Heroes, Villains

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2015-07-01
Source of Article:  Creator's Syndicate 
Hollywood's heroes are often not what they seem to be.  The same goes for their villains. 

W.C.

Economic Stagnation and the Global Bubble

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2015-07-01
Source of Article:  Mises Daily 
Good summary of where the global economy is and where it may be heading. 

W.C.

Birmingham Chick-fil-A owner's generosity earns national spotlight - again

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Date of Article:  2015-01-08
Source of Article:  AL.co,
This is an article that gives one hope for humanity. 
 

W.C.

Thanks, Property Rights!

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Date of Article:  2014-11-19
Source of Article:  Creators Syndicate
A very good op-ed article which clearly explains the importance of property rights to our society.  Sadly many of our currently elected officials seem to be leaning towards the communal way of thinking.  They forget that it was people working hard to improve their families way of life that built this great country, a country of ants, not grasshoppers. 

W.C.

Why write-in votes are a waste of time and how Nevada has a better option

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Date of Article:  2014-11-19
Source of Article:  AL.com/opinion
This is an idea that I have proposed in several political group discussions over the last few years.  My choice of implementation would include:

1. "None of the Above" would be included as the last option for every position on the ballot. 
2. None of the above would be binding.
3. If it wins the nominations for the office would open up the day after the election and run for 2 weeks.  No party involvement in this runoff, they messed up the first time around.
4. To qualify a potential candidate would have to gather signatures numbering at least 5% of the voter count from the just concluded election for that position.
5. None of the candidates who lost to "None of the Above" would be eligible for nomination for any office in this current election cycle. 
6. After two weeks nominations would close and the new slate of candidates would have 4 weeks to campaign.  Then the new election would be held, again "None of the Above" would be on the ballot.
7. When the new year starts if any offices are still empty the outgoing governor could appoint temporary office holders who have not been eliminated from eligibility to run by "None of the Above".  Outgoing office holders who did not run for reelection would be eligible for appointment.
8. None of these temporary appointees would be allowed to run for any still unfilled offices.

I feel this would place great pressure on the parties to make sure they nominate quality candidates the first time around.

Note to potential candidates:  Want to loose my vote?  Then put up negative adds using half-truths and innuendo.  That's a guaranteed way to shift my vote to your opponent.  There were three contests this last time around where this happened. 

Tell me why I should vote for you and give me facts, not why I should not vote for your opponent.  In the days of the internet fact checking is fairly easy as is checking the reliability of fact sources.

W.C.

Good Question

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2011-04
Source of Article:  WordPress
This cartoon really needs no comment.  My non-original question is "What happens when the kingdom runs out of other peoples money to pay for these benefits?"
This situation can be found in many countries that have adopted the welfare state thus destroying any incentive to work hard and get ahead.  I also know several individuals from some of those countries that moved to the US so they could enjoy the fruits of their labors.  If we continue to follow these countries footsteps those very talented individuals will move again depriving us their talents.
I suspect that Ludwig von Mises would have really appreciated and agree with the message in this cartoon.  I've been reading quite a few of his books since a good Libertarian friend introduced me to his works and institute.

W.C.

New faces, same old politics in Washington: opinion

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2014-11-05
Source of Article:  AL.com 
I tend to agree with the author.  Voters have sent a signal that they want change, if they don't get it they will try another option in two years.
That other option may or may not be the Democrats. There is always the Tea Party which voters rejected this time around as a group within the Republican party or another as yet unknown group.  In this day of Internet communications groups have the potential to appear and organize in a short time and two years could be long enough.

W.C.

Overwhelming majority of UK broadband users opting out of porn filters

Link To Article
Date of Article:  2014-07-23
Source of Article:  Neowin 
Another example of a government trying to impose moral values that have no business becoming laws.  The biggest failed example of this was a US law known as Prohibition.  All it accomplished was to make a lot of criminals rich and get a lot of innocent people killed.
Luckily in this case the parliament allowed for individual opting out and the vast majority of its citizens have elected to do so.
I suspect that most if not all of my Libertarian friends are enjoying this one.  Their party has a long history of opposing such unnecessary laws which tie up resources which could be used to enforce the real criminal laws on the books.
Like the Libertarians it's not that I support immoral conduct, I just oppose making such conduct criminal.

W.C.