Miscellany :12/06/12

Quote of the Day
One may go a long way after one is tired.
French proverb

A New Season Album
(with an Exclusive Bonus Parody)

HT to Russ Roberts of Cafe Hayek.(The best tracks are Say (, Say, Say) and Hayek, too) Act today through this blog and get an exclusive bonus track: the (about to max out his debt limit) Spendthrift-in-Chief Santa Obama's ode to the 1%, a remake of Supertramp's "A little Bit": by the way, is it just me or does Santa Claus in the video look a lot like Paul Krugman (especially that line about creating toys out of thin air)?

Give a little bit
Give a little bit  more of your wealth to me
I'll give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my love to you
There's so much that you need to share
So send your check and show you care

(Alright)
I'll give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my spin to you
So give a little bit
Give a little bit more of your income to me
See the man with green envy eyes
Oh, grease his palm, you'll be surprised
(Oh grease his palm)





Economic Freedom: USA #1 #18

 According to Free the World,

In this year’s index, Hong Kong retains the highest rating for economic freedom,8.90 out of 10. The other top 10 nations are: Singapore, 8.69; New Zealand, 8.36;Switzerland, 8.24; Australia, 7.97; Canada, 7.97; Bahrain, 7.94; Mauritius, 7.90; Finland, 7.88; and Chile, 7.84.

The United States, long considered the standard bearer for economic freedom among large industrial nations, has experienced a substantial decline in economic freedom during the past decade. From 1980 to 2000, the United States (7.69) was generally rated the third freest economy in the world, ranking behind only Hong Kong and Singapore. After increasing steadily during the period from 1980 to 2000, the chainlinked EFW rating of the United States fell from 8.65 in 2000 to 8.21 in 2005 and 7.70 in 2010. The chain-linked ranking of the United States has fallen precipitously from second in 2000 to eighth in 2005 and 19th  in 2010 (unadjusted ranking of 18th).

Maybe Romney can now understand why I wanted him to throw the Bush/Obama era under the bus.....

It Looks Like the Dems Want to Continue 
an Obama Political Dynasty

Drudge linked to a Chicago media source showing Michelle Obama today running against  Senator Mark Kirk, whom won Obama's former Senate seat in a close 2010 election; the idea is trying to imitating former outgoing First Lady Hillary Clinton. Let's face it: Clinton would never have been elected on her own merits (although spouses of politicians have often won office: Sonny Bono's widow only recently lost a very close reelection battle). I am well-aware actor Samuel Jackson seems to like the idea of Michelle succeeding Barack (never going to happen). Neither Hillary nor Michelle share their husband's political charisma, and those arguing popularity of first ladies ignore that often  it doesn't translate to votes. Mitt Romney's mother, the wife of a popular recent 2-term governor, lost in a landslide..  It's too early to tell but 2016 should be a change election year favoring the GOP.  Kirk, recovering from a stroke, will be tougher to beat than most people think; the bigger question is whether ideological  types will run political suicide missions like Delaware 2010 or Indiana/Missouri 2012 to prevent his renomination. A lot depends on Kirk's health and the economy, not to mention the 2014 election and whether Illinois' voters will end the GOP's decade in exile paying for George Ryan's sins.

Cato Institute: Busting Myths of Libertarians



Jim DeMint's Resignation

Perhaps the most most amusing race in 2010 was Tea Party favorite Jim DeMint (R-SC)'s Senate reelection :  what was worse: that the Democrats preferred a political unknown  whose name was similar  a famous soul  singer, to politicians with voting records and policy stands, or they would vote a soul singer into office, not even knowing the singer's positions on issues. What were they thinking: Al Green would walk into a meeting between Reid and McConnell singing War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" But what put the cherry on top of the sundae was when the candidate suggested a boost to the economy, by marketing an action figure pattern fashioned after himself, (You can't make this stuff up).

I have a lot of respect for Heritage Foundation and DeMint had noted he would term-limit himself. If there is a conservative leader in the Senate, it's DeMint. During a troubled juncture with a fiscally irresponsible President and Senate, we need a strong voice.

Congressman Tim Scott, a Jim DeMint protege, is the odds-on favorite to be named by Governor Haley. His humble upbringing, representing a district with Ft. Sumter(where the Civil War started--I remember the family visiting there in my junior-high years when my dad was stationed in SC), the very symbolic nature of an articulate, principled  personable Senator of  color from the Deep South would do more than anything to demonstrate this isn't your grandfather's GOP.



Political Humor

Today in Washington, President Obama met with leaders of the American Indian tribes and they honored the president by giving him his own Indian name: "Running Deficit." - Jay Leno

[ "Bear in the Hole".... Those beads they got for Manhattan Island? Have you seen that new necklace Lindsay Lohan is wearing? ]

Mitt Romney got a job at a Marriott hotel. President Obama's trying to stop us from going over the fiscal cliff. Mitt Romney is trying to stop people from stealing towels. - Davis Letterman

[The only reason Obama knows that there's a fiscal cliff is because one of his political operatives spotted Paul Ryan in Washington pushing an old lady in a wheelchair....After Romney joined Marriott's board Obama argued  that Marriott owns too many hotels on Broadway and Park Place and vowed to regulate Parker Brothers...]



Musical Interlude: Christmas Retrospective

How the Grinch Stole Christmas, "Welcome Christmas"