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September 04, 2008

Analyzing Barack Obama's Tax Plan

We at the Rio Grande Foundation spend a vast majority of our time analyzing and discussing New Mexico-specific issues and policies. But, I was given a chance recently by a national syndicate to write an opinion piece on Barack Obama's tax plan.

With wall-to-wall coverage of the conventions and the campaigns, I humbly submit my $.02. Check the article out here.

Posted by PaulGessing at 11:27 PM | Comments (0)

"Being There" in '08

2008 reminds me of 1979, when the Peter Sellers film Being There was released. About a simple-minded gardener named Chance who somehow is propelled into a position of power and celebrity, one's thoughts turn to this year's line-up of pols wanting to "serve" the People of the United States of America.

Obama, for example, is someone I'd like to play hoops with, seems like a smart, decent enough fellow. Not especially accomplished, and not ready for president by any contemporary metric.

McCain? All I can say is watch his eyes VERY closely next time he's on TV. There is something not quite right there. He can make jokes about his age, but in times of troubled waters, an angry old man in the White House isn't a scenario to relish.

Palin? Charming, attractive, strong, possibly even principled by pol standards. One gets the sense she knows who she is, a big plus in my book. Ready for the crushingly complex world of the White House? Maybe...in four years. The extreme social views concern me, though, a lot.

Biden seems least like Chance Gardener to me. The fact that he's a self-admitted windbag gives me pause, too, as it indicates potential megalomania. NOT a quality one likes to see with actual power.

Somehow, we'll muddle through, but there's GOT to be a better way to select a president.

-RC

Posted by RobertCapozzi at 06:33 AM | Comments (4)

September 03, 2008

Motivated by Obama

There's a great little ad running on Facebook. It says,

"Register to Vote."

Above it is a picture of Senator Obama.

This election is *about* Barack Obama. We are not voting for or against McCain, we are voting for or against Obama.

Americans are motivated by Obama.

Except those pesky third party people. :-)

/KDR

Posted by KevinRollins at 01:32 AM | Comments (0)

September 02, 2008

The Libertarian Case for Palin

David Harsanyi makes a good case (though his thesis is limited).

He even throws in a Paul-Palin comparison I hadn't heard before.

Not that I'd heard any Paul-Palin comparisons before.

-MT

(h/t Adler)

Posted by MicahTillman at 05:34 PM | Comments (1)

Rearguard Action

Gene Healy of the Cato Institute seems to have become a leading critic of the Imperial Presidency. He's written a book called The Cult of the Presidency and an op-ed entitled A President, Not a Savior.

From a legalistic, technical perspective, he makes a great point: The Constitution is not a call for the President to be a sort of national pastor. It's a nation of laws, not men, and of limited government.

Still, while I'm a big fan of Calvin Coolidge's style, Silent Cal would likely not get elected in the modern context. Eisenhower's hours on the golf course would today be called detached and even lazy.

Today's pols need to appear engaged and energetic. They need to display leadership qualities, and to uphold a certain ethical and moral reputation. In fact, virtually all don't, but they do spend a lot of time cultivating qualities that they don't actually have. Hypocrisy is never attractive, yet they try to maintain a virtuous image.

Shakespeare told us "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." An Athenian in Rome may well prefer to play by Athenian rules, but it won't sell in Rome.

Can a pol be a principled advocate for limited government and yet display the sort of public character necessary on today's stage? Methinks yes. Ron Paul has done it. Bob Barr is doing it. Are they perfect? Are they consequential? No, and not so much...yet.

Politicians, including presidents, need to convince broad cross-sections of the population that their ideas are both virtuous and practical. Healy seems to fight a rearguard action, in which the president just stops the wheels of government by dryly stating, in effect, "Not our job." I'm not liking the odds of such an approach working.

Stay tuned for the next decade or so. People, in their hearts, yearn to breathe free.

-RC

Posted by RobertCapozzi at 06:34 AM | Comments (1)

August 31, 2008

Free Liberal Jesus

I just finished Tod Lindberg's book, The Political Teachings of Jesus. Tod is a research fellow at Hoover and an editor at Policy Review. In this work, he focuses on looking at the words of Jesus as they would be meant politically, separating out their religious context. He calls this the Jesusian teachings, as opposed to the Christian. He doesn't talk about how Jesus would feel about abortion and gay marriage and distrusts such analogies to today's hot button issues.

