MMM,,, Free Trade Tastes Good, Even Oil

There was a really good post over on EconLog by David Henderson on Energy Independence and how not only is it a pipe dream (it's a fungible commodity) but it is a bad idea. As Henderson said

Energy independence is no more desirable than coffee independence, banana independence, or car independence.

-Samuel Augustus Maverick

The Death of Libertarianism?

There has been much chatter today on the conservative blogsphere about this article in slate by Jacob Weisberg. He has to jump through a number of rhetorical hoops to reach his conclusion. Needless to say, I don't find him very convincing, at all. Here are three nice refutations. I'll update with more as I find them.

-Samuel Augustus Maverick

UPDATE: Here is a paper from Feeman White

(h/t Will Wilkinson)

UPDATE II: More From Megan McArdle

Interview With A Plumber

Remember the plumber that Obama told he wanted to "spread the wealth around"? Well the guy(s) over at Family Security Matters have an interview with him. He seem to still believe in that whole do it yourself American mentality

- Samuel Augustus Maverick

Obama vs The S&P 500

I found this just now and it back up what I had to say the Democrats this cycle in the post about Harry Reid.

- Samuel Augustus Maverick

Truth Squad/Brainwash School

This will creep you out

Obama Singing Children (UPDATE: the video has been taken down )

This will double creep you out




- Drillson Rigs


DOUBLE UPDATE: Found Original

No.

Can I have a followup question?




-Toki

Health Care: a Right?

Senator Obama (or "that one" as you will) said that health care was a Right. What kind of health care? How much? He doesn't really go into any of those messy "details". Next can we make Yachts a Right? I mean those are fun.

- Samuel Augustus Maverick

Difference Engine

When Barack Obama talked about government scientists creating the computer, was he confused about Charles Babbage, or was he talking about the creation of the internet. One is relevant, one insane.

Also, if John McCain would refer to Barack Obama as "That one" for the rest of the campaign, that would make me very happy.



-Toki

Juice is loose.

"For three hundred million dollars, it better be able to project my balls on the moon. You need to be able to look at the moon, and see my balls."
-Overheard during the debate



-Toki

So You're Already Complaining About the Bailout

If you are one of those people that is already saying I told you so about the bailout plan and blames George W. Bush for the stock market and all your financial woes because the market has gone down since the House passed the bailout, then you are probably not looking in the right place for information
I cannot support government's involvement in private affairs, but from an economic discipline I do understand that it takes time for government expenditures to show real economic returns in the market place ( and by returns I mean minimal short term benefits). However, just as financial gains are rewarded to risk taking individuals, financial losses are distributed among investors.
The Republican party is no more responsible for this crisis than its democratic counterpart. If you want to throw G.W. Bush into the fire for the financial problems that we face today so be it, but be just as angry with Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, and the Democratic resistance against financial principles that are accepted by every self respecting professional in the industry.
In short, it has been 48 hours since the bailout. Yes, it will have an effect. Will it erase the effects of the negligent behavior of the government and the financial sector? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Will it stabilize banks and allow for short term lending under more conservative lending procedures that will improve our future economy through more sound investments (by being cautious and responsible). Probably so. But, if you are the type of person that blames George Bush for your lack of economic value in society, then the American people would be better off if your sufferage rights were revoked.

-Drillson Rigs

DEBATE!!!!!!

There may be some kind of commentary attached, but mostly I'm just going to throw down a theme song and cover art for the debate.






Boomp3.com

-Toki

Campaign Finance Fraud Brought To You By Your Friendly Neighborhood Obama

I found this over at newsmax:

In a letter dated June 25, 2008, the FEC asked the Obama campaign to verify a series of $25 donations from a contributor identified as “Will, Good” from Austin, Texas. Mr. Good Will listed his employer as “Loving” and his profession as “You.” A Newsmax analysis of the 1.4 million individual contributions in the latest master file for the Obama campaign discovered 1,000 separate entries for Mr. Good Will, most of them for $25. In total, Mr. Good Will gave $17,375.

Read the whole thing

-Samuel Augustus Maverick

UPDATE: More from CBS

Bailout Pt. I

I think that the bailout was/is a bad idea, for a number of different reasons that I will expound upon in a later post (I also expect that my co-bloggers will weigh in on this discussion with varying levels of hatred). For now, I leave you with this video from the Cato institute.

Samuel Augustus Maverick

Leviathan

Here comes the leviathan. Oh, and the dow is down from over 300 to -63 (at 2:35).

-Samuel Augustus Maverick

Harry Reid: a terrible person

Harry Reid manages to push stocks even lower. We got this from Instapundit:

A hedge-fund reader emails: "Reid, Schumer, and Pelosi are widely assumed to be stoking a financial Reichstag fire that would be a win-win for the permanent government. Conventional wisdom holds that economic chaos benefits the "out" presidential party, of course. Destruction of private wealth increases dependency on the central government. And a humbled private sector makes spinning the regulatory ratchet that much easier. Cynical, shameless, and in plain sight."

Democrats are viewed, for some unfathomable reason, to be better on the economy. Therefore, they want to talk the economy down any time they can. Fucking despicable.

-Samuel Augustus Maverick