is better than we've had for twenty five years. Khatami is still one of our best public points of contact with moderates in the theocracy and it's too bad that he can't take this opportunity. Just like any other time we could have given him some thing to work with us MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073505788802399992004-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:002004-01-07T12:03:28.726-08:00So this must be how the Republicans felt...
when Clinton stole all their ideas. Bush's pandering to the Latinos with the illegal immigrant amnesty is absolutely incredible to me. And he gets to do it under the guise of "protecting America" by documenting more illegals. Ridiculous.
Don't get me wrong, I think the immigration policy of this country is shameful and hypocritical when it comes toStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073495964872168032004-01-07T08:35:00.000-08:002004-01-07T09:22:36.913-08:00I hate to make a first impression by faking to the right but there are plenty of responsible strategies for succession of wealth and no one is required to follow them. Spending up money and paying a tremenous amount of excise and sales tax is not prudent or socially useful. If in turn your kids are planning on supply siding all your dough we've managed Steve's suggestion without the burden of MrFareshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834764900981986143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073429429312431642004-01-06T14:50:00.000-08:002004-01-06T14:51:20.140-08:00On the Inheritance Tax
First, it isn't a death tax, since it is not the deceased that is taxed.
Second, I was being facetious in context, making a point about arguments about "fairness". The salient point, left unaddressed by Mr. Pick, was that to have fair outcomes, you must have fair processes, and a process that allows some people to start with huge material advantages (among other Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073420648611807332004-01-06T12:24:00.000-08:002004-01-06T12:25:29.846-08:00There is Hope for Liberals (Even Steve)
I came across this wonderful piece today and just had to share:
My Journey to Conservatism
Like the author, I was also a clueless liberal in my younger days, though not wrong about everything. I railed against the draft (actually, still do; that's the libertarian in me. As much as I respect, tremendously, the efforts and sacrifices of our men and women Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1073416845235138682004-01-06T11:20:00.000-08:002004-01-06T11:22:23.896-08:00Debating the Death Tax
Yesterday, Steve wrote to me:
"I am forced to point out that as a practical matter, much (most?) of the wealth in the hands of the wealthy passes by virtue of inheritance, not effort, not to mention the inherent benefit of having a name like Hilton or Bush, money help aside. I would be willing to explore, as a sort of compromise, dismantling the entire tax structure, do Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1072814670556172412003-12-30T12:04:00.000-08:002003-12-30T12:04:48.290-08:00New Item: Iran
So, from this story, essentially what the Iranian government is saying is: "Thank you very much, United States, for helping us to deal with the terrible human disaster of our recent earthquake, but we reserve the right to build nuclear weapons to threaten you, and to harbor, fund and train terrorists to come kill you." Despicable.
Bam quake toll hits 40,000 as Iran welcomes US Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1071516758352827012003-12-15T11:32:00.000-08:002003-12-15T12:21:48.150-08:00Are We Done Beating This Dead Horse?
Or would you like to continue? If my previously referenced links to the connection between property, liberty and the Constitution, the clear intent of the framers, 200+ years of practice, and the limited references within the Constitution as to the circumstances under which the government can legally seize property aren't enough to convince you, then let me Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1069707131804083822003-11-24T12:52:00.000-08:002003-11-26T11:45:00.096-08:00Well, so much for the change of tone.
The comment about the absence of property in the Constitution was a small piece of a larger philosophical musing, taken by Mr. Pick as "bait". I suppose I could have asked the question, "why is the Right always so much better informed?" and gotten a angry response about how the Left runs the academy and the media. Perhaps the better question is "why is theStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1069441214328702642003-11-21T11:00:00.000-08:002003-11-21T11:03:19.346-08:00...Property (According to Thomas Jefferson)
Ah, what a wonderful rhetorical device -- ask a question that appears to be unanswerable, but only because it is based on a false premise. Another example would be, "So, if the sun revolves around the earth, how do you explain gravity?" You couldn't, of course, if you accepted the false premise. Correct the premise, and the quandary disappears.
