The Living Wage, Explained

Many who claim to have a desire to advance the cause of 'social justice' support the idea of the living wage. This policy goes beyond the standard of the minimum wage, which such people believe substandard no matter what work the wage comes in exchange for, and recommends an hourly figure that provides a better standard of living.

Setting aside whether or not more income means a better standard of living (it doesn't if one cannot manage money), let's look at the subject from the cause and effect.

Consider that the employer is a municipal government, such as the City of Indianapolis. Let's use round figures to make it easy to observe the dynamic... the current wage is $5/hour for City workers. It has been asserted that nobody can really live too well on $5/hr, so the proposal is to make the wage $10/hr.

The City currently employs 20 people at $5/hr, which means the City spends $100/hr on labor. The City accepts the idea of the living wage, and commits to $10/hr for each worker.

Problem is, the City only has $100/hr to spend on labor. If it keeps all 20 people employed, it must now spend $200/hr on labor, if it is to keep 20 people on the payroll. Where will the extra money come from? Keep in mind that these are the times of shrinking budgets, and nobody from Bart Peterson to Gray Davis to George Bush has been able to assure citizens that their policies will be bringing budgets up to 1990's level funding.

One of three things has to happen. If the City is to maintain its' current spending level, it must fire 10 workers. If the City is to maintain its' current staffing level at the living wage, it must cut spending on other City services. The City may also maintain its' current staffing level at the living wage if it engages in deficit spending.

If you are a proponent of social justice and a proponent of the living wage, will you be the one willing to break the news to those who lose their jobs so that others may enjoy a living wage? Or, will you be the one to notify those who lose other City services so that City workers may enjoy the living wage? Or, will you be the one to notify your children, who inherit your deficit, that the idea was yours? It would be real social justice if you were made to do so.

By the way, the reason private companies cut jobs and wages is that they face the same problem as cities... except they do the right thing. Companies add to their labor costs when the money is flowing in. When the money stops, companies correctly contract so that they may survive. No company that plans to survive would add to the costs of labor when the money was running out. Cities tend to ignore reality by not making appropriate cutbacks, and worse, consider adding to labor costs through policies such as the living wage.

Think of your own budget. Do you increase spending when you get bad news from the boss? Or do you suck it up and cut back on spending? Families cut back. Companies cut back. Why should cities be any different?

The living wage is not social justice. It's social suicide. Unfortunately, there are those who want this for Indianapolis. It's one thing to subsidize others yourself. It's another to impose your will upon others despite all common sense, which is when it becomes malice.

Back From the Adirondacks

Ame & I took Shasta for a fun trip to upstate New York. It was great despite a cold 14-hour rain that cut the trip short. We had one outstanding, beautiful day of hiking and camping, hanging out with friends (and Groomsmen!) Steve and Greg. We hiked in, set up camp, fetched spring water and firewood, and then enjoyed lounging around for dinner and a campfire. It was as perfect a day as we've ever had there!

Saturday was as lousy a day as we've ever had there, thanks to the rain. I came to the conclusion that with both of our tents wet inside, along with clothes and sleeping bags, and temperatures under 50 degrees, we'd never get dry, and only be the more miserable. We packed up and hiked out and looked for ways to extend the trip outside our original agenda. The drive away from the campsite, through the winding mountain roads, was very enjoyable as we took in misty hilltop views that were sprinkled of violent reds in some trees among the leafy trees that have not yet turned and the pines.

At the end of the day, it's like I told Greg's friend, Jon The Photographer- a bad day at the Pond beats a good day looking up sewer pipes.

A Favored Columnist

I have been enjoying the writing of Walter Williams for some time. His recent column on freedom of association is brilliant. The topic is rarely mentioned, but is a key component to any free state. Examine the degree to which freedom of association exists in this country, and you may not enjoy the conclusions you draw. If so, you will be correct.

It struck me earlier today that two of my favorite political writers are black economists. I also enjoy the thinking of Thomas Sowell.

There is something very intellectually satisfying about the consistent application of cause and effect, devoid of emotion, that economics provides that explains political solutions to human 'problems' so well: the law of unintended consequences. These men may not be dazzling wordsmiths, but they are brilliant thinkers, and I enjoy their work very much.

A Favored Place

Later this week, Ame & I will head for the Adironadacks, specifically to Long Pond, for a few days of camping in a rather remote location. We'll meet up with friends from New York City, Steve and Greg. For Ame & Shasta (our dog), it will be the second such adventure. I think this will be my sixth trip.

I always feel like Teddy Roosevelt when I go here. I don't know if TR actually traversed Long Pond itself, but I could imagine him enjoying it, if he had. The area is so remote that I've encountered other humans on less than half of the trips. The log at the trailhead often goes unsigned for months at a time. The trails are thin, and the markers are faded. Greg, Steve, and I actually re-established the trail from Long Pond to the John Mack Pond, as it was completely overgrown.

My favorite Long Pond moment was discovering an obscured natural spring that was listed in a trail book published in the 1960s. It is easily the best water I have ever drank.

This time, there is the possibility of seeing aurora borealis, plus the beginnings of fall foliage. It should be awesome!

Slaps in the Face

While we earn respect from some, others prefer to just raise their hand over head and bring it crashing down with a contemptuous swat. The Indy Star has so smacked the LP twice in the past four days.

In Thursday's paper, the issue of a Democratic suit challenging the Mariob County ballot was covered. While it may be a fight between Dems and the GOP, Libertarian candidates are just as affected by any change to the placement of candidate names as the other two parties. The reporter didn't bother to contact the LP for comment. Also, the graphic used featured Dem and GOP logos, but did not include one from the LP, which is a glaring ommission from a graphic titled, "Election 2003". After all, there are about 20 LP candidates in Marion County, not an insignificant number. (The online version sadly does not include the logo.)

In today's issue, a Top Five list is posted in referrence to the ballot issue, suggesting the inclusion of a phrase advising the voter that a vote for an LP candidate is a wasted vote.

How do I sum these up? Lazy, sloppy, and unconscionable. Poor journalism. Disrespectul.

I expect the LP to take lumps when it does something stupid that affects people. Here, we take lumps for no good reason at all. I expect that from Nuvo, but at least because they understand us and fear liberty.

Respect

Thursday night's Hob Nob event was great fun, and a real boost. The Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce sponsors the annual event, where candidates for City-County Council and Mayor gather to distribute literature, circulate, and glad-hand.

Klop had a table along with his Democratic and Republican fellow challengers. This was the second time we have encountered the Dem, and the first time I met the Republican. We set up Brad's brochures and buttons, though I think more pols picked up the stuff than members of the general public. Unfortunately, the public really didn't show up in great numbers, which is sad since this event was likely the single greatest gathering of hopefuls that there will be.

The most striking thing was the respect given to the Libertarian Party. Our opponents were very gracious, and actually pretty eager to talk shop with us. This is again in stark contrast to the Ohio experience, where the LP is treated with scorn and derision as a matter of courtesy. I was personally thanked by Mayor Bart Peterson for the work of the LP, which was exceptionally gratifying.

I know, I know- it's a happy smile face event, and everyone there was sporting the brown lipstick, but still! Dennis Kucinich never thanked me for 'doing what I do to improve the community' back in Cle.

County Chair Sam Goldstein participated in a tri-partisan chair's rountable, which was broadcast on WIBC. Goldstein was given equal billing and equal time by all involved, and it was refreshing and encouraging.

Indiana Continues to Confound a Buckeye

When I moved to Indy from Cleveland, I was immediately struck by Indiana having a significantly more fiscally conservative governor than Ohio. The rub: the late Frank O'Bannon was an Indiana Democrat, and Ohio gov. Bob Taft is a Republican.

Now, the Indianapolis mayoral race leaves me doing a double-take. GOP candidate Greg Jordan is against expanding corporate welfare and socialized football, while the incumbent, Democrat Bart Peterson favors expanding support for the Colts.

The public has weighed in mightily against an extra penny for the Colts. It's rare that I agree with the public and a GOP candidate on a corporate welfare issue, but there we are. I smile and I realize yet again that I do not miss Ohio.

Retail Politics

The Brad Klopfenstein campaign has hit the neighborhoods the last two days on the near East side of Indianapolis, as Brad has knocked on about 100 doors each night, talking to the voters of District 15, and handing out literature.

He reports two things: 1) Have voter registration forms on hand, especially in recently revitalized neighborhoods, and, 2) Really interested voters will ask for specifics on his positions. Of course, he's glad to give details.

Anyone wishing to join the Klopfenstein for Council team can email me at: mikekole@msn.com

An issue fell into our lap, thanks to an article in today's Indy Star. It seems that Indy and some suburban communities have been exploring the possibility of light rail.

Normally, the purely libertarian approach would be to point out that no private operator would touch passenger rail because it would lose money and serve the few at the expense of the many. In Brad's inner city district, we'll point out the same thing- serving the few at the expense of the many- but demonstrating that in this case, the money would benefit suburbanites at the expense of all, including inner city residents. We will also point out that the money blown on the study could have better been spent in protecting inner city residents, improving inner city infrastructure, etc.

