Foreclosure and Attendant Intellectual Bankruptcy

Another thing Steve forwarded to me was a link to a recent item by Bill Moyers on PBS, regarding foreclosures and sub-prime lending. It was of interest to him and to me, because we both once lived in Cleveland in the St. Hyacinthe neighborhood, which sits adjacent to Slavic Village. Friends always mistakenly referred to our home as Slavic Village. Turns out that Slavic Village has been hit harder by foreclosures than any other place in the US. The item infuriated me.

The bias shown by Moyers and so many others is astonishing. The rush to blame capitalists is profound. I understand they are blinded by their anti-capitalism ideology, but how can you miss that there are two parties in any given loan agreement?

Moyers refers to 'predatory lending'. I'm not sure exactly what this is supposed to mean, although it is clearly an attempt to paint a picture of the savagery by a powerful agent of a feckless innocent.

I call bullshit.

The person obtaining the loan knows his situation. He knows if he can afford to make payments or not. So, if someone knows the chances are good that they cannot make payments, and they take the money anyway, isn't that at the very least an act of fraud? Nobody forces the borrower to sign the documents. Certainly, nobody forces them to spend the money. They do this happily.

Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis gives two illuminating passages.

You'd tell them, "I don't have any money." "No problem, we don't, you don't require a down payment." Or, "I have a horrible credit score." "No problem, we're not gonna let that get in the way." "But I don't even have job." "No problem. We're not gonna document your income."

A couple of things come to mind. Collusion. Fraud. Two guilty parties who should go to jail. More Rokakis:

And the real victim here is the person that lives on that block, that person who pays their taxes, plays by the rules, has done nothing to deserve what they're facing today, which is a devastated neighborhood, with their most valuable asset, their home, now worth virtually nothing. That's the victim.

Government does have a legitimate role to play here- protecting the innocent homeowners Rokakis describes. I believe in the free market, but I no more support this savagery than I support warlordism on the basis of a 2nd Amendment defense.

Let those who took bad loans suffer the consequences fully. Let those lenders who issued bad loans also suffer the consequences fully. No bailouts for these bad actors. If the lenders have any assets left, that's where you turn to restore the properties, to the extent it can be done, in the name of protect the innocent neighboring property owners who did nothing wrong.

So, let's not merely call it 'predatory lending'. Let's also call it 'fraudulent borrowing', or even 'predatory borrowing'. It takes two to tango on this one.

Here's the piece. Try to stay with it, through all of the BS rhetoric. It ain't easy.



The item treats this area as though it was doing great, and then the sub-prime lending started, and suddenly the neighborhood began to ring the bowl. Nothing could be further from the truth. Slavic Village began it's decline immediately after WW2, when the Ferro Motor Company shuttered and moved out to suburban Brookpark, as did much of the increasingly affluent population. Slavic Village became an area of 'starter homes'- a place you bought your first home, but also a place you left as soon as you could trade up.

I left St. Hyacinthe in 2000- long before the sub-prime phenomenon was in anyone's awareness. I was offered the opportunity to buy the house across the street from me in 1998, as I was interested in working to build the neighborhood up. I declined. The asking price? $11,000. The problem was the horribly sunken foundation.

There was another house down the street I looked at. It was a double. I was told I couldn't go upstairs. Why? There was a family squatting there. I also couldn't go into the basement. I was told this right as I nearly fell down to the basement floor- because the staircase had collapsed, and silly me, I expected it to be in place. The living room floor was hard wood, but it had a hole in it about 3' in diameter. It looked like a cannon ball had been shot through it. But this wasn't the HMS Indomitable. What in the world caused that?

The asking price was $5,000. I laughed at the realtor and told her, "You can pay me $5,000 and I'll take it."

That realty check might have been nice, you know, to make the piece seem like it was dwelling in the real world, just a bit. In infuriated me to watch, knowing that millions of American views would be sitting and watching, going, "wow, look how the lenders wrecked that place". It just isn't true. It was largely wrecked already. that's why I gave up and left in 2000 for the suburbs myself.

Shoddy, shoddy journalism. Yet still of interest.

On a more positive final note, good to see my old college radio buddy Brian Davis. He's long had a passion for helping the homeless that I respect greatly.

Rex Bell's Excellent Travels

Being that I just got back from a week in the Yellowstone Park area, it's hard to imagine that I could possibly have travel envy for anyone, and yet I have just a bit for my friend Rex Bell.

It seems he just did a tour of Washington with other Indiana Libertarian candidates. Rex is a candidate for Indiana House, District 54, and he journeyed with Congressional candidate Dr. Eric Schansberg (9th District), Indiana Senate candidate Steve Keltner (District 30), and former Libertarian state chair Mark Rutherford.

Among those Rex and the group met with was Dick Heller, he of Heller vs DC, the landmark 2nd Amendment case just heard by the Supreme Court. Then he met with folks from the Cato Institute, the Libertarian Party's national HQ, David Weigel of Reason Magazine, and more.

Check out Rex's full post!

I kind of knew that Rex had met with Reason, thanks to a post on Reason's 'Hit & Run' by Weigel, mentioning the possibility of Bob Barr campaigning in Indiana in tandem with Hoosier Libertarians like Rex, Keltner, and Schansberg.

Whatever envy I feel just shows that no one vacation can satisfy every facet of one's being, great though the experiences may be. Congrats, Rex!

New Linkage

My friend Steve has been avidly reading on water policy, and has turned me on to some interesting reading- such as the book Cadillac Desert, which chronicles our disastrous western water policy.

Another great read is the Aguanomics blog, by economist David Zetland. He's a free-market economist, and lately, he's been showing example after example of how the government monopoly utility method of water allocation is ensuring environmental disaster. He believes markets would inject higher prices, which would be a good thing, for it would cause people to be less wasteful and more judicious in their water usage.

The link has been added, at the right.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Candidates

Two candidates have campaign staff with ties to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in the form of lobbyists for the lenders. Two candidates have been guarded in their comments about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. One has not.

Bob Barr had this to say about the lending collapse:

Oklahoma City, OK -- The latest financial crisis involving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which guarantee home mortgages, demonstrates yet again how government intervention in private markets almost always comes to grief. Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are nominally private, but were created by Congress and enjoy significant advantages over truly private companies, including cheaper borrowing, lower capital requirements, and an implicit federal guarantee.

As a result, the two organizations behaved irresponsibly, confident that they were “too big to fail.” They own $5.1 trillion in mortgage debt, almost half of the nation’s total. With the sub-prime lending crisis in full swing, their losses are up, their capital is down, and their ability to borrow is falling. Immediate privatization is difficult because the markets doubt the organizations can survive without government support. Insolvency and a forced asset sale would roil both the housing and financialmarkets.

These problems are almost entirely the fault of the federal government. Congress created programs to artificially inflate the housing market, established Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be exempt from normal scrutiny, oversight, and competition, and expanded their activities in response to the sub-prime lending meltdown. Government must get out of the mortgage business, but must do so in a way that least harms taxpayers and the economy.

Link to full Barr statement.

