The “private sector” of the economy is, in fact, the voluntary sector; and the “public sector” is, in fact, the coercive sector.
Category: Politics
Friday Quote – Calvin Coolidge
Liberty is not collective, it is personal. All liberty is individual.
No One Is Going To Like This Post – Tara Reade Edition
My podcast feeds have been going over the issue of the sexual assault allegations by Tara Reade against Joe Biden. More particularly, how the major media outlets have been responding. The more and more I hear the chattering class jabber on, the more I’m leaning to Jonah Goldberg’s position.
- The press has actually been doing their job on these allegations by working to investigate the claims to determine if there’s substantiation or holes. The commentaries are ludicrous on both sides, but that’s just the chatter class.
- There is a stark difference by how the major outlets are treating this episode compared to the Kavanaugh allegations. The ombudsmen or spokespeople for the major outlets should be stating clearly “We screwed up then, but we’re going to do a better job with this one and all episodes going forward.” By not doing that, it just looks like their only willing to do good journalism if it will hurt those they don’t like and help those they do like. At that point, they are no better than the chattering class.
- For those who want the press to treat Biden like they did Kavanaugh, are you out of your fucking mind? What was done to Justice Kavanaugh was a tragedy. Why under all that’s sacred would you want to mainstream that?
- Now, let’s through a stick of dynamite on the wood pile. Jonah Goldberg’s made the observation that many of the people who are demanding that Biden receive the Kavanaugh treatment are perfectly willing to turn a blind eye on the far more serious and more substantiated allegations against Trump. Now, I know expecting consistency out of people who are swept up in party politics games is a lot these days, but for fuck’s sake.
You Want To Know Why Black Lives Matter Exists?
Let’s examine the case of Ahmaud Arbery.
These two asshats killed a man on February 23rd. Since the elder is a former cop, the original prosecutor recused herself. The second prosecutor also recused, but gave a lengthy, if bullshit, memo as to why they shouldn’t be charged. The third is finally taking this to the grand jury after two months.
Let’s dispense with the citizens arrest bullshit. They did not witness a crime, nor did they have reason to believe a crime was in progress. That latter is proved by them asking Ahmaud to stop so they “can talk with him.” This also wasn’t anywhere near self-defense. If anyone had a justifiable claim of self-defense if was Ahmaud.
Yet, it took three prosecutors before they were arrested and charged?
Was it racism? Most likely. Was it a former cop getting preferential treatment? Fuck yes.
So, why should a community historically treated poorly by cops, look at this and not feel threatened?
Sometimes There Ought to Be A Law
I am very leery of proposing new laws because I am aware the root of all laws is state-sanctioned violence. So, if I’m asking for a law to be passed, it’s because I’m willing to see violence done to enforce it.
Which in the case of New York demanding income taxes from people who came in to help, I want the state of Florida to say that it will not assist in any collection effort against its residents or companies with presence in the state of such a bullshit cash grab. Further, I would be just fine with a corollary that if NY does steal money from the people who came up to work and volunteer during the emergency, the state of Florida will pay those taxes by seizing any and all property in the state owned by any New York government or government official.
Friday Quote – Robert A. Heinlein
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
Friday Quote – Anthony Scalia
The transformation of charity into a legal entitlement has produced donors without love and recipients without gratitude.
Friday Quote – Peter Boettke
If you bound the arms and legs of gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps, weighed him down with chains, threw him in a pool, and he sank, you wouldn’t call it a “failure of swimming.” So, when markets have been weighed down by inept and excessive regulation, why call this a “failure of capitalism?”
Looking Into The Past For Examples
People are musing on how like the current situation is to prior pandemics – such as the Spanish flu pandemic, the SARS pandemic, or a flu pandemic in 1957 (which I had not heard of).
The more I’ve been watching the responses from the authorities, the more I’m feeling this is less like 1918 and more like 1914. This is where in a short period of time, the world is facing down a threat and all the people in charge can think of doing is the same old responses. Then there’s the fact that the people in charge aren’t exactly the cream of the crop you would want holding the reins of power during a great time of crisis.
Friday Quote – Robert Higgs
When presented with a choice between two evils, do not choose the lesser. Choose the exit.