Whoa! Glenn Beck speech at CPAC and now look at the insane reaction (see Bill Bennett, Mark Levin), piling on hate. Here's the thing, Glenn Beck, if his ideas (well, you know) take hold in the GOP, it will disintegrate the party to a certain extent.
That is, until the old guarders realize that they must come over to the more Libertarian side. If the party splinters, in won't stay that way. One faction will have to decided to capitulate. And the party will reintegrate.
But that's what Bennett and Levin are fighting - they don't want Libertarians taking over the party - they like fighting gays and abortion, and putting 10 commandments in courthouses and stuff. Conservatives are not free-market, they are anti-secular world order. So they're freaking out. Well, this is exactly what Beck is supposedly fighting - the same old same old, so they're unintentionally supporting his cause.
For a GOPer to say 'Stop dividing us' to Beck is the same thing as Obama saying 'stop playing politics' to the GOP because, er, you know, their constituents actually don't want a massive overhaul of healthcare. Get out your irons.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Smash Public Education!
That's it, I've had enough. The only reason why public schools are supported (see Obama killing DC voucher program) when the overwhelming empirical evidence shows charter/voucher programs to be wildly successful (even for students at the margins - special ed etc.) is politics. The evidence shows that increasing public school funding does almost nothing (see K.C., or any U.S. aggregate).
If serious attention is ever paid to these programs - if one city adopted free school choice, and it worked (it would) - public school monopolies would come crashing down. This would be very bad for a few teachers who benefit from absurd union benefits, yes - but it would ANNIHILATE the Dewey Progressivism that destroys the minds of young Americans (and which monolithically dominates education schools, to the point of literal intimidation against opposing ideas). Destroy that ideological programming on the youth - no more Obama Girl, no more Obama Youth, no more campus radical corps, no more black Democractic Party racial voting monopoly. It's not a partisan programming - it's ideological - and we don't hardly realize it because we've all been programmed at least marginally by this Dewey system. I'm not entirely sure of the details of it, but I know enough to suspect that there is a problematic ideology connected to the way public schools educate.
That may sound like hooey to you - but here's the point: public school defenders are desperate. Their motive isn't defense of mere union contracts - it's an ideological battle. Mark my words.
If serious attention is ever paid to these programs - if one city adopted free school choice, and it worked (it would) - public school monopolies would come crashing down. This would be very bad for a few teachers who benefit from absurd union benefits, yes - but it would ANNIHILATE the Dewey Progressivism that destroys the minds of young Americans (and which monolithically dominates education schools, to the point of literal intimidation against opposing ideas). Destroy that ideological programming on the youth - no more Obama Girl, no more Obama Youth, no more campus radical corps, no more black Democractic Party racial voting monopoly. It's not a partisan programming - it's ideological - and we don't hardly realize it because we've all been programmed at least marginally by this Dewey system. I'm not entirely sure of the details of it, but I know enough to suspect that there is a problematic ideology connected to the way public schools educate.
That may sound like hooey to you - but here's the point: public school defenders are desperate. Their motive isn't defense of mere union contracts - it's an ideological battle. Mark my words.
Education Reform - Killing Public School System
Irony is the most delicious form of art.
If politics is Kabuki theatre, then what I predict for the next decade of the education debate is bound to be delicious. The idea of school choice will gain momentum. Teachers have thrown their lot in with the Obama/State-employee political axis, and their power over the narrative will fall.
Here's the delicious part: in the hierarchy of altruist narratives, 'think of the children' always takes the cake. So, thanks for being so good to us teachers, but the kids are more important than you to those to whom you scream for mercy.
If politics is Kabuki theatre, then what I predict for the next decade of the education debate is bound to be delicious. The idea of school choice will gain momentum. Teachers have thrown their lot in with the Obama/State-employee political axis, and their power over the narrative will fall.
Here's the delicious part: in the hierarchy of altruist narratives, 'think of the children' always takes the cake. So, thanks for being so good to us teachers, but the kids are more important than you to those to whom you scream for mercy.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sorenson Rule
The better looking, or 'cooler', candidate in a General Election wins, always, period.
In other words, take the majority of voters, and ask: "Policy completely aside, who would they rather been seen with at a party?"
In other words, take the majority of voters, and ask: "Policy completely aside, who would they rather been seen with at a party?"
