Contributed by: filbert Thursday, February 11 2010 @ 07:03 AM CST
From The Road To Serfdom, by F. A. Hayek, 1944, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition, 1994, The University of Chicago Press.
That a government which undertakes to direct economic activity will have to use its power to realize somebody’s ideal of distributive justice is certain. But how can and how will it use that power? By what principles will it or ought it to be guided? Is there a definite answer to the innumerable questions of relative merits that will arise and that will have to be solved deliberately? Is there a scale of values, on which reasonable people can be expected to agree, which would justify a new hierarchical order of society and is likely to satisfy the demands of justice?
Excerpted under Fair Use for purposes of non-commercial education, discussion and comment. Any transcription or typographical errors are mine.
Contributed by: filbert Thursday, February 11 2010 @ 05:10 AM CST
SECTION ONE: The Word:
I don’t hate Democrats, leftists, collectivists, progressives, totalitarians (OK, I might easily be persuaded to hate the last one). I just think they fundamentally misunderstand the universe–and human nature. Leftists believe that it is possible to competently “plan” anything as large as a national economy.
But the fact is that human assumptions are always faulty. Mine are. Yours are. Everybody’s assumptions are flawed–incomplete, at best–to a greater or lesser extent. The difference is, There are among us those who possess the arrogance of thinking that their assumptions should guide anything bigger than their own lives. This invites failure–in fact, it guarantees it. Reality is always bigger, more complex, more diverse, more chaotic than any human intellectual structure can totally interpret and model. Error is part of the human condition.
Leftists generally consider this a bug in the universe, and design elaborate social and governmental structures to eliminate error. Those on the “right” considers it a feature, and design simple social and governmental structures to accommodate the inevitable errors that occur.
Complex governmental and social solutions fail. Sooner or later, they fail. Simple governmental and social solutions are resistant to failure. That’s how the universe works–in spite of how earnestly well-meaning people want the universe to work differently. This is why socialism always–ALWAYS fails, sooner or later. But this is why socialism always comes back, with a different name (progressivism, communism, fascism, “liberalism,” communitarianism, “compassionate conservatism,” etc.), with a slightly changed argument, throughout human history. Socialism, total or partial, by whatever name, is a seductive, attractive, beguiling idea that is based on a flawed assumption. It just won’t work, no matter how good, reasonable, and good the people are who try to implement it.
It just won’t work. SECTION TWO: Things That Amuse Me: Simians and other aminals*:
Not so much, not today.
*Yes, I know it’s “animals,” it’s just that I always found the childhood mispronunciation really, really cute . . .
Science, technology, and space: Mapping the Interstellar Medium [*10] — Featuring a discussion of the “Local Cavity.” There’s a joke there, somewhere. Ancient Greenland gene map has a surprise [*11]
I generally miss not having my Big Ugly satellite Dishes. I mean, DirecTV is OK, I guess, but there was something cool about pulling in all kinds of wild feeds with my BUDs (I had two–one ten-footer and a 7.5 footer.) But this here’s something I don’t miss doing after a big snow fall:
The cure for blithering idiocy: freedom and individual liberty (yeah, I know–ooh, ick, philosophy!): Multiplier Effect Defect [*27] — Government spending does not create one single job. Not one. There’s a little thing called “opportunity cost” which most people (those who studied economics learn in about lesson #3 of Economics for People Who Couldn’t Care Less About Economics. Government economists and their apologists are obviously totally unaware of the concept or of its easily predictable ramifications in the real world of real people. Government does not “increase the velocity of money.” It decreases it by diverting money out of the private economy into the government, where it sits until some bureaucrat decides to spend it. The decline in the “velocity of money” due to government intervention is exacerbated when people in government start throwing around trillion-dollar spending proposals like peanut M&M’s at a particularly boring frat party. That terrifies businesses. Terrified businesses STOP SPENDING MONEY. Solution: Stop making businesses nervous. If the Obama administration had anybody in it who knew what it was like to run a business, they this country might have a chance. Unfortunately . . . A Rand Revival [*28] Unplanned Planning [*29] Just Say No to Democracy: We should be looking for more checks on government power, not fewer. [*30] — The tyranny of the majority is just as dangerous as any other tyranny . . . Property Rights Are Civil Rights[*31] Economics In Four Dimensions [*32]
Opposition Research: because blithering idiocy can be dangerous, especially when organized into idiotic groups with idiotic ideologies: Heart of Redness [*64] — An expedition into the wilds of the Great American Flyover-Outback-Bush (no pun intended–actually, yeah, go with it) . . . The campus intifada, cont’d [*65] Liberal Academic determinism? [*66] — “Which is why the proper response to Dr Surber would be to approach him outside the faculty lounge and say something like, “Tell me, philosophy boy… what is the sound of one hand clapping?”