Today, the Washington Post treated its' readers to a rare piece of actual journalism, wherein the campaign team members for Obama and McCain who have also lobbied on behalf of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are named. This is not small-change lobbying, by the way:

That payroll has cost Fannie and Freddie nearly $200 million in lobbying and campaign contributions over the past decade, according to lobbying reports and Federal Election Commission disclosures. It has also won them plenty of protection from calls for greater regulation, less federal protection, and even nationalization.

$200 million. That's a lot of money to syphon away from the core business in order to buy special favors.

McCain the Maverick. Omaba the Agent of Change. Bullshit!

Reviving The Call For A Greenway

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization is bent for leather to build a light rail starter on the old Nickel Plate rail corridor, which runs northeasterly from Indianapolis to Castleton, Fishers, and Noblesville, roughly parallel to Allisonville Road. It is the trackage that the annual Fair Train runs on, from the Fishers station to the Fairgrounds.

I have long maintained that this isn't even the best possible use for the corridor. Make it a greenway, like the Monon.

You'll note that nobody is clamoring to re-track the Monon. Why is that?

Well, it runs through Carmel, for one thing. Wouldn't want to upset their apple cart. After all, they have enjoyed a significant boost to their property values thanks to the Monon Trail. There are other benefits that light rail cannot provide: The greenway encourages a healthy lifestyle. People actually use it. It gobbles far fewer tax dollars to create than a light rail line will.

I can't help but believe there are politically connected contractors waiting in the wings, hoping this light rail boondoggle gets built on the Nickel Plate. There is a lot of money to be made in restoring and improving the trackage, supplying locomotives and passenger cars, building fences, landscaping, etc.

I know that the price of gasoline has pinched everyone. It hurts. But let's not throw good money after bad. Most people aren't going to ride the rails, despite chatter to the contrary. It's only one line, and is unlikely to take the rider to their ultimate destination. Congestion on I-69 isn't very heavy at all. (Drive in Chicago, for comparison.) Parking downtown is plentiful and cheap.

Build the Nickel Plate Greenway!

Comment can be posted to the MPO.

Daily Kos Noticed

A recent Daily Kos article noted the under-inclusion of Bob Barr in national reporting and polling.

First we had the anti-war republican (sic) Ron Paul, polling well but consistently ignored in any primary discussions.

Now we have the viable republican (sic) alternative Bob Barr consistently ignored by CBS, NBC and ABC, as well as the corrupt clowns at Fox, CNN and most of MSNBC.

Going foward, we should chart how frequently (or infrequently) Bob Barr comes up in polling.

The July 11th Zogby has Bob Barr receiving the following:

9% in New Mexico
8% in Colorado
6% in Florida
5% in Virginia
4% in North Carolina

Bob Barr is a major factor in the 2008 race, far more relevant statistically than Ralph Nader in 2000 or 2004.

Yet our corrupt assclowns in the National Media continue to ignore Barr, creating a McCain/Obama vacuum, with the occasional mention of Ralph Nader thrown in.

Now, clearly Daily Kos has an agenda- mainly, it wishes to see Obama elected, and it views Barr as one who would 'take votes from McCain'. That's cool. Go for it. Please push for more inclusive coverage. But I think that the assumption that Libertarians are 'Republican alternatives', or only draw votes from conservatives is far off the mark. Barr is running to the left of Obama on Iraq, on FISA, and on some other issues where the Democratic base is being alienated by Obama's rightward push to the center.

I myself have never voted for a Republican presidential candidate, but I have voted for a Democratic one. There are plenty of Libertarians who had their political beginnings in the Democratic Party or other areas of The Left.

JibJab on Campaign

"It's time for some campaignin'!" (h/t Gregg Puls)



"When we promise you anything you want to hear". Couldn't be more on the mark.

Indiana Governor Fundraising Notes

(Fishers, IN)- The Indy Star had an interesting report on the fundraising efforts of the three candidates for Indiana governor. Here are the bottom lines:

Mitch Daniels (R): raised $3.37 million + in 2008, through reporting period
Jill Long-Thompson (D): $2 million + in 2008
Andy Horning (L): $500 in 2008

You get what you pay for, and sadly, Andy Horning isn't going to be getting any notice in a year where the media is going to be clogged with competing messages from the other two, in addition to the presidential candidates. I ran a very active statewide campaign in 2006 for Secretary of State, making more than 200 campaign appearances across the state. I spent some $40,000, mainly on radio ads. The results? I received fewer votes than Rebecca Sink-Burris, our candidate for SOS in 2002. The lesson? Appearances mean nothing. Paid media, hence name recognition, is everything. Make of that what you will, but that's the lesson.

Other notes:

Long Thompson got a big chunk of her money from two sources: the Service Employees International Union, which gave her $700,000 from January through June and has given her campaign a total of $1.225 million; and Emily’s List, the Washington-based group that backs female candidates who support abortion rights, which gave $400,000.

More than half her money from two lobbies? Don't Democrats normally complain about this sort of thing? Or, is it more important just to win?

Daniels’ biggest single source of income in this latest report? The more than $40,000 in interest his campaign funds earned sitting in Fifth Third Bank.

I actually kind of snickered when I read this. Don't know why. It just seemed funny. I wonder if seeing this comparison in print will nudge the Daniels campaign in the direction of tapping special interest money? I haven't had much positive to say about Daniels, but I respect the fact that he isn't getting money in big gobs from groups that would certainly want a return on their investment.

Now Andy- Please, start asking for contributions. Your message is worthy. Don't relegate it to being the tree that falls in the forest with nobody around to hear it. Dissatisfaction with Rs & Ds is indeed great, but overcoming the Wasted Vote Syndrome won't happen by accident.

Random Driving Pictures

(Sheridan, WY)- Here are some from the first leg of our Saturday drive, from Big Sky MT into Yellowstone Park. These are of the "shooting through the window as Ame drives" variety.

The Gallatin River ran parallel to the highway for much of this leg. It was a beautiful, gently rushing stream of cold, mountain run-off.

Mama and baby moose, with the Gallatin River behind.

Evidence of the great forest fires that swept through the area a few years ago. The charred trees remain upright though dead, while grasses and other underbrush grows beneath. It was startling to see the hills and mountains with brown exteriors, and green surfaces beneath.

Approaching the park, there were meadows covered with wildflowers, while mountains loomed in the distance.

Scenic Drives Today

(Big Sky, MT)- We'll be leaving Big Sky today for a roundabout trip to Sheridan WY. 

The trip will pass through the width of Yellowstone Park, beginning at the western entrance, going through to the Beartooth Scenic Byway to Cooke City MT. From Billings to Sheridan, it's interstate highway travel, but as interstates go, it should be pretty great.

Mapquest- leg 1

Mapquest- leg 2

Barr on Glenn Beck, Repeated. Twice

(Big Sky, MT)- Let's hear it for hotel room dial hopping. I was pleased to find Bob Barr's full hour with Glenn Beck being repeated on CNN tonight. Here's the first quarter-hour:

Beck wasn't throwing Barr softballs. I'd love to see McBama get questioned the way Barr does. Let's hear it for Barr, though. He comports himself well. The more I see of Barr, the happier I am with him as the Libertarian nominee.