The Stimulus
It is defended as saving the economy. Those sort of arguments make sense in regards to TARP - well, they are justifiable, if taken on good faith.
But in what way did the stimulus save the economy? The only plausible argument I can think of is that the expectation of future big spending gives banks greater faith to loan money - because that was the issue in February 2009. But that's bogus.
Cancel the Stimulus, cut it off at $300 billion. Have the states cancel their pensions - sorry state workers, you never deserved them. It's that simple. Oh, and that is in part what this Stimulus was all about.
But in what way did the stimulus save the economy? The only plausible argument I can think of is that the expectation of future big spending gives banks greater faith to loan money - because that was the issue in February 2009. But that's bogus.
Cancel the Stimulus, cut it off at $300 billion. Have the states cancel their pensions - sorry state workers, you never deserved them. It's that simple. Oh, and that is in part what this Stimulus was all about.
Toyota
I don't have all the facts about what's been going wrong with Toyota's cars lately. I know what is commonly known: that there were gas pedal problems, that there have been other and newer problems, that the 'corporation' may have been slow to deal with it. But what I don't know is what in particular may be wrong with Toyota's corporate culture that is supposedly worse than other companies that makes it so darn bad.
Here's my point: Toyota had a problem, but has taken enormous heat for it. I think there is an overreaction and Toyota will benefit in the end.
As for the overreaction: this is ironic, because Toyota is known for safety and reliability. Maybe this story is sensational because the narrative has been busted, and there are no facts in media - just narratives. Busted narratives provoke narrative rearrangements, and that equals news. But I wonder if Toyota is not the victim of coordination - GM has always sponsored big media types, is owned by Barack Obama, and even conservatives have trouble speaking against homegrown industry. This is a little conspiratorial, but I wouldn't rule it out because I don't think there is enough evidence out there that Toyota deserves the attention it is getting, and the busted narrative theory doesn't explain the ongoing hysteria (and congressional hearings).
All in all, one thing in particular has contributed to the hysteria: Toyota's actions. What are these? More and more and more recalls. But Toyota is smarter than you and I, and will win in the end. Why?
Toyota has always been trusted as a safe car company. Their reputation was already above those of the American car companies. They made a mistake - okay, what about the Firestone controversy, what about the recalls that occur routinely for American cars?
But because they took so much flak for it, Toyota must now be extremely careful, more careful than before. Since their reputation is bad now, they might as well engage in a bunch of recalls until their standards are fully updated on the production side. I think this explains the recalls - what doesn't explain the recalls is that Toyota is just a failure right now.
In the end, Toyota will have such high standards, that when the hysteria blows over it will be branded as the 'extra-safe' company. So, they will win in the end, and I think this is their specific strategy.
Too bad for you, American Big Labor.
Here's my point: Toyota had a problem, but has taken enormous heat for it. I think there is an overreaction and Toyota will benefit in the end.
As for the overreaction: this is ironic, because Toyota is known for safety and reliability. Maybe this story is sensational because the narrative has been busted, and there are no facts in media - just narratives. Busted narratives provoke narrative rearrangements, and that equals news. But I wonder if Toyota is not the victim of coordination - GM has always sponsored big media types, is owned by Barack Obama, and even conservatives have trouble speaking against homegrown industry. This is a little conspiratorial, but I wouldn't rule it out because I don't think there is enough evidence out there that Toyota deserves the attention it is getting, and the busted narrative theory doesn't explain the ongoing hysteria (and congressional hearings).
All in all, one thing in particular has contributed to the hysteria: Toyota's actions. What are these? More and more and more recalls. But Toyota is smarter than you and I, and will win in the end. Why?
Toyota has always been trusted as a safe car company. Their reputation was already above those of the American car companies. They made a mistake - okay, what about the Firestone controversy, what about the recalls that occur routinely for American cars?
But because they took so much flak for it, Toyota must now be extremely careful, more careful than before. Since their reputation is bad now, they might as well engage in a bunch of recalls until their standards are fully updated on the production side. I think this explains the recalls - what doesn't explain the recalls is that Toyota is just a failure right now.
In the end, Toyota will have such high standards, that when the hysteria blows over it will be branded as the 'extra-safe' company. So, they will win in the end, and I think this is their specific strategy.
Too bad for you, American Big Labor.
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