Let's Set Theory Aside For a Moment

I love to argue passionately against socialized health care, but the fact is, I do so from theory. I don't really know what socialized medicine looks like. Then again, neither do I know what wholly free-market medicine looks like. Our mixed economy makes empirical evidence hard to gather in favor of my preferred way.

Ah, Canada. Whenever an example of a better health care system is sought, Canada is so frequently the answer. After all, Americans are now increasingly buying their prescription drugs from Canada, so they must be doing something right.

You can gather empirical evidence on Canada's socialist system. How about a Canadian perspective, then?

Putting the Fun in Fundraising

For Brad's campaign, we both agreed that we would avoid boring events and plain ol' stump speeches as fundraising material. So far, so good. We have had two events- a trip to a minor league baseball game and an evening at a nightclub with a swingin' rockabilly band, King Creole.

Next up is a poker party at my place, this Friday night. We'll ask for a $50 donation, and donors will play poker at 9:00pm with chips for fun and door prizes. I'll also serve dinner at 8:00pm along with snacks, sodas, and beer. Those wishing to attend need to RSVP ASAP by email at mikekole@msn.com.

We'll probably have one more poker night, and I'll probably also host a TV party featuring Ayn Rand-related videos. I had the crazy idea that we should have a Gong Show party, but that would be way too much work to put together at this point. That would be a riot! Maybe I'll save that idea for a Marion County fundraiser down the road.

Stars & Bars 'Wither Irony' 2

The first one was the occurences of the Stars & Bars sticker on a bumper next to the 'United We Stand' sticker. The second, which I have begun to notice frequently, is the ol' Stars & Bars alongside 'One Nation Under God'.

Think about it.

Dean vs. Goliath

Howard Dean vs. George W. Bush? No, I'm talking about a real David- Dean Barkley. Fortunately, the local media is really starting to talk about Mr. Barkley, Libertarian candidate for Carmel, IN Mayor, this way.

Last night's Fox 59-TV coverage of Dean Barkley's run for Mayor was nothing but positive, showing him as the reluctant but determined candidate, a simple small business owner who was one of many who were left out of the process by a Republican Mayor who really didn't care if his city's road project negatively impacted them. (Fox 59 has a teaser on their website on 'The Construction Candidate', but not a full story, sadly.)

This morning's Indianapolis Star has a feature on Dean in their Hamilton County section. It tells the story nicely.

The Mayor raised some $240,000 for the primary, and is now gearing up to raise more money. If raising money is the name of the game, Mayor Jim Brainard may be in for a bit of a shock. While Barkley's campaign manager says that they look to raise about $50,000, I am betting that they can raise every bit as much as Brainard (meaing six figures plus), so thorough is the dissatisfaction among Republicans and among small business owners, who would have been less surprised and disappointed if Brainard's big government and heavy-handed tendencies came from a Democrat. Alas, the Republicans are revealed as being just about the same.

This is going to be very exciting to watch, as Barkley loads the slingshot with stones.

If Currency Must Be Changed

One thing I really like about American currency is that despite numerous minute changes on the bills over the years, the basic design has remained relatively unchanged for the last 80 or so years. The size, shape, colors, and even the men whose portraits adorn the bills have not been altered in that time.

I like that. It points to the great stability of the United States and its’ economy.

Take a $1 bill from 1935 and one from today and compare. The biggest difference is that the 1935 note is usually a Silver Certificate, and it represented ‘one dollar in silver payable to the bearer on demand’. Yes, that Federal Reserve Note is not redeemable for anything… except the goods or services it can fetch. Also, the back of the 1935 bill lacks the phrase ‘In God We Trust’. Ah, let’s revisit those conversations another day. This will make the point: I collect the Silver Certificates, and have received them in change in the last five years, even though they were last produced in 1957. They are that similar.

That said, I have found a compelling change proposal to the back of the U.S. $1 bill, suggested by middle school civics teacher Randy Wright, and found on his website www.libertydollarbill.org. Wright is suggesting that U.S. Constitution should replace the All-Seeing Eye and the Great Seal of the United States.

His suggestion is that the entire Preamble to the Constitution, and descriptions of the various Amendments be written on the bill. Politicians have been warming up to the idea, and a couple years ago, HR xxxx was introduced recommending adoption of the new design.

I like the idea of the Preamble. Everyone should feast their eyes upon it every now and again so as to see what gave rise to the founding of this country. Placing it on the back of the $1 bill would ensure that everyone could see it every day.

I don’t like the idea of using interpretive descriptions of the Amendments. Interpretation is the job of the Supreme Court, and even then, I wouldn’t care to have what about half of them would have to say about it. The Constitution and the Amendments are rather like art- in the eye of the beholder, and best seen in their unblemished, original form.

Printing all ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights would be wonderful. Maybe they wouldn’t all fit. USA Today’s Tony Mauro suggests that printing the First Amendment would be a great thing. I wouldn’t have any great objection to that.

Whether it’s the Amendments or dollar bills, I like to see them messed with and changed as little as possible.

Vive Bold and Italic Type!

One download of the most current Internet Exploder, and life is peaches and cream!

Well, here I go again, trying to make up for a nine-day lag...

Web Nonsense

Forgive me, Wired, for I have no technical skills. I am the great unwashed, heavily reliant upon point-and-click simplicity, utterly ignorant of code.

For days, I have been unable to access my blog via Internet Explorer. This morning it dawned on me that IE could be the problem, so I tried using Netscape. Voila! So here are these quick posts. Problem is, not all of the buttons are visible to me, so I can't insert links, or use bold or italic type. Arrgh! I'll have to download more current versions of both browsers and see what becomes available to me.

I Can't Wait to Watch the TV News!

I don't think I've uttered such a phrase in better than ten years, so insipid, so vacuous is the usual fare on the broadcast news. But tonight, while there may well be coverage of car crashes or house fires, there will also be a feature on Dean Barkley on Fox 59-TV at 10:00.

Dean is running for Mayor of Carmel, IN on the Libertarian ticket. All indications are that this is the kind of coverage Libertarian candidates tend not to get- positive coverage.

My VCR is fired up, and so am I!

Big League or Thrid World?

That seems to be the big, pressing question before the good people of Indianapolis. Oh, it hasn't been stated this way explicitly, but I think it should be. Here are the two local stories on the front page of this morning's Indy Star:

Headline, above the fold, uppermost left- "City debates if paying Colts would pay off".

Headline, above the fold, center, below the Colts story, "Insufficient Infrastructure. Storm deluge sends raw sewage gushing".

The stories placed side-by-side like this makes the choice clear- fix the sewers.

It is rare that libertarians argue for common resources and common funding. However, most libertarians will argue that sewers and other infrastructure are among the rare instances where common resources are appropriately administered by government. The argument can successfully be made for privatization of sewers, but for the time being, they are a common resource. So long as they are, they should be fully funded and fully functional, and should not overflow every time better than a half-inch of rain falls.

It is quite the mind-blower that people are arguing for socialized football, and worse, making it a priority over sewers.

The bitter irony here is that, "to proponents, it's money well spent for being 'big-league'". Look to the city that hosts the Colts opener today: Cleveland. That city has had major league baseball since the 1890's, the NFL with a three-year gap since 1950, and the NBA since 1970. That city's big league status wasn't called into question when the Browns left for Baltimore in 1996. It was called to the mat when the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969. Ever since, when a comedian has needed a cheap laugh and didn't wish to use profanity, he uttered the word, "Cleveland".

If Indianapolis begins to have cases of cholera because raw sewage escapes the system with heavy rains, all the football welfare in the world won't save the city from worldwide stigma. Cleveland will breath a sigh of relief and pass the torch to us.

The Libertarian Party has been on the correct side of both of these issues for years: Fund the sewage system. Leave the Colts to the free enterprize system.

You Cannot Be Asking To Be Taken Seriously

As a campaign manager, I watched in awe as George W. Bush came to my home town of Indianapolis for a fundraiser. The man raised as much with one dinner plate- $2,000- as Brad might in the average two-week span. Of course, Bush is President, and Brad is running for City-County Council. I have no protest. I can appreciate supply and demand on this one. The President raised about $1.5 million with the event.

Roughly 200 people showed up outside the dinner venue to protest. The most common objections were to the dinner's price tag, with assertions made about the immorality of making politics a money game, and how $2,000 could feed so many people. Here's a link to protest video from Rtv6.

Here is my challenge to the Bush protestors: have your candidate walk your walk. Contact the person you want for the next President of the United States. Ask that person to refuse to raise any money. If that person has raised any money, ask that it be given away ASAP.

Then, see which happens first- your candidate agrees, or Bush reads the works of Karl Marx to Alan Greenspan's bedside at sleepytime.

I did a google search and discovered a site called whitehouseforsale.org. I figured that this would be a clearing house for information on campaign dollars raised by Presidential candidates. It is. Sort of. A search of their site turns up the following number of responses to the following names:

Bush = 67
Dean = 3
Kucinich = 1
Gore = 0
Lieberman = 2
Kerry = 2

They have chronicled every stop by the Bush campaign, and every dollar reported thus far. It's impressive work. It's also impressive that Bush has already raised over $54 million.

