Mudita Journal

Politics Archive

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What do you think of Sarah Palin?

September 4, 2008  ·  Category: Current Events, Politics

I'd be very curious to know what Mudita Journal readers think of Sarah Palin. If you didn't see her acceptance speech tonight, you can watch it here. Or you can read a text summary (with comments interspersed) of this evening's speeches at the RNC. Tell me what you think. About her -- not her party. Me, I'm with these guys: From now on, when a Democrat says "But what if McCain drops dead on his first day in office?!?!?!" I'm going to say "dude -- don't tease me like that."

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FLOW: Markets in happiness and well-being

July 7, 2008  ·  Category: FLOW, Intellectual, Politics

I've been greatly enjoying my monthly newsletters from FLOW, because these guys are genuinely committed to exploring the reconciliation between liberal values (of personal development, generosity, community, and peace) and free markets. Below is their latest, from CEO Michael Strong. Other than perhaps his analysis of Mac vs. PC ;-) I find this to be a very stimulating and incisive discussion of the relevant topics. Dear FLOW Members, One of our most powerful instincts is that those who contribute the most to a community should be rewarded the most. From this perspective, it has always been a source of great consternation ...

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John Adams … and Speaking Truth to Power

June 19, 2008  ·  Category: Politics, Reviews

Kathy and I have been watching HBO's mini-series John Adams lately, and it's terrific. I particularly like the plain-spokenness and integrity of those intelligent men who were involved in founding the United States of America. Paul Giamatti, who plays John Adams, brings a wonderful sensibility to his role. Had Adams been played by someone less geeky -- someone more charismatic, like Daniel Day Lewis or Tom Cruise -- I believe the story would have been far less meaningful. Giamatti's performance makes it clear that Adams was no Obama-style rock-star; he was a more ordinary, though clearly intelligent, man who stood ...

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Hauser’s Law: Why You Can’t Soak the Rich

June 17, 2008  ·  Category: Intellectual, Politics

Over the past 60 years, no matter how much federal tax RATES have been raised or lowered, tax REVENUES have remained at about 19% of GDP: The chart nearby, updating the evidence to 2007, confirms Hauser's Law. The federal tax "yield" (revenues divided by GDP) has remained close to 19.5%, even as the top tax bracket was brought down from 91% to the present 35%. This is what scientists call an "independence theorem," and it cuts the Gordian Knot of tax policy debate. The data show that the tax yield has been independent of marginal tax rates over this period, but tax ...

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No recession? We can still kvetch!

June 4, 2008  ·  Category: Humor, Intellectual, Politics

Will Wilkinson -- whom some of you may know by virtue of his attendance at some Objectivist seminars in the 1990s -- has some clever commentary over at American Public Radio: Keep complaining about the economy. What I want to know is, how do they manage to make everyone on public radio sound so unfailingly BOOKISH? You know the sound I'm talking about. Do they make them drink a special concoction before they start rolling the tapes, or...? (h/t Farsam)

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The Real Iraq: A Moment of Truth

May 28, 2008  ·  Category: Current Events, Politics

"To most of us, Iraq is an abstraction that, at best, vaguely resembles reality on the ground. A new book by Michael Yon, however, reveals the real Iraq -- and why we face a moment of truth of historic proportions." From an excellent new article by Michael Totten at the Atlasphere: Iraq is where ideologies go to die. Arab nationalism, Baathism, anti-Americanism, al-Qaidism, Donald Rumsfeldism, and Moqtada al-Sadrism have either died there or are dying. Conventional liberal opinion, more or less correct about the foundering American war effort from 2004 to 2006, has been severely bloodied — along with Iraq’s worst insurgent groups and ...

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A soldier’s perspective on why they’re in Iraq

May 25, 2008  ·  Category: Current Events, Intellectual, Politics

This is a guest post by a friend of mine named "Ron," presently stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. I’ve enjoyed reading this thread (“On appreciating military service, even in Iraq”) as it has developed and before I comment I want to say that I consider Joe Duarte and Josh Zader both to be friends. I have a great deal of respect for the intellect and devotion to Liberty of both men. I also want to thank Josh for providing a forum where rational people can have discussions like these and share ideas. I am currently in the 55th Week of my ...

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Who is John Yoo?

May 21, 2008  ·  Category: Current Events, Intellectual, Politics

In the article "Is John Yoo a Monster?" Esquire magazine provides a lovely, intimate look at the man who played the single biggest role in shaping the Bush administration's policies on torture. One thing I like about the article is that I would use the words "lovely, intimate look" and "policies on torture" in the same sentence while describing it. Such beautiful extremes, there -- the kind of paradox that might smash preconceptions, forcing us to arrive at fresh conclusions. Some background about the guy: At Steve’s Korean B.B.Q., Yoo talks about his parents. They were teenagers during the Korean War, a ...

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On appreciating military service, even in Iraq

May 8, 2008  ·  Category: Integral, Intellectual, Politics

In response to Joe Duarte's rant against serving in Iraq in order to promote American freedom -- "The idea that Iraq was ever a threat to Americans' freedoms is both hilarious and revolting..." -- I posted the following. I don't recall anyone arguing that Iraq was a threat, but [see correction below] I certainly remember some extremely articulate arguments to the effect that installing democracy in Iraq could, over the long-term, have a significant effect on reducing the growth of terrorism. Not because Iraq itself was ever a hotbed of terrorism, but because installing democracy in a major country in ...

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Reason.tv: Mississippi Drug War Blues

May 8, 2008  ·  Category: Current Events, Politics

Wow, Reason.tv is doing some excellent work, here. I couldn't take my eyes off it. (h/t Instapundit)

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