Irrigation Update

(Big Sky, MT)- Upon seeing irrigation occurring in places in Wyoming where it seemed so unnatural, I posed this question in a blog post:

It is said to be more environmentally friendly to grow crops near to populations. While Wyoming is the least populated state in the Union, they do have to eat. Which would be better environmental policy? Irrigating locally in Wyoming to feed the state's population? Or, ending the irrigation and shipping the food?

A reply came in the form of a post on the Aguanomics blog:

If there are no subsidies, accurate prices will lead people to make efficient decisions. If there are not, all bets are off.

I don't know whether the irrigation I saw is subsidized or not. My bet would be that it is. What I've learned about the west is that the population wouldn't be what it is, in Wyoming or any other Western state, if it weren't irrigated- and irrigation wouldn't have been undertaken privately, because the scale is too great, and the payoff too small.

Now, we all know that the crops are subsidized, especially corn.

Random Wildlife From Yellowstone

(Big Sky, MT)- We've seen more moose than anything so far, although Ame did encounter a small black bear here in Big Sky while on a jog. No pictures of the bear- just a change in course.

A bald eagle perches atop a dead pine, near West Yellowstone MT.

Two female moose just off the West Entrance Rd. You can always find wildlife along the roadways when you spot cars parked in crazy ways at the roadside, for no apparent reason.

Male moose, not far from the females.

Didn't see the grizzlies, but the signs made clear they roam the area- Pahaska Tepee, WY. In fact, we were fairly happy not to encounter the grizzlies.

Great Barr Poll Numbers

(Big Sky, MT)- Libertarian Bob Barr is now consistently polling 6-7% when included in presidential polls among likely voters. I can't for the life of me recall Libertarian candidates being regularly included, let alone polling as highly as this, with this being the fourth presidential election cycle I've been supporting watching for such things. From the Barr Campaign:

In the first comprehensive general election poll (a sample of over 46,000 likely voters), Bob Barr is now at six percent nationally!

David (Beiler) was there in 1992 when Ross Perot, then polling at seven percent nationally, was included in the debates with Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.

Four percentage points are all that we need to get into the Google/YouTube presidential debate that is scheduled for September 18th.

According to the debate rules we need ten percent in at least three polls before the debate starts in New Orleans.

These polling numbers are being achieved without benefit of huge TV ad spending, or constant media coverage. I have great hope that the media will increase with these numbers. From there, the campaign needs to ramp up the fundraising and get some ads on TV to boost Barr's name recognition. 

Inclusion in the debates would be phenomenal. I recall how Perot's numbers soared after inclusion in the debates. 

Old Faithful

(Big Sky, MT)- We thought there would be two things that Isabel would be most excited to see in Yellowstone- wildlife, and Old Faithful.

I don't even wear a watch.

Ame and I were impressed, but alas, Isabel was not. Thank goodness we had seen the bison early in the day, and some moose and mule deer a little later.

The area is very interesting, as Old Faithful is hardly the only geyser or geothermal formation. The things are everywhere in the area, and makes for an interesting landscape while driving. In addition to the forest and mountains, streaks of white minerals mark the location of geysers, along with steam.

Mountain Scenes, West of Cody

(Big Sky, MT)- While I drove, Ame took some great pics of the mountain scenery on US 14/16/20, running parallel to the Shoshone River, on the way to Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful. Quite the anti-Indiana, anti-Midwest. A real feast for the eyes.

The Absaroka Mountains. The white-capped mountain is either Trout Peak or Dead Indian Peak.

Awesome formations on this stretch of road.

Absurd Irrigation

(Big Sky, MT)- Along US 20 in northwestern Wyoming, we saw several examples of farms that wouldn't exist if it weren't for irrigation. If it weren't for dams and ditches, there wouldn't be irrigation. Every farm in the area near the Bighorn River had either an irrigation ditch surrounding it, or a 6" water pipe lying on the ground near the crops.

Big deal? Read a great book called "Cadillac Desert". It details the large-scale big government water programs that have artificially populated the west, creating farms where they aren't sustainable, depriving people downstream of water, and otherwise damage the environment. It become evident how absurd the irrigation is when you see them in the context of the powdery desert soils that surround the farms.

The hose spurts far off in this shot. This image shows what most of this part of Wyoming looks like.

Sage brush in the foreground. That's what naturally occurs here. A lush farm behind it- only where the land is irrigated.

The big sprinkler is visible here.

So, now I want to pose a question: It is said to be more environmentally friendly to grow food crops near to populations. While Wyoming is the least populated state in the Union, they do have to eat. Which would be better environmental policy? Irrigating locally in Wyoming to feed the state's population? Or, ending the irrigation and shipping the food?

The Bison Own The Road

(Big Sky, MT)- Before leaving Thermopolis WY, we decided to take a ride through the ranch lands in the park. Good call! A small herd of bison were out for a stroll.

Wyoming's Bridger Mountains loom in the background as a herd of about 25 bison make their way across the road.

This bull was a sort of sentry, and got between the car and the rest of the herd.

From Thermopolis, we would drive US 20 north to Graybill, then west to Cody.

Rex Bell In a Two-Way Race

(Thermopolis WY)- Great news hit my inbox last night: Rex Bell's race in Indiana House District 54 is a two-way race this year. It was a three-way race in 2006, and Rex had the highest totals ever for a Libertarian candidate in such a race. Rex got 14.3% of the vote. Republican Thomas Saunders won the race with 46%. Results link.

This year, there is no Democrat. With Democratic antipathy towards the Republican party running deep, could this be the year that a Libertarian is at last elected to the State House of Representatives? All it takes is for more disaffected Republicans to vote for Rex, and the Democratic voters to do the same.

Rex carries many precincts very handily. I know I rode his coattails in many parts of Wayne County, scoring as high as 30% in some of these precincts in my race for Secretary of State. Numbers that high are very unusual for a statewide office, but Rex is very popular at home.

Where Are The Trees?

(Thermopolis, WY)- Back in the mid-80s, a co-worker sometimes wore a t-shirt that read, "Wyoming's State Tree" and showed a power pole. I always thought that was hilarious, but probably way off the mark. Now I know that it isn't. The high plains are mainly ranch lands. I don't know if they were once forested, as the east was prior to farming.

At any rate, this isn't a complaint. The absence of trees made for clear views of the antelope roaming at roadside, and the mountains in the distance.

Northern Colorado- The ethanol-on-steroids subsidy program was evident in both Colorado and Wyoming, where puny corn is struggling to grow in the high plains. Ranch land is being converted despite the lack of water. Good luck with that.

South of Cheyenne- The cowboy reminded me of the Osborne Bulls found in Andalucia, Spain.

North of Shoshoni WY- The drive on US20/WY789 was spectacular once it reached the Wind River and ran parallel to it, winding northerly to Thermopolis, with the River to the west, and mountain cliffs on either side.

We made a mental note that the Sierra Trading Post has two outlets in Wyoming. They deal in discounted camping and outdoor gear.

Thermopolis is named for the numerous natural hot springs. Our motel has one on site, next to the swimming pool. At 117 degrees, it gives a new meaning to 'hot tub'! The aroma of sulfur is generally in the air throughout the town.