To search the site, and to read their posts, one might conclude that Democratic Presidential hopefuls do not raise any money.

Alas. In 2000, more than $132 million was raised by a huckster politician, devoid of principles, and certainly not feeding the hungry. That was Al Gore.

What about this year?

John Kerry = $16,028,266
John Edwards = $11,936,277
Howard Dean = $10,547,980
Dick Gephardt = $9,750,802
Joe Lieberman = $8,151,575

I couldn't find this info on whitehouseforsale.org. While they work hard to expose every dollar Bush raises and condemn it as evil, they don't even bother researching those on their side who do the same, though not quite as well. The info on the Democrats was found on a site called opensecrets.org. It's obviously a far less biased site than whitehouseforsale, and a much better clearing house for such information.

whitehouseforsale.org is an arm of Public Citizen. Public Citizen is the tool of Ralph Nader.

Oh, in 2000, Ralph Nader raised $8,433,778 and accepted $723,308 in Federal funds. If the White House is for sale, can we assume from this that Nader was merely one of the low bidders? If he was abiding by his stated principles, should he have even been in the bidding? Couldn't Nader have left that Federal money alone for the hungry to be fed instead? So much for his principles.

Libertarian Harry Browne refused to accept any Federal dollars- on principle. Some day, maybe Ralph can live up to Harry.

I have no problem with raising money from willing contributors to support a candidate. Money is a tool, and is not the end-all, be-all. Democrats in Indiana should know this. After all, the 2002 Democratic Secretary of State candidate Fernandez outspent his Republican rival, spending over $1 million in all, and still lost, mainly due to negative campaigning.

Maybe there lies some insight for leftists: try to be positive rather than endlessly on the attack. Promote yourself and your vision. To be negative all the time is to confirm the absence of a vision.

So, I say bully for George W. Bush. Congratulations on collecting such a fat bag o' swag.

Wither Irony?

I've lost count, but I'm sure I've seen instances of this post-9/11 phenomenon more than 50 times now: the appearance of two bumper stickers on the same vehicle, one sporting 'United We Stand', and the other the Confederate Stars & Bars. Nobody with any clue at all what the Confederacy was can possibly endorse a slogan like 'United We Stand'.

Perhaps, therein lies the rub.

Libertarian Getting the Ink

While Libertarian candidates such as Brad get lost in the shuffle of politics in Indy- of the State, County, and City varieties- they get noticed in almost every other county except Marion. Prime example: Dean Barkley.

Dean is the owner of Extreme Outfitters. He was inspired to run for Mayor of Carmel, IN when the street on which his business is situated was closed abruptly by city government. Barkley and other retailers felt excluded from consideration by the closing, and Dean emerged as a sort of spokesman for the group. His comments were picked up by the Indy Star.

Dean is going to be an excellent candidate. He is respected by his peers, and is thoughtful and well-spoken. He may not be a favorite to win in a highly Republican city like Carmel, but he will put important issues in front of voters at least until November, such as the idea that government serves citizens (not vice versa), and open communication between government and businesses and residents.

The Star's Hamilton County edition subsequently had an article reporting Barkley's candidacy. It appeared as the headline on the Hamilton County section.

That article also mentioned two other Hamilton County candidates, Mark Schreiber and Rob Place. It's great stuff. I look forward to this kind of coverage for Marion County candidates such as Brad and Rev. Greg Dixon.

Campaign Update

When Brad Klopfenstein asked me to be his campaign manager, I told him that by any conventional standard, I'd be pretty useless to him. I've been in Indiana less than a year, and didn't even know the size or shape of his district.

In fairness, nobody knows the shapes of districts. They had been gerrymandered to shapes that Rand McNally never dreamed of up until this year, when they were redrawn. Also, Brad knows the lay of the land. He needs me to give him ideas, to manage some details, and to keep him going. That I can handle!

So far, Brad has raised more money than his opponents, combined. Shall I remind you that Brad is a Libertarian, and that his opponents are a Democrat and a Republican? Brad is definietly outworking his opponents, meeting with neighborhood groups and planning volunteer action throughout the district.

We've been having fun with the fundraising. He raised about $400 with a trip to a ball game. We're looking to have other social events as fundraisers rather than stuffy speeches.

We're getting the buttons, yard signs, and fridge magnets made up, moving things along. The next big step is to get the major media interested in saying more than the usual polite, 'oh-by-the-way-a-Libertarian-is-also-running' kind of mention. I am hopeful that at the very least the reporters will notice that Brad is outworking the opposition... and then print it.

Other Wrongful Civil Disobedience

The Paul Hill story is the more widely reported wrong-headed civil disobedience story I've encountered lately. The other story was that of the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) people who released 10,000 mink from captivity and into the wild.

The mink belonged to someone as property. ALF was guilty of the destruction of property.

Oh yes- destruction of property. Of the estimated 10,000 that escaped, only 9,000 were recovered. What happened to the other 1,000? From the Seattle Times:

"Brad Roesler said his family and neighbors set out traps and tromped through the woods with fishing nets and wire loops like the ones dog catchers use. While most of the animals had been returned to cages last night, scores of others died from dehydration or from being struck by cars. "

So, for a group that espouses the deep concern and respect for animal life, this was rather a boneheaded stunt, that ended up in the death of 1,000 mink sooner rather than later. Geniuses.

The spokesperson for a fur trade organization was left to talk sense and real concern for the animals.

Teresa Platt, executive director of the San Diego-based Fur Commission USA, said the mink had been hand-raised by the Roeslers. She said the mink don't know how to hunt for food or water.

"This is a great example of animal cruelty," said Platt, who estimated the damage at the farm at $500,000. "They're trying to terrorize the farmer into giving up his livelihood. That's ecoterrorism."

For those who think that property rights and ownership of animals, and respect for animals is incompatible, I will point to a free market solution that my camping-pal-in-laws, Cindy and David, subscribe to. I'm not sure that this is the one, but it is the same in spirit: the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary.

This is a farm where animals are raised for the purpose of living full lives until they die of natural causes. Those who support this more humane kind of animal liberation pay annual sponsorship fees, that support the feeding and care of these animals, as well as the salaries of the people who work there, the free range land they graze on, etc.

This is the free market at work- creating peaceful solutions to issues some people see as problems. It's all voluntary, and nobody is harmed, and nobody is deprived of their livelihood or property, and the animal rights supporter gets to exercise his conscience, all of which is very respectful.

One Less Moron

Paul Hill was executed today in exchange for having killed a doctor who performed abortions, along with the doctor's body guard. Hill acted on the grounds that killing fetuses is wrong. Hill apparently saw no irony or contradiction in this. Could he really have valued potential human life more highly than actual human life? His actions demonstrate that he did. Either that, or he was greatly confused.

From the CNN story:

Since losing his automatic appeals, Hill did not fight his execution and insisted up to the day before his death that he would be forgiven by God for killing to save the unborn.

"I expect a great reward in heaven," he said in an interview Tuesday, during which he was cheerful, often smiling. "I am looking forward to glory."

Clearly, this man was a moron.

I have no tolerance for violent civil disobedience. There is no difference between the Christian Hill and the Islamic suicide bomber. Their motive is the same: mystic justice. Their means is the same: violence. Their justification is the same: I meet God if I meet my death.

To complete this thought, consider that the state killed the man who killed the doctor who killed the fetuses. Whoa.

Apologies- Sort Of

The symptoms of Lyme Disease have proven to be somewhat debilitating. Mainly, I have experienced serious fatigue in the past two weeks, hence no activity here. At the same time, the website had been down for six days straight, hence no activity here. It's a shame because I had a lot of topics I wished to cover. Let's see if I can make up for lost time.

Camping Weekend

I'm excited for a weekend of camping, but I'm also somewhat apprehensive. I was bitten by a tick two weeks ago, and have developed many of the symptoms associated with Lyme Disease. The idea of possibly picking up another tick is less than appealing. Plus, it's going to be humid as all get-out, which I don't care for.

Fortunately, Ame & I are meeting up with her cousin Cindy, and her husband, David, in southern Ohio. It should be a hoot!

Calling Mr. Boortz!

Yesterday, on his radio show, Neal Boortz continued to discuss the improper use of eminent domain by governments. A proper use might be for the construction of a road. The kind of improper uses he is spotlighting are like those of the case of the New York Times: a large corporation becomes a jilted suitor in its' attempt to purchase land from its' current owners. Frustrated, they go to municipal government and lobby for the literal theft and transfer of the land on the basis that their use will generate greater tax revenues than the current use.

Ironically, hypocritically, the New York Times has long railed against corporations bullying the 'little guy' on their editorial pages. In real life, the Times is the same corporate bully they decry.

You ask, 'so what'? Isn't a greater tax net a greater good for all citizens? After all, more money can then be put into programs and services.

