Sarah Palin's direct campaign

What I see developing is a direct campaign to the people, by-passing the traditional route. I have no idea if it will work, but it's a good idea, if this is what she's doing. To position yourself outside politics as usual is a good strategy for anyone with presidential ambition. I imagine by 2012, the country will be totally fed up with both parties and the main stream media. We'll see if this what she has in mind.

Why are we still in Iraq and Afghanistan?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31684118/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

 Are we going to make these countries over to suit us? Are they really a threat to us? It's been a long time since 9/11, and our homeland security has changed. We need to move along.

We are bogged down as a nation by too much government engineering --- our country needs to get on with the business of business -- free trade, peace and voluntarism, not war and statist manipulations.

We've got a lot of catching up to do.

Trade wars of the future

A tip of the hat to Don Boudreaux at Cafe Hayek.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/29/AR2009062902307.html

As the US economy weakens, the unemployment rate rises and congress places more tax burdens on US businesses, there will be pressure to protect workers from imported goods. Plus the unions are going to demand protection from Obama, since they helped him get elected -- just saving GM is not near enough.

The rationalization for protection will most likely be an emotional appeal like all the big item changes are -- save the sick and poor, save the American worker who has given his/her greatest efforts to this country, save the planet for our children -- always remember the children!

I can see this emotional appeal being marketed in the media with personal stories of tragedy, of families thrown from their homes because jobs were lost, of individuals with hard hats and sad faces standing next to an empty factory, stories of executives escaping with millions who are now traveling the world and living it up. Nationalism will likely come into play -- the American way of life, traditional jobs victimized by globalization, foreign countries paying pennies for slave labor.

If the government goes this route and starts a trade war, we could be in for a long, hard depression. The present situation begs for economic freedom, lower taxes on business, less strangling regulation and global free trade, not war. I know that hardly anyone anymore believes that a strong economy, unburdened by taxes on businesses, capital gains and income, will create enough economic activity so that government revenue will increase rather than decrease, but it sure beats starting a trade war by circling the wagons. It's the difference of allowing the people of this country to go and make things happen and government trying to enforce safety even if it means stagnation and economic decline -- the difference between dynamic and static.

The real cost of public education might be hidden

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/07/01/finally-an-education-muckraker/

It would be enlightening to check and see what local public education really costs taxpayers, then we can make better decisions. I have a suspicion that costs are hidden across the country.

Thanks to Ron Matus for caring.

At least Obama is sort of saying the right thing about tariffs

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/30/obama-warns-dems-tariff-provision-climate/

But with Obama you have to watch what he does. Obama can easily warn against tariffs and sound all moderate and sensible, but then vote for it and say he had no choice. He says they must carefully analyze to see if tariffs are necessary -- uh, no you don't -- they aren't. But this is his way of talking to both sides out of each side of his mouth and then doing the radical thing he planned on doing all along. I'll be surprised if Obama resists tariffs -- pleasantly surprised..