Ruminations - 26mar12 (updated 27mar12)

George Rebane

Historian Francis Fukuyama recently interviewed technology entrepreneur, philanthropist, venture capitalist, futurist, and PayPal founder Peter Thiel about government and current technology advances.  One of the salient points Thiel made about our government is that “we should debate whether it should be decentralized or centralized, but what the United States has today is an extremely big government, a quasi-socialist government, but without a five-year plan, with no plan whatsoever.”  Planning is hard, and generating a reliable plan is demonstrably impossible when undertaken by government bureaucrats.  Although there have been a few successes when technologists have been the planners for technology projects.  In any case, why would Thiel call our government “quasi-socialist”, hmmm?  (Here is the entire American Interest interview.)

This morning’s dose from National Propaganda Radio on Obamacare was a real doozy.  Legal analyst and correspondent Nina Totenberg was on a panel reviewing the healthcare law now argued in SCOTUS.  She helpfully pointed out that the universal healthcare insurance mandate was necessary to keep the “freeloaders” from getting more than their deserts at the expense of those who pay taxes and insurance premiums.  A moment later she explained the additional benefit in Obamacare that provides for government subsidizing the premiums of those considered too indigent to make their own payments.  Apparently progressives are immune to such logical lateral accelerations (now also called ‘pivots’) since no one on the panel evinced any audible pain or discomfort.

I should also point out that on that NPR segment, no one could be found with a criticism of that landmark legislation.

Finally, here’s a bit of clarification from Clark and Dawe on the concept of ‘quantitative easing’ that has now crept into the lexicon of that small minority still tracking current events with the goal of finding some light at the end of any of the tunnels comprising the rabbit warren of geo-economics.  This YouTube video is guaranteed to draw a chuckle from those who have been attempting to decipher the august pronouncements of The Bernank.

[27mar12 update]  Jeff Ackerman writes a long overdue piece - 'Dose of reality for Nevada City' - in today’s Union (unfortunately it’s paywalled).  In it he shines a bright light on Nevada City, one of our county’s looniest locales that the local lefties have been trying to destroy as a tourist destination and feasible business environment for local merchants.  It seems that in this go-around the person who is intending to deliver the next body blow to our historic and quaint town is none other than one of its leading citizens and former mayor Ms Reinette ‘Happy Havoc’ Senum.

Reinette is doing her part for world socialism by coordinating with the national occupiers to “create economic havoc” on 1 May (the international collectivists’ May Day) by calling for a general strike by Nevada City residents.  The city is already in dire straits after years of fiscal and public policy mismanagement, and now it is asked to again kick itself in the butt with another stupid show of solidarity with movements designed to end America as we know it.  Does anyone see any common ground with people like these?

Comments

[THEMIKEYMCD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=5u03KAcEbEo

[billy T]

Gentlemen, great humorous videos on scarey topics. Love British humor and Tim Hawkins as well. "Who can tax the sunrise, who can tax the trees?" Its only March but it feels like election time. Oh goody, goody. The current occupant of the White House has only proposed something on the order of 130 spending programs in less than 3 months of 2012. Wonder what April, May, and June will bring. Stand clear of the windows. Dr Rebane, why does the phrase "five year plan" sound familiar to us survivors of the Cold War? It ain't exactly surprising that no one NPR would criticize Obamacare. The panel has to feed their kids and jobs are scarce lately. At last this is not about health care insurance at all. Its all about whether Obamacare is Constitutional. That is so simple that even a duffus can wrap his mind around it. I do not despair. The Supreme Court has voted 9-0 in two recent cases. In one case the Court sided with that family in Idaho after the EPA tried to fine them $32,000/day for starting to build their home in a wetlands, even though the property was neither anywhere close to a wetlands nor in the EPA's own maps of being in a wetlands zone. 9-0. The other was upholding a religious school's decision to fire an unmarried grammar school teacher who became full with child. Separation of Church and State: 1, Employment Law: 0. Another 9-0. Maybe it all gets down to not if it is good or bad, moral or immoral, but rather is it Constitutional? An antiquated notion in 2012 for sure.

[George Rebane]

billyT 800pm - Your words do provide a measure of comfort on the constitutionality ruling of Obamacare, yet still I tremble.

On a tangent - why does the administration, along with their minions, eschew the 'Obamacare' label? Their pride in having rammed "Affordable Healthcare ..." down the nation's gullet should make them want to proudly embrace that appellation for the ages, for it gives credit where credit is due.

[billy T]

Ah Dr.Rebane, kicking Nevada City's noted spokespersons is like poking fun at the Berkley City Council. Too much material, so little time. The craziest thing is both Berkley and Nevada City representatives are serious about which they speak. A field day for R. L. Crabb. So, who am I standing in solidarity with on May Day? The Red Army, The Chinese, The Communist Party, or the oppressed workers of the Nevada City World? OK, I will boycott Nevada City just to be a team player and accomplish absolutely nothing but perhaps a moment of solemn remembrance for our dearly departed worm farm. Wait, the worm farm never saw the light of day since its untimely abortion. I guess that means there never was a worm farm. It was "just an idea". Speaking of ideas, I heard on the radio that someone threw their hat in the ring for a slot on the BOS. First thing on the list is lower gas prices. That gets my vote. Just wave that magic wand. Next a coffee shop at the new bus station. Hope they have pin ball machines and unsafe bathrooms just like the Greyhound Bus Stations of old. Hope they don't let any concrete pebbles roll into Wolf Creek during the construction. The fines would be exorbitant. Then a proposed railroad from Nevada City to Grass Valley and on to Colfax. That will lower the cost of petro for sure. Once the passengers depart in Colfax I suppose they will have to board a bus to get to Auburn or Sac. Or catch Amtrak to Reno, if they have the money. Maybe Colfax is the final destination of all the Nevada County passengers? Personally, I would just hop the Gold Country Stage down 49 to LOP, then transfer to Auburn. Get there quicker and less miles.

[Dixon Cruickshank]

CA is just so goofy