– Then, when he hesitates, slap him across his face.” Anti-Tea Party Web Site Part of Scheme to Funnel Funds [*67] — “Varoga and Rakis keep a central mailing address in Washington, pulling in soft money contributions from unions and other well-padded sources to engage in what amounts to a legal laundering system.” A Tragic Use of Language [*68] — A signal trait of progressive collectivists is that words mean whatever they choose to have them mean, no more and no less. Welcome to Alice in Wonderland, everyone. Paranoia Strikes Deep in Obama’s America [*69] Misdirecting charity by perpetuating the myth of widespread hunger in America [*70] Government Is Political [*71] — The dirty little secret of the Left: ANY proposal to use government to solve a problem is “politicizing the issue.” It is the Left who has politicized every single issue. Not the Right. The Left. The socialist, collectivist, neo-totalitarian Left. (And there is no other kind of Left–the Left is thuggery. The Right is freedom. Get it straight.) What Bi-Partisanship Really Means [*72] — “Bi-partisan” is Democrat-speak for “do it our way.” Mortal Enemies [*73] Fox Uncovers Anti-Tea-Party Slush-Fund Scam [*74] — “It seems that the Tea Party movement, once defamed and derided, now poses a threat to the liberal establishment, so much so that they are collecting millions to undermine it.” Hurtling Down the Road to Serfdom [*75] — In case you were wondering why I’ve been pulling excerpts out of Hayek’s Road to Serfdom for the past few months here . . . it’s because that’s where we are–again–sixty-five years later . . . Obama’s Big Plans for Justice Department Nominee Johnsen [*76] — When President Palin comes to the Oval Office in 2013, her first act will have to be firing every single person currently employed by the Federal Government, I’m afraid . . . at least, every single person hired after Obama took office . . . Sarah Palin’s Politics Of Resentment [*77] When The Government Doesn’t Like Its People It Can’t Elect A New One. Or Can It? [*78] Tea Party Convention Exposes Progressive Left’s Age Discrimination Problem [*79] — Among the many, many things that the Left is more bigoted than the Right about . . .
Health care “reform” aka health insurance “reform” — or should that be health care “change?” Perhaps “Global healthing?: Unless Congress acts, COBRA subsidy will expire May 31— “The average monthly COBRA premium for family coverage in Missouri — with the subsidy — was $365. Without the subsidy, the average family premium cost $1,044. But the average monthly premium paid in the nongroup, private market for family health insurance was $283.
In Kansas, the average monthly COBRA premium for subsidized family coverage was $369. Unsubsidized, the COBRA average was $1,054. In nongroup family health insurance plans, the average premium was $311.”
So, explain to me again why we should pay insurance companies subsidies, so that they can charge families MORE via COBRA than they do on the open market in Missouri and in Kansas? Who’s the “special interest” here? Hmmm??? Bend It Like Obama: Can the government control health care inflation through subsidies? [*97] — No. Next question? The Roadmap to Real Health Care Reform [*98] Is Uncompensated Care a Problem? [*99]
The Economy (Can the blithering idiots bring down the most productive economy the world has ever seen? Yes, They Can! Will they?): Where Is the Inflation? [*100] — Hiding for the moment, because everybody with any sense is afraid to spend money . . . “The alternatives are simple — greatly reduce the growth in government spending or suffer a huge rise in inflation and/or economic stagnation.” The Depression is Not Over [*101] — Raining on the parade that, come to think of it, hasn’t really started yet. I don’t go out shopping very often, but I did yesterday afternoon. The lack of cars in the parking lots was pretty disturbing to me–and I thought I knew how bad it was in Real People Land. It’s worse, and Obama and the Democrats have no clue what’s going on or how to fix it–assuming that they even want to fix it–which at this point is subject to some degree of credible debate, I’m afraid. New Wind Farms in the U.S. Do Not Bring Jobs [*102]
The Morning Whip is a (mostly) daily review of what’s out there that caught my attention, sometimes but not always posted before 11 am Central time in the U. S. of A., unless I just don’t feel like it that day, am out doing something more important or more fun, or I’ve been abducted, detained, arrested, or otherwise flummoxed by the agents of blithering idiotry.
I surf the Web, so you don’t have to! (which would be a trademark, but come on, who am I kidding?)
Contributed by: filbert Wednesday, February 10 2010 @ 07:03 AM CST
From The Road To Serfdom, by F. A. Hayek, 1944, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition, 1994, The University of Chicago Press.
