Strassel: Obama's 'Gangster Politics' - WSJ.com

Strassel: Obama's 'Gangster Politics' - WSJ.com

This will have a chilling effect on freedom of business.

Government needs to get out of business.

This article makes me think of the Boeing Company trying to move its excess production to S. Carolina. If Boeing has to report its donations, might the democratically appointed NLRB allow the move if Boeing gives Democrats money???

dangerous precedent. scary.

When the government knows all, and when so many rely on the government, than politics can be abused to keep the current political power in place. rent-seeking handouts by government can be used for votes. its machine politics. its wrong.

OK, got to study....

Republican Presidential Debate on Fox 5/5/11

First GOP presidential debate: Was Pawlenty too 'Minnesota nice'? - CSMonitor.com

So I caught the end of the debate today after I left the library and went to the gym. Although I have no time, I want to write down some brief initial impressions of who was there, and other notes as well.

Rick Santorum

This guy is an over-inflated bag of conceited douchery. He is generic. He is a standard-bearer "politician," from the way he looks, to his answers, to his body language. Stiff, insincere, and cookie-cut directly from the social conservative cookbook. He is like a Mitt Romney, he is unneeded, and he will fizzle...

Gary Johnson

OK. Johnson is the former governator of New Mexico, I believe, and he is a libertarian leaning Republican. He did a good job in New Mexico and was re-elected there. I love his thinking and his ideas. I love his logic. He is a champion for drug reform, to legalize pot, and to save money from that policy through less time in prison (it costs a TON to keep someone in prison for a year, well over 30k, not to mention health benefits more public employees with pensions and I could go on a tangent here but will stop...), less police use for the punishment of drugs and more police use for actually keeping the streets safe and solving real crime.

Although I really like Johnson, he is not presidential. He did not look comfortable on stage. His voice trembled slightly like he was nervous. He SEEMED unsure, not confident, and overall I did not see him on stage and picture this tall down-to-earth guy as our President. Didnt provide good sound bites. I dont think he will win, and dont think he would get elected. BUT, I could be wrong, and hope I am, because I like his policy, and that is what matters.

Tim Pawlenty

I really dont know what to say about Pawlenty. Nothing made me dislike him (as was the case with Santorum if you could tell), but nothing about him stood out, got me excited, or more importantly probably got the rest of the republican primary electorate excited either! FOX News didnt give him the time of day which I would assume means they dont like him... (FOX hates libertarians, Hannity made sure not to debate candidates when he met with them after the debate, yet when it came time to talk to Johnson he argued with him regarding his foreign policy stance the entire time, damn Fox News). So there you go, no real opinion on the guy and dont know much about his stance on policy issues of concern.

Ron Paul

Ron, Ron, Ron, I love you Ron. Ron is undoubtedly "the man." He was the tea party back when the tea party was too busy gay bashing to be the tea party, Ron Paul was liberty before the Patriot Act took more of it away, Ron Paul was warning of the size of government back when the size of government wasnt even a talking point, Ron Paul has been called "the founding Father" of the legislature and he deserves it. He is principled, he gives the electorate sound bites, he is a true libertarian (perhaps more so than myself, I'm not sure), he is non-interventionist. Our country needs a man like Ron Paul. Furthermore, unlike Johnson, he seemed more presidential to me. He was joking a little, at one point impersonating a person fearful of drug deregulation, which I think will turn-off social conservatives.

Ron Paul was asked about social issues during the debate, he cannot win over social conservatives talking about social issues, so long as the debate stays to economic, regulatory, fiscal issues and stays away from social issues he may have a chance to win. The Tea Party loves him. His foreign policy will also turn of the neo-conservative hawks.

Herman Cain

Who the hell is Herman Cain. Cain, my friends, is the former CEO of a pizza place. He is a conservative talk radio host from Atlanta. He is an enthralling speaker, he is funny and likeable. He is black, which has a ton of implications worthy of an entire blog. I dont know very well what his policy stances are, but the Fox focus group wants to adopt him immediately (ironic that they rail on President Obama for a lack of experience being a Senator and "only being a community organizer," as if being a community organizer is not an experience-building endeavor, but then they support a never-been-elected pizza guy because he speaks concisely and eloquently, has a Presidential theme to him, and wooed them with his words). I personally found him likeable, and what he said made sense. I do not think he should win the primary, but if it is between him and Trump, then I would back him, then move to Europe, because Canada woudnt be far enough away, or perhaps, dare I say, I would vote for Obama over Trump in a second, a mili-second. once again thats another horror scenario which will not happen though.

OVERALL:

I am excited for the Republican Primary. I hope libertarianism can sink its teeth into this raging, misguided Elephant and show it its way again.

btw, Santorum just seemed like such a dick...

Obama's Empty Transparency Rhetoric - WSJ.com

Obama's Empty Transparency Rhetoric - WSJ.com

If I were not in the middle of my 1st year law school finals right now I would like to talk to the issue of transparency briefly made in this opinion article.

O, also gotta talk about Osama's death.

for another day.

How To Make Awesome Pet Names

I am in love...

Every Action Has An Equal And Opposite Reaction

“Recognize that Western intervention in the affairs of other civilizations is probably the single most dangerous source of instability and potential global conflict in a multicivilizational world.”

  Larry Diamond


The United States, in a precision attack upon Gadhafi's Mansion, failed to kill the maniacal dictator but successfully killed one of his sons and three of his grandchildren. The government supporters, who are beginning to lose what was once a deadlocked civil war have now begun to call the Gadhafi family as "martyrs" and shouted "Oh Youth, this is time for Jihad." (CNN "Libya says Gadhafi's son killed in airstrike, vows death to invaders") Of course, the rebels reveled in the news of the air strike. 


This is an interesting problem. There are opposed principles at play here. 1) The United States should not involve itself in the affairs of other country, we should avoid entangling alliances and mingling in the affairs of sovereign nations, & 2) the United States should promote and encourage Democracy.


I do not believe the interest in democracy outweighs the interest in non-interventionism. I do believe Gadahfi is a lunatic mass-murdering tyrant, but it is the not the role or mandate of the US to intervene in the rebels affairs. Doing so will create backlash, blowback, as can be seen by the war cries for insurgency by pro-government forces, as they call for insurgency. History has repeatedly taught us, oftentimes quite harshly, that intervention inexorably leads to unintended consequences. 


We overthrew Mossadegh, the democratically elected leader of Iran, through a CIA clandestine concocted coup, the Iranians have not forgotten this and animosity exists to this day. We supported, armed, and provided financial support to Saddam Hussein as he invaded Iran after the Iranian US backed murderous Shah was overthrown and Iran had instated their Ayatollah Khomeni. So we backed the murderous and unprovoked opportunistic offensive of the madman Saddam Hussein against the Iranians. Only to have the Iranians enraged by our interference, and as we can tell we did not ingratiate ourselves too well with the Iraqi people. The point of this little history lesson is that if the past is not looked at, it will be repeated. Ignorance is not a feasible policy plan. 


Gadahfi is a madman, he is murderous, but who are the rebels? I personally hope the rebels win and create a democracy for Libya, so everyone can have a voice. BUT, I do not support the intervention of the status quo. 


The United States should practice more restraint and humility.... to be continued....& edited