Some thoughts on recent events in rapid-fire succession:
- McCain’s campaign suspension. Unorthodox, bold, smart. McCain’s certainly a risk taker — even though I’ve found his politics odious at times, I also find it refreshing that he’s willing to think and act outside the overly scripted, focus-grouped, poll-driven box that is modern American politics. Doubtless McCain’s camp brooded over the political calculus of temporarily dropping his campaign, but I think it says something meaningful and positive about McCain that he was willing to do it in the first place. Plus, he’s once again put Obama on defense; all he could do was react. And I don’t think his reaction has been terribly smart so far. If Obama appears at tomorrow’s debate alone, he will look like an ostentatious stage hound fiddling while Rome burns. I think it really does have the potential to be the death knell of his campaign.
- The mortgage bailout. I have to admit that I don’t fully understand the crisis. But my reaction has been along these lines:
- Where do these governmental incursions into the market end? What happens if the U.S. automobile industry starts to tank? Or the airlines? Do we have to bail them out too? Where does it end? We’re on a slippery slope of socialism here, and one need only look to the historical example of the former USSR to see how well that works.
- Besides, as a taxpayer, I don’t want to be on the hook for business failures I have no control over. Nor do I want to be on the hook for the unrepentant malfeasance of politicians, bureaucrats, and Wall Street fat cats.
- Speaking of bureaucracy, the idea of giving Henry Paulson — an unelected official — a blank check for $700 billion to use at his discretion seems like lunacy. Our national debt is already $6 TRILLION. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac already put taxpayer dollars on the line because they are GSEs (government-sponsored enterprises) that borrow heavily from foreign investors to do business. I resent the fact that Paulson et al (President Bush included) are out there fear-mongering, telling us that we have no choice but to further compound the taxpayers’ outlay or face economic meltdown. Isn’t bureaucratic incompetence and corruption partly to blame for this mess in the first place?!? Sorry guys — the economy may be having problems, but I’m skeptical about the Chicken Little approach. If we need a solution, I’d prefer a thoughtful, non-Marxist one to the put-the-taxpayer-in-a-hammer-lock variety.
- Planning to start my interaction with Gary Grieg’s defense of Lakeland soon — stay tuned!
- On a lighter note, I really enjoyed LSU’s comeback at Auburn on Saturday. Looking forward to seeing them develop over the rest of the season. It’s going to be a great ride again this year. Geaux Tigers!
That is all. For now, anyway…
Blessings,
Rob
aka The MonT-SteR
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