10 Things I Think I Think: Politics

01/07/2010

Gallup: "The increased conservatism that Gallup first identified among Americans last June persisted throughout the year, so that the final year-end political ideology figures confirm Gallup's initial reporting: conservatives (40%) outnumbered both moderates (36%) and liberals (21%) across the nation in 2009." Personally, I doubt whether 1 in 100 of the self-identified conservatives could name more than 1 in 10 of The Conservative Principles. But I'm feeling grumpy today.
I still think Bush 43 pissed away the conservative moment. But the great thing about time, is that there's always a new moment right around the corner.
Entrusting to the economy to Chris Dodd by having him take over as Secretary of the Treasury, would be like asking Beavis and Butthead to run the space program. The dude's an empty suit who's spent the last few decades spouting whatever the bankers who bought him told him to say.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is considered a likely replacement for Chris Dodd as Connecticut's next Senator. It's just possible that he'd be even worse than Chris Dodd. certainl;y, our friends over at Overlawyered aren't very fond of him.
Hotline: "A poll of GOP insiders suggests that ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has little support among the party's professional class -- and maybe that's just how she wants it." In related news: "Palin is making at least $75,000 and at most $100,000 for her speech" for her speech to the Tea Party convention." Why? I doubt Palin could name 1 in 10 of The Conservative Principles. I really just don't understand why she's so popular.
Simple Justice: "As hard as it may be to imagine, the most significant force against the reform of failed criminal justice programs have been the unions, and the politicians who depend on them for financing, representing prison guards." Actually, it's not hard to believe at all. Out here in California, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association has been one of the biggest obstacles to reforming our absurd three strikes and mandatory minimum laws.
Paul Caron links discussions of whether higher taxes will cause wealthy people to emigrate from the US. I'm wondering: Suppose I decided to retire in Costa Rica so as to avoid the confiscatory taxes that Obamacare and ObamaStimulus will impose on us in the coming decades. P{resumably I could transfer all of my defined contribution retirement funds to foreign funds that will be outside US tax jurisdiction. But what do I do about my US-based UC defined benefit plan? Will the US be able to tax it even if I'm living in Costa Rica? I wonder if Paul will give me some free tax advice.
Eric Posner: "Many of us said during the days of the Bush administration that restrictions on civil liberties motivated by the conflict with Al Qaeda would be maintained during any subsequent administration, whether Democratic or Republican, as long as the terrorist threat remained. This prediction has been amply confirmed."
In response to proposals to regulate credit cards, Geoffrey Manne opines that "incessant claims that consumers are idiots, fooled time and again by rapacious capitalists, [are] tiresome."
Melanie Reid: "Snow, I’m now convinced, brings out the inner Tory in all of us. In extreme situations, when forced to decide where shifting responsibilities lie, most of us revert to a doctrine that could be best be described as pragmatic, old-shires, compassionate Conservatism ...."

Posted at 06:14 PM in 10 Things I Think I Think | Permalink

Comments

Gallup: "The increased conservatism that Gallup first identified among Americans last June persisted throughout the year, so that the final year-end political ideology figures confirm Gallup's initial reporting: conservatives (40%) outnumbered both moderates (36%) and liberals (21%) across the nation in 2009." Personally, I doubt whether 1 in 100 of the self-identified conservatives could name more than 1 in 10 of The Conservative Principles. But I'm feeling grumpy today.
I still think Bush 43 pissed away the conservative moment. But the great thing about time, is that there's always a new moment right around the corner.
Entrusting to the economy to Chris Dodd by having him take over as Secretary of the Treasury, would be like asking Beavis and Butthead to run the space program. The dude's an empty suit who's spent the last few decades spouting whatever the bankers who bought him told him to say.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is considered a likely replacement for Chris Dodd as Connecticut's next Senator. It's just possible that he'd be even worse than Chris Dodd. certainl;y, our friends over at Overlawyered aren't very fond of him.
Hotline: "A poll of GOP insiders suggests that ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) has little support among the party's professional class -- and maybe that's just how she wants it." In related news: "Palin is making at least $75,000 and at most $100,000 for her speech" for her speech to the Tea Party convention." Why? I doubt Palin could name 1 in 10 of The Conservative Principles. I really just don't understand why she's so popular.
Simple Justice: "As hard as it may be to imagine, the most significant force against the reform of failed criminal justice programs have been the unions, and the politicians who depend on them for financing, representing prison guards." Actually, it's not hard to believe at all. Out here in California, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association has been one of the biggest obstacles to reforming our absurd three strikes and mandatory minimum laws.
Paul Caron links discussions of whether higher taxes will cause wealthy people to emigrate from the US. I'm wondering: Suppose I decided to retire in Costa Rica so as to avoid the confiscatory taxes that Obamacare and ObamaStimulus will impose on us in the coming decades. P{resumably I could transfer all of my defined contribution retirement funds to foreign funds that will be outside US tax jurisdiction. But what do I do about my US-based UC defined benefit plan? Will the US be able to tax it even if I'm living in Costa Rica? I wonder if Paul will give me some free tax advice.
Eric Posner: "Many of us said during the days of the Bush administration that restrictions on civil liberties motivated by the conflict with Al Qaeda would be maintained during any subsequent administration, whether Democratic or Republican, as long as the terrorist threat remained. This prediction has been amply confirmed."
In response to proposals to regulate credit cards, Geoffrey Manne opines that "incessant claims that consumers are idiots, fooled time and again by rapacious capitalists, [are] tiresome."
Melanie Reid: "Snow, I’m now convinced, brings out the inner Tory in all of us. In extreme situations, when forced to decide where shifting responsibilities lie, most of us revert to a doctrine that could be best be described as pragmatic, old-shires, compassionate Conservatism ...."