Jesusian teaching is about increasing freedom and equality for all. The main grist for his analysis is the Sermon on the Mount, from the Beatitudes to the Ancient Law to Self and Others to Judgement and the Golden Rule to the Narrow Path and the solid Foundation. His analysis of the Our Father is brilliant, especially when he discusses how "Our Daily Bread" is about making sure the entire community has the means to feed itself, not just the individual. In later chapters he analyzes the parables, scenes and saying of Jesus, the modern world and the place of miracles in the Jesusian movement (as well as the need for them in transforming the non-Jesusian world). His thesis here is that much of the modern world has adopted Jesusian ideals, however imperfectly, with a society based on the Golden Rule, freedom and equality.

It is compelling reading and I recommend it to believers and non-believers alike.

Continue reading "Free Liberal Jesus"
Posted by MichaelBindner at 09:45 AM | Comments (3)

August 30, 2008

God's Behind Gustav's Hitting New Orleans

At least that's what some prominent Dems seem to think:

Michael Moore (video)

Former DNC Chair, Don Fowler (video)

Needless to say, conservative politicos don't approve (h/t Hot Air, Weekly Standard)

Posted by MicahTillman at 06:18 PM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2008

Who is Sarah Palin?

I almost fell out of my chair eating dinner tonight when Brian Williams asked the question on air tonite. At least he said it and not someone in the Obama campaign.

If the GOP is smart, they will make tee-shirts and signs with the slogan "Sarah Who?!!" to make fun of that reaction at the convention. If they do, it will be one of those moments that live in history.

Who she turns out to be depends on the events of the next week. If Michael Huckabee turns on his organization to support her, she may well be the next Vice President of the United States - as well as the 45th President if McCain is true to his word and only runs for one term - or dies in office. This assumes that he learns to live with a Democratic Congress and offers a lot more compromise than the current occupant. This is not the time for gridlock.

Of course, if I were in the Bush White House, I would be very afraid of Sarah Palin as President. When she gets a full briefing on all that they did regarding the War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Liberation, she is likely to have some of them hauled away before the Statute of Limitations runs out on their crimes - although there may be no such limitation on war crimes - so they may really be sunk.

Unless she proves to be an empty shirt (notice I am being PC and did not say empty blouse or empty skirt - oops, I just did) - put in as a token and not a team member - then she will be the front runner in 2012 - even if the GOP loses (assuming the GOP actually survives a loss - since they are in serious trouble in congressional races).

If I were McCain, I would question whether winning is such a good idea. It is within the realm of possibility that the House and Senate may develop veto proof Democratic majorities - in which case they may just pass whatever they want and gut the Executive power. It has happened before post-Watergate and is likely to happen again.

Sarah Palin may end up running as the standard bearer of some new party in 2012. That is Sarah Who.

Posted by MichaelBindner at 09:29 PM | Comments (3)

Hail Mary from the 10 Yard Line?

OK, I only got one of two VP major-party picks back in June. It appears that Romney was the runner up.

The selection of Sarah Palin has a desperate feel to it. Yes, she has an interesting background and personal story, but her resume is roughly as thin as Obama's. Perhaps -- oddly -- that's the point. Just as experienced as Obama, and a woman, somehow makes some sense. If the Ds are going to play identity politics, so will we, seems to be McCain's marker.

But she's unknown to most of America, designed to appeal to the Soccer Mom/NASCAR Dad set in Middle America. Hunter/fisher, mother, ethical reformer. I get that. Romney was just too rich to run with McCain...both living in a world of privilege that few will ever know. Palin is "real." She firms up the conservative base, even takes it to another level, given her gender.

Still, the desperation of using such an incredibly transparent tactic is surprising. It feels like a 60-yard Hail Mary when a quick post pattern seemed more appropriate.

Might work, might not.

The Rs and Ds have outdone themselves in stooping to theater over substance this go 'round. Hope we won't pay TOO high a price for the next four years. They are making it very easy for millions to vote Barr or Nader.

-RC

Posted by RobertCapozzi at 02:23 PM | Comments (2)

August 27, 2008

Lincoln's Legacy

Recently, I took part in a symposium about Abraham Lincoln and his legacy. The group that organized the symposium was the Center for the American Experiment a free market think tank based in Minnesota. A few dozen conservative and free market leaders including Grover Norquist and yours truly took part in the discussion. Check out the symposium here.

Needless to say, there is a diversity of opinion on Lincoln's legacy. My take tilts towards the negative based on questions of the relative http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquist">necessity of the Civil War and his abuse of habeas corpus. Check it out.

Posted by PaulGessing at 11:46 AM | Comments (1)

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