No. Theft is theft, and theft is never justified. Even if employed to fend off starvation, theft is the negation of someone's right to property. The so-called 'social justice' espoused by so many in this world is the assert of the right to violate another human being. That is not justice. It's the ugliest possible side of democracy: mob rule. Democracy must be more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. When a government sanctions theft, it encourages anarchy. When corporate dollars merge with government power, the small business owner best beware, if not flee.

I called Neal to remind him and his listeners that there is a non-profit, legal defense organization that defends the rights that matter, the ones the ACLU leaves out, namely property rights. That group, which defends all Ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights, is called the Institute for Justice. Here's hoping that Neal will interview one of their lawyers soon.

Fun Blog Research

My Blog comes equipped with eXTReMe Tracking (isn't that spelling cute?), which tells me not only how many visitors I have each day, week, and month, but who has a website with a link that sends folks my way, but also what kind of search they might have used on a Google or Yahoo to find me. It's fascinating what people search for.

I would not have guessed that people are doing Google searches for "Dennis Kucinich looks like hitler," but they do. When they do, they get my blog and a host of other sites with the same observation I first made when I was 11 years old.

I'm hoping the fans of organic foods who did their search for "Newman O's" and got my blog had reason to question. Same goes for those searching "Warren Buffet against tax cut reason".

If I May Change the Subject...

The only subject on the tongues of a great many of the citizens of Indianapolis is property taxes. As the issue exploded, Mayor Bart Peterson, a Democrat, immediately sought to distance himself from any responsibility for his (or anyone else's) inability or willingness to cut spending in the face of obviously shrinking revenues. Now he's run away from the subject entirely, by creating an issue where there was none, citing the 'problem' of adult bookstores and peepshows.

"National and state laws allow for adult businesses to operate in our country, but that doesn't mean they have free reign to threaten public health," said Peterson.

Well, Mr. Peterson? How are these businesses threatening public health? No reply in the article. None will be forthcoming. It isn't necessary. The purpose for introducing the legislation is to dodge the property tax issue while trying to lure conservative voters from Republican Greg Jordan.

It must be that Mr. Peterson believes the economy of this city is so robust, so vibrant, so positively bursting at the seams, that the businesses he doesn't like- or more accurately, the ones he thinks undecided voters don't like- can be shut down at whimsical times. Maybe he believes that if the porn shop is closed on Sunday, the would-be customers will choose instead to go to church. Sure, either way they talk to God, but: Are ye mad?

In the meantime, other business is leaving the city. Lafayette Mall is apparently suffering the loss of a major retailer, JC Penney. Interestingly, there is a poll on the page with the article linked in the previous sentence. It asks, "Will Lafayette Square Mall be able to survive after losing both Lazarus and JC Penney this year?" With 153 votes in, it's 85% saying, 'no'. Thanks, Mr. Mayor!

Normally, I wouldn't assign blame to a Mayor for a retailer leaving. But since Mayor Peterson believes it is his business to stick his nose in the retail business, it's clearly his fault. If he were attending to keeping retailers here instead of shutting them down according to his tastes and schedule, Indianapolis would be in better shape on Tuesday morning than it will be.

What's $2 Million?

$2 million, times every commercial airliner in the United States. That's billions of dollars.

No matter. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) thinks that every airliner should be equipped with devices that would help thwart shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile attacks. In February, Boxer introduced legislation that would force airlines to spend the money so equipping their planes. It is coming to light now that an arms dealer was apprehended trying to sell such weapons.

Here are some questions that immediately spring to mind:

Is there really so significant a threat of this kind of terrorism against domestic flights?

Aren't we spending too much money and time on the war on terrorism?

Isn't the war on terrorism little more than a boogeyman designed to help George W. Bush put money in the pockets of his defense contractor pals?

Wait a minute. Aren't those the kind of questions Democrats ask? And yet, here we have two Democrats, Boxer and co-sponsor Charles Schumer (D-NY) contradicting that kind of rhetoric in a blatant and very expensive way.

Yes, I know that an arms dealer was apprehended attempting to sell the shoulder-fired guns. Yes, I know that there are a lot of people in this world that wish to do Americans harm. And yes, I generally come from the perspective that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

However, this is a fantastically expensive preventive measure. It was one thing to force automakers to install seat belts. That came at a cost to every purchaser of every car, but it was a relatively small cost, and addressed a threat that is very real in every day life.

Let the airlines choose to equip or not to equip. There are those who will choose to fly on the airlines who equip, despite a doubling or tripling of fares because they feel safer doing so. There are those who will choose to fly unequipped airlines for the savings on the fare, taking their chances.

Life isn't perfect, and putting a Star Wars system on an airliner cannot prevent a terrorist from devising other ways of getting to us. It may, however, help the terrorists achieve their goal of bringing our economy to its' knees.

Fun Campaign Event Today

Brad Klopfenstein is putting the 'fun' in fundraising. No rubber chicken dinner today. Rather, a very personal fundraiser, as he has invited friends and associates for a day out at the ballgame. He is asking for a donation of $25, while he supplies the tickets. Then plan is to work for seed money from those closest to him first, to gain their support before going into the cold, harsh world or fundraising from people we don't know nearly as well as his family and friends. These people know Brad, and what he is about, so they don't need a stump speech from him.

The AAA Indianapolis Indians, farm club of the Milwaukee Brewers, host the New York Mets' affiliate, the Norfolk Tides today at 2pm at Victory Field. That's fitting, as victory is what we're working for.

Nary an Edit!

This hasn't happened in years! The local 'alternative' arts & news paper, NuVo, printed my letter without deleting, paraphrasing or adding a single word. They've thwarted my before & after exercise! I'm rather pleased. Here's the letter:

Who can blame Steve Laudig's choice of Hawaii for his Ph.D. studies? Indy's loss is the 50th state's gain.

I am hopeful that you continue to look to the law offices on the corner of Market & Alabama for the issuing of blunt statements that need saying and the tormenting of the powers-that-be. You see, the firm of Laudig, George, Rutherford & Sipes is not only home to a Democratic power, but a Libertarian power as well.

Laudig's partner Mark Rutherford is the State Chair of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. Under Rutherford's direction, the LPIN has blossomed into a respected and growing party, gaining the admiration and support of citizens feeling the weight of property tax increases and of small business owners. LP candidates such as Rev. Greg Dixon and Brad Klopfenstein are poised to challenge seriously for City-County Council seats in November.

Democrats are no longer the underdogs in this city, and Laudig helped make this so. Libertarians won't be underdogs for long, either, and Rutherford will have had a significant hand in the rise, both in Indianapolis and statewide.

-Michael R. Kole
Secretary, Libertarian Party of Indiana

I honestly didn't even think they would print it. I have long been down on NuVo for at once calling themselves, "Indy's Free Thinking Entertainment Source," because 'free thinking' on their pages usually means 'Democrat' or 'socialist'. But hey, I was wrong and gave them too little credit. Now I say, "Thank You".

Bus Blues

Great gravy, has school resumed already? I've had to stop in traffic, seeing the yellow busses with the railroad crossing quality warning signals flashing ahead, letting kids on and off.

Every year, I get to thinking about the costs of bsuing kids to school. No- this isn't a complaint about desegregation busing. This is a complaint about busing kids in general.

With all of the charges of childhood obesity and poor physical condition, the bus looks like yet another enabler of that condition. Let the kids discover that they have legs, and that those things below the waist do a remarkable job of propelling from A-to-B.

With all of the budgetary shortfalls school administrators endlessly wail about, consider how many more books, computer labs, athletic items, and heck, roof repairs, could be had, if not for the expenditures related to busses:

The bus itself
Fuel for the bus
Maintenance for the bus
A bus barn
Property on which the bus barn sits
Security for these facilities

The salary of the bus driver
Benefits for the bus driver
Matching taxes- social security, workers comp., etc, for the driver
Ditto these three for the maintenance staff
Ditto these three for security

Insurance on the bus itself
On the bus barn
On the property on which the bus barn sits
On the bus driver
On the maintenance staff
On the security

I think of all of the fuel wasted in traffic as cars sit while mommies fuss one last time before the kid gets on the bus. I think of it in terms of lost money and gained pollution. I think of the time lost. I think of the lost opportunity for a nice, brisk, one-mile daily walk in the morning. I think of property released for other uses, generating tax revenues in so many ways. I think of new books, repaired roofs, new tubas, and new athletic gear. Get rid of the busses!

Certainly, the savings would be enough to put one copy Atlas Shrugged in the teacher's lounge, and a copy of The Road to Serfdom on the School Board President's desk.

A Great Idea

Neal Boortz talked about a new method for taxation over two whole shows last week: the national sales tax.

The first time I heard the idea, I was against it, because I did not know that it is a proposition to replace all other taxes. In that case only, it would be an excellent idea.

Consider only a few small items that are subject to taxation today, and shouldn't be: savings and investment. It's such horrible policy to tax savings. Doing so punishes prudent, thrifty behavior, discouraging many from doing saving and investing. Taking all taxes off of interest earned in passbook savings accounts and CD's, and dividends earned from stocks, will encourage people from all walks of life to participate in these most beneficial activities.

