January 16, 2008

Economic Illiteracy

How much of what people currently believe the role of the government should be is based on a faulty sense of economics? For example, I have a friend who will admit that raising the minimum wage will likely raise unemployment as well. It's a simply economic principle. But, his contention is that it is still worth it. I can appreciate that viewpoint even though I disagree with it, because it's honest. It's the people who say we can raise the minimum wage, and everyone will make more money with no consequences that drive me crazy. Why are most economists conservative? Are they all inherently greedy? Or are they simply more aware of the effects of fiscal policy?
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January 15, 2008

E-Ching For the Day:

"Even if you are six feet further along than everybody else, you are still millions of miles away."
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January 14, 2008

Media Bias?

Let's say I'm an A.P. writer over in Baghdad. I come across a town where violence has gone down and become "relatively" stable over the last six months. But, I don't want to write about it, because I don't want to encourage what I believe is a terrible situation due to everything else that I see poorly going around the country. So, I write about a car-bomb instead. The car bomb actually happened. I am reporting the truth. It will sell more papers. Is this bias? I am a reporter working for Obama's campaign asked to follow Hilary around. I witness her having heart-to-heart talks with a lot of the local people in the town. But I don't want to write about that, since I am confident that Obama would be a better President. So, instead I write about how Hilary tripped down the stairs. The tripping actually happened. I am reporting the truth. It will sell more papers. Is this bias?
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January 11, 2008

“I Have No Regrets”…

...is about the most foolish thing anyone could ever say. I understand the idea that you learned things from your mistakes you may not have learned had you not made them. But, at the end of every day, I regret a lot of things from that day alone. Things I said that I shouldn't have said. Things I wish I had done that I didn't do. Falling back on this bizarre idea that whatever ended up happening was supposed to happen, is ridiculous. Everyone screws up all of the time. And there are consequences for these actions. God is gracious, and quick to forgive. But, the regret should remain. For the crime itself, and what was lost because of it.
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January 10, 2008

Monopoganda

The only way to win this popular family game: completely bankrupt all of your friends and loved ones. Also, you get paid more if you own every property on the block. So, this game inherently teaches that wealth is created through a lack of competition. Does my favorite childhood game along with Robin Hood and Captain Planet belong in my unwitting propaganda collection?
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January 9, 2008

Just Like on the Roads

Whether you're in an office building, a grocery store or walking down the sidewalk, when going against traffic, take the right side. It's pretty easy to remember. Pretend your body is a car, and think what a psycho you'd be to speed down the other side of the road against traffic. Well, it's just as disconcerting off the roads. A Public Service Announcement from your Local Friends who don't like getting bumped by your shoulder or your grocery cart.
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January 8, 2008

Let’s Give Up Smoking

What would you say the most popular day to give up smoking is? Probably New Years Day, right. A resolution of health, perhaps, that usually lasts 'til they go to the bar and get a second-hand whiff of that sweet tobacco mist. Problem solved. It is now illegal to smoke in any public place in Illinois. Also, by public place, they mean any private business, too. And while I am a non-smoker against the ban for reasons of liberty and other insights previously discussed here, I have to give the state government credit for choosing January 1st as the ban date. They knew that people would see it as a good reason to try and quit.
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January 7, 2008

Conservatives Should Encourage a Barack Nomination

If Hilary gets the nomination, and loses the general, Democrats will just say "oh, she's not well liked." That isn't an excuse for Barack though. If he gets the nomination, and loses the general, Democrats would have to consider the idea that their ideas are simply not winning over the majority of the land. Perhaps a more likely scenario, Barack getting the nomination and winning the general, would mean that conservatives would actually have to regroup and agree on what the party is all about. Again, this is assuming rational thinking, which is always a big mistake. Whoever wins, the loser and the respective party will likely blame the results on something other than themselves or their beliefs.
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January 4, 2008

All It Takes

All it takes to win the Iowa Primary as a Republican is saying you love Jesus... apparently. Mike Huckabee was the only Republican candidate who clearly and constantly embraced his Christian faith. And although he is in real terms, the LEAST fiscally conservative candidate running for the Republicans by a mile, he slides in with an easy victory. I'm more confused than ever.
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January 3, 2008

Shouldn’t Red States be Blue?

Who decided on the color-coding for red states and blue states? Universally, red tends to be the political color used to represent Labor/Socialist parties where blue tends to represent Conservative/Right-Wingers. You'll find this trend to be globally consistent... except for in America. As I researched this, I found out that only in 2000 was this switch made. There was no real consistency in the prior elections, and as recently as 1984, Reagan's landslide victory was painted in a "sea of blue" on a popular NBC map. I haven't been able to find out who made the change (readers?), but it was likely a media decision, and frankly, it's pretty brilliant for the Democrats. In terms of psychology, people like blue more than red. But, isn't it just a bit confusing to go against the global politically symbolism of these colors? And I understand that Democrats would be apprehensive aligning themselves with a traditional color used to represent Communism, but it makes at least a LITTLE more sense logically, no?
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