Today's drive takes us to Big Sky, MT by way of Cody WY, and Yellowstone Park. Should be some awesome views!

Koles in Colorado

(Superior, CO)- First stop, the home of Tom & Juli Kole. Tom is my cousin, and is an entrepreneur in the tech world. Micro-devices, blue tooth, all that stuff. He already had his parents visiting, along with his sister Jennifer and her family, so what was adding Ame, Isabel, and I?

We drove into Boulder for a look at the college town, and a walk in the creek.

From left, Isabel, my cousin Tom, cousin Jennifer, aunt Judy, niece Kaylee, Ame, Jen's husband Brian Markovitz. 

Tom carries Kaylee in the icy creek. This is mountain run-off.

It's fantastic seeing mountain backdrops in any direction, what with the lack of terrain in Indiana. We were still a drive away from the mountains, and with a mini-reunion happening, a hike wasn't happening yet.

We had big laughs watching Tom's video collection. He's restored old Super-8 film from the 70s- with all of us wearing the finest plaid of the day. Great laughs.

Today, it's a drive into Wyoming.

Tomorrow's Travels

We have some interesting travels ahead of us over the next few days:

Boulder, CO- My cousin Tom and his wife Juli live there these days, and as luck would have it, my Aunt & Uncle will already be there, along with my cousin Jennifer and her family.

Wyoming- Hard to say where all we will visit, but we're definitely driving through, and it looks like Thermopolis (think, 'city of hot springs') and Cody (Buffalo Bill) are on the short list.

Big Sky, MT- Site of Ame's conference. Let's hear it once again for the medical profession, for they know where to place their conferences. This stands in stark constrast to engineering, which lands us in Madison WI in January, and Pittsburgh any time. This is right near Yellowstone Park, and is said to be stunningly gorgeous. I'm up for that!

Yellowstone Park- Animals, forest, and Old Faithful. Isabel will love it.

On the Maybe List- Grand Teton Park, Idaho, Jackson WY. Hard to say. These are a bit out of the way, and we aren't doing the hi-miler hellride.

There will be postcards for Greg. My buddy and I send 'em to each other when we visit a state we'd never been to before. He sent me one reading "49" last year when he hit Arkansas. He'll get one marked "39" for Wyoming, "40" for Montana, and "41" for Idaho, if we get there.

Left on the list: Vermont, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, Hawaii. The four grouped in the South are bound to be last. I have almost no desire to go to any of those states.

How's your list shaping up?

Angry Publican: David Hockney

Following up on the recent post on the effect of the smoking ban (among other things) on Britain's pubs, I happened across an article that was sent to me about a month ago by Steve Wainstead. Steve was a photo major, and turned me on to Hockney's photo collages, which was eye-opening for me. In turn, I began to shoot photo collages for myself.

Hockney is quite outspoken about the smoking ban, and all things "bossy". From an article in The Independent:

Some of the world's finest artists were lifelong smokers, he will happily point out, including Picasso, Matisse, Monet and Turner. Hockney does not smoke while he is painting because he needs his hands free, but when he steps back to take stock of his work, he lights up. And when the Government announced its proposed smoking ban in pubs and clubs, Hockney turned up at Labour's annual conference to lead a protest funded by the tobacco companies. "Death awaits you whether you smoke or not," he proclaimed. "Pubs are not health clubs. People go to drown their sorrows. We could save a lot more lives if we refuse to serve alcohol, you could argue. This is ridiculous. It's bossy."

Bossiness is one of Hockney's pet dislikes. He has a slogan: End Bossiness Soon – "soon" because he thinks "now" would sound bossy. "People should start standing up for themselves," he says. "Where has the awkward squad gone?"

I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the range of Hockney's libertarian beliefs. It's not what I expect from an artiste. But, it appears that Hockney finds the "for your own good" laws to be conformity, something many artistes once rebelled against.

let's hear it for Hockney!

Britain's Pubs Dying

Big surprise: two top causes are the smoking ban, and taxes on alcohol.

Link to CNN video

This may well be hailed as a good thing. Obviously, smoking and alcohol are bad for you. But, what about tradition? I once planned a trip to Britain with friends that included at least one London pub crawl, because to me, it just screamed, ENGLAND! (Sadly, the trip was scrapped due to work.)

Says British beer blogger Pete Brown, "If you took a guy from the 10th Century, and brought him forward in time, the only things he would recognize today are the churches and pubs."

So, another corner of the planet becomes more homogenized. Great.

IndyGo Chief Quits

Is it a glutton for punishment to go from head of the BMV, to IndyGo president? After six years in the latter post, Gil Holmes is leaving the Marion County socialized bus company. From the Indy Star report:

Gilbert Holmes took over leadership of the IndyGo transit system in 2002, inheriting an agency mired in turmoil after federal and local auditors discovered financial mismanagement and other problems.

He confronted a fiscal crisis in 2004 that nearly led to deep service cuts, but he landed a loan from then-Mayor Bart Peterson to cover much of the shortfall. Still, during his tenure, Holmes had to raise fares because of rising fuel and other costs.

At the same time, Holmes pushed a bigger vision for IndyGo, developing a 15-year expansion plan and adding express buses, Downtown shuttles and other features.

Yes, if it doesn't work, expand it. Whether it's a big corporation or a bus system, this seems to be the prevailing, destructive attitude.

I had the opportunity to debate Holmes on WXNT's "Abdul in the Morning" program last year, and Holmes' attitude was most interesting, indeed. He acknowledged IndyGo's greatly unbalanced balance sheet, and was unapologetic for it. He repremanded me for being philosophical and political in my opposition to taxpayer funding of public transportation, but at the same time used philosophical and political justifications in favor of the public transportation.

My blog post from the debate.
My NYC transit experience post, and a Holmes reference.
A Wayne County transit numbers post, and a Holmes reference

It's no secret that I think that at best, public transportation should be left not to government but to private operators, and at worst, it can stay in government hands but the riders should pay the full fare. I can understand a man such as Holmes, with an apparent deep conviction to the redistribution of wealth, taking the positions on transport that he does. I was mystified at the Republicans who are on the bandwagon. The only conclusion I can draw is that they have friends who stand to make a lot of money improving and building trackage, or building and supplying locomotives and cars.

Public transportation is just a bad sign to me. I understand it as a placebo for high gas prices. But like war, these days, public transportation is the health of the state.

Mass transit post on regionalism and "conservatives"
Master link to Kole's posts on "mass transit"

One Doctor's Insights

In my summer hockey session, there are fewer players, so the teams are all jumbled. All four of my linemates are guys I've never played with before. So, I try to get to know them a bit. After the game (a 6-1 win, and a goal by Yours Truly), I spoke with Dan, who is a family practice physician. It was eye-opening, to say the least.

As we were talking generally, he asked me my opinion of the state of health care. My response was simple: Insurance is the problem. It is a middleman taking a share of the cost without adding value, and it makes decisions where doctors should make them instead. I didn't say that I believe in the free market, that socialized health care is unjust, or anything political.