Read up on this. The Fair Tax is a wonderfully good idea.

Campaign Manager

I've agreed to manage Brad Klopfenstein's campaign for City-County Council, District 15, in Marion County/Indianapolis.

That's a funny thing, because Brad is the Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. By virtue of his job, he's made all the contacts and he knows all the people he needs to reach and all the events he needs to attend. By conventional wisdom, I'm perfectly useless as a campaign manager. After all, I've been in Indiana less than a year.

What I can offer Brad is inspiration, motivation, and the whipcracking of a taskmaster. That is something he really wants to have, so it will be unconventionally perfect.

We're running to win, which means we will raise money, make lots of appearances, go door-to-door, and try to win over the press. We have a tall task ahead of us, but we start with some fuel. The Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Brad over his Democratic and Republican rivals. Also, he has some money left from previous campaigns that will be put to work here. But the district is mainly Democrat. We're used to working with taking votes from Republicans. Taking them from Democrats is a new challenge. We're working on strategy to do just that. It's our best chance.

Brad has a good theme to work from: Restoring Pride and Integrity to Indy Neighborhoods. That should resonate with voters of any pursuasion.

Less than 90 days until the election. It seems like a lot of time and no time at all, at once. I know it will go quickly.

Time to Compare Attendance Figures

Al Barger posted praise of Lynyrd Skynyrd about a month ago, lamenting that band's absence from the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame while the Sex Pistols are there. I emailed Al and argued in defence of Mr. Rotten and the gang's place, saying that while Skynyrd may have made sweeter tunes, the Pistols' have had a lasting impact, inspiring more folks to form a band even today than Skynyrd ever has. Plus, 'God Save The Queen' is easily the late 20th Century's best- and most effective- protest song ever recorded.

As luck would have it, both bands are currently on tour, and both will play Chicago (closest stop to Indy) on the same day- August 29th.

Oak tree, your're in my way, I'm off to see the Sex Pistols!

Dennis The Menace

Howard Dean is soaking up most of the limelight as myopic Stalinist dwarf #1 among Democratic presidential hopefuls. He has a rival, who is his idealogical equal: Dennis Kucinich.

It has always struck me that if you drew a Hitler moustache on Dennis, he'd really look a lot like Hitler. The only other politician who comes close in this exercise is Rudy Gulliani. Fittingly, Dennis is much more the socialist than Rudy is.

Back in Cleveland yet again this weekend, I was amused to see a Cleveland Plain Dealer article by Michael Heaton. He used to have a column called 'the Minister of Culture' which led me to call him the 'Sinister Vulture'. Now he writes politics, thereby demonstrating the contempt the Pee Dee has for politics.

Heaton argues that it would be great to have Kucinich as president, no matter his politics, because he'd be great for getting attention on Cleveland. No, actually, that's why he was voted to the House of Representatives, where he'd be there for Clevelanders. As President, he is supposed to act on behalf of all Americans.

But people should know Dennis' past. He took a bad situation in Cleveland and made it infinitely worse, turning a Republican's deficits into his City's default in the late 70's, relaunching all of the Cleveland jokes that became the rage when the Cuyahoga River caught fire in the late 60's. Any time any faltering comedian needed a quick cheap laff, the word 'Cleveland' was uttered and the guffaws followed. One cannot help but think that history would repeat itself in every way if Dennis were to become President, and that the words, 'the United States of America' would be spoken to the same result worldwide as the word 'Cleveland' once was, thanks so much to him. Fortunately for this fading Republic, Kucinich hasn't a prayer.

People should look at his policies. They are socialist in nature, anti-trade; anti-technology... at least as far as private technology goes. He's pro-NASA, which is to say, socialized technology; and generally a meddler in a walks of commerce, such as agriculture, banking, insurance, housing, transportation, and a host of others.

Heaton argued that if Kucinich was in the White House, Clevelanders would have his ear. When I lived on East 59th Street and Dennis was my Rep, I could never get his ear, despite my calls and letters. My letters to him got form replies that showed that he, via his staff, had no real interest in or understanding of my positions or concerns. That is a subject that I can go on about at length, and will another day.

Kucinich has bragged that his White House would be a 'worker's white house'. Ha! He's never worked a day of honest labor in his life, beginning in politics at the age of 21. Touch his hands some time and search in vain for a callous.

Reaping the Benefits of Capitalism, 2

Thanks to Al Barger for highlighting this site for my comments on the wonders of the low prices of gasoline. The exercise had me looking around my car for other benefits I've enjoyed.

My first car was a whiz-yellow 1979 Ford LTD. Here's a pic of a four-door model. Mine was a two-door. It had a V-8 302 engine, that was smallish by the V-8 standards of the day, and positively huge by today's standards. The car was wonderfully huge. I regularly drove six to school, plus myself, all in comfort!

That car blew Engine Number One after 35,000 miles. The timing belt snapped after about 48,000 miles. Engine Number Two blew after 70,000 miles. I sold the car at that point in sheer frustration.

The 1997 Saturn SL2 I drive was the first car I purchased new from a dealer. I bought it in March of that year. I have driven it on several road trips, including a Cleveland-Cochrane, Ontario jaunt, and a Cleveland-New York City-Sept Iles, Quebec trip. I turned 129,000 this afternoon on the way back from Cle to Indianapolis, the twelth time I have done the 660 mile round trip this year.

Major repairs to date? I've replaced two rotors, two sets of tires, brakes on all four wheels, and a serpentine belt. These are the MAJOR repairs. My uncle broke a seat belt receptacle, and I've replaced the tail lights and windshield wipers.

That's it.

The amazing thing: Both cars had the same sticker price at the time of purchase: $14,000.

You Get What You Pay For

Well, I pay nothing for this site, so how much can I whine? Unfortunately, I've been chomping at the bit over the past two weeks, just itching to get things posted, and the site has been repeatedly down for maintenance. Just in case you were wondering...

Reaping the Benefits of Capitalism

One of my favorite fallacies about capitalism and prices is the idea that things were somehow cheaper in the past. People love to cite gasoline prices as an example. It may just be that because gas prices are posted on every corner for all to see that they suffer such scrutiny. However, I began driving in 1984, when gas was $1.20/gallon. Yesterday, I filled up for $1.38/gallon. That's a jump of 18 cents over 19 years, an annual jump I'll take for the rest of my life, if possible. But you know what? I'd probably be on the losing side of the proposition, because, if it were not for the rises in taxes applied to gasoline over the years, the price would actually be lower than it was in '84.

When I began driving, a set of tires was good for about 30-40,000 miles, depending on the kind of driving you did (highway or city), the kind of driver you were (good or bad), and the brand.

I bought a brand new Saturn SL2 in 1997, and got 52,000 miles on the factory Firestones. I was really pleased with the performance, but I chose to replace them with a set of Bridgestones. The total cost was $414, just over four years ago.

The Bridgestones met their death today. One blew out on the highway over the weekend. I was exceptionally pleased with the performance, however, as I got 77,000 miles out them!

Despite this, I replaced them with a set of Pirellis. They are said to be a better tire. They are warranted for 85,000 miles, with free replacement, plus free road hazard replacement! Total cost? $362.48!

The benefit of capitalism: The real price for a better product today costs less than it was for an inferior one four years before.

Definition

Egregious: Conspicuously bad or offensive.

Courtesy, www.yourdictionary.com

More Adventures In Letters To The Editor

I post this comparison not as a matter of complaint, but as another 'isn't it interesting to see where the thing started, and where it ended up' kind of thing.

Here is my letter, as printed this morning in the Indy Star:

"Look to Libertarians to provide solution", July 30, 2003

A headline on the front page July 27 asked an important question: "Higher taxes: Who's to blame?" As Democrats and Republicans predictably blame each other, something should become clear: They are both correct. Both parties are the co-authors of this horror story.

The follow-up question should be, "Lowering taxes: Who will provide the solution?" The Libertarian Party has always been the advocate of the taxpayer. We believe the taxpayer's dollar belongs in the taxpayer's pocket, not to a government caught being greedy.

Voters who replace incumbents at the polls with other Democrats and Republicans can expect no changes, because they believe that tax dollars belong in government's coffers first and in taxpayer's pockets last.

Voters who want a change will vote Libertarian.

Michael R. Kole, Secretary, Libertarian Party of Indiana
Indianapolis

Below is the full letter. The things that were cut out are featured in italics. Substitutions are in parenthesis.

A headline found on the front page of Sunday's Star asked a very important question, "Higher taxes: Who's to blame?"

As Democrats and Republicans predictably blame each other, something should become clear: they are both correct. The Democrats and Republicans (both) together are the co-authors of this horror story.

The follow up-question should be, "Lowering taxes: Who will provide the solution?"

Naturally, Democrats and Republicans would claw each other in a race to declare themselves the advocate of the taxpayer. But don't lose sight of the cause of the problem: Democrats and Republicans. Can you trust them? It has taken nothing less than their own creation of a disaster to become the sudden defenders of property owners.

