Is the terror threat overrated? David Ignatius discusses the a new book by a former CIA officer named Marc Sageman. It stands what you think you know about terrorism on its head, and helps you see the topic in a different light.
When they hear the word “Liberal,” conservatives reach for the back pocket just to be certain their wallets haven’t been stolen. I had it out with a colleague recently about fiscal responsibility. I maintained that Republicans were no longer the party of fiscal responsibility. I won’t tick off my long laundry list of $9.2 trillion reasons why this is true.
If you want to shut up a conservative, just have the fiscal responsibility argument. Usually, they’ll babble on these days about how George W. Bush isn’t a “true” conservative because of his fiscal irresponsibility. But then ask them about their priorities, and you’ll usually find that they favor unlimited funding for war, and tax cuts. In a nut shell (which is where most conservatives are these days), Conservatism is fundamentally at odds with itself: it wants no taxes, but lots of free services (like an overstretched military). Generally, conservatives are happy to push off the costs of unlimited tax free spending to their children and grandchildren, ostensibily because it is these youngest Americans who will reap the long term benefits of this holy war. But then don’t ever cross the line and ask the oldest, retired conservatives who depend on Social Security to ever stop receiving that money, because they’ll just argue that it’s “their” money that they worked so hard for. Nevermind that Republicans have spend the Social Security trust fund, and that the children and grand children of these retirees must work to support their Social Security lifestyle, while in all likelihood will not have a similar security net awaiting them in retirement.
As a moderate liberal, I primarily define myself by the social choices that I would make. Read the Two Percent Solution, and you’ll now what I’m talking about. America can redefine itself through the choices its makes, not necessarily needing “higher taxes.” Hell, I hate taxes as much as the next person. But what I hate even more is seeing chilren without medical care; old people wiped out by the costs of long term care; incredibly complex health care funding system; a health care insurance program whose benefits and eligibility is defined by my employer.
America is on the verge of needing to make very difficult financial decisions, because the house of cards is teetering. Again, the list of symptoms is so long and so well known, I won’t bore you. You know, and I know you know.
Months ago, in a heated discussion with my aforementioned colleague, I was arguing that the Fed’s rate cuts and Bush’s huge tax, trade deficits and gigantic national debt (which has tripled under Bush), coupled with his fiscal irresponsibility in getting America involved in an expensive war, along with his lack of energy policy, and etc., would eventually result in rising inflation and a devalued dollar.
“Well then,” countered my conservative nemisis, “why don’t you put all your money into gold, then? If you really think things are so bad, put your money into gold.”
I thought about that for about 10 seconds, and then realized he was right. So I did in fact transfer most of my financial assets into gold and silver several months ago. That is the best advice a conservative has ever given me, because I have seen silver rise from about $14 a share to the mid $19’s. Gold has risen more than $300 an announce since that conversation.
While my friend now considers me “unpatriotic” for dumping dollar denominated assets, and seems to hold me accountable for his own recent 15% portfolio drop, here is the reality: no amount of blind patriotic cheerleading is going to fix this problem. It is a simple numbers problem: if you take on lots of debt and then print free money, you will devalue your currency and simultenaously inflate your currency, and you will make prices of commodities like oil and wheat (and yes, gold) go through the roof. That is what is happening. Call me a “traitor” for seeing this simple truth if you wish, but I see it as pragmatic. If Bush and Republicans insist on sinking our economy, I choose rather unpatriotically to attempt to climb into a lifeboat.
So bully for me! But my point isn’t to tell you about my new found wealth. Rather, its to underscore a point: stupid is as stupid does (ok, I stole that from Forrest Gump).
Fiscal management, even of a government the size of the U.S. Government and an economy the size of America, isn’t rocket science, really. When your government is spending out of control and the Fed is printing money to enable it, then the decision to dump the U.S. dollar is simply common sense: this war, trade deficit, deficit spending, tax cuts and “print money” policies of the Fed, are 100% guaranteed to result in high inflation and a falling dollar.
I have no plans to move money back into depreciating, deflating U.S. assets, because the Fed and Bush are showing absolutely no signs of responsibly managing the affairs of my beloved country. In fact, if you think inflation is bad now (and it is), just imagine what happens when $165 billion of “free money” drops into the economy this summer.
Is stealing $165 billion from your children so that you can spend it now, really a good long term financial choice for America? This is akin to a woman with a shopping problem. Her credit cards are maxed out, but one day a card offer come in the mail for her 4 year old child. So she applies for the card, gets it, and goes off on a spending spree in her child’s name.
It is ludicrous what these theives are doing to our economy and our finances. This is an historic time that we are living in, because future generations will point to this administration as the one that has pushed America’s finances past its tipping point; as the administration who threw a great country’s wealth directly down a war hole.
I wish I could I tell you that only Republicans are to blame. For most of it, they are. Yet there was Nancy Pelosi, standing next to Dubya to announce the great money giveaway. To be sure, many Democrats are enabling the shopaholic tendancies of this administration. Yet, there are some who get it, including John Edwards, who is right now campaigning to link the idiocy of this war to the high cost. Go John, Go! And Kudos to Ron Paul as the lone Republican “wacko” who understands what this “spend and no-tax” policy means to our future.
In the near future, Americans will be forced to make very difficult policies decisions. We will have less money to spend, and no one to borrow from to fuel our spending habits. Some things will have to go. I say corporate welfare is out; tax cuts for the rich are out; “unlimited” budgets for illegals wars are out.
What will be in? Investement that improve our collective society: building roads and bridges in America (not Iraq); improving schools and education in America (not Afghanistan); investing in promising technologies that will make America energy independent (goodbye, Saudi Arabia); etc.
Conservative worked great in the 19th century. But that outdated selfish conservative philosophy is illsuited to the Americas problems today. America needs new priorities and a collective will to solve its 21st century problems, and cure this nasty Republican hangover.
Barak Obama has caught and passed Clinton in polls of Texas Democrats. Read more here: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/tx/texas_democratic_primary-312.html
Our take: Clinton’s ugly campaign tactics are turning people away. The differences between Obama and Clinton are miniscule, and Democrats know this. They are drawn to Obama’s more positive campaign, which offers hope for real change. Meanwhile, Clinton seems to insult voters by calling their yearing for change “naive.” She continues to personify the ghost of politiks past.
We hope that after her inevitable drumming in Texas and her anticipated slim win in Ohio will bring cause her to do the right thing and resign from the race. For the good of the Democratic party, and America.
We’ve long derided the Clinton candidacy as not the best that the Democratic party has to offer. We were greatly sadden with the passing of each strong democratic voice during the campaign: Kucinich, Dodd, Biden, and then most sadly, John Edwards. Although the time for punditry has passed on John Edwards, I strongly believe in the man’s integrity. That he quit his presidential bid when he did shows his great concern for America. Edwards knew his supporters would move directly to Obama, and within days Obama had pulled even and then passed Clinton in total delegates, primaries won and votes cast.
Obama and America owe a great debt to John Edwards. Edwards has possibly, single handedly, spared America a divisive Clinton presidency. John Edwards has possibly single handedly saved the Democratic party.
We’ve said it all along: America can do better than Billary Clinton. Billary Clinton cannot win. Her candidacy would destroy the New Democratic Coalition which is made up of moderate liberals, and liberal republicans. This New Democratic Coalition will sweep Obama into office just as quickly as it will sweep Clinton aside.
Clinton must end her candidacy now, for the good of America and the Democratic Party.