Tag: Ideas

Ethics, Politics1 Comment

Normal Corruption, Move Along

Podritske

Kelly McParland of the National Post has written a revealing piece on the corrupt tactics of a modern entitlement welfare state, Canada in this example linked below. He concludes with the following: Maybe that’s what’s so scary about the whole thing: that Liberals don’t see anything wrong with it. They think it’s all fine. And they want us to vote for more. Exactly. Many partisan supporters of the Liberals will simply adopt the attitude that the SNC scandal is old business. It’s time to move along and get the government of Justin Trudeau re-elected. As I’ve pointed out previously, in … Continue reading Normal Corruption, Move Along

Canada, Economics, Political EconomyLeave a comment

“Spending” Fundamentals

Podritske

Canada’s Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, donned his new pair of designer shoes last Tuesday and delivered the government’s budget. For clarity it ought to be called the government’s spending plans, larded with lots of “feel good” spending initiatives that have nothing to do with practical finance or economics. To many of us the hoopla that surrounds the government’s budgeting process and the endless commentary that follows release of the budget itself is mind-boggling. Lawyers, accountants, journalists and various pundits on television are engaged in analyzing the government’s budget. It is easier to understand what’s going on if you identify and … Continue reading “Spending” Fundamentals

Foreign PolicyLeave a comment

What Difference Does Syria Make?

Podritske

Syrians killed in the ongoing civil war will be just as dead tomorrow whether their lives were extinguished by beheading, bombing, shooting, stabbing, defenestration or gassing with chemical weapons. “What difference does it make?” is to borrow an infamous question from one of the New Left’s most prominent of sacred cows, Hillary Clinton. Of course she was referring to the circumstances surrounding the Benghazi affair in which four Americans were killed nearly one year ago. Today still there are no reasonable answers to the embarrassing questions some were asking and which led to her hectoring outburst. Was the US secretly … Continue reading What Difference Does Syria Make?

Media, PoliticsLeave a comment

Of Persons and Things

Podritske

Associated Press has reported that: Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ is the person or thing that has most influenced the culture and the news during the past year for good or for ill. The Person For 2008 and for 2012 Time named Barack Obama. While that is certainly its prerogative I might interpret the selection quite differently, using Time’s own criteria. First, what exactly has Barack Obama influenced? The culture? Hardly. Obama is an icon. He is the choice of the culture. A nation’s culture is the sum of its intellectual achievement, the dominant ideas generally accepted. Since the dawn … Continue reading Of Persons and Things

Ethics, Rights1 Comment

Obligation to Work

Podritske

It is a characteristic of human nature that man must work in order to survive. That is, man does not possess physical advantages to forage for survival nor does he have an instinct to guide him in self-preservation. The defining attribute of man is his mind. He must think and act in accord with a chosen path of productiveness in order to survive. Anything that obstructs or impairs him in this quest that is not present in nature is destructive and evil. Barriers placed in the way of man’s creativity and productivity by other men are immoral. One must keep … Continue reading Obligation to Work

PoliticsLeave a comment

Fiscal Cliff Notes

Podritske

Allegedly, it is crucial that the US Congress and the Administration come to terms on tax and spending to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. What is the fiscal cliff? When Congress failed earlier to come to terms on taxes and spending amidst concerns about the looming debt ceiling a deal was struck in exchange for raising that borrowing limit for the US government. The deal involved an array of automatic spending cuts that would take effect at the start of 2013. It also allowed that the already extended Bush tax cuts would expire on January 1, 2013. Now I hear … Continue reading Fiscal Cliff Notes

PoliticsLeave a comment

Some Observations on US Political Debates

Podritske

Romney versus Obama, Wednesday, 03 October 2012 “The second topic, which is you said you get a deduction for taking a plant overseas. Look, I’ve been in business for 25 years. (Unlike you who have no real work experience.) I have no idea what you’re talking about. (And neither do you, I would add.)”—Governor Romney (Subtext added.) The President, who was so arrogant as to assume he need not prepare properly for this debate was unpleasantly surprised. Ryan versus Biden, Thursday, 11 October 2012 A win for Ryan was unacceptable to the Democrats; there was too much downside following the … Continue reading Some Observations on US Political Debates

Foreign Policy, Politics2 Comments

Islamic Hope and Change

Podritske

How is it that the American government got caught so flat-footed on 11 September 2012? As Americans observed the eleventh anniversary of the worst terror assault in their country’s history plans were being implemented half a world away for violent protests against anything American. The US State Department had overlooked the seemingly obvious precaution of bolstering security in world trouble spots around this important date. Intelligence failures would appear to be at issue as well. Why has this happened? Out-of-context “hope and change” is not enough to protect civilized people from the savages who crawl over this earth. Pretext For … Continue reading Islamic Hope and Change

Philosophy, PoliticsLeave a comment

Vision and Truth

Podritske

President Barack Obama made his case for a second term last night in Charlotte. Today, opinions vary about its impact, from—commentators are using baseball analogies—a grand slam hit to a swing and a miss. This is hardly surprising in the context of partisan interpretations. However, it is also not surprising that opinions would vary about Barack Obama and anything he says, or does. It is his stock and trade to say one thing and mean another, not unlike most politicians who will utter almost anything it will take to get elected or re-elected. Nothing new there either; politicians lie. A … Continue reading Vision and Truth

Politics1 Comment

I’ll Be Damned. We’re Americans!

Podritske

When New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez shared an anecdote about a lunch date with a pair of crusading Republicans—in which she endured a voyage of self-discovery—she followed up with the revelation, “I’ll be damned. We’re Republicans!” Governor Martinez was one of an array of inspirational speakers at the just-concluded Republican National Convention in which Mitt Romney was formally installed as the party’s presidential candidate. The convention was a barnburner. It was pretty clear the central theme was making the case for the exceptional nature of the American national union. Positive Tone Apparently, convention strategy was to portray Americans as self-reliant, … Continue reading I’ll Be Damned. We’re Americans!