Republicans & Conservatives:

U.S. Public Education in Need of Major Reform

The public education system in the United States is in need of some major repairs.

Framing is newspeak for propaganda

"Rockridge's job is to reframe public debate, to create balance from a progressive perspective. It's one thing to analyze language and thought, it's another thing to create it. That's what we're about.

I guess the premise is that progressive ideas lack support because progressives have not done enough yet to deceive the public.

NEW Social Security Calculator

President Bush gave a good talk yesterday. Among the things he talked about was Social Security reform. For the first time, he laid out some specifics. He allayed some of the fears expressed in this blog that the poor would suffer. The Bush plan will allow the benefits of low-income recipients to grow faster. We have calculator that figures in these NEW assumptions, available.

Why Men Earn more than Women

Women earn 80 cents for every dollar men earn - and it used to be even less. This always puzzled me. If women really work for 20% less than men, why does anyone ever hire a man to do anything? Labor makes up the lion's share of most business' costs. With a 20% cost savings advantage, wouldn't firms populated by women always out compete those with men? A 20% cost savings right off the bat! That can be better than outsourcing to India. How is it that we don't need affirmative action to keep those expensive men on the job?

The Best Rulers

Of the best rulers, the people only know that they exist; the next best they love and praise; the next they fear and the next they revile. When they do not command the people's faith, some will lose faith in them, and then they resort to oaths! But of the best when their task is accomplished, their work done, the people all remark, "We have done it ourselves".

The ACLU and the Second Amendment

One would think that an organization that claims it's purpose is to protect our Constitutional rights would readily defend our second amendment. Sadly, this is not the case. The ACLU is completely absent in defending this right, and while it has not become active in fighting it, its policy clearly shows why they don't defend it....they don't believe in it!

Kerry's Entitlement

John Kerry seems to think he is entitled to be the Democratic Party's nominee in 2008.

Two weeks ago Senator Hillary Clinton attended the DFL Humphrey Day Dinner in Minneapolis . Minnesota is a state both parties consider a key 2008 presidential swing state.

Minnesota's Democratic Senator Dayton introduced Clinton as "the next great president of the United States of America."

Who has the right idea ?

I have been writing on this blog for sometime now. It has been awhile since I posted a new thread. I ask you ... who is right? Is it the Liberals who 'appear' to dislike everything about this country or is it the Conservatives who appear to like most things and can admit that many things need adjustment?

Advise And Consent Becomes Character Assassination

On Tuesday the New York Times reported that the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, would seek a delay in the scheduled vote on the nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations.

Thanks to bumbling by the committee chairman, Senator Richard G. Lugar, Biden got his way.

This Is the Big Brother, Getting Bigger

London Mayor Ken Livingstone wants to track every car in central London from satellite. The system would be in place in 2015 at the earliest, but will be tested on a few cars before that.

The British Parliament (or the House of Lords or the Queen or somebody!) needs to step in and give freedom a voice in a country with ever-greater government monitoring before it's too late. One thing is certain (empirically, anyway): once the government starts collecting a piece of information about you, they never stop. How long will it be before an English government actually has Orwellian surveillance capabilities? And how long will it be after that before it begins to use them maliciously?

Social Security calculator

Heritage Foundation has published a Social Security calculator You can fool with the assumptions and see how well or poorly you do under various scenarios.

Frist and Republicans Need to Chill Out

Bill Frist's decision to particpate in the broadcast that will portray Democrats as attacking people of faith is a bad decision

HURTS SO GOOD: A PROPER USE OF TAX DOLLARS?

John "Cougar" Mellencamp used to bemoan the neglected family farmer. Reason's Matt Welch dug up a good database showing that the Mellencamp's of the performer's hometown (though apparently not the singer himself) rake in over $1 million in taxpayer funds on corn subsidies. Is this form of rural remuneration welfare or wisdom?

Health Care Hypothetical

I see that health care questions are making the rounds again on the internet.  At Crooked Timber, Ted Barlow posts on the topic and initially makes what I think is a characteristic error on the topic:  he talks about the government paying for health care as if it repeals the problems of limited supply and enormous demand.  » Continue reading "Health Care Hypothetical"

Being Chops

As an evangelical Christian, I have noticed quite a few discussions and comments in this forum about my beliefs and the political participation of myself and my brothers and sisters in American politics. I would like to give you an opportunity to understand us.

Genocide and Conscience

The MSM has conscientiously continued its advocacy on behalf of the victims of the crisis in Darfur; today's editorial in the Post is the latest piece calling for serious government action. It shrinks not from using the word "genocide" to describe the crisis, a word first officially sanctioned by the U.S. government. Is that an accurate description? And how exactly should the U.S. involve itself?

I Support A Woman's Right to Choose

One of the major arguments in the abortion debate is that a woman has a right to choose what happens with her body. I totally agree.

Don't spend a dollar to solve a five-cent problem

I am proudly a satisficer. I rarely get the best deal on anything and don't bother trying. I don't care if people have more money than I do. The possibility of the best bargain doesn't motivate me. I am uninterested in the best restaurants, schools, sports teams or stores. When I find something that is good enough, I stop looking until it stops being good enough. This is sanity and a way to be more - not less - successful. Some things in life - most things in life - just aren't worth the trouble we take finding the best.

There Can Be No Serious Debate On This Issue

I think once every decade or so, we each find a public affairs issue where we don't think one side is merely wrong -- in fact or principle -- but utterly unnecessary and ridiculous. We can't even believe there's a debate about the subject. I can think of only three in my more than 4-decade lifetime; in the spirit of open inquiry about how we all think, I invite commenters to contribute and discuss their own. Read on for clarification on what such an issue is -- one leaving you shaking your head and not so much your fist.

Full Disclosure

It has been said that there are no permanent alliances, only permanent interests. I would submit that there are also very few permanent principles. There are no "Republican tactics" and "Democratic tactics" (nor "Libertarian" nor "Green" tactics). Rather, there are the tactics of power and the tactics of weakness.

Reform, In Theory and Practice

I don't know if it is synchronicity or just my fevered imagination, but it seems as if two disparate posts among the many I read on the blogosphere often end up revealing a deeper truth than either can do individually.  Jane Galt has an interesting post with the amusing title of "A really, really, really long post about gay marriage that does not, in the end, support one side or the other".  It purports to be a post about gay marriage, but its best parts are an excellent explanation of the conservative interest in taking reforms slowly and carefully: » Continue reading "Reform, In Theory and Practice"

The environment in the U.S.: not so bad and getting better

I know it is in style to emphasize bad news about the environment, but that is silly. We have enjoyed a lot of successes and we should let that inspire us. I was doing some research for something on earth day and found a lot of good news. We usually hear all the bad stuff, so I wrote something about the good news. I expect some of you will want to fill in the bad.

Goodbye, John Paul

As I write today, Karol Josef Wojtyla, Pope John Paul II lingers between life and death. By the time you read this, I expect he will have died. He was loved by millions and probably disliked by a others, but friends and enemies alike have to concede that he was a great man whose integrity and life changed the world.