SteveTom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1069364546407451032003-11-20T13:49:00.000-08:002003-11-20T13:49:00.980-08:00Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of .....
Change of focus, and attempted change of tone. The following is an observation, a musing, not an attack, provocation or partisan rant.
It seems to me that the most cherished rights of the Right are those dealing with property. The government, it is agreed on all hands, exists principally to guarantee our rights, and most of the debate revolves around Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068747328623874692003-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:002003-11-13T10:18:11.976-08:00Smokin' Mad
With regard to the smoking ban at Regions Hospital -- I must confess that I don't know the precise ownership structure of that institution, but regardless: if they are quasi-governmental, this is another example of alarming government overreach (similar to Moose Lake). If they are private, it's certainly within their rights and I wouldn't deny them that, but it's still indefensible. Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068737391913285022003-11-13T07:13:00.000-08:002003-11-13T07:29:57.013-08:00Following on Mr. Palony's fine petard regarding smoking at Regions... it isn't Greenpeace that owns Region's either. Don't lay that one at the feet of the left.
But as to Mr. Palony's earlier retort regarding union lobbying activity... I dispute two of your premises. First, by your own lights, if the employer for whom you work requires membership in an organization of which you don't approve, Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068734976854479272003-11-13T06:20:00.000-08:002003-11-13T06:49:41.856-08:00As usual, you make claims I can't contradict in good conscience - and for the same reason you ought not make them - because we don't know. You go on and on about how awful the reagan docuDRAMA iswhen neither you nor 99.9% of the other complainers have seen it. James Brolin, Bab's husband, plays Reagan. Oh, no! Lawrence Olivier portrays Macbeth - how unfair! everyone knows how the English Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068663790793710342003-11-12T11:03:00.000-08:002003-11-12T11:03:16.066-08:00Smoke If You Have 'Em
I must take issue with you Mr. Pick. I would think that you, as a Libertarian, would find no fault with the banning of smoking on the Regions Hospital campus. I, for one, support any enterprise, public or private, that wishes to ban smoking. If you don't like it, you can always take your business elsewhere. On that same note, I also support any enterprise, public or Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068655914023019122003-11-12T08:51:00.000-08:002003-11-12T08:53:25.273-08:00The left doesn't try to squelch dissenting voices? Give me a break!
CBS dropped it's misguided Reagan movie due to commercial pressure -- a form of protest with an honorable pedigree in American politics (the Boston Tea Party, for example). A great many people, not all of them from the right side of the political spectrum by any means, protested the CBS movie because it was full of lies -- the Tom Picknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068646463138903082003-11-12T06:14:00.000-08:002003-11-12T06:14:28.193-08:00Funny you should mention unions and the requirement that they refund, when requested, dues used for political purposes. My wife recently received her $10 from Education Minnesota. I'm not accusing the union of cooking the books but...Only $10?
That said, if a shareholder doesn't like a company's political contributions, they can sell their stock. Similarly, I'm not going to join the Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512366115513310119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068589808313853382003-11-11T13:55:00.000-08:002003-11-11T14:31:43.993-08:00Well, I will rise to the bait only slightly.
It is not merely the Democrats who are harping on the jobless recovery, but the unemployed. And while I cannot counter with the specifics of job growth in other recoveries, I can say that one of the hallmarks of the last decade was the tremendous growth in productivity, which suggests that more can be done with less, employment-wise. It is quite Stevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08980234257188881047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6065341.post-1068572219755839812003-11-11T09:36:00.000-08:002003-11-11T09:37:04.440-08:00Democrats Off-Base on Economic Game
Let's display some common sense regarding this "jobless recovery" the Democratic presidential contenders and liberal media pundits keep harping on. You'd think from listening to them that nothing like this has ever happened before. In fact, it's extremely predictable.
Since at least the end of WWII, we've had recessions and recoveries, predictably, about Tom Picknoreply@blogger.com