The Libertarian Party has always been the advocate of the taxpayer. We have always believed that the taxpayer's dollar belongs in the taxpayer's pocket, not merely as a remedy to a government caught being egregiously greedy(.), but as a constant matter of principle.

Voters who replace incumbents at the polls with other Democrats and Republicans can expect no changes, because they believe that, as a matter of principle, taxpayer dollars belong in government's coffers first, and in taxpayer pockets last.

Voters who want a change will vote Libertarian.

Michael R. Kole, Secretary, Libertarian Party of Indiana

In all, I'd say that the deletions aren't terribly egregious, although I wonder if the Star's Editorial Paged Editor believes her readers are unaware of the meaning of that word. I'm glad I made the point that the property tax issue is a self-inflicted wound three times. Although they printed my least pointed enunciation of the point, it did come across, and that's really all I can ask for.

My friend Kevin Fleming, also an LP member, and a candidate for Indy City-County Council, had his letter printed on Monday. We're getting the ink on the right issue. The next step is to be included in the stories themselves. We are the solution, after all.

Speaking of Body Counts

Where are greater losses suffered by the day, in Iraq or in Chinese coal mines?

Here's the latest update on a story I noticed and began tracking a couple weeks ago:

Yahweh, or Allah

Al Barger asked the very pertinent question for today's American foreign policy on his Culpepper Log:

What is the least amount of killing and destruction that will put the fear of Yahweh into our enemies? That's the $64,000 question.

The answer I have seen pop up over and over is the idea that burying a Muslim in pigs' blood, skin, entrails, etc., closes the gates of heaven, with the suggestion now resurfacing with the Hussein boys being buried this way as a sort of object lesson.

The urban legend website, snopes.com, debunks this one, too, as has Jonah Goldberg, among others.

It certainly would have been cost effective, in every way possible. It's a shame that a simple solution such as this appears not to be in the offing. The $64,000 question is needed, because the American public knows of no other way to deal with a problem but via the quick fix.

I think there is no doubt that the American public has little tolerance for sustaining casualties on a daily basis. More Americans died during a weekend at Gettysburg than in all of Viet Nam, but Americans had Cronkite giving the daily count, and it wore us out faster than the Union in wearing out the South. The daily count is reality here now, and the public will tire of this before 2004.

However, the quick fix suggests not a Dresden, but a Hiroshima, which is freakin' scary. Fortunately, I don't think Americans have any stomach for the job, and as Bush is a political animal, he would never jeopardize the most important objective of all: re-election.

So, to answer the question most accurately and concisely: I don't think the U.S. will be putting the fear of Allah into anybody any time soon. We've become the world's cop, and like most cops, we're feared mostly when in close range, but we're held more in contempt, and heaven help us if we turn our backs.

Not the First Time Death Photos Displayed

I'm kind of surprised at the minor rumbling about the displaying of photos of Uday and Qusay Hussein. Sure, the photos are unpleasant. Who would expect otherwise?

If you follow the above link, you will see the purpose of releasing photos of dead dictators realized: the iraqi people have the proof. That's important since they probably don't believe much of what they hear right now. They've had Hussein's message force-fed on them for years, and as a result, probably view American information as propaganda. A picture is proof, in addition to being worth 1,000 words.

But this isn't the first time.

Recall 1989, and the execution of the Ceaucescus. The executioners did their work before the camera so that their countrymen would know positively that the Dictator of Rumania and his wife were indeed those being taken out back and shot.

Mussolini, the Fascist Dictator of Italy, similarly had his death displayed. He and his mistress were shot and then hung upside down in a marketplace, where the locals took pleasure in mutilating the corpses.

In all cases, the purpose was the same: to let the people see the truth, and to begin to fear reprisal a little less for the "crime" of speaking freely.

Interestingly enough, Saddam is reputed to have a copy of the Ceaucescu execution tape, and to watch it frequently as a sort of inspiration against suffering the same fate.

A Staunch Supporter, Unless...

Today's lunch yielded another fun romp through the USA Today's states section.

I would have felt male sympathy for any man who suffered the indignity of a dog bite to the crotch, but since it was the source of his reversal, it rather seems like pre-emptive just desserts.

First Bummer

Whether speaking politically or economically, in my 10 months in Indiana, I have found almost everything to be more positive here than in the state I left behind, Ohio.

I gave myself a decent raise just in terms of the income taxes. In Ohio, my income tax rate was a little above 7%. In Indiana, it is 3.13%. In Ohio, I was subjected to double municipal taxes. When I worked in Parma but lived in Cleveland, one charged me 2% and the other 1.5%. In Indiana, I am charged 0.25% by Marion County. That's better than a 7% raise... just for swapping states!

I gained the ability to vote for the party I am a member of, the Libertarian Party, when I moved to Indiana. I couldn't do that in Ohio. The Republicans- Secretary of State Ken Blackwell in particular- made sure of that. Indiana had 160 candidates in 2002. Ohio had zero.

As much as I like my new state, I had hoped to hang on to my Ohio driver's license until it would expire in 2005. My plan was that it would stay in my wallet, along with the money I save in not getting an Indiana licnese. But the BMV threw a wrench in that plan, since my Ohio plates expired in June of 2003. The clever Indiana BMV would not issue Indiana plates without an Indiana drivers license.

So, about 50 bucks and a written test later, I got my Indiana license. It was pretty much in line with the cost of one in Ohio. Then I got my new title and Indiana plate.

$100!

I asked why the heck it cost so much. I was told that there was an excise tax collected by the BMV, the amount of which depended upon my vehicle.

I have a 1997 Saturn SL2. It's a simple A-to-B car. No frills. 130,000 miles. I asked how much the tax would be on an average new car. I was told that it would be anywhere from $800 to $1,000!

Back home, I told Ame about this. Ame has a 1996 Chevy Cadaver, er, Cavalier, with about 125,000 miles. It isn't surviving nearly as well as the Saturn, and she talks frequently about buying a new car. Her response? A definite, "I won't be buying a new car any time soon."

Isn't this a great policy? The people of Indiana are discouraged from buying new cars by an agregious tax. Think about the ramifications of that. Hoosiers are encouraged to drive cars that are falling apart, posing safety risks to the driver inside and everyone else on the roadway. The state that relies more on manufacturing for employment than any other state in the Union, and is especially reliant on the auto industry, proactively shies its own people away from purchasing the products they help make.

The tax is part of an economic shell game. Where Indiana doesn't take through the income tax, it takes through the BMV. It even brags about how the Hoosier Lottery- the greatest tax on ignorance ever invented- helps lessen the excise taxes. You mean if people were smarter and didn't play the Lottery, the excise tax would be higher? Is intelligence ever rewarded instead of punished?

Indiana may be better than Ohio, but it isn't any kind of utopia.

Suits Me

Remember when that zealot, Stephen Joseph, tried to get Oreo Cookies banned in the People's Republic of California?

I was shopping at Wild Oats- one of those hoity-toity grocers where everything seems to be priced 200% higher than at the usual chain grocers, with a heavy emphasis on organic products.

I always get a chuckle out of packaged organic foods. There may not have been any pesticide used, but there is often no shortage of sodium or fat in these packaged goodies.

I got the biggest guffaw out of Paul Newman's line of snacks. The Newmans make a big deal on their packaging about being organic and giving the profits to their favorite 'progressive' causes.

That wasn't the gag. The gag was seeing the Newman Oreo equivalent on the shelf. Newman-O's have that naughty saturated fat, but no word on that bad, evil, trans-fat.

Will the zealot be pursuing Newman-O's with the same rigor? I doubt it.

Don't get me wrong. I actually like seeing Newman's products on the shelf. The difference between a capitalist and an authoritarian such as Stephen Joseph is this: A capitalist enjoys seeing more choices in the marketplace, not less, and even enjoys seeing products such as Newman's, that have it built in to support causes I do not necessarily support. The authoritarian will actively seek to eliminate marketplace choices, preventing the capitalist from enjoying the freedom the capitalist will grant the authoritarian.

More From a Most Favored Source

If 6,995 American workers lost their lives on the job in one year, how would most critics react?

If these lives were lost in just one industry, how much howling would be heard about the need to get the government involved?

If these lives- just shy of seven thousand- were lost in just one segment of one industry in one year, wouldn't there be almost universal outcry?

Of course. One could expect the usual accusations to fly from the usual critics: lousy, indifferent management; exploitation of the workers; the greed of ownership; etc.

In this case, the usual critics would be correct. Unfortunately, I have not heard the accusations from the usual critics. Why? The operation in question is China's state owned coal mining industry.

My latest Most Favored Source ran an expose` on this Most Favored Nation's latest human rights outrage in their Tuesday, July 8 edition. There is a dismaying photograph of mine workers pushing three loaded coal hopper cars on a railroad track, up grade.

Mining is filthy business, but at least in the United States, where the greedy capitalist owners are said to run amok, locomotives do this work, and have done so since roughly the time of the Civil War.

If anyone needs to see the difference between capitalism and socialism, this should serve nicely.

