independent's Comments

All American Blogger : Nationalize Oil and Set the Price of Gas? History Shows the Democrats Folly

Jun 23, 2008 1:16 PM

Well, if they manage to create oil shortages (and as demonstrated, the price-fixing proposals would only create shortages) we'll have no choice but to accept massive subsidies for non-competitive 'alternative' energy! The ones who want to nationalize today seem to be the same ones complaining a few years ago that "cheap gasoline" was destroying the planet.

All American Blogger : CNN Breaks Down the Cause of $4 a Gallon Gasoline

May 30, 2008 2:51 PM

Bubble bubble, speculators in trouble...or maybe not

"Money flowing into oil - and commodities in general - has been especially sharp over the last 6 months as investors look for good returns amid falling stock prices and an inflation hedge against a falling dollar."

Paul and CNN and most of the rest of the left seem to want to demonize these "speculators" but they are only acting as any rational actor would respond to the irrational spending levels in Congress and at the Federal Reserve. It doesn't matter what one invests in by this logic, you're an "evil speculator" if you make more than the 5-7% loss people sitting in cash, CDs, or money markets will suffer.

Of course, take out the dying dollar and the resulting commodity boom and gas would still be $3 a gallon. Another way to consider it is that you get the same number of barrels of oil per ounce of gold. In many ways, the price of commodities hasn't changed relative to each other, they've only changed relative to fiat currencies whose supply exceeds demand.
/annoyed at anti-market liberals selling water energy books and CNN rant

All American Blogger : Wal-Mart Educates Universal Health Care Proponents on the Free Market

May 6, 2008 10:25 PM

duhh Thanks for pointing that out, I think I skipped ahead when I read about the tax cuts. My main complaint about McCain to this point is how he's kind of simplified issues - now I have details in front of my face and I'm the idiot that glosses over them because I expected to see more generalizations.

Just took a second look at McCain's website and the healthcare outline is updated. Right under "lowering costs" he has a section about tort reform. So what am I talking about!? I shoulda said: "McCain's plan sounds like the best one out"

All American Blogger : Wal-Mart Educates Universal Health Care Proponents on the Free Market

May 6, 2008 4:59 PM

If we want to cut costs, we could take a lesson from France (you won't hear me say that often.) No lawsuits, no running around suing your doctor because they did their best and made an honest mistake.

And a major problem with insurance is, oddly, only addressed by Obama's plan. Insurance is limited to state-by-state markets. I don't have the same choices or the same market competition situation as the person ~40 miles north in the next state.

Eliminating lawsuits and opening insurance to true nation-wide competition wouldn't fix everything, but it would be a good practical start to CUT COSTS. These universal plans just increase cost, they throw more money chasing at the same level of resources.

All American Blogger : Republicans Want to Rein in Spending. No, Really.

Apr 17, 2008 4:02 PM

You'd think if they had the votes for an amendment they could easily get the votes to just change the budget.

Unfortunately the part you set in bold is the part that really explains why things won't change. It doesn't matter how much Republicans spend, because Democrats can always come out and say it wasn't enough. This lack of another choice will keep conservatives voting Republican...

All American Blogger : Save the Earth by Consuming More

Apr 9, 2008 3:59 AM

Why "let" a business sell anything? Its free will and if people want to line up to throw their money away let them. I'm a big fan of voluntary exchange even if people are buying or selling things I personally see no value in.

All American Blogger : Save the Earth by Consuming More

Apr 9, 2008 12:39 AM

Well, its sort of funny in a sad way, but its a heck of a lot better than a carbon tax. Let the credit card companies separate people from their money for all I care!

Of course, if they were serious about it they should probably save the money spent on consumption and invest their capital in a new green energy company. Or put some solar panels up on the house, or heck, start a backyard vegetable garden!

But you're right, this isn't about saving the world at all. For the creditor, its a new way to raise rates. For the consumer its a no-effort required way to get an "indulgence" to hedge their guilty conscious.

All American Blogger : The Biz Flog: Record Profits And The Oil Market

Apr 3, 2008 11:26 PM

I'd love to see the media do some hard coverage on the taxes the government collects on every gallon of gas, or how Federal Reserve & budget policies have devalued the dollar and caused a sharp spike in commodity prices... Just kidding, that would never happen.

All American Blogger : Are You Smarter Than a Six Grader...Indoctrinated into the Church of Global Warming

Mar 26, 2008 11:56 AM

I'm not sure what is scarier, what the kids think or their spelling & grammar. I'm starting to get scared of global warming. Not the climate change - I'm scared of the effect of all this propaganda!

All American Blogger : Why Guns Must Remain in INDIVIDUAL Right.

Mar 22, 2008 8:57 AM

Yet another instance of government power usurping the rights and responsibility of the people... I was just reading the Federalist Papers last night, looking for some insight into Madison's opinions of central banking, but what I found was his piece on the right to bear arms.

Madison had concluded that the standing army is what ultimately crushed the economy of Rome and the liberties of her citizens. His solution? Let the people own their own guns and a standing army would be unnecessary. It should therefor be no surprise that our standing army has weakened the need for an armed citizenry. I thought it was an interesting perspective that shows how much things have changed...

Political Grind : Obamacans Looming Large in Texas?

Mar 2, 2008 8:52 PM

I think it has less to do with a long term strategy of winning in November and more to the fact that Republicans have been waiting years to vote against Hillary. I've also heard people suggesting that McCain isn't the answer to the party's deep problems and unpopularity - that maybe only four years of Obama could usher in a conservative with leadership potential.

Thoughts on the World : Russia Toughens Stance on Iran - Why?

Feb 27, 2008 10:14 PM

You said it: "Why would Russia want another geopolitical loss after Kosovo?"

Putin tried to reclaim Russia's international influence, but he failed to prevent Iraq, he failed to prevent Kosovo, and all signs indicate he has no power to stop us from doing whatever we want in regards to Iran. Recently, Russia threatened to use nuclear weapons if any ally was threatened or attacked. This was their "power card" they had been holding on to, but it didn't stop China from taking the U.S. side on trade with Iran and it didn't stop the E.U. and U.S. from banding together in regards to Kosovo/Serbia.

After a nuclear threat fails, what do you have left?

To save face and preserve the illusion of geopolitical power, Putin needs only to claim America's interests as his own and claim a victory when we do whatever it is we were going to do anyway.