He thought this critique on the role of insurance was right on the mark. Among the loads of tidbits he threw at me, I hung on to these:

Medicare will be insolvent in three years.

Congress knows this, or should, and is passing this political football to the poor sap who is elected President.

The system will collapse because of insurance. It will be overhauled with Medical Savings Accounts, making people notice price for the first time in two generations.

The US devotes 19% of GDP to health care. Economists believe that any economy that devotes 23% of GDP to health care is unsustainable.

These are just one doctor's opinions, and I can't vouch for the precision of the numbers. But, being that these are largely things I had never heard before, or certainly don't hear very often, I found them exceptionally jarring and enlightening.

I found it most insightful that he told me he is glad the race is Obama & McCain, since both of them appear to him to be the kind of people who will shake things up- because the thing that needs to be said is this: "You know how we've been telling you that health care is a right? Yeah, we've been leading you by the nose on that one. It's a load of crap."

I agree with his assessment of the need to come clean, but I really don't think those Obama or McCain are the ones that would do it at all. Both of those appear to be the kind of captains that would be damn glad to go down with their ships- McCain, Iraq; Obama, who talks of expanding socialized health care. I let it go for now about Bob Barr, as there will be opportunity a-plenty.

He then went on about the lousy choices Americans make with regards to food, drink, exercise, and to a lesser degree, smoking; and the resulting Type 2 diabetes he sees regularly in people under 30. His conclusion- you can't have people be completely free of the responsibility to pay for their own choices and have people take on the burden of other people's choices. Economic collapse is the only possible result.

I think I'll have little trouble turning him on to Barr. I sincerely doubt the American people are ready for this news, in the face of all the other bad news raining on us these days.

More Barr on Heller

Bob Barr, on Heller

Barr issued a statement on this Supreme Court case, and again, it sets him apart from both Obama and McCain. Here's the text, emphasis supplied in bold:

Bob Barr Calls Heller Decision on Gun Rights “One of Court’s Most Important Rulings on behalf of Liberty”

Washington, DC - Today the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the individual right of Americans to own guns in District of Columbia v. Heller. The ruling “will go down as one of the Supreme Court’s most important rulings on behalf of liberty,” says Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr.

Until today, the Court had never held that the Second Amendment directly applied to individuals. “Today’s decision marks a new era for gun rights in America,” explains Barr, who is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association.

Barr also drafted the Libertarian Party’s amicus curiae brief in Heller. “By protecting an individual’s right to keep and bear arms, the Second Amendment ensures that all Americans are able to participate in sporting activities, hunt, and protect themselves and their families,” he explains.

The right to self-defense is particularly important for women and minorities in a city like Washington, D.C. “Where crime rates are high, a gun may be the only means for law-abiding citizens to safeguard themselves and their families,” Barr notes. “Lawful gun ownership deters an untold number of crimes every year.”But the Court’s ruling, though welcome, is not enough.

“It is important to have a president who also supports the right of Americans to own firearms,” says Barr. “Sen. Barack Obama says that he believes in such a constitutional right, but he supports the District of Columbia’s ban, which gives criminals an advantage over law-abiding citizens,” notes Barr.

Sen. McCain has not advocated an absolute prohibition, “but he cosponsored legislation which could require registration of attendees at gun shows and even ban such shows,” Barr warns. And Sen. McCain’s campaign legislation “curtailed the First Amendment right of gun owners to protect their rights by participating in election campaigns.”

As part of the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment undergirds American liberty. “The individual’s right to keep and bear arms helps ensure all of our freedoms,” says Barr. “The Supreme Court’s recognition of the constitutional right to gun ownership is a recognition of the right to life, liberty, and property for all Americans.”

Good on Barr, yet again.

Heller Decision In - Pretty Good!

Neither the 2nd Amendment, nor the Bill of Rights, were particularly trashed by the Supreme Court today. That's about as uplifting as 'good news' gets these days. The Washington Post report's first paragraph says a lot:

The Supreme Court, splitting along ideological lines, today declared that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns for self-defense, striking down the District of Columbia's ban on handgun ownership as unconstitutional.

Well, thank goodness for the affirmation of the 2nd Amendment! As I stated earlier today, my understanding of the Constitution is that it is a document that limits government and affirms individual rights. So, gun laws such as DC's should be smacked down.

I'm tired of splits along ideological lines. Interpreting the Constitution shouldn't come down to ideology. Either the document conveys a right or it does not. Either it limits government or it does not. Don't get me wrong- I'm glad the 2nd Amendment was affirmed. This kind of affirmation, and this kind of Supreme Court, simply is going to return results based on the whim of nine robed individuals, which means, the process of nominating new Justices will be just as political and stupid as it has been for the past 25 years or so.

Now, this is only pretty good news, though, because within the majority decision, this concession could be found:

Scalia wrote that the Constitution leaves the District a number of options for combating the problem of handgun violence, "including some measures regulating handguns."

So, DC only 'went too far'. You can bet that DC will write a new law banning handguns, with language that 'goes far enough'.

I can see that in certain states, where language isn't strongly in affirmation of the right to keep and bear arms, that bans that only 'go far enough', will be deemed Constitutional. Indiana could easily enough be one such state. Here's the language on firearms, as such- Article 12:

Section 1. A militia shall be provided and shall consist of all persons over the age of seventeen (17) years, except those persons who may be exempted by the laws of the United States or of this state. The militia may be divided into active and inactive classes and consist of such military organizations as may be provided by law.(History: As Amended November 3, 1936; November 5, 1974).
Section 2. The Governor is Commander-in-Chief of the militia and other military forces of this state.(History: As Amended November 5, 1974).
Section 3. There shall be an Adjutant General, who shall be appointed by the Governor.(History: As Amended November 5, 1974).
Section 4. No person, conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, shall be compelled to do so in the militia.(History: As Amended November 5, 1974).

That's it. Nothing clear at all. Militia? What militia?

Ohio's language is exceptionally crisp, and therefore, better. Article 1, Section 4:

The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall not be kept up; and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.

On the practical side, there were people in DC, including Mayor Adrien Fenty, gathered in protest of the decision, some holding signs suggesting that firearm bans make for safer streets. Talk about being guided by blind dogmatism. The DC law was passed in 1976. Has DC been anyone's idea of a safe place, where gun violence is unheard of, in the last 32 years? Bwaahahaha.

Update: How come I couldn't find Article 1, Section 32 when looking up the Indiana Constitution on the Indiana Gov't website? Seems curious, no? When you search the Indiana gov't website and type "Indiana Constitution" into the search window, you get a link to Article 1, Sections 1-16 only.

Thanks, Roberta X, for the link to IU's site with the full text!

In Anticipation of the Heller Decision

The Supreme Court is expected to release today its' decision on the Heller case. While most fears with regard to possible loss of individual rights hinge directly on the 2nd Amendment, I am most fearful for the decay of the Bill of Rights as a whole.