Favored Source

I tend to pick up a newspaper every day when at work, usually the Indianapolis Star, but sometimes I get the Noblesville papers. When nothing else is available, I get the USA Today.

That's not a slam on the USA Today, although if I have my first choice for a national paper, I get the Investors Business Daily. That's an excellent newspaper. I just prefer to read the local papers.

I ended up picking up USA Today three times this past week. It was just as well, since the local papers were loaded with little but flood coverage. Since I work for the County Surveyor, I get my fillover flood coverage first hand.

One thing had me riveted through three lunches: the States section. It lists one item from each of the 50 states every day. Here are some that caught my eye:

Tuesday, July 8
Columbus - Ohio State University lost a $540,000 state grant for reducing tobacco use among adults in two rural counties after accepting a grant from Philip Morris. The medical school's neuroscience department is using $590,000 from the tobacco company to study how nicotine affects nerve cells. The state grant prohibited recipients from taking money from a tobacco company.

Sounds like OSU is still money ahead, no matter what politically correct edit is issued.

Tuesday, July 8
Portola - Six years after the state poisoned a Sierra lake to rid it of voracious northern pike, the population of the non-native fish is growing fast. A recent effort using explosives to destroy spawning pike in Lake Davis also failed. The pike threaten native fish, and officials fear they will escape from the lake.

If California poisons a lake, it's considered environmental action. If anyone else does it? I've love to see what would happen if a group of sportsmen took to the lake with explosives.

Friday, July 11
Los Angeles - The city will pay nearly $170,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by dozens of homeless people arrested during police sweeps of Skid Row. About $75,000 will go to about 58 people. A class-action lawsuit claimed that the two-day probation and parole sweep resulted in the arrests of many without a violation being properly documented.

How many forties of St. Ides will that buy?

Monday, July 7
Nampa - A former Mexican police officer was among those arrested in a drug bust that netted 100 pounds of marijuana. Adan Diaz, 28, of Stockton, Calif., and two others were arrested on an anonymous tip.

And the Free State Project is seriously looking at Idaho... I guess there will be some changes to be made right away!

Bloggers take note. These are rarely the big stories, but often, they should be. The bonus of the online edition: a full week for each state, per page!

The Mystery of the Media Mind

I fired off a copy of my entry on the Ellen Goodman / Maine-Health-Care-Is-Good column to my local paper, the Indy Star, and they ran it as a Letter to the Editor.

It is interesting to see what gets cut out. I'll reprint the original below, and highlight in bold the things that were cut, and put in italics the things that were changed or added.


This responds to Ellen Goodman's July 8 column, "What he's done for the people."

If ice cream cones are offered to the public free of charge, you can expect that there will be a run on ice cream cones. The line will be long, and even people who don't particulalry want or need an ice cream cone will queue up to get one. After all- they're free!

If luxury automobiles are similarly given away, the line will be longer, since the unearned value to be obtained is greater.

In the usual analysis of health care, the cost is derided as a great negative. The cost is seen as high, and as preventing some from access to the care. But high cost does have a function. It ensures that need really is the driving force behind acquisition of care. Cost makes all interested parties choose carefully before committing to spending.

Health care, like any other human product or service, is still subject to the laws of supply and demand. Maine Gov. John Baldacci's plan ignores this reality.

What has Baldacci done for the people? He has done something for all of the people, wittingly or not.

I was hoping that Oregon would have passed statewide universal healthcare when the voters had the chance to adapt it. Alas, the voters shot it down 80-20. Maybe the people there know something.

What Baldacci has done in not letting the voters decide is to give the other 49 states a classroom experience. We will all get to see if this thing works or if it fails. Expect it to be a disaster.

Mark Maine's current population statistics. That will be a telling figure. The other telling figure will be the poverty statistics. Expect both to increase. Sure, the people paying the tax bill will have a good reason to exodus, but they will have trouble getting to the turnstyle as those looking for health care that is provided by someone other than themselves clog the entrance.

Maine may not be the last state to enact this hideous policy. If my home state of Indiana follows suit Maine's example, I will make good on the kind of threat George Clooney reneged on: I'll leave it for a more liberty-loving, hospitable state.

That's no idle threat. I gave myself a 7% raise when I left Ohio last August, just on the tax savings. Think I wouldn't do it again?


The edit that strikes me as most curious is the one that begins, 'Mark Maine's current population statistics..." What the edit has done is to leave my assertion hanging out there with no support.

Not surprisingly, both references to unearned benefits were chopped. Also not so surprising was the chopping of my reminder that Oregon voters opposed universal health care in their state in a landslide.

Lastly, I was not surprised to see my description of Maine's policy as 'hideous' removed.

I was glad that what was left of the letter was printed, and that the main case could still be gleaned from it. I find it a fascinating before-and-after comparison, to be sure.

Duh

It's Alec Baldwin, not George Clooney. Forgive me, but they are fairly indistinguishable to me.

Great Boost!

It was a real thrill for me to get the news that my pal Brad Klopfenstein, a Libertarian candidate for City-County Council here in Indy, earned the endorsement of the F.O.P. The Indy Star has already published a story on the web, which should appear in tomorrow's print edition.

Who knew that the F.O.P. would even consider endorsing a Libertarian?

I ran what I thought of as very good news past a local LP member, and he told me that he was not impressed. He expressed concern that the endorsement of the F.O.P. could send the signal to local party members a shift away from principle.

I think it's terrific to receive the F.O.P.'s nod. It may as easily signal that they are coming around to our principles, that we have made our case convincingly, and that we Libertarians are credible and worthy of support.

I'm not sure which principle he meant. Consistently losing races, perhaps?

See, I'm very interested in conveying credibility to those who haven't voted LP in the past. An endorsement like this can only help convey credibility across party lines in a way few other tools can. It can prompt the timid voter to finally pull that LP lever. After all, we belong to a political party- and not a debate society- for the purpose of electing candidates. What sense is there in scorning an endorsement? What sense is there in preaching only to the choir? Bollocks!

So, rah-rah Brad. I hope you win a seat on the Council because I know that you are the kind of prinicpled man that should be on the Council.

No Myopic Stalinist Dwarf is Going to Make a George Clooney out of Me!

Let's nip this thing in the bud before it spreads like a cancer. I felt the tiniest twinge of fear when I read Ellen Goodman's column this morning. Maine passed statewide universal health care, and she thinks it's grand.

My presentation is allegorical. You'll get it as an economic issue this way. Besides, I get to make a reference to luxury automobiles!

If ice cream cones are offered to the public free of charge, you can expect that there will be a run on ice cream cones. The line will be long, and even people who don't particulalry want or need an ice cream cone will queue up to get one. After all- they're free!

If luxury automobiles are similarly given away, the line will be longer, since the unearned value to be obtained is greater.

In the usual analysis of health care, the cost is derided as a great negative. The cost is seen as high, and as preventing some from access to the care. But high cost does have a function. It ensures that need really is the driving force behind acquisition of care. Cost makes all interested parties choose carefully before committing to spending.

Health care, like any other human product or service, is still subject to the laws of supply and demand. Maine Gov. Baldacci's plan ignores this reality.

What has Baldacci done for the people? He has done something for all of the people, wittingly or not.

I was hoping that Oregon would have passed statewide universal healthcare when the voters had the chance to adapt it. Alas, the voters shot it down 80-20. Maybe the people there know something.

What Baldacci has done in not letting the voters decide is to give the other 49 states a classroom experience. We will all get to see if this thing works or if it fails. Expect it to be a disaster.

Mark Maine's current population statistics. That will be a telling figure. The other telling figure will be the poverty statistics. Expect both to increase. Sure, the people paying the tax bill will have a good reason to exodus, but they will have trouble getting to the turnstyle as those looking for health care that is provided by someone other than themselves clog the entrance.

Maine may not be the last state to enact this hideous policy. If my home state of Indiana follows suit, I will make good on the kind of threat George Clooney reneged on: I'll leave it for a more liberty-loving, hospitable state.

That's no idle threat. I gave myself a 7% raise when I left Ohio last August, just on the tax savings. Think I wouldn't do it again?

Some Actually Apologize

I spent the last two weeks in the company of my wife, Ame. It delights me to say that, 'my wife'! We were in our own little world, especially while honeymooning in Banff, Alberta.

It's all too precious to share with those I hope read here. Too impersonal. I love showing the pictures and sharing choice little moments with friends and associates. I won't do it here.

Returning to work was fairly jarring in the break from our private bubble. It wasn't unwelcome. I'm too much a part of the world to stay isolated for long, even though deeply in love. I was unwittingly granted a fine acknowledgement over the phone. The other party noticed that I did not apologize for my absense. I asked if, given the circumstances, they expected that I should. I was told, 'no! of course not!'. Understanding me is the best gift I can receive.

The Colts

So, Mr. Irsay wants the City of Indianapolis to shell out some money to improve the RCA Dome, so that he makes more money. Either that, or the Indianapolis Colts will take a drive down the interstate, just as the Baltimore Colts did back in the early 80s.

