budget

Earmarking: Greasing The Wheels

For decades, the term has been synonymous with Congressional corruption. Earmarks were the bane of responsible spending, the origin of billion-dollar boondoggles, bridges to nowhere, unwanted highways, and quid pro quo politics. Figures as different as Newt Gingrich and Barack Obama both parlayed their opposition to earmarking into heightened political power.

Today, there is a movement underway within the Democratic leadership to bring the practice back; Republicans, traditionally more responsible with spending, are initially showing some resistance. So who’s right and why?

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Virtue Signalling For Votes

“The only people truly bound by campaign promises are the voters who believe them.”
― Christopher Hitchens

There are two types of promises:  comforting lies, and those meant to be kept.  Campaign promises differ from normal ones only in the choice of subject; where a doctor might tell a panicked child, “Now, you might feel a little pinch,” a politician will promise to end world hunger (more…)

More Important Than A Wall, Part 3

It’s been a month now since I first posted my “Dispassionate Look At A Border Wall”, with the intent to provoke reasonable discussion on the issue.  Because this, like most issues, is not a simple one, I’ve also written a short series on things that we need to do either before, alongside, or even instead of such a wall.  These explain why it’s in the national interest of the United States to support the Mexican economy as well as compelling practical reasons to increase legal immigration.

In this article, I intend to demonstrate the absolute necessity of a new, modern, and effective approach to the War On Drugs in order to address the intolerable conditions along our southern border. (more…)

And It’s Not About A Wall Either

The present situation has almost nothing to do with a border wall.

I submit that Mr. Trump is attempting to (more…)

Talks Break Down Over Color Of Wall

Tonight, angry Democrats stormed out of a meeting with the President on border security after failing to reach an agreement over the color of the new wall panels presently under construction in the Sonora Desert.

“This is an unprecedented abuse of power,” said Minority Leader Schumer.  “No president should hold the government hostage.” (more…)

More Important Than A Wall, Part 2

Nearly two weeks ago, I posted an article in support of a border wall with Mexico, one I still hold to.

The following day, I began writing about other things that were at least as important as border defenses, and here we’ll discuss the second of them in more detail.  Remember:  This is not an either-or situation (more…)

More Important Than A Wall, Part 1

Yesterday, I posted an article in support of a border wall with Mexico.  I stand by that article; it was honestly written and well researched.

My conclusions mentioned other things that were at least as important as border defenses, and I’d like to discuss them in more detail.  Remember:  This is not an either-or (more…)

A Dispassionate Look At A Border Wall

One of the great dangers to us during the Trump presidency is our tendency to automatically discount anything the man says as either false, foolish, or insane.

There’s a reason we do this:  Donald Trump is well known for proclaiming the impossible loudly and repeatedly, as though that would make it true — or convince anyone aside from his more militant followers.  However, just because he says something doesn’t automatically make that thing wrong.

I want to be very clear:  I disagree with many of Trump’s policies and far more of his statements.  I believe him to be ill-mannered and (at best) deliberately provocative (more…)

Shutdown = Good?

The news stories on the current government shutdown are composed almost entirely of quotes from various lawmakers who want nothing more than to try and cast the blame on each other and on the President.  After all, there were three perfectly good compromise plans (they say), and if only there were effective leadership and reasonable people on the other side of the aisle, we could have picked one and got on with our lives.

What they all carefully avoid mentioning is that a shutdown is arguably better than us passing yet another continuing resolution.

Let me explain, and then you can tell me if you agree. (more…)

Maxine Waters, And Other Things I Won’t Write About

Three things happened yesterday with vital importance and lasting impact on the American political, social, and economic landscape.  And Congresswoman Maxine Waters wasn’t involved in any of them.

It’s no shock any longer that our national news media is, to put it plainly, crap.  It is driven inexorably toward sensationalism by the twenty-four hour news format, to the detriment of (more…)