Most analysts explain that the case involves the verbal distinction found in the 2nd Amendment. Wikipedia has a line that summarizes the modern confusion:

Another major point of contention is whether it protects an individual right to personal firearms or a collective State militia right

I know you all remember verbatim each of the 10 Amendments that comprise the Bill of Rights, but out of stubbornness, I'll include the language of the 2nd here:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

So, here's what I'm worried about. The Constitution was designed by the Founders as a limit of government power, not on individual rights. The Bill of Rights was to further clarify. This decision could begin an unravelling of the entire Bill of Rights. If the 2nd Amendment is found not to be a limitation on government but on individuals, there is no reason I can see for the same thinking to be applied to the 1st Amendment (goodbye freedom of speech), etc.

This could be a historic, dark day.

Crisis In Confidence?

(h/t electvibe) It's funny to watch the partisans. Those on the left crow about President Bush's lousy approval rating of 23%, while those on the right crow about the Democratically controlled Congress' 12% confidence rating.

Guess what? Both sides are right to crow. Democrats and Republicans together have made a wreckage of our country, our states, our counties, and our municipalities. Change I can believe in? Let's dismantle this trash! Are you really going to continue to elect the very people who have shaken your confidence to the core?

The Gallup poll that shows the current state of confidence in Congress also measures other institutions, such as the military, small business, big business, organized labor, organized religion, and a host of others. It's shocking to see the results. Check out the article, and look to the side-bar at the right. Article after article about the public's lost faith in banks, in Congress, in President Bush, in the Supreme Court. It's amazing the city isn't in flames as we speak.

All this government isn't working. If it worked, there would be no more poverty, thanks to the anti-poverty programs. There wouldn't be any crime, thanks to all the law enforcement expenditure. Etc., etc.

As a libertarian, I get a lot of noise about how if we returned to the principles of limited government this country was founded upon, we would have chaos and dissatisfaction, or, how it's impractical utopian dreaming. I have to say, all this government is the impractical utopian dreaming. It hasn't improved a thing, and it's sure made a whole lot worse. The people seem to get that.

So, why will they vote for the same things masquerading as 'change' or as a 'maverick'? I just don't get that.

Health Care Preview

Quoth Mencken: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."

Seems like us free marketeers are on the unpopular side of the health care numbers, so it won't surprise me when the day comes that American doctors inspect us like cattle, and if our wastelines are greater than the prescribed measurement, we will be declared officially overweight, and subject to fines.

Dystopian libertarian scare tactic? No- it's what happens in Japan today. Link to CNN video.

When everybody is responsible for the cost of everybody else's health care, you can bet we'll all be interested in the size of your waist.

I'll laugh my ass off, because I'm trim enough not to worry, and so many of those who thought socialized health care was a great idea will be off to the fat farm, miserable in having to actually exercise. Good. I'd be happier left alone, and fending for myself on my family's health care bills, but I don't think I'm going to have that chance for much longer, so I may as well take pleasure where I still can. If I have to pay for you, I'll be the biggest health nanny this planet has ever seen, harassing fat people in the street, merely as a cost prevention measure.

Be careful what you ask for. You just might get it. Hard. As you deserve.

Goodnight, Mr. Carlin

Comic George Carlin died the other day, as was widely reported. I thought it was nice to see so many articles of praise for the man on his passing. Article: "How Carlin Changed Comedy".

Many cited his "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Telelvision" routine, and the Supreme Court case that followed. Well, me too. It had a big effect on me, twice.

The first was as a 12-year-old. We just got cable TV, and I had never heard such a string of profanity used a) so profusely, and b) so calmly in a discourse. I was deeply impressed, as any smart-ass lad of 12 might be.

The insights ran a bit deeper at age 19, when I became Program Director at my college radio station, WCSB-FM. It was my job to understand the convoluted interpretation of the "7 Words Supreme Court case as they affected broadcast radio. I was the law at the station, but also the teacher. I had to instruct new recruits on the things you could air and the things you couldn't, without risk of fines or even loss of license, such was the atmosphere created by the FCC in response to 'obscenity' and 'indecency'.

To get it, let's examine the words "shit" and "fuck".

If you aired something that went, "what a shitty thing to do!", this was okay to air late at night, for it was merely indecent. If you aired something that went, "your dog took a shit on my lawn!", this was not okay to air, for it was obscene. The difference? The use of the word to mean an excretory function, which was deemed bad.

So, "fuck you!" was okay at night, as indecent. "He fucked her at the motel" was forbidden, as obscene. The use of the word as a sexual function was bad, in the eyes of the FCC.

The way I took it was that our country, or at least our government, was afraid to talk about two of the most common, basic things human beings can do, in non-clinical language. Afraid of words! Banning them! In America! Pathetic.

George Carlin, on the other hand, was not afraid of words. He explored them deeply. It's how he came up with routines like this. Carlin was hereby established as a hero to me.

Free speech was something I cherished, and as the representative of a radio station to the FCC, thus, to the federal government, I got one of my first real-life instances where I came to find government to be a pointless, restrictive ogre. After all- if one didn't like what they heard, they were perfectly free to use one of two buttons: the on/off button, or the frequency dial.

So, thanks, George, for the laughs and the formative experience. Thanks, and goodnight.

Here's the "Seven Words" routine. Don't click if you can't have the cuss words fill the room!

5 Years!

Today is my 5th Wedding Anniversary! Here are some pictures from our day.

My cousin, Doug Carson, married Ame & I. Doug also baptized me.

Ame's Dad, Chuck, brought a prop that made for a great photo, but caused the catering staff to panic and call the police.

Just a little dot of frosting on the groom's nose.

Bob Barr vs Obama & McCain

OK, here's another place Barr is not like McCain... but where McCain is like Obama: the issue of surveillance against the American people. Senators McCain and Obama both support the FISA bill.

Bob Barr's Statement, issued today:

The House on Friday passed legislation that greatly expands the power of the government to surreptitiously surveil phone calls and e-mails of American citizens. If, as expected, this legislation is passed by the Senate and the President, as promised, signs it into law, it will represent the greatest expansion of the government’s ability to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans ever.

While the Administration will tout this as a bill to “listen in to phone calls with al Qaeda” and other terrorist organizations (a power the government already possesses), the fact is, under this legislation, every phone call or email that takes
place between a US citizen in the United States and any person “reasonably believed to be” overseas, can be surreptitiously surveilled by the government without ever going to a judge. Yes – it is that broad.

It also gives telecommunications companies that previously allowed government agents full access to the private records and calls of their subscribers in violation of the 1978-FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) completely off the hook for such privacy-invasive actions; it grants them prospective immunity as well.

The day before the bill passed in the House by a 293-129 margin, Barr issued the following press release:

Bob Barr Urges Congress: No Surveillance of Americans Without Fourth Amendment Protections

June 19, 2008 6:33 pm EST

Atlanta, GA -- “In asserting his power to conduct warrantless searches of Americans, President George W. Bush has expressed his clear contempt for the Fourth Amendment. So has Sen. John McCain, despite his reputation as a supposed maverick,” says Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president. Now the Democratic-led Congress is preparing to approve a so-called compromise that gives the Bush administration almost everything it wants in order to expand dramatically the power of the federal government to surveil American citizens without court orders. “America desperately needs leaders who will stand up for the Bill of Rights,” observes Barr, “not those who flaunt its vital and time-honored protections.”

