The Big O’s new book . . .

Posted on November 17, 2009 by eric

Jim Ostrowski has a new book out.
It’s always a pleasure to come out of a blogging coma and to do so with a recommendation to get and read Jim’s latest. This one is about education. Besides the military, no entity is considered a more vital public good than education. To call for a mass exodus of the system is a bold declaration, can Ostrowski pull it off ? I’ll be getting mine post haste and will see you on the other side of a review of it. I couldn’t finish that last one I started . . .

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Roger and me

Posted on October 23, 2009 by eric

A response to Roger Ebert’s recent article about health care.

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Is Root Racist ?

Posted on October 13, 2009 by eric

The short answer is no. Unfortunately the results of his recent article about Rush Limbaugh might suggest that he is according to the current standard. That standard is not entirely unreasonable if you apply the notion that generalizing about a particular group that is based on race. To wit;
” Yet this latest controversy about Rush Limbaugh’s attempt to buy the St. Louis Rams is an example of why the Democratic Party and liberals in this country are even worse when it comes to the issue of freedom (and free speech). NFL players- particularly black NFL players- are incensed that Rush might become a NFL owner. ”
According to a recent ABC News article only about six players have complained about the potential purchase by Limbaugh. One of them being personally wronged by Rush quarterback, Donovan McNabb. Former NFL player and ESPN commentator, Mike Golic (and fatty) expresses the reality of the situation;
“There are some superstars in this league. Most are foot soldiers,” he said. “There are a lot of players in the league who probably don’t even know Rush Limbaugh. Or they don’t care what he does. He’s the owner of their team, but they’re getting their paycheck for their job.”
For Root to generalize like he does about ‘black’ football players puts him the precarious position of being called racist, similar to his Reason magazine gotcha in 2008.

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Culture jamming Yes Men have big balls

Posted on October 7, 2009 by eric

The Sanctuary for Independent Media in Troy NY was packed for the ‘sneaky’ public premier of The Yes Men Fix the World. RPI associate professor, Igor Vamos (aka Mike Bonanno) let the first public US audience preview his new movie to a warm reception on Tuesday night.
Read the rest at the Examiner.

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Chapter 15: The Ultimate Spending Solution – CoaL by W.A.R

Posted on October 2, 2009 by eric

Some critics of Wayne Root cite his constant insistence on tax cuts rather than spending cuts as a critical flaw in his approach. While this chapter certainly refutes such claims, the idea of constitutional impoundment offers little succor to anyone who may have observed the behavior of the United States government in the last seventy years. fantasy.jpg
Root’s premise is that as President he’ll just not spend the money that Congress has appropriated for various items he deems unconstitutional. Barring any realistic chance of Root actually getting elected POTUS, he seems to lack a fundamental understanding of process and politics. Anyone watching the recent Ken Burns or Micheal Moore documentaries will find an almost slavish devotion to the idea that democracy can equalize economic differences in society. Utilizing FDR all the way.

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Chapter 14: The PSTA – Private Sector Taxpayers of America – CoaL by W.A.R

Posted on September 21, 2009 by eric

Evoking Nixon’s ‘Silent Majority’ to inspire a tax payer’s union might have worked if Root anticipated the Tea Party protests that have popped up in the last six months. It’s clear that Root didn’t have a clue about this spontaneous uprising during what was likely the final revisions of the book. In fact, he claims that these noble wealth makers (which include ‘married-with-children’ folks as opposed to those dual income no children types) are simply too occupied with their own success. ” We don’t waste our time marching, complaining, or protesting (p.155).”
Of course, come last July 4th when the Tea Party protests were in full bloom we find Wayne taking the stage just prior to neo-con lapdog Michele Malkin at a very large protest in Dallas. No true politician can turn down an adoring crowd, even the anti-politician. This chapter seems like a lame filler before the solution section and it shows again with the strained, invented acronyms and automatic claims of socialism attributed to Obama. Once again the nature of taxation isn’t approached so much as the levels thereof. No mention of the wars that got us into the mess, only the upcoming vilification of the ‘rich’ (p.155) by Obama.

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smallest quiz thing part II

Posted on September 20, 2009 by eric

For each issue question that Eric complains about, I issue this blanket retort now instead of repeating it for each issue: if you think you can state the issue in 35 characters or less, and in a way that is useful for LP outreach, and do so in a way that is more fair or insightful than the way I did it, then let’s see your 35 characters. And if instead you think there’s no way to use 10 or 20 short questions to get a rough idea of which standard political label applies to someone, then your complaints are better directed to The Advocates, not to me.

Fair enough. It only occurred to me later that Holtz was the creator of the current test that I criticized. And I guess my ultimate point is that injecting 20 questions from any ideology might create an unfair or misdirected result. I’ve never been a big fan of this test. Keep giving the test all you want wherever you want.

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okay, Brian Holtz – why don’t you let us comment on your ‘ libertarian intelligence’

Posted on September 20, 2009 by eric

My Google alerts let’s me know when my name pops up somewhere and apparently my critique of Brian Holtz’s version of the World’s smallest political quiz has him a bit miffed.
You can’t leave comments on Brian’s website, but I’m sure he’ll find this and is welcome to leave his here.

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Chapter 13: Government Employee Unions Gone Wild – CoaL by W.A.R

Posted on September 11, 2009 by eric

With the exception of the obviously inspired chapter title, I actually found myself identifying with this chapter in a moment of weakness. As someone who has lived in the extended shadow of New York’s Capital Region (and the other side of the River) hardly a day goes by without the reminder that those who work for the state are made men, or women as the case may be and the saying goes. Big fat pensions, sick and vacation time, the contrast to my own entrepreneurial existence, often present a stark contrast in philosophy and life style.
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Like Wayne, I have also worked on holidays, extended after hours and sometimes even sick. I recall spending the last days in a business location dismantling the operation with a head cold that would have sidelined a state worker for a week. I was so happy to be free of the local bureaucracy’s control after years of struggle, it was almost a joy. The extra lawn mowing in the summer, fixing the heating and air conditioning units in the facility are experiences that I imagine Root doesn’t actually do, but the persistence and struggle is common amongst the self-employed and business owners.

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“Strocked” Part II

Posted on September 8, 2009 by eric

This is the follow from the last, from Strock again . . .
Where’s this going ? I’m on numerous lists of activists and get a flood of stuff that doesn’t necessarily strike me as necessary or pertinent. I got the first one about a week ago and didn’t think much about it, typical local smug columnist stuff. But the second piece sort of struck home because he mentions the LP. In an upcoming piece that I’ll put up at the Examiner, I’ll push back a bit on Mr. Strock.
Second letter after the jump . . . .

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