I can't say I blame him for asking. So many cities give the moon. City officials always cite jobs, but are also always certain to insist that the prestige of the city would dive if a major sports team left.

I'm a big sports fan, but I'm also a big fan of classic and exotic automobiles. I drive a 1997 Saturn, which is neither of these things, but it sure gets me from-A-to-B. It's a reliable car, and gets very good fuel economy.

Just the same, I'm thinking that I'd like to have a Rolls-Royce... and a Ferrari... and a Maserati. These would look really good in my driveway, and I would look and feel good driving them.

I'm thinking that I'd like everyone on my block to pay for these luxury automobiles. Heck- it will improve the prestige of my neighborhood if out-of-towners were to drive down my street and see the Rolls. My neighbors will enjoy the benefit of this enhanced pretige, and it will only cost them each a little bit. They'll hardly notice how much it is.

I'm even thinking that about 10 to 12 times a year, I will allow my neighbors to take a spin with me in the Rolls or the Maserati. They can pay me admission to ride in my car, getting the direct benefit of having purchased the cars for me. Sometimes they can even ride shotgun. Of course, you don't always get to sit on the 50-yard line, so sometimes, my neighbors will have to ride in the trunk. Heck, though- the ticket are almost half as expensive!

Maybe they can't afford the price of tickets for the whole family to ride. Well, they can stand on the sidewalk and watch as I drive by with those who can afford the price of admission. Still- they're getting the enormous benefit of having created a sense of civic pride and pretige for our neighborhood, thanks to my cars. Of course, I'll only let them stand on the sidewalk if I've sold out the admissions to all of the seats, including the trunk. I'm not kind of idiot who is going to let people watch for free from the sidewalk when I have empty seats.

Man, that Irsay guy is a genius! After all, you won't be subsidizing my desire to have exotic cars. But you will seriously consider subsidizing the Colts. Is it for the enormous benefits you will derive?

As for the prestige- does anyone think badly of Los Angeles because the Rams left? Does anybody look down their nose at Houston because the Oilers left? Cleveland and the Browns? No. People have plenty of other good reason for looking down on these cities, the departure of an NFL franchise is the least of the reasons.

I look down my nose on cities that have socialized football. There is no prestige or honor in creating as vapid an elite as that.

Grandpa

Ame's grandfather, Sven Langmack, passed away last Wednesday, after a battle with cancer. We were in Cleveland as her extended family mourned his passing and celebrated his life. Ame held him as the dearest, sweetest man, and although I did not know him long, I came to share the sentiment.

I only knew him as 'Grandpa', the guy Ame loved to cuddle up to during our frequent visits. I had a vague idea that he was a fairly involved and successful businessman. I had the realization just a few days before he died that he is the only man I've ever known whom I'd never heard a negative word about. I had no idea the scope of his impact.

My favorite anecdote: Sven was in D.C. participating in a conference on world trade. During a break, he went to the men's room, and found himself next to Henry Kissinger at a urinal. He glanced over at Kissinger and said, 'You know, I think that at the moment, we're the only ones who know what we're doing'. Kissinger glanced over and said, 'You know, Sven, I tink you are correct'.

I was struck by the burial at Lakeview Cemetary. I know- it isn't immediately the most uplifting imagery, but you had to be there and to know where I sitting to fully appreciate it.

As I sat, I looked past the casket and the minister and saw an obelisk rising through the trees and towering above. I used to sit at the foot of the obelisk on occasional lunch breaks, when I happened to be in the neighborhood. I would eat my sandwich and daydream of a Cleveland of yore, when smokestacks and trains dominated the landscape. When I rose to leave my lunchbreak, I would place a dime on the stone marking the grave of John D. Rockefeller.

Right of the towering monument watching over the great industrialist's family is a stone building. Sometimes after lunch, I would enter the building and hike the narrow, winding stairs to get to the balcony, which offers one of the finest views of the city. In the lower floor, visitors pay tribute to slain President James A. Garfield, whose body rests under an American flag.

To look about the area of Sven's grave was to realize that he had been placed among the greats. Other family names are familiar to you for the products you still use. Glidden (paint) and Otis (elevators), for instance, were right behind me.

The thing I liked most about Sven was that he was still terribly in love with Ame's grandmother, Virgie. After 62 years, and at his age, he still had a twinkle in his eye for his girl. When I stood in their living room this past Christmas to announce that I had proposed to Ame, and that she had accepted, Sven followed with an announcement of his own. With some difficulty, he rose and announced that 61 years before, he had done just I had done, proposing marriage right around Christmas. Given the chance, he'd do it again. We moved the date up, hoping Grandpa would make it to our wedding. Although he missed by just over two weeks, there will be a continuity. Ame and I want to have the kind of love that Sven and Virgie had, ever romantic, even if the aid of a walker is necessary. We're going for at least 70 years together. I figure that medical science being continuously improving, I should make it to 105 easily enough.

As for the other stuff... I figure it will be sufficient tribute if I have a girl cuddling up to me on the couch, calling me Grandpa.

Remembrance and Inspiration

Thanks to Al Barger for recalling the upcoming anniversary of the events at Tiananmen Square, in June 1989. Images

"...the Chinese military opened fire on a crowd of peaceful protesters in Tiananmen Square. They directly slaughtered hundreds of non-violent young people on live television just to make the point that they were in charge."

For years, I have drawn inspiration from the unfathomable courage of a few individuals in the face of one of human history's greatest oppression machines, the People's Republic of China.

I decorate my work space with very little. I have one picture of Ame, and one picture of Alex. That's it. In my old home in Cleveland, I hung in my office an enormous print of Stuart Franklin's breathtaking image of raw courage and integrity. Whenever I thought I had it rough, I forced myself to look at that image. It never failed to get me off it, and back into action. Unfortunately, the print is larger than any wall of my cube at work.

Goethe said, "To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking."

I bought the poster because, at the time, I was struggling with my implementation if my thinking. It had previously been enough to merely be a young capitalist. The time had come to become a public advocate for freedom in all areas of life, and I was terrified. I was certain I would end up gunned down. Patrick Henry nailed me to a post by my shorts.

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!"

Fact is, it will probably never come to that. However, should it, I'll think of the man with the briefcase.

Everyone should get to see the full video of the man with the briefcase and a bag, because despite the power inherent in such an image, Stuart's photograph still suffers the constraints of the medium. The column of tanks rolled, and he, armed only with his integrity, blocked the column's advance. The tank driver attempted to move around the man. The man moved to block the tanks.

HE MOVED TO BLOCK THE TANKS.

What a worthy project it would be to find the name of this man. Patrick Henry is a giant, and Goethe ranks, but this man showed the world how it is done, and should be recognized as a giant in our times. Future generations need to be able to know that giants lived in all eras of human history, who they were, and that they need not be philosophers.

A Just and Noble Cause

Edward Bowers, a California libertarian, is promoting the week of June 8-15 as the week to buy a particular book so as to try to pump the best-seller statistics, at least for a week. The book is called, "Ain't Nobody's Business If You Do" by Peter McWilliams.

Medical marijuana isn't any kind of passion of mine, probably because I don't use the stuff. But Mr. McWilliams died because his government banned a product that, had he been taking it, he probably would have been alive today. If you puke every time you take food or swallow a pill you need to fight cancer, you will die quickly. Marijuana helps people keep food- and pills- down.

Most people who promote the War On Drugs tend to cite their belief in the morality of keeping harmful substances away from people.

In this case, clearly, marijuana was anything but a harmful substance. Was morality promoted by the death of Peter McWilliams? Maybe it's time, at long last, for a new policy. Maybe it's time for the drug warriors to consider weather or not Americans own themselves.

You Own Yourself

There it is- my philosophy boiled down to three words.

Note to everyone: this means, you own your body.

Clarification for those on 'The Right': This means, you can do what you want to do with your body, no matter how stupid it seems to someone else. You can pump drugs into it, sell it to be used sexually, take it to any country you wish it to visit- anything, so long as you do not initiate force or fraud on another human being.

Clarification for those on 'The Left': This means, when you use the body to earn money, you earned it, it's your money. By the way, the mind is part of the body.

It always has mystified me how people on 'The Left' can get that government has no place telling people how to use their minds and bodies in the home, but yet insist that government has a rightful place telling people how to use their minds and bodies in commerce. Similarly, 'The Right' can get that the mind and body should be free in commerce, so long as it isn't commerce that may satisfy the mind or body for pleasure at home. Talk about cognitive dissonance.

Good Game, Great Entertainment

Even though I was rooting for the Devils, the Ducks won Game Three in overtime, 3-2, to get back into the Series. They are now down two games to one. I enjoyed the game thoroughly. Devils' goalie Martin Brodeur made a rare boneheaded play to allow a goal, but his team came back to tie the score and send the game to overtime. Anaheim's Ruslan Salei scored the game-winner on an excellent faceoff win by Adam Oates.

The Ducks responded to the pressure to finally win a game and make the Series a contest. The Devils lost, but honorably so, fighting to the end.

Game Four is Monday night, 8pm Eastern, televised by ABC. I'll be glued to the set.