22 August 2011

What's Good for the Goose

In his first segment tonight Geraldo Rivera remarked that people in Libya were celebrating the imminent end of power of Moammar Qaddafi (using the Fox News spelling), marking the end of the 40-year reign of a dictator who controlled every aspect of their lives. (I do not recall the exact quote, but it was very close to that phrasing.) Later comments by Geraldo seemed to indicate he believes this is a good thing.

If it's a good thing to end a government that controls every aspects of its people's lives, wouldn't it be even better not to allow such a government in the first place?

16 August 2011

Ron Paul and Han Solo

No, I'm not saying they do or do not have anything in common. I had two thoughts occur to me in quick succession, and wanted to share them.

First, I wonder if the Ron Paul fans are falling into the trap of taking seriously anything Jon Stewart says? I suspect that any motive Stewart may have of highlighting media treatment of Dr. Paul would lie more along the lines of firing up the vocal minority of Paul supporters to cause noise and disruption, rather than having anything to do with affinity for any of Paul's positions.

Second, Han shot first. Think about it. His character development in the story is from being someone who cares about nothing but himself to being someone who realizes there are things bigger than the individual worth fighting for. When we first meet him, he's basically a good guy, but he would have no scruples regarding a "kill or be killed" life. It's only after his experience with the rebels that he is willing to risk himself for others.

03 August 2011

Crisis Theater

Now that the so-called "debt deal" has been enacted, and the alleged crisis has been averted, I wonder what is really in the legislation?

For instance, I saw on Twitter yesterday that members of Congress who voted "no" would not be allowed to participate in the joint committee the law establishes to determine further action. I asked one of the people who posted that claim, and that person believed that prohibition was actually in the law. (If it is, wouldn't that be ex post facto, because the law would in effect be punishing an act committed before it were enacted?)

Remember the analysts and contributors on the news programs saying that even if a deal was reached by Sunday, it would take a lot of work to get it written into legislation by Tuesday? Never mind that legalese is probably one of the larger problems with our laws. I'm beginning to think that this legislation was already written and sitting in someone's desk drawer, just waiting to be introduced. When the PPACA (Obamacare) theater--er, debate was going on, Rush Limbaugh speculated that act was the Hillary Clinton plan that had been sitting in Steny Hoyer's desk for 15 years. It could be that those analysts' claims were red herrings.

I hope some people (who can read legalese better than I can) analyze this legislation, and we see the reports on Twitter. What is really contained in there?