Kelo Vs. New London – Pfizer Utopia Gone Bad

As reported in the Wall Street Journal, Pfizer has announced plans to close its Research and Development Headquarters in New London, Connecticut.  You know….the big revenue stream enhancer for which  Suzette Kelo lost her right to property for?

VA Governor Race, No Choice For Liberty.

Let’s face it.

Come election time, we are not given many choices. This is by design, this is the way the powers that be like it. The less competition they face, the more likely we will side with the lesser evil.

I’m trying to figure out which one that is, and it is not easy.

H1N1 Your Public Option at Work

You will probably get Swine Flu H1N1) this year.  You, or your children, might even die of it. You didn’t have to get it, there is an effective vaccine, but you probably won’t get it until it is too late.

You might have a newspaper article based on a Center for Disease Control press release blaming the delay on slow growth of the virus in eggs, but the real reason is government interference in the free market.

Short link  http://wp.me/paM4C-dX

For what its worth

Below is the full text of a Letter to the Editor of the Virginian Pilot in response to their article on “real socialists” which they chose not to print.

Crushing the Human Spirit

The Socialists’ mantra of ‘From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’ sounds noble to the young and the naive of every generation, but while it works well for ants, it is contrary to the human spirit.

Protesting MacArthur Mall Effectively

Hundreds of young people are angered by MacArthur Mall’s new policy of excluding those under 18 years of age unless chaperoned by a Dirty Old Man or Cougar over 21. Really, what other kind of adult wants to hang at the mall with teens?

In all seriousness though, as an elder Libertarian, it warms my heart to see young people get organized and enthusiastic over almost any issue, as that is the seed from which future political activism will grow. However, ineffective protests lead to apathy if we get the idea that we are helpless to change things, so I will offer a few suggestions to make your activism more effective, and invite others with experience to do so as well.

While the new policy may be unfair, in the real world, fair doesn’t matter much to a business. The Mall is private property, and fair or not, it is within their rights to make their own policy. If you want to get their attention, you have to see the world from their point of view and change what they see.

The question the media and politicians forget to ask

My boss has drilled a very important lesson into my head.

Whenever I come back from a sales call, a  meeting, a job site, the first thing he’ll ask is, “What did you learn?”

Whenever I screw something up, he won’t get mad. He’ll ask, “What’s the lesson here?”

I’d always be so focused on sorting out the details and plotting the way forward, it is easy to forget to look down deeper and find what that true lesson that each situation in life offers you.

I’ve seen countless articles and editorials about Delegate Phil Hamilton and his “scandal”. I’ve seen what he did and I’ve read how people are mad, but I haven’t seen anyone ask, “What did we learn”.

I’ve heard politicians cry for his resignations, but I haven’t heard any of them say “There is a lesson that we have learned. This is the way to address it.”

I think it is time to ask those questions and see if there is something to be learned here.

Rebuking the Economic Legend of Bill Clinton

How many of you have experienced an macro-economic conversation with a “liberal” and when they quickly find themselves unable to justify their positions they pull out what in their mind is the ultimate trump card, Bill Clinton? Obviously since I’m asking, I encounter this phenomenon often.

Then next exchange is typical, expected, and boring.  

I’ll ask, “Why was President Clinton so great for the economy?”

Blank Stare followed by……”He balanced the budget, he gave us a surplus”

My next questions will be “What did he do that gave us those surplus?”   (After recovering from the shock that I would ask such a question, blank stares and chorus of uhs and ums are sure to follow)

Then I’ll point out that deficits are increasing at record rates and throw out a simple lob-ball for them  like, If surpluses (like the Clinton years) are good, then what the current administration is doing much be bad.

Then they will be so excited to be able to go to the other only tool they have in the toolbox and say every unfortunate event in human history is the fault of George Bush.

Yawn.

Let’s actually look at President Clinton and see if he deserves all this reverie. Will copying him in every respect bring us the prosperity and economic expansion we saw in the late 90s?

Tidewater LP Health Care Alternative

Health Care for a Free Country

An Alternative Solution Offered by the Tidewater Libertarian Party

Quicklink http://wp.me/paM4C-dx

The miracle of free markets has served us well in most parts of the economy, bringing us ever increasing value and declining real costs for the things we want and need, yet health care becomes increasingly unaffordable.  So, it is reasonable to ask what is different about health care that prevents the normal market forces from controlling the increases in costs of health care, before radically altering an industry which is, from a quality of care standpoint, the envy of the world.

The answer is that health care has become separated and insulated from market forces by well intentioned government interferences and mandates, followed by yet more interferences enacted in an attempt to mitigate the unintended consequences of previous interventions.  Libertarians reject yet another layer of bureaucratic interference and offer a series of changes intended to remove, in a responsible manner, those earlier economic distortions that have caused the problems.  To that end, we recommend the following:

Why the DNP Can’t “Sell” Health Care Reform

It is not my intention to explain flaws in the plan or comment on specific details of the bill that I do not like.

For one, I have not read all of the esoteric document, and even if I had, I seriously doubt I could fully comprehend all of the moving pieces or anticipate all of the ramifications. I do not believe there is a person out there capable of doing so.

Besides, this isn’t why Democrats have not been able to “sell” the bill to the American people.

I Endured Repeated Insults This Morning

I was repeatedly called a “conservative”.

Granted, the speaker was speaking not just to me, but the entire Tidewater Libertarian Party.  And, he was not of the opinion that “conservative” is an  insult.  You see, a gentleman named Mike Prunty dropped by to invite us all to be part of an organization he is forming as a coalition of conservative organizations.

I hope Mr. Prunty has occasion to read this.  Furthermore, I hope he comments.