The president already has the power to conduct surveillance of foreign terrorists. The 30-year old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act provides for court oversight, along with the requirement that the government get a warrant. “The court has virtually never rejected a request,” notes Barr. “Changes in technology require updating the law, not gutting it.”

However, the bill being advanced by the Democratic leadership “would allow the government to listen to millions of phone calls by Americans with neither an individualized warrant nor an assessment of probable cause,” he adds. Although the law would offer some protection when a particular American was expressly targeted, even then “the proposed rules fall short of what the Fourth Amendment mandates.”

Moreover, the bill would immunize telephone companies from wrong-doing, protecting them against law suits even when the firms violated the law by helping the government conduct warrantless searches. Past cases would simply be dismissed. “Conservatives once said, ‘you do the crime, you do the time,’ but no longer,” observes Barr. Now virtually the entire Republican Party is prepared to sacrifice the Fourth Amendment rights of Americans in favor of federal government power.

And the Democratic leadership is ready to do the same. Congressional Democrats privately say that they don’t want to take the political risk of opposing the president. “But the individual liberty of Americans is not a political football, something to be tossed about when an election looms,” insists Barr. “It is the constitutional duty of lawmakers of both parties to defend the Constitution, even when they believe doing so might be politically inconvenient.”

Advocates of abandoning the Constitution warn us that we live in dangerous times. But Americans have long lived in dangerous times. “That didn’t stop the nation’s founders from creating a Constitution that secured individual liberty and limited government,” notes Barr. “It shouldn’t stop us from following the Constitution today.”

Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003, where he served as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, as Vice-Chairman of the Government Reform Committee, and as a member of the Committee on Financial Services. Prior to his congressional career, Barr was appointed by President Reagan to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and also served as an official with the CIA.

Since leaving Congress, Barr has been practicing law and has teamed up with groups ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the American Conservative Union to actively advocate every American citizens’ right to privacy and other civil liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Along with this, Bob is committed to helping elect leaders who will strive for smaller government, lower taxes and abundant individual freedom.

"Advocates of abandoning the Constitution". I like that tag, for both McCain and Obama.

Please- don't give me this "lesser of two evils" crap when discussing McCain or Obama. It's no more healthy than the "lesser of two eye gouges", or the "lesser of two genitalia mutilations".
It would take some kind of sado-masochism or willful ignorance to go that route this year.

What A Good President Should Be...

...John McCain is Not. Here are some differences between McCain and Bob Barr, per Barr:

Ron Paul's Ongoing Campaign

(Fishers, IN)- While Ron Paul is officially out of the race for the Republican Party's nomination for President, he is continuing his efforts with the launch of Ron Paul's Campaign For Liberty. It's a Political Action Committee with the following as it's mission statement:

The mission of the Campaign for Liberty is to promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a noninterventionist foreign policy, by means of educational and political activity.

With this launch, and without an endorsement of Bob Barr, to read between the lines is to conclude thusly: Ron Paul is continuing to work to "reform" the Republican Party. If you can have a mission statement like this, and not endorse Barr, I'm not sure what else there is to conclude.

I for one am not interested in reforming the Republican Party. I'm not interested in doing anything besides relegating it to the scrap heap of failed American political parties. They'd look good resting among the ashes of the Free Soil Party and the Communist Party USA. Paul gave it a fair shot, but was soundly rejected by Republicans in their primaries and caucuses. Republicans don't want liberty. They had their chance, and stomped on it.

I hope Paul's work of supporting candidates who promote liberty isn't limited to mostly Republicans and a few Democrats. It would render his PAC as the equal of the Club For Growth, which also mistakenly promotes mostly Republicans, and finds itself staring at an ever-growing government, with ever-growing amounts of taxes taken from the people, and ever-growing debt being generated as future taxes on future Americans.

It's Illegal For You, But A Civic Good If We Do It

(Mt. Sterling, OH)- Funny, I thought the City of Indianapolis was against billboards, because they are "ugly" and an "eyesore".

So, here's the City, after removing some commercial billboards after a protracted legal struggle, now installing some of it's own. I guess all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. From the Indy Star report:

A citywide campaign encouraging residents to report crimes launched today as community leaders unveiled a new billboard conveying the message: "It's not snitching -- it's caring."

and

While city leaders have always embraced the movement, this is the first year it has become a "major city initiative", said Marcus Barlow, a spokesman for Mayor Greg Ballard.

So, shame on me. I was once excited by Mayor Ballard, seemingly in tune with the rights of the people. Forgive me, but in retrospect, I think I was more excited just to see Bart Peterson unelected. 

Some day I'll learn not to get excited when a Republican or Democrat is elected to replace a proven loser. How's that Who song go?

Andy Horning's Platform

(Mt. Sterling, OH)- Andy Horning is the Libertarian candidate for Indiana governor, and he has a unique platform- The Indiana Constitution.

Andy's assertion is that, just like our US Constitution is ignored in the making of laws by the Congress, our state's Constitution is likewise ignored by our state legislature. Where does the governor come into play? The governor signs, or refuses to sign, bills into law. Andy Horning would not sign unconstitutional bills into law.

Check out this link to Andy's blog, where he was commented on the entire Indiana Constitution, bringing the document of 1851 into relevance for today.

Back-Up Beeps

(Mt. Sterling, OH)- I recently reacted to anti-hockey comments made Tiger Woods in a post, and since then, there have been some interesting developments. First, a sort-of retraction by Woods, by way of the Detroit Free Press:

"Oh yeah, I've gotten a lot of grief over that," Woods said Tuesday at Torrey Pines. "I love the sport. I love watching it, but I don't like watching it on TV. In person, it's absolutely incredible, what they're able to do and what they can do. TV doesn't do justice to that. But then neither does -- a lot of sports are the same way".

I'm glad he got a lot of grief. He earned it.  Golf is nearly as exciting as watching paint dry- in person, or on TV, and this retraction scarcely apologizes. In the meantime, I gave Gatorade some grief by sending them an email, expressing my displeasure. Here's their response:

Mike: 

We are sorry that you were offended by a remark the Tiger Wood (sic) made during his news conference at Oakland Hills Country Club.

Please be assured that we're sharing your comments with our sports marketing team. Our sponsorship of the NHL and our partnership with Sidney Crosby as a Gatorade athlete is clear indication of our respect for the sport of ice hockey, the National Hockey League, and the athletes.

Thank you for sharing our thoughts with us, Mike. We hope you will continue to hydrate at your hockey games by drinking Gatorade.

Michael

Gatorade Consumer Response

I imagine Michael was a busy guy, washing his hands of Woods. Well, this is all nice, and I appreciate the responsiveness by Gatorade, but Tiger Woods must pay. I'd be satisfied with a short scrap with Link Gaetz.

Game on!

Petty Little Tyrants

Abdul Hakim-Shabazz recently blogged that there may be retribution directed at those vocal Marion County opponents of property taxes when the reassessments are released. Ed Angleton reports that he is seeing such retribution:

I attended all the rallies, filed an appeal, and spoke unkindly about the ability of the Center Township Assessor's Office to assess their way out of a paper bag. Our neighbors did none of these.

