tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post7593089027658580868..comments2023-09-15T04:27:57.129-04:00Comments on Commentarama: Democratic Paradise LostAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-41646124763228970782010-07-24T11:04:43.313-04:002010-07-24T11:04:43.313-04:00Jonathan, On financial deregulation I agree entire...Jonathan, On financial deregulation I agree entirely. Both parties have conspired to help a small group form these megacompanies that are larger than all but a few countries, that have their fingers in everything, and that endanger the whole world economy when they mess up. They also have virtually no oversight. In fact, they have so much money and influence that they can literally buy and sell governments, news organizations, and control the market.<br /><br />That's completely counter to the ideals of our economy or even common sense.<br /><br />Like you, I would love to see re-regulation in that regard. I think they need to break these megabanks back up into separate consumer banks, investment banks, stock trading firms, rating agencies, and insurance companies. Letting them mix all of this is a nightmare. They should also impose minimum capital requirements, minimum insurance requirements, open trading rules requiring them to report all their holdings and track their solvency, and eliminate structural issues that favor them in the markets -- like microtrades where a stock is traded 100 times in a second by the same company.<br /><br />The reason you don't see a lot of American goods is because most consumer products use very few resources other than labor. Since Americans can't compete on the basis of labor cost, those tend to be made overseas. The kinds of products Americans make tend to be more "machine tool" oriented -- large, complex equipment that goes into building complex items.<br /><br />Detroit is in trouble for a lot of reason, mostly having to do with 40 years of backwards thinking and union excess. Look at the difference between Honda and GM. GM has stuck with the union model and has been slowly forced to do most of it's production overseas. But Honda went to the South where it could get cheaper more flexible labor and the American South stole those jobs from Japan.<br /><br />As for third parties, I understand your point. My concern with third parties (besides the unelectability issue) is that I would be concerned that three parties wouldn't stay anymore "pure" to their ideals than two parties, and that the majority of the public would end up choosing the RINO/DINO party every time. I'd rather take that option off the table and make them choose two clear paths -- a small government party and the other guys. But for that to happen, the people need to get involved again and literally remake the Republicans and the Democrats. I have hopes this is happening, but we're certainly not there yet.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-25235803317878874892010-07-24T02:56:24.318-04:002010-07-24T02:56:24.318-04:00I checked on the manufacturing, seems to be correc...I checked on the manufacturing, seems to be correct. But it still seems odd that Detroit is an economic wasteland and I cant find consumer products to buy that are made here. Some tools, some food but not alot. <br /><br />As for deregulation, I suggest reading up on what Paul Volcker has to say about that. Deregulation of the financial industry is what led us to these fine financial times. Do we need more bureaucracy? Almost certainly not, but letting the wolves roam free doesn't really seem to be a better option.<br />I agree that a three or more party system is unlikely. I merely said its what we need. Voting for a senate seat should be open to all. And yes, I know about running as an independent. Without massive name recognition that doesn't work either. A system where a party can run on a single issue platform makes coalitions form, where many people can have their interests represented. A place where there is more than a dark line separating sides of the aisle.<br /><br />A man can dream.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-64401642597856533482010-07-24T01:39:47.289-04:002010-07-24T01:39:47.289-04:00Jonathan, I think it's highly unlikely that we...Jonathan, I think it's highly unlikely that we will ever have a serious third party alternative. Our system simply doesn't allow for that, barring some truly exceptional circumstances. And even then, I think the two parties have gotten much better than they used to be at absorbing these movements that rise up once in a while.<br /><br />Trying to form a third party is simply a way to lose influence. If the public really wants change, then it needs to take over the existing parties. . . as the Tea Party people are doing with the Republicans.<br /><br />As for the rest of your comments, the problem isn't deregulation, it's regulation -- there is very little in our economy that isn't subject to heavy regulation. We also make a lot more than derivatives -- we are the second largest manufacturer in the world, behind China (who just passed us this month). That's pretty impressive since we're supposedly a country without a manufacturing base. Our primary education system does stinks -- too heavily regulated and unionized, but our college system is the envy of the world and dominates the rankings.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-25429066887807637392010-07-23T23:49:15.545-04:002010-07-23T23:49:15.545-04:00Ok, thats all some pretty interesting viewpoints. ...Ok, thats all some pretty interesting viewpoints. I just don't buy the "democrats are liberals who want to give away the US" and "republicans are evil conservatives who want to give away the US"!<br />As I see it, and I have lived long enough to see many a president come and go, they all suck. They all gave away the hard earned taxes to corporations, they all deregulated industries that (i think its beyond obvious now) need to be regulated to protect all of us. I have watched our country spiraling down the toilet as our children don't get a decent education. Our industries have vanished, along with our jobs. We don't make anything but something called "derivatives". I have to scour the internet to find clothes that are made in the USA. Thats just ridiculous.<br />What do politicians have in common with sperm? One in 40 million have a chance of becoming a human.