The Wall Street Journal’s editorial section today once again grabs my attention. The column, “The Blue Dogs’ Final Dilemma” suggests that the world of moderate politics is dead and that Americans should stop believing in the supernatural powers of ‘across-the-aisle partnerships’. The future of bipartisanship, which once again has failed to progress Obama’s health care plan, is looking dim and dreary as partisanship lines are clearly drawn.
Chris blogged about the sinking trend of moderate voters last month, citing an analysis by Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com, that being a moderate is worth only about 2% of the vote in a congressional election.
However, I have to wonder if it all comes down to the simple question the editorial poses:
Do they [the government] work for us, or do we work for them?
How many endless debates and frustrating hours could be saved if we simply recognized that politics can be reduced down to the uncomplicated understanding of how we view government?
Maybe the moderate voter is dead; maybe we all can answer that question without a single reservation or contingency; and maybe partisanship lines are not actually bad?
Next week (August 2 – August 8), a few members of Civitas will be traveling around the state on a “Hands Off My Healthcare” tour, hosted by the NC chapter of Americans For Prosperity. I invite everyone to come out and support our rallies in multiple cities through out the state. Come ask us any questions you may have or just come out and show your opposition against a government-run healthcare plan.
No surprise here, federal “cash for clunkers” program has been a big hit. People really like when the government forces the tax payers to pick up the tab for $3,500 of their new car.
If you were planning on participating and haven’t made it to the dealership yet I suggest you go today. It looks like the program is just about out of money and probably won’t be around much longer.
As a tax payer, I’d really appreciate a thank you note from all the people whose new cars I helped subsidize.
Gov. Perdue scuttled last week’s budget agreement over her concern over raising income taxes on “working families and middle class families” yet has openly supported increasing the cigarette tax up to $1 per pack.
I’d like to point out to the Governor the hypocrisy of her statement. Take this chart from Gallup for example:
So tell me, Governor, which type of families will be paying your recommended cigarette tax increase?
The Foundation for Economic Education article gets at something that has bothered me for quite a while. When politicians, speaking to a crowd of people, say that “we” need to do something to “fix” this or that, nobody seems to question the collectivist mindset behind such terminology.
The first-person plural form is not merely a convenience, as in “We’re in for a cold winter.” It indicates that decisions about “the healthcare system” are to be made collectively, with one decision binding everyone.
That’s collectivism.
….
But why must we do anything about health care? Why can’t you do what you want, I do what I want, and he and she do what they want? Isn’t that what’s supposed to happen in a free society? Reformers would say that costs are rising too much and some people can’t afford insurance. But that is no answer. It tells us only that possibly ameliorable conditions exist, not that collectivism is a good approach.
One-size-fits-all policies have no place in a free society.
A conservative who operates a kiosk called “Free Market Warrior” will not be allowed to renew his lease with Concord Mills Mall in Concord, NC.
According to mall officials “Mr. Spivack has not agreed to remove the objectionable merchandise and will be moving out of Concord Mills at the end of his lease.”
The “objectionable” items are anti-Obama t-shirts and bumper stickers.
The property owners have the right to rent to whoever they want but what if the tables were turned?
Would Concord Mills kick out a shop owner who sold Anti-Bush bumper stickers?
The Wall Street Journal reports that in the span of a month popular support for the President’s health care plan has declined significantly. Down from an evenly divided split, a national poll conducted July 24-27 found 42% of respondents thought the plan was a bad idea, while only 36% had a positive outlook on the plan. Negative perception grew even more among the insured population – shifting from 37% in June to 47% in July.
The main concerns: a rising budget deficit, no clear proposal detailing how plan will be paid for, and more importantly the growing uncertainty over government’s role in medical decision-making.
In a town hall meeting yesterday in Raleigh, President Obama was asked why there was such a rush to pass the health care legislation. His response:
“The longer it takes the more the special interests can start getting in there and try to knock it down.”
However, is it the political opposition that he is afraid of, or is it the will of the American people?
Please don’t get the wrong idea, I am not against interstate commerce, however, when a bill is passed by our General Assembly and signed by our Governor to create jobs in North Carolina, one cannot help but be a bit surprised to find out that almost as many employees currently on-site in Nags Head, N.C. will soon be working off-site in Chesapeake, V.A.
Coastal Precast will begin manufacturing concrete piles (arguably the largest overall expense of the $25 million project) as soon as results from test piles are obtained. Production will provide work for approximately 25 Virginians and an estimated 2 North Carolinians (who likely commute in from Dare county) according to the project manager.
Additionally, neither the general contractor (Clancy + Theys) nor Coastal Precast use the federal e-verify program to confirm the legal residency status of their employees.
With our own double-digit unemployment, it’s hard to tell which is worse: N.C. taxpayers creating jobs for non-North Carolinains or creating jobs for non-Americans.
In the spirit of the last Bad Bill of the Week about the bill appropriating $1.7 million for the creation of a “Starfleet Academy” at NC A&T University, we’ve decided to get a head start on the festivities.
Thankfully, it appears that the US Congress will not vote on their healthcare “reform” bill until after the August recess. Maybe they can use the month to actually read the bill (with the consulation of two lawyers).
Perhaps it is growing public discontent with the bill that is causing such pause.