Once government has embarked upon planning for the sake of justice, it cannot refuse responsibility for anybody’s fate or position. In a planned society we shall all know that we are better or worse off than others, not because of circumstances which nobody controls, and which it is impossible to foresee with certainty, but because some authority wills it.
Excerpted under Fair Use for purposes of non-commercial education, discussion and comment. Any transcription or typographical errors are mine.
Contributed by: filbert Wednesday, February 10 2010 @ 05:35 AM CST
SECTION ONE: The Word:
The next “national discussion” we need to have is how we have come to the national near-death experience we are now living through (at least, the hope is that we can keep it to just a near-death experience), how to step back from the cliff, and how to reinforce the guard rails so we never do anything like this again . . .
SECTION TWO: Things That Amuse Me:(see what I did there, tease-wise . . . now you have to click on “read more,” don’t you?) Simians and other aminals*: Asian Carp in the Great Lakes? This Means War! [*1]
*Yes, I know it’s “animals,” it’s just that I always found the childhood mispronunciation really, really cute . . .
Foreign affairs and National Security (Will blithering idiots get us all killed, or make us all speak Spanish–or Chinese–or Arabic–or all three?): China’s debt bomb [*95]
The Morning Whip is a (mostly) daily review of what’s out there that caught my attention, sometimes but not always posted before 11 am Central time in the U. S. of A., unless I just don’t feel like it that day, am out doing something more important or more fun, or I’ve been abducted, detained, arrested, or otherwise flummoxed by the agents of blithering idiotry.
I surf the Web, so you don’t have to! (which would be a trademark, but come on, who am I kidding?)
Contributed by: filbert Tuesday, February 09 2010 @ 07:02 AM CST
From The Road To Serfdom, by F. A. Hayek, 1944, Fiftieth Anniversary Edition, 1994, The University of Chicago Press.
. . . who will deny that a world in which the wealthy are powerful is still a better world than one in which only the already powerful can acquire wealth?
Excerpted under Fair Use for purposes of non-commercial education, discussion and comment. Any transcription or typographical errors are mine.
Contributed by: filbert Tuesday, February 09 2010 @ 05:07 AM CST
SECTION ONE: The Word:
The Overreach Trap
The Democrats thought that with their victory in 2008, that they had a mandate to once and for all re-make the United States from a Constitutional republic to a European-style democratic socialist welfare state.
They were wrong.
According to this poll[*1] , three quarters of the American public is angry (either “very angry” or “somewhat angry”) with the current policies of the Federal government. 45% of Americans are “Very Angry.” Only 19% are either “not angry” or “not very angry.”
The American public does not want European-style democratic socialism. What most Americans want is to be left alone to live their lives the best they can, with maybe a little bit of help at the margins–the “safety net” of basic services which any good and decent people will provide to the least fortunate among them.
The Democrats do not yet show any significant sign of understanding this basic truth of American political thinking. To the contrary, most of the Democratic leadership thinks that the problem is that they just have not explained themselves clearly enough to the American people. But what they do not understand is that they have explained themselves, their philosophies, their policies, and their attitudes quite well, and Americans overwhelmingly reject it all. For the Democrats’ basic misunderstanding of the American political mood, and their subsequent arrogance and political tone-deafness, they will be punished severely in the next election, and possibly for as much as a generation to come. And they will have richly deserved their time wandering in the political wilderness. A few of them see the tsunami coming. But not enough of them.
(continued . . . ) But even as the anger builds against the Democrats, the Republicans are deep within the danger zone as well. As the Tea Parties are the current primary expression of American rage at Democratic governing philosophy, they are also an expression of profound distrust, disappointment, and–yes–anger aimed at the Republican Party as well. The Republicans were supposed to be the fiscally responsible ones, the ones Americans could trust to be the political counterweight to the Democrats’ big-spending, government-loving core goals. The Republicans, led by George W. Bush, failed miserably. The disastrous “compassionate conservative” strategy of the Bush administration meant that the Republicans basically ceded to the Democrats the entire argument–the core American argument–of what is the proper size and role of government in the lives of the people. The Democrats believe that there are no limits to that role. The Republicans, during the Bush administration, accepted that point, voting for Republicans because “well, they’re a bit better than Democrats, I guess.” The collapse of that belief came in 2008, when the Republican Party nominated John McCain–a war hero, but a profoundly misguided politician–for President. His campaign was utterly doomed until he selected Sarah Palin as his running-mate. Palin found herself the only Republican on the national stage who had not accepted the whole of the Democratic, socialist, big-government agenda. That is why the left reserves its most vitriolic hate for her. That’s why many within the McCain campaign worked to sabotage her. That’s why so many regular Americans like her so much, despite her occasional rough edges.