<br />Massive change is required if we want to be anything close to what we have been. Our "representatives" wont let that happen, the status quo is their fat paycheck. Only when we have other choices, other parties involved in the system will real opportunities for change be realized.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-71429257165725612292010-07-23T09:55:16.551-04:002010-07-23T09:55:16.551-04:00Thanks LL, I thought it was interesting. These ar...Thanks LL, I thought it was interesting. These are just the kinds of things I keep seeing and I think they're worth pointing out.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-69180411902197455692010-07-21T11:25:53.509-04:002010-07-21T11:25:53.509-04:00I'm with LL, insightful and interesting analys...I'm with LL, insightful and interesting analysis. Keep giving us something to think about!MegaTrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03234420338804013858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-80557112854807101422010-07-20T22:24:39.468-04:002010-07-20T22:24:39.468-04:00Jed, I think it's very unlikely that the Repub...Jed, I think it's very unlikely that the Republicans will get a super majority. Those are rare and I think that there are too many liberal states that simply won't vote Republican.<br /><br />That said, there is still a lot that can be done -- especially with the Presidency. I think that electoral reform is a great idea, because that could stop a lot of the game the Democrats have been playing to steal elections. I also think we need to start treating unions like an enemy -- that why I propose in my agenda that we allow members to opt out of the political portion of their dues and to sue to enforce this.<br /><br />Beyond that, I think we need to introduce genuine market reforms in each of the problem areas of our economy. Once health care and education run like everything else, then the politics (and the ability to make them political) will tend to disappear.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-36924108003292591772010-07-20T22:02:20.421-04:002010-07-20T22:02:20.421-04:00Well talking about what the Republicans could do w...Well talking about what the Republicans could do with a super majority, in addition to his article today, Bruce Walker at American Thinker had a great article earlier in the week titled "The real keys to revolution." We could get rid of coercive union tactics, Obamacare, make voter fraud more difficult, all kind of good stuff.Tennessee Jedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10604275115906776992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-11529741714671599772010-07-20T15:37:19.498-04:002010-07-20T15:37:19.498-04:00Lawhawk, Excellent points.
Let me add that the ot...Lawhawk, Excellent points.<br /><br />Let me add that the other reason for us not endorsing anyone is that we don't want people thinking that we don't respect their different opinions. Conservatives of good faith can have different views -- we're not lock-step liberals here.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-87613280990097014352010-07-20T15:27:36.949-04:002010-07-20T15:27:36.949-04:00And let me add that this is the reason we don'...And let me add that this is the reason we don't endorse candidates in primaries (or even earlier). The internal vetting of Republican hopefuls has barely begun. There is plenty of time for a stunning front-runner to emerge, or a current front-runner to stumble badly.<br /><br />Like so many others, I have constantly been let down by candidates I thought had possibilities. Jimmy Carter promised me clean government, and gave us no government at all. Bill Clinton promised me a restoration of the Democratic Party and instead gave us a government that was anti-military and promoted Hillarycare. That was the straw that broke this camel's back. <br /><br />Bush I disavowed Reagan and first promised us a "kinder, gentler America," followed by "read my lips--no new taxes." And then there was Bush II who talked a good conservative game, then increased the size of government, spent like a Democrat, misplaced his veto pen, and fought the right war for many of the wrong reasons. I suspected him from the get-go, but Jeez, at least he made good Supreme Court appointments (my primary reason for voting for him), but even he tried to slip a political crony past us in the form of Harriet Myers. And then, shortly into his first term, he said "when people hurt, government must act." Thank you, Woodrow Wilson. Still, what were my alternatives? Gore? Kerry? Not bloody likely.<br /><br />At least Obama hasn't disappointed me. He's turned out to be everything I thought he was--and worse.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-87804073797962476732010-07-20T15:07:45.072-04:002010-07-20T15:07:45.072-04:00Joel, LOL! I actually wasn't even thinking ab...Joel, LOL! I actually wasn't even thinking about the current crop, I was remembering prior disappointments. . . and there were many. In fact, Bush Sr. really angered me when he disavowed Reagan. That was disgraceful. And Bob Dole and John McCain? Come on people, those are the best we could do? We could have done better yanking someone randomly off the street.<br /><br /><br />(P.S. I'm glad you're keeping an open mind -- that a very conservative trait. Reagan's famous "trust but verify" works with politicians too, if you change it to "have faith, but wait for proof that your faith is well-placed.")AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-80755124017408708402010-07-20T14:48:13.436-04:002010-07-20T14:48:13.436-04:00Andrew and LawHawk,
