Posted on 12/20/2010 9:19:09 PM PST by jazusamo
Random thoughts on the passing scene:
Let's face it, most of us are not half as smart as we may sometimes think we are-- and for intellectuals, not one-tenth as smart.
One of the biggest obstacles to economic recovery is that politicians and the media are both focused on how government can MAKE the economy recover, rather than on how it can LET the economy recover. One of the biggest deterrents to investments, and the jobs they could create, is uncertainty as to what new bright idea will come out of Washington to change the rules in midstream.
Is there some reason why football helmets have to be hard? Wouldn't a thick rubber helmet provide protection without being itself an injury-producing weapon?
The History Channel has some very good programs when it sticks to history. But it keeps going off on tangents, with all kinds of contemporary activities and even weird speculations that are not history.
One of the telling signs carried in a Tea Party demonstration said: "Spread my work ethic, not my wealth." It may be better to teach people how to fish, rather than giving them fish, but too many politicians give them fish, in order to get their votes. Among the things that have come out in the WikiLeaks documents is that the king of Saudi Arabia has a more realistic understanding of the enormous dangers of an Iranian nuclear bomb than does the President of the United States.
Before this National Football League season began, I wished that my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, would fire Wade Phillips as head coach and replace him with Mike Singletary of the San Francisco 49ers. Fortunately, only one of my two wishes came true.
An amazing example of invincible ignorance is the widespread assumption that lower tax rates automatically mean lower tax revenues. Tax rate cuts have often been followed by higher tax revenues, not only in the United States, but also in India, Iceland and 19th century German principalities, among other places.
A chilling account of how the Justice Department operates in the Obama administration appeared in the November issue of "The American Spectator," under the title "Justice, Denied." It should open the eyes of all but the true believers in the Obama cult.
Many of those in the so-called "helping professions" are helping people to be irresponsible and dependent on others.
University students rioting against tuition increases on both sides of the Atlantic are painful signs of the degeneracy of our times. The idea that taxpayers owe it to you to pay for what you want suggests that much of today's education fails to instill reality, and instead panders to a self-centered sense of entitlement to what other people have earned.
Neither the Bible, the Torah nor the Koran mentions Christmas trees. Yet some secular zealots try to ban Christmas trees on government property, based on the doctrine of "separation of church and state"-- a doctrine found nowhere in the Constitution.
More disturbing than any of the issues of our time are the many people who debate those issues as contests in talking points, rather than as attempts to get at the truth. Too many people debate as if the point is to show who is smarter, rather than which conclusion is correct.
When the attempt to get wholesale amnesty for illegal immigrants through Congress failed, that just led to new legislation seeking to get retail amnesty, for selected sets of illegals, under the so-called "Dream Act." In other words, we are now supposed to buy disaster on the installment plan.
Many parents of college-bound students wonder whether there are still any places where most of the professors are teaching instead of indoctrinating. Actually, there are more than 50 colleges with a "green light" rating on that score in the huge college guide, "Choosing the Right College."
When arguing against the tax compromise, Senator Bernie Sanders castigated "the rich," asking "When is enough enough?" and saying that "reckless uncontrollable greed is like a disease." Such statements are far more applicable to government big spenders and big taxers, who confiscate not only the earnings of today's citizens, but the earnings of generations yet unborn, who will be left a record-breaking national debt.
One suspects that Dr. Sowell has verbally escorted the audience to the correct conclusion in many debates.
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>> Tax rate cuts have often been followed by higher tax revenues
The Left and its allies, the Democrat Party, do not necessarily care about tax revenue. They will print money and create debt. Eliminating the power of the individual through confiscation of financial property is their goal.
He’s right. History is so much better when its history.
“A chilling account of how the Justice Department operates in the Obama administration appeared in the November issue of “The American Spectator,” under the title “Justice, Denied.” “
Here’s a Link:
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/11/02/justice-denied
Thank you for posting the link, haroldeveryman, I was going to post it and completely forgot, it’s a very good article.
He uses the PROPER term for 'cult.' which is abused around here to define Palin supporters. It's the OBAMA and anti-Palin trolls who are the cultists.
It should open the eyes of all but the true believers in the Obama cult.
Thanks very much for bringing me back to Dr. Sowell's column. I recieved my ping from jaz, and lost it in the mix tonight!
Yes, indeed, he uses the word CULT properly.
We have new fuel!
Thank You. I hadn’t been aware of the article and googled it after I read your post.
As Thomas Sowell put it, “chilling”.
I just love this guy.
Thanks for the ping jaz. This one made me want to address by name some practicing FReepers,
“More disturbing than any of the issues of our time are the many people who debate those issues as contests in talking points, rather than as attempts to get at the truth. Too many people debate as if the point is to show who is smarter, rather than which conclusion is correct.”
but I thought better of it.
Personally, getting worried about Repubs as they, along with MSM and Left el al, focus only of the issue of economics and jobs; making this almost an exclusive debate per Obama's win/loss in 2012. Repubs must never lose sight of the big ugly picture Obama is framing our Country in, and they must keep a bright light on these MO's that appear almost daily by way of the Obama, Inc. Magic Show; whereby many hands - using sleight-of-hand -are making light work of transforming America's past and present and with that, America's Promise.
Wish for Dr. Sowell, an ever growing audience of 'wisdom seekers' and may all our Repub elected, read and heed, as well.
One of my gripes per 'fair and balanced' MO's; where lies are freely exchanged for 'truth'. Believe in that case; they not be aired as 'balance' - or these people should not leave w/o the 'lie' being unequivically established during debate or interview or at the least, in follow up.
Given the parameters of 'fairness'; they no doubt, do the best they can; and much of it good; but often, there is a painful dragging of the viewer into the heart of the lie; and only a 'thank you' is heard for their efforts.
(Still. . .appreciate Fox News efforts/lol/sigh - and Megyn Kelly; who seldom takes a prisoner . . .)
A very Merry Christmas to you too.
Thank you for keeping this ping list, and more surprising, letting me on it.
Thomas Sowell socks another one out of the park.
Thanx!
Thanks for posting the link...it saved me a search and if Thomas Sowell likes it, I sure as heck will too.
every nugget that Dr Sowell utters is more powerful and coherant than the 535 could manage in a lifetime...
The Left and its allies, the Democrat Party, do not necessarily care about tax revenue. They will print money and create debt. Eliminating the power of the individual through confiscation of financial property is their goal.Tax rate cuts have often been followed by higher tax revenues
Government debt is money - or, more precisely, dollars are government debt. The distinction matters because dollars, and government debt, can be valuable or can be worthless. We're intimately familiar with the value of the US dollar - and everyone knows that Confederate dollars are worthless. Confederate dollars are worthless because the Confederate States of America is defunct, and has no creditworthiness.The legitimate function of taxation is to maintain the creditworthiness of US government debt - and thereby keep the value of the dollar stable.
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