Now comes the reassessment.

My assessment dropped from $256,000 to $232,000.
My neighbors dropped from $225,00 to $141,300.

Futhermore, I can point to two other neighbors who exprienced similar decreases, one for $193,00 to $114,000 and another that went from $254,400 to $170,200.

So, did the petty little tyrants choose to drop the hammer on my wife and I for speaking up?

You bet they did.

Petty little tyrants, indeed. This is government at its worst- when decision-making is arbitrary and capricious, when it is directed by revenge.

It is when I learn of stories like these that I think back to days gone by, when the oppressed tarred and feathered unjust officials, or sent them out of town on a rail, and think that such action was wholly justified. The apparent lack of ethics on the part of the Center Township Assessor's Office is staggering, and should be met with some punishment. We'll start here in the Court of Public Opinion, but somewhere, some higher authority should be slamming a hammer down on the Assessor's Office.

East St. Louis

Funny enough, when I was working in St. Clair County Illinois last week, I was sitting in the motel room drawing site sketches with the TV on for background noise. What should come on but Death Wish, 3. I thought, "was this filmed on location in East St. Louis?"

Here are two sites I had to photograph. The first series is of an actual job site. AT&T is building infrastructure that would provide high speed internet and video services. AT&T often takes criticism that it 'serves the rich folk first'. Hogwash. This area is bombed out. It reminds me of photos of WW2 Dresden. There are virtually no buildings left standing here. But AT&T is serving the poor folk. First. Pointlessly. Well, it's politically correct.

Standing at the AT&T manhole, looking at potential customers? This is one of three buildings in a 1000' radius. The rest are mere rubble and overgrowth.

This is a roadway. No kidding.

Next site is a church that I happened upon while looking for another site. Location is 9th & Summit. Unbelievable. When churches are left in this kind of state, you have a feel for how other property is regarded.

Barr Has Proven His Libertarian Chops

I hope at some point the left-libertarians become comfortable with Bob Barr such that he can stop going out of his way to show his “Libertarian Chops” like this and get to hammering on the biggest issues of the day more exclusively: Iraq/foreign policy; the dollar/taxes/spending/borrowing; energy policy.

There is a great opportunity for Barr to reach the American people very broadly, and it is important that he not self-marginalize by reaching so strenuously within the Libertarian Party. The nomination is won, and the time for this kind of campaigning is over. It ended in Denver, a few weeks ago.

So, as Bill Clinton got "It's the Economy, Stupid" down pat, let's see Barr get these down:

1. Iraq/foreign policy

2. The dollar/taxes/spending/borrowing

3. Energy policy

Barr's positions on the three most important issues of the day are winners. There's no point in him bogging down with correctness on issues of lesser weight.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Sad news to the Koles, frequent visitors to the Indy Zoo, from the Indy Star:

A Kodiak bear has died at the Indianapolis Zoo, the second bear to die this year and the third since November.

Ahkiok, a 21-year-old male, was found dead in his den at the zoo about 7 a.m. Tuesday, said Judith L. Gagen, the zoo’s director of communications. “It’s very sad for us. He was one of the favorites at the zoo,” she said.

Monday was Isabel's 3rd birthday, so we took her to the Zoo as part of her big day. One of her favorite books is Eric Carle's "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", and one of her favorite animals was this Kodiak Bear.

It's a bit of a shock, because he looked fine, lolling around in a pool of water to keep cool on a hot, humid Monday. Also, Ahkiok's brother died earlier this year, and we saw him just a day or two before he was put down.

Barr on Bloomberg Late Night



Let's hope supporters of liberty can now get beyond this "late to the dance" hang up. Anyone who comes around to liberty, no matter where they came from, is ok with me.

Part Two, on state's rights, abortion, public religious displays, and more:



Part Three, difference between McCain and Barr, and the difference between Ron Paul & Barr on support by racists, and Barr's approach to Iraq and foreign policy:

What The Hell Are We Doing?

OK, it's time to stir the puddin' a bit here, because the property tax furor is about to reignite. That salve that the Indiana Legislature tossed out hushed some voices for a while, but the uproar was about the cost, the burden of the tax, and that has not been addressed. From Abdul Hakim-Shabazz:

Marion County lawmakers got a briefing tonight on the property reconciliation bills that are going out this week and when it’s all said and done homeowners will wish their property was under 10 feet of water.

According to one lawmaker, “this is not going to be pretty.”

The briefing was conducted by Marion County Treasurer Mike Rodman. Residents will see very little, if any relief in most cases.

The lawmaker, who asked not to be identified said, “the people who were the most vocal last summer will be the ones who see the least amount of relief.”

That latter's real cute, isn't it? Well, many of these lawmakers may at long last find themselves unelected. Ask Indy Mayor Bart Peterson for some insights on it. Now, to the issue...

The base expenditure to come out of the property taxes are the schools. In any given county, anywhere from 50-70% of the property tax dollars go to the schools. In my county, Hamilton, it's 70%.

There were many reports in the Indy Star, USA Today, and other places, about the IPS graduation rates, being around 45%. This means that at least in Marion County/Indianapolis, taxpayers are dedicating huge amounts of money to the schools, which a majority of the recipients are REJECTING.

Maybe this is the right time to begin questioning the wisdom of education being publicly funded. If the recipients are rejecting it, and the people are crushed by the burden of paying for what is being rejected, then what in the hell are we doing? Are we just stupid?

Another Positive Sign

Here's a Mayor I can love. From the Huntington WV Hearld-Dispatch:

Mayor David Felinton says he will veto any pay raise that City Council intends to give him next week because it would send the wrong message to residents and other city employees.

Proponents of raising the mayor's $62,272 salary, however, say an increase is needed if Huntington wants to attract qualified candidates to run for the position in 2012.

Well, who knows better what the job is worth than the guy doing the job? Thumbs up, David Felinton!

US Senate Discovers Privatization

(Fishers, IN)- Read this quote, and see if you can guess who it comes from, courtesy the Washington Post:

"Candidly, I don't think the taxpayers should be subsidizing something that doesn't need to be. There are parts of government that can be run like a business and should be run like businesses."

Who is this channelling Milton Friedman? I would be stumped, too. I can't think of any Senator, Republican or Democrat, who would be saying such things these days, true though they are. This quote comes courtesy of a California Democrat- Dianne Feinstein, to be exact. The reason for this unexpected position? It's close to home. The Senate's restaurants are losing loads of taxpayer money:

Year after year, decade upon decade, the U.S. Senate's network of restaurants has lost staggering amounts of money -- more than $18 million since 1993, according to one report, and an estimated $2 million this year alone, according to another.

The financial condition of the world's most exclusive dining hall and its affiliated Capitol Hill restaurants, cafeterias and coffee shops has become so dire that, without a $250,000 subsidy from taxpayers, the Senate won't make payroll next month.

In my opinion, the federal government shouldn't be operating any restaurants on the Hill. You want lunch? There are plenty of restaurants in DC, and many of those will give you the separation from the riff-raff, er, American people, that you crave.

It will be interesting to see if this sudden seeing-the-light will translate into the rest of the country. What a positive development that would be.