If you guys think I am going ...Andrew and LawHawk,<br /><br />If you guys think I am going to jump in here and promote Palin as the Republican you are looking for, guess again.<br /><br />Palin, for all her virtues, has yet to win, hands down, a debate. She DID debate Biden, but....Joe Biden?! No, she will have to debate the up and coming ones before I get behind her. I know I said what I said the other day, but I never did say she was my pick. I wish Chris Christie would be available, but...Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-27303512715300926842010-07-20T14:37:48.221-04:002010-07-20T14:37:48.221-04:00Lawhawk, Reagan was the President when I started t...Lawhawk, Reagan was the President when I started to really understand politics, so he made it very easy to be a Republican -- he was aided by the Democrats already being very anti-American at the time. So I've always been a Republican. But I share you're views on this. I don't like most of the Republicans I've seen in my life and I keep waiting for a good one like Reagan to come along.<br /><br />And again, let me point out how your history reflects what I'm talking about in the article -- you went from seeing the Democrats as your "default party" to seeing the Republicans as the default. I think this last election was the last hurrah for the Democrats and that the majority of the public will now follow your lead.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-25145130008851874842010-07-20T14:33:52.588-04:002010-07-20T14:33:52.588-04:00Andrew: And to add one more thought. The only Pr...Andrew: And to add one more thought. The only President I've fully trusted since the first time I voted in 1966 was Ronald Reagan--and I was still a Democrat at the time. The first time I abandoned my total loyalty to the Democratic Party was to vote for Nixon, whom I didn't trust, but McGovern scared me to death. I voted for Reagan personally, not as the Republican candidate. Today, I'm more likely to vote for a Republican simply because he or she is a Republican, and I believe in party politics. But I'm still waiting for that Republican presidential candidate whom I can trust the way I trusted Ronald Reagan.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-17343114320485507712010-07-20T14:15:22.784-04:002010-07-20T14:15:22.784-04:00Stan, The open threads are about whatever is on pe...Stan, The open threads are about whatever is on people's minds -- and this article came up and was discussed pretty extensively.<br /><br />Still, I'm thinking of dissecting the article, we could always debate it more then.<br /><br />Have fun voting!! :-)AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-34588472994756644822010-07-20T14:11:05.553-04:002010-07-20T14:11:05.553-04:00Lawhawk, I'm glad to hear you agree, as you ar...Lawhawk, I'm glad to hear you agree, as you are precisely the kind of person I'm talking about. You saw the old-school Democrats as the party of the common man, and the Republicans as the party of the elites.<br /><br />But the Democrats tossed all of that aside. And now I think they've finally made this disillusionment permanent.<br /><br />And I agree about the Republicans. They have yet to seal the deal to become the default party in America, but it is within their reach. They just need to drop exactly what you said -- big business socialism and "compassionate conservatism" which turned out to mean massive government intrusion in people's lives and massive spending on that intrusion.<br /><br />They need to start seeing themselves as working for the average American. Free markets, free people, limited government, but a secure (yet self-sustaining and not interfering) safety net.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-51367263566305989502010-07-20T13:52:11.568-04:002010-07-20T13:52:11.568-04:00We’ll have too agree, to disagree on that article ...We’ll have too agree, to disagree on that article Andrew. I found it a reasonable attempt to explain the unexplainable, Washington DC, Academia, MSM, K-Street, etc. As far as conclusions are concerned, even if they were given, I’d form my own, no man has all the answers. Too me the overarching theme of the article was encroaching progressivism, and how it’s permeated every facet of our lives, and most especially the body politic.<br />Washington is a seething cesspool of sycophancy that moves in a unified direction, counter to the will of the American people (CRA, TARP, Stimulus, Barrycare, Financial Reform, Immigration, etc.) ...they know what’s best! I don’t think it’s as much conspiratorial as it is, what’s in it for me? …self aggrandizement …perhaps power. I could keep going, but I don’t want to beat a dead horse. <br /><br />Sorry for bringing it back up, I thought the open thread was about Richard Pryor : ) <br /><br />Gotta go vote! …see ya’ll this afternoon. Am I letting my “country class” show…LOL!StanHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07395708786509590321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-76021333976100635202010-07-20T13:07:14.544-04:002010-07-20T13:07:14.544-04:00Andrew: I felt like I was reading the story of my...Andrew: I felt like I was reading the story of my life in the Democratic Party (well, at least the parts after FDR). I think your description of the sea change in the Democratic Party in the 60s is accurate. <br /><br />I grew up believing that the Republicans were not evil, but that Democrats had more of a heart when it came to the average Joe. I still think that was true until the average Joe was converted into special pleader and member of a protected victim class. That was when the Democratic Party ceased to be the party of the common man and became the party of class (and race) warfare. <br /><br />But I clung to the Party in hopes of reform until '94 when I realized the Party had so completely altered itself into a crypto-socialist, elite-dominated party of the left that there was no longer any hope of genuine reform. Hillarycare drove me into the arms of the Republicans.<br /><br />But I still state what I have said previously. I am a conservative by choice, a Republican by default. As long as the Republican Party flirts with big government and "compassionate conservatism," I will remain skeptical. I will enthusiastically support a true conservative, and I'm more likely to find that in the Republican Party. But I have yet to develop a true enthusiasm for the Party itself, and I think I have millions of conservatives and former Democrats with me.LawHawkRFDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17800255923675295515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-61338470558511796262010-07-20T13:06:52.021-04:002010-07-20T13:06:52.021-04:00Joel, I agree in part. I think the term "rul...Joel, I agree in part. I think the term "ruling class" is appropriate because they see themselves as our rules. I also think this goes well beyond Washington, so it's not entirely correct that the public is really in charge.<br /><br />But to the extent that we are talking about pure political power, I agree absolutely: we are the rulers and it is our fault for hiring them as managers, and then letting them act as our masters.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-1323308751184044952010-07-20T12:50:01.242-04:002010-07-20T12:50:01.242-04:00Andrew,
My fault Andrew.
