Facebook Politics

Facebook shows you more than the trivia of your friends' lives. It also shows you their politics, and how they think about the world. This can be fascinating and unsettling.

For example, some people I like recently joined Petition To Remove Group "Soldiers Are Not Heroes", a group that's a petition to remove the Soldiers Are Not Heroes group.

Leaving aside which group I agree with, the 'Petition To Remove' group scares the fuck out of me: their goal is to silence people who disagree with them. If you want to engage the "Soldiers Are Not Heroes" group in vigorous debate, argue with them, call them names, start a group called 'Members Of The "Soldiers Are Not Heroes" Group Are Clueless Ingrates' - fine. That's freedom in action. Let both sides make their cases.

But remove them from Facebook because you don't like what they're saying? Shut them down to shut them up? What could be less free, less noble, less American, than that? That's not what our troops are fighting for. That's the kind of death-to-unbelievers intolerance they're fighting against.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Colonel Barfoot Should Take His Flagpole Down

First, this isn't about the American flag. The Sussex Square Homeowners Association (SSHA) has no objection to American flags. It's about whether the colonel or anyone else in the community can fly any flag on a 21-foot front-yard flagpole. The SSHA says no.

Second, the colonel's military service and heroism are wonderful, but irrelevant. Would you say yes to a flagpole for the colonel, but no to a flagpole for draft dodgers like Bill Clinton or Dick Cheney? What if the stoner down the street wants a 50-foot flagpole for his Steal Your Face flag? Does he get it if he's a veteran, otherwise no?

Finally, this is about honoring a contract. When you buy a house that's managed by a homeowners association, you agree in writing to follow their rules. If you don't want to abide by their decisions, don't buy the house. But you shouldn't expect to have it both ways.

(If you need background, here's the Richmond Times-Dispatch article, and here's the misleadingly-titled Facebook page.)

Cash For Chuckleheads

I really don't like the "Cash For Clunkers" program.

First, the supposed environmental benefits are "middling" at best. There are far more effective ways to use tax dollars to save the planet.

Then there's the moral hazard. The most common trade-ins include Ford Explorers and Chevy Blazers. Why should we reward people who made lousy mileage decisions? We should be letting the free market punish those decisions. I'd much rather reward the guy whose '95 Civic is still going strong.

Finally, the economic stimulus. Short-term stimulus for car makers and dealers, yes. Woohoo! But what happens six months from now? Remember employee pricing, the superstar of 2005? Remember what happened a year later, when there was no more demand in the pipeline? Remember the bankruptcies of 2008? A taxpayer-funded price cut isn't a rescue plan, it's a leaky life preserver in the middle of a big ocean.

So this is one of those odd moments where I find myself in agreement with immoderate Republicans like Jim DeMint. "Cash For Clunkers" gives Joe Taxpayer a piece of bail-out pie, so it's enormously popular. But that doesn't make it good policy. It's as misguided as the huge Wall Street bail-outs.

Another One Bites The Dust

Just for the record, I predicted Palin's resignation months ago. Sure hope I'm right about the scandal part, too. That would explain her odd decision to announce her abdication on July 3rd.

At Least We Knew Where Clinton Was

Turns out South Carolina mystery man Mark Sanford was out getting his package stimulated. First Ensign, now this.

Feel free to insert your own remark about astonishing Republican hypocrisy here. I'm worn out.

The Company We Keep

According to this Amnesty International study, the U.S. had the fourth-highest number of executions in the world in 2008. First, second, and third were China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Fifth was Pakistan.

Granted, absolute numbers that don't adjust for population are skewed. And, granted, the U.S. number is going down. Still - Iran? Saudi Arabia? Pakistan? Do we want our country on this list?

And anyone who abhors the idea of spending tax dollars to keep killers alive should read this Economist article. Life imprisonment is cheaper than execution.

Actual Numbers Trump Vague Threats

Daniel Gross has a very nice analysis of Republican tax increase FUD. If you're making $300K, you'll pay an extra two grand in taxes. Is that really going to drive a lot of successful entrepreneurs onto the welfare rolls?