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Who’s Still Afraid of Osama? Steve Chapman argues that the idea of a terrorist with a nuke is exceedingly unlikely. Eye-opening, and I’d like to hear responses to that one.
The BHT Celebrated its 6th Birthday This Week – It’s been an honor to be a part of it for the last couple of years.
Ron Paul Says No Third Party Run:
Let me tell you my thoughts. With Romney gone, the chances of a brokered convention are nearly zero. But that does not affect my determination to fight on, in every caucus and primary remaining, and at the convention for our ideas, with just as many delegates as I can get. But with so many primaries and caucuses now over, we do not now need so big a national campaign staff, and so I am making it leaner and tighter. Of course, I am committed to fighting for our ideas within the Republican party, so there will be no third party run. I do not denigrate third parties — just the opposite, and I have long worked to remove the ballot-access restrictions on them. But I am a Republican, and I will remain a Republican.
This was always Paul’s purpose – to ignite a movement, not to win. He was banking the long-shot bid on a brokered convention, and Romney’s leaving ends that hope. He never thought he’d get as far as he has. I’m torn on his decision to not go third party. On the one hand, he’s probably just being realistic: if libertarianism is going to have a powerful influence in the near future, it’ll have to be through a major party. And after all, he’s talking about Republicans used to talk. Still, if he’s committed to seeing third parties do well in America, why not channel this movement’s energy toward a third party effort that couldn’t be ignored?
Paul’s conclusion is a bit cryptic on one point; he says the other reason he’s not running third party is that he wants to maintain his congressional seat and not lose that election because he’s tied up in another effort. Then he says he has other plans to continue this ideological movement “that I will share with you when I can.” Um…can you share with me now? I’m curious…
Arts and Entertainment
Mythopoeic Award Challenge – Can you read seven award-winning sci-fi or fantasy books by the end of the year? I can!
Editorial: Is Obama Really Left of Hillary?
There are positions Obama holds that are really left, and I don’t like them. I’d say I’m scared of his spending plans and government-increasing, but then, I voted for Bush twice…
What surprises me is the common belief that Obama is left of Hillary. I don’t think it’s as simple as who’s “more left.” There are some very clear places in which Barack is actually far more conservative than Hillary, and his health care plan is one of them. I watched the debate between the two a week and a half ago, and I was utterly appalled at the way Hillary talks. We all should be. Because she was talking about mandating health care. Get that? Mandating. You have no choice. You’re too dumb to take care of yourself; let the Nanny State do it. We know what’s best for you. Trust us. Oh, and if you refuse it, we’ll garnish your wages.
Barack, while not offering the free market solution I’d prefer, at least has the respect for individual liberty that says, “Let’s lower health care costs and let people make their own choices.”
Sullivan sums it up nicely:
Tyler Cowen is impressed with the arguments against them made by David Cutler, Obama’s chief healthcare adviser. I’d point out something else about this rare Clinton-Obama policy difference. Obama is the more pragmatic and centrist of the two on this matter. The notion that he is the more liberal of the two is not a very enlightening analysis. In general, they represent different strands of liberalism, and it’s reflected in their campaign rhetoric. Obama tends to emphasize people’s ability to help themselves and their capacity to do so independently of government. Clinton tends to emphasize the neediness of people for government support and help, and she’s much more comfortable with coercive government action.
It’s “Yes, We Can,” vs “I’ll Take Care Of You.”