Last night I was thinki...Andrew,<br /><br />My fault Andrew.<br /><br />Last night I was thinking about the ruling class and the country class. About how inaccurate it is.<br /><br />I feel and think that the ruling class in the country aren't the sphincters in Washington DC, nor in the Capitols of the States. It resides in the people. We elect these politicians to be servants for us. The standard contract is the Constitution. We in return follow the rules the politicians create. Now, we as a group, are very upset at our servants. They have taken on airs, they have ignored us and they make some incredibly stupid decisions. Come November, I hope the Politicians get the message.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-50978905574347546632010-07-20T12:47:28.468-04:002010-07-20T12:47:28.468-04:00Joel, I responded to your deleted before you delet...Joel, I responded to your deleted before you deleted it -- which is very similar to the new post, so please treat my response above as a response to your post. Thanks.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-85400660579508781512010-07-20T12:34:01.123-04:002010-07-20T12:34:01.123-04:00Andrew,
A wise man said, we deserve the governmen...Andrew,<br /><br />A wise man said, we deserve the government we get. His reasoning is if we didn't want that government, we would in extremis violently overthrow it or vote it out.<br /><br />What do you think of the Journolist that is coming out now in dribs and drabs?<br /><br />The Journolist to me is something we have KNOWN for years. It is why the alternative media and FOX news are so successful. <br /><br />Sorry, sometimes I get ideas too fast and don't put them in correct order.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-82036678407740371442010-07-20T12:27:48.963-04:002010-07-20T12:27:48.963-04:00Joel, What amazes me about it, is that they someho...Joel, What amazes me about it, is that they somehow thought it was ok to express these kinds of rotten, biased thoughts with other journalists.<br /><br />That tells us (1) their judgment is rotten and they do let their biases cloud their judgment, (2) the entire profession apparently shares the same views, and (3) they think they are above the rules -- since they are outraged that anyone would expose this. . . yet, they make their living by getting people to break confidences. So it's ok when someone does it to someone else, but it's an outrage when it happens to you?<br /><br />This will particularly hurt the profession, not even for what Weigel said, but because people will now wonder what else was said by this private little club that apparently likes talking nasty about Americans behind their backs.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-62899579485773432332010-07-20T12:16:18.557-04:002010-07-20T12:16:18.557-04:00Joel, That's because it fits a theme that peop...Joel, That's because it fits a theme that people want to believe right now. They want to believe that the reason things have been going wrong over the last 2-8 years is because "an elite" is secretly doing things the public doesn't want.<br /><br />It's a form of blame shifting. It also lets people redefine the public in any way they want, i.e. "the public really believes everything I do and they would act on that if it wasn't for this evil elite." Both left and right are currently making this claim. It's nonsense.<br /><br />The truth is that there is a group who think they are elite and they do wield a disproportionate share of power because of their positions or their money. . . but the public has been going along willingly with their daffy plans.<br /><br />But now that those plans have been exposed as the cause of all of the problems we've run into, everyone wants to believe that they had no hand in causing the current situation -- it was this secret cabal. The truth is that most people went along with it. And the Tea Party is an expression of those people who did not go along with it and are sick of those who did.<br /><br />Rush is great and is usually right, but he's wrong this time if he's praising this article. It happens.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4425587034622601550.post-23802784897223821272010-07-20T11:54:46.606-04:002010-07-20T11:54:46.606-04:00Andrew,
Yes it has major issues, but no one seems...Andrew,<br /><br />Yes it has major issues, but no one seems to see them right now.<br /><br />Rush certainly doesn't.Joel Farnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15856960977033430002noreply@blogger.com