But, because of the betrayal of the Republican Party of its individual-liberty, small-government roots, current Republican office-holders are now viewed with deep suspicion by even those who traditionally voted Republican. It is those betrayed Republicans who are the core of the Tea Party movement. That is why it is seen as largely a Republican movement, but the Tea Parties have a wide, deep, strong libertarian component. Libertarian ideas of personal responsibility, individual freedom and liberty, and strictly limited government are, at last, cool, trendy, a bit subversive. The other main camp representing the Republican political alliance–the social conservatives–are with much moaning, complaining, and gnashing of teeth, with their usual dark threats of retribution in this life or perhaps the next one if their issues are not immediately addressed, putting their pet social conservative issues on the back burner.
And, until the socialists now in charge of the Democratic Party are defeated and discredited, the back burner is where the social issues should stay.
Everyone needs to decide in their heart what is important right now. In order to do that, you need to take into account not only what you think is most important, but also what else is going on around you at the time. If you just found out your neighbor is molesting their children, but just at that moment, you look out your window and see that that neighbor’s house is on fire and the entire family is outside, fighting the fire, do you go outside and try to convince the neighbor to turn him- or herself in, or do you help put the fire out first, and then deal with the other issue later?
The American people are united, with a large majority wanting their government to guarantee a stable, level playing field for all Americans, make sure everybody plays by the same rules, and see that nobody takes unfair advantage of the dangerous force of that government, that George Washington famously said was “like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action. ” Within that framework, they want to be left alone. The Democrats are fascinated with the potential good that government might do, and are drawn to it like moths to a fire. The Republicans failed to keep the government–and the mesmerized Democrats–from irresponsible action, and even worse, started becoming mesmerized by the fire themselves. Both parties have failed us.
Now is not the time to drive away liberty-loving Democrats and independents with “wedge issues.” If the American people focus on the big issues: the proper, limited role of government, individual responsibility and liberty, the freedom to live your life as you please within a reasonable, slowly-changing, understandable framework of law, then the United States can be renewed, the 21st Century will be another American Century, and our country will continue to be a beacon of hope to a world that has far too little of that precious commodity.
SECTION TWO: Things That Amuse Me: Simians and other aminals*: Broadcaster fined over killing a rat on TV show[*2]
*Yes, I know it’s “animals,” it’s just that I always found the childhood mispronunciation really, really cute . . .
Health care “reform” aka health insurance “reform” — or should that be health care “change?” Perhaps “Global healthing?: The Small Bill [*76] — Another Republican Alternative.
The Morning Whip is a (mostly) daily review of what’s out there that caught my attention, sometimes but not always posted before 11 am Central time in the U. S. of A., unless I just don’t feel like it that day, am out doing something more important or more fun, or I’ve been abducted, detained, arrested, or otherwise flummoxed by the agents of blithering idiotry.
I surf the Web, so you don’t have to! (which would be a trademark, but come on, who am I kidding?)
Contributed by: filbert Monday, February 08 2010 @ 09:46 AM CST
SECTION ONE: The Word:
How ’bout them Super Bowl commercials, huh?
SECTION TWO: Things That Amuse Me: Simians and other aminals*: Animal advocates sue over USD monkey tests [*1]
*Yes, I know it’s “animals,” it’s just that I always found the childhood mispronunciation really, really cute . . .
Travel:
Stay at home. Work. Consume. Big Brother is Your Friend. Palin is evil. Obama is good. Work. Consume.
SECTION FOUR: Case Studies in Blithering Idiocy “Global warming” aka “Climate change” — or should that be “Climate Reform?”: The Superbowl “Green Police” commercial [*43] — Whenever I see “Green Police,” the song “The Dream Police” by Cheap Trick starts playing in my mind . . . “The Green Police?” [*44] — “The Green Police, they live inside of my head . . .”
Health care “reform” aka health insurance “reform” — or should that be health care “change?” Perhaps “Global healthing?: Media Ignore Health Gains [*45]
The Economy (Can the blithering idiots bring down the most productive economy the world has ever seen? Yes, They Can! Will they?): Squeezing the Job Creators [*46] — Why is the Democrat solution to job creation to take money away from the job creators? Europe Risks Another Global Depression [*47]
The Morning Whip is a (mostly) daily review of what’s out there that caught my attention, sometimes but not always posted before 11 am Central time in the U. S. of A., unless I just don’t feel like it that day, am out doing something more important or more fun, or I’ve been abducted, detained, arrested, or otherwise flummoxed by the agents of blithering idiotry.
I surf the Web, so you don’t have to! (which would be a trademark, but come on, who am I kidding?)
