Category: Politics & Culture
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The Myth of Female Peacefulness
Some think that a government filled with women would be more peaceful; a senate of women would get more done with less conflict. But there is no evidence for this, and plenty of evidence for the opposite. Forget the “studies”. There are lots of real life laboratories, called workplaces. Go to a workplace dominated by…
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The Disingenuous Voice Of Political Activists
Political activists are regularly outraged when their opponents mistreat them. Well, I’m shocked that they are shocked. They must not understand their own axioms. But let me back up and lay the groundwork by describing those things that seem obvious to me about political activity, and the personality type of the activist. Politics is the…
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Rival Versions of History
It all depends on how you connect the dots in history. Left history is a story of more and more money taken from the robber barons and returned to its rightful owners, the masses. Right history is a story of the gradual escape of the individual from the tyranny of the state. You tell me:…
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The First Object of Government: Thwart the Majority’s Theft
From Power Line: Given that poorer citizens always outnumber the rich, the classic political philosophers held that government based on majority rule was untenable. They were of the view that it would lead to organized theft from the wealthy by the democratic masses. Thus Aristotle warned in The Politics, for example: “If the majority distributes…
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The Ponzi Molecule
Atoms have charges which pre-dispose them to particular molecular combinations. Congresspeople are the atoms in our political system. They also carry “charges” which pre-dispose them to create particular laws. This charge has nothing to do with party or even political philosophy, because in the modern era, re-election depends on bringing back to your district more than your taxpayers put in. …
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Melting Pot
Somehow, America told herself “diversity” made her great. Not only is this not true, the people who say it don’t know what it means. It’s more feeling than meaning. Of course America was “built” by _immigrants_ from many shores. Many languages, cultures, religions came together and poof! America. First diverse cultures, then…
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Government Workers Are Structurally Hamstrung
People who work in government are normal people (you might be one) but their organization hamstrings them — necessarily. It is not possible for a government institution to compete with a private institution. Their work takes place in an adversarial arena with legislated transparency. Nobody can do well in this environment. It’s like…
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The Presidency
To the Left, the President is the Chief Executive of the country. That makes us his employees. In the Constitutional vision, he is Chief Executive of the government. That makes us his customers. You can’t have conversations when your words mean the opposite.
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History and Politics and your Future
…in one sentence: When “person” means anything other than “object of God’s love”, bloodbaths ensue. I’m not sure democracy can survive as the Judeo-Christian tincture fades from the West, leaving…what? The science we learned from Aristotle? What is a vote-deserving agent under the gaze of reason alone? The sanctity with which people regard “one person,…
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Thinking Out Loud On Air Pollution
I am, generally, a conservative in matters of government regulation. However, I agree with the use of government force to keep visible pollutants out of my air. Simple as that. There has to be a limit, of course, based on practicality. Controlling perfume, for example, is not practical and the problem (though legitimate)…