My 2008 Final Thoughts on Bailouts and Stimulus Packages

You all know I've opposed the bailout syndrome that seems to be infecting this country lately. You know I've been critical of Congress, the UAW, AIG, and all those other money-grubbing loser companies that just refuse to go into bankruptcy because God forbid they of all companies go out of business. Well, I found this video and maybe you've already seen it, but even if you have, take the time and watch it again. This is Fred Thompson, it's 8 minutes and he sums up the insanity of the whole bailout/stimulus mess better than I ever could hope. Time to get motivated and contact your representatives in the coming months.

Conservatism Isn't Evil (Part Two)

Yesterday I posted the first part of this, which contained a number of more in-depth elements of conservatism. Today I will discuss more commonly discussed aspects of conservatism and I challenge those who disagree to tell me why these elements are wrong or evil.

1) Government should be smaller and occur at the state and local level

Conservatives believe that government should not be a bloated, monstrous entity within the country. Government needs to be as small and efficient as humanly possible. The more it grows, the more bureaucracy emerges and with increased bureaucracy comes problems. Offices jockeying for power and contracts. Special interests become dominant in a bloated federal government. Any change or revitalization effort becomes mired among the different agencies and offices. Programs compete for funding from a fixed budget and then the question becomes who gets what amount? Also, one has to ask where the funding will come from and that leads to higher taxes to generate revenue. The federal government typically has difficulty in making many things work and the bigger it is, the less efficient it will become. Conservatives oppose this. Conservatives want a smaller and better run government. Fewer agencies, smaller budget, and less bureaucracy. Conservatives like to see government operate at the state and local level. The country was founded on the federalist system....conservatives would like to see it stay that way, not dominated by a large and powerful central government.

2) Too many taxes are bad

Of course some taxes are necessary for roads, bridges, etc. But what isn't necessary are excessive taxes. Higher rates and marriage penalties hurt people's wallets. People spending money drive the economy and when money is being taken for taxes, less is going to consumer spending. High taxes = low growth; low taxes = high growth. The math is simple. More income means bills are paid, people are buying goods, companies are earning money, hiring more people, etc. But when the a bloated and obese government needs more money for more agencies and programs, more taxes are necessary to pay for those. Do the math on this one....it's pretty easy.

3) A strong national defense is critical

Conservatives believe that a strong national defense is necessary for a free and safe country. That doesn't mean going around looking for fights. That means ensuring that all of the military personnel are fully equipped and prepared for any emerging crisis that might affect the United States. In effect, a deterrent is created against threatening countries (i.e. North Korea, Russia, China). A strong deterrent prevents attacks and ensures that people can say what they like and do what they please in America. Spending on national defense is not a waste and conservatives see the value of a strong military.

4) Free market capitalism is the avenue to free society

Over-regulated markets do not create a free society or growth. The easiest way to check this is to do a bit of research on China. In the 1960s the Chinese economy was purely communist with unchecked government regulation and interference. The economy of China was also in the tank. Growth was unheard of at that point. Government economic programs were failing and people were struggling. But once the government leadership changed and Deng Xioaping instituted some free market principles, allowing farmers to sell excess goods for cash. This allowed people to save money and created the seeds for a middle class. Now, in 2008, China's middle class is a thriving sector of society, spending money and China's growth has been phenomenal. With a large and inefficient central government, regulation of the markets stifles potential growth and inhibits markets. Conservatives oppose over-regulation of the markets and believe that while some regulation is necessary, over-regulation is not the answer.

These are just a few more aspects of conservatism. They tend to focus on fiscal and economic elements. Tomorrow I will look at some of the social aspects that tend to be the more controversial.

Conservatism Isn't Evil (Part One)

If you listened to the mainstream media enough, you'd get the idea that conservatives were all corporate executives, burning money in the fireplace for fun and praying for a new war to break out somewhere in the world. The truth is, that image is false. The image described above is a boogeyman tale designed to frighten and turn away young and impressionable minds from conservative principles. Think about it...if you have been on any college campuses in the last decade you've seen the left-leaning students and professors demonizing conservatives as oil-greedy, money-hungry warmongers who have little to no compassion for others. With that in mind, I felt it might be an interesting exercise in self-reflection to discuss the basic tenets of conservatism and maybe dispel some of the myths out there regarding conservatives. This will be a multi-part series as there are a number of the things to discuss. Please leave comments or feedback as I think this is an area that deserves some discussion. From an article by Russell Kirk from 21 years ago, some of the conservative values include:

1) Morals are important for a functioning society

Without getting into the aspects of religion, let me clearly state that yes, Virginia, there is a 'good' and 'evil' in the world. Morals encompass a citizen's capacity for both within a society and when those morals are done away with, people are left to an unclear world of ambiguity and vagueness that is dangerous. Morals ensure that there is a good to oppose an evil and without a set of moral ideals, shades of gray threaten to force us all down a slippery slope where one can't tell the difference between good and evil. Thus, conservatives begin with a simple belief in morality and adhering to a set of general customs and norms in society.

2) Continuity is okay

Is America really so bad? Of course we've made mistakes and what country hasn't? But the fact of the matter is, America really is a good country at heart and when we need to change (i.e. slavery, women's rights) we do. The fact is, our Founding Fathers created the system of government we have to ensure that change would be slow and tedious because rapid change is dangerous (see: Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea for recent examples). That being the case, conservatives would prefer minimal, if any, changes to the country that exists today. Liberals would make the case that big changes are absolutely necessary but often fail to explain the realities of implementing those changes or the consequences. Conservatives believe in change but in constrained and controlled change that doesn't open the country up to radical elements that might prove to be negative in the long-run (again, see: Communism, Fascism, etc.).

3) Historical precedence is important

It is important to understand that when historical thinkers and philosophers espoused deep concepts and ideas, they often did it at a time when it was the norm to do so. Conservatives see these historical thinkers as critical starting points from which to begin debate or thought on heavy issues such as private property, liberty, etc. Citizens in America today are often hampered by lack of free time and daily life to the point where we look to our leaders for guidance. Conservatives look to people like Locke, Jefferson, and Adams for initial guidance by which to frame new ideas as their ideas are time-tested and sound. Should we abandon the theory and philosophy that established our great country because it's "old?" Of course not. But if you ask liberals you will see that many would prefer to abandon John Locke for Karl Marx or the basic tenets of capitalism for socialism. Just because it's historical doesn't make it irrelevant.

4) Prudence is essential

Conservatives have a cautious nature that is often misrepresented as obstinance. The truth is, prudence is a way to measure long-term consequences to actions and to act accordingly, as opposed to rapid-fire decision-making. Conservatives believe that actions need to be weighed before taking sudden action to ensure that there are no surprise side-effects of the action. Look at the recent economic bailouts for instance. Democrats swooped in and saved the day (with the help of some Republicans) for the various companies, but a conservative would have looked at the long-term consequences of handing out money to companies (i.e. more companies asking for more money). Rash decisions lead to disastrous consequences, and conservatives oppose rash decisions.

5) Human beings are imperfect

Conservatives see humanity as flawed and ultimately imperfectable. This is not a negative, glass-half empty view. This is a realistic perspective on human nature. With this in mind it is simple to see why conservatives do not accept the premise of a Utopian society; that a communist society will never work, although if you listen to some liberals, they would try to convince you that "if only it were applied by the right country, it might work." Human nature's history indicates otherwise (see: Cuba, China, North Korea). Liberals also complain that conservatives only support the wealthy. Well, nothing can be further from the truth. Conservatives accept the premise that there will be less fortunate people or groups in society and that no plan or concept will provide equal economic or social footing for everyone. Again, that isn't evil or cruel....it's realistic, and working from that point of view, people can work to help the less fortunate in the best way possible...and no, that doesn't mean a government handout.

That's all for now. Next time I will touch on more substantive issues such as abortion and taxation. And please keep in mind, these values are not always practiced by Republicans, which is why conservatives sometimes criticize Republicans as well.

No Surprises in Gaza

Well, turning on the news this weekend offered me a glimpse of what was happening overseas in the Gaza Strip. I can't say I am surprised. If any American would do a little research on the subject they'd find out enough about Hamas to not only sympathize with Israel's current offensive, but support it. I remember clearly when the Palestinians elected Hamas as their representative government. I remember thinking that they would reap what they had sown sooner or later. We had all seen the news headlines prior to that election: Hamas' terror attacks, kidnappings, brutal violence against Israelis, etc. And even in spite of headway in working toward peace with the Israelis, the Palestinians still chose to back the terrorists. I recall sitting in a graduate seminar with a fellow student and he and I had a stark, yet polite disagreement on the election of Hamas to power. He stated that the world should give Hamas the benefit of the doubt and that they could be a force for good. I told him he was being naive and that a terrorist group who builds hospitals is still a terrorist group. We parted ways with that difference in opinion. I wonder how he feels today. When you willingly put a terrorist regime in power, you put your entire future on the line. I wonder if the Palestinians feel proud to have followed that path.

The UAW's Concession? A Giant Middle Finger to the People

It's a Christmas miracle! The White House gave the UAW....I mean Chrysler and GM....a $17 billion bailout with some loose conditions. One of the urgings from President Bush was that the UAW make deeper wage cuts to ease strain on the manufacturers. Well, just like any standard con artist, UAW President Ron Gettlefinger has changed the rules mid-way through the game. Instead of meeting with the auto companies to renegotiate wages and benefits as Bush had requested, Gettlefinger now says that the UAW will work with Obama after he takes office to renegotiate the bailout terms instead! He says he will work to remove the wage cut requirement. How fun. "Give us the money.......thanks, and now that we have it, screw the taxpayers." Gettlefinger and the UAW are working hard to ensure that Americans won't feel an ounce of sympathy for them when they finally do lose their jobs and the companies go under.

Obama's First Economic Failure

So maybe you've heard of Obama's plan to stimulate the economy once he takes office. That stimulus number has grown recently to a figure somewhere around $1 trillion. That's not a misprint....that's the word "trillion" back there. How will this package work? Why, infrastructure development of course! Build roads, sidewalks, and whatever else can be paved over. Sounds great right? Jobs created, people at work, economy stimulated. But guess what? Somewhere else in this world of ours, another country tried this same tactic just 20 years ago. That country was Japan. They adopted the same concept and upon completion went into a decade-long recession. Most Americans either don't know or don't care about this critical history lesson. Guess we'll all find out the hard way why this plan is doomed to fail right from the start.

Searchlight Harry's Already Buying Votes for 2010

You know how people hate the idea of pork bills with no real purpose? Well, Harry Reid's at it again, getting $1 billion for road development in Las Vegas. According to his magical ability to see the future, 47,000 jobs will be created for this road project. While not permanent jobs, they'll be around just long enough and timed perfectly to coincide with the 2010 election. And "POOF" look at all the good Reid did for Nevada, yada yada. If Nevadans can't see through this scheme to garner votes, then maybe we deserve this clown.