Analytics

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Miscellany: 1/19/16

Quote of the Day
The States can best govern our home concerns 
and the general government our foreign ones. 
I wish, therefore ... never to see all offices transferred to Washington, 
where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, 
they may more secretly be bought and sold at market.
Thomas Jefferson

Tweet of the Day
Chart of the Day: Trump's a Poor Choice For the General Election

via Nate Silver
Image of the Day


Facebook Corner

(Reason). Over the weekend, you probably saw that trending story revealing that "the one weird trait" Donald J. Trump supporters share is a penchant for authoritarianism. That's not surprising. What's more interesting is how the definition of "authoritarian" has been co-opted into the culture wars between the left and the right.
The article is spot on identifying the problems with this political science nomological network. I recently tweeted to Nowrasteh, who had mentioned separately.the MacWilliams' piece, that I thought that Dem rulemaking should correlate with the construct (in reference to the point of an alleged shift of orientation from Dems to the GOP).

 Without having done construct measure validation in this space, I speculate that people who have a weak locus of control over the circumstances (say, their lot in a sluggish economy) may gravitate to some authority who confidently provides closure in an uncertain world. This has been the traditional province of the social democrats who promise cradle-to-grave economic security through a State built on positive rights and redistribution of income/wealth.

In a similar way Donald Trump attempts to blame the economic malaise affecting blue collar workers on incompetent government, trade deals and immigration, for which the remedy is his allegedly more competent administration.

 Underlying either faction is an abiding belief in the necessity and efficacy of the State. There is more of a strongman aspect to the Trump faction in that he ties his purported superior competence to the State under him.

 Those of us in the libertarian camp have a stronger locus of control of the individual and the markets, and we see government as a necessarily inferior proxy for market dynamism. The working class finds it more difficult to visualize the unintended consequences of Statist policies, with or without a visible cult symbol like Barrack Obama or Donald Trump.

What It Means To Be a Coach



Political Potpourri

Two new polls out. Probably the most interesting poll is Kasich surging to a high second to Trump in NH. Rubio finishes a distant third, followed by Christie & Cruz, and Bush. I do like Kasich's broad background in Congress and as governor in an important swing state, although I don't see Kasich rising elsewhere. Everything could change, of course, with a strong showing in NH.  In the second poll (MD), it's the familiar top 4 finish (Trump, Cruz, Rubio, and Carlson), Trump lapping the field. Cruz and Rubio are neck and neck, and Chrisite finishes just behind Carlson.

Two new NH polls out for the Dems, both showing Sanders beating Clinton, one by nearly a 2-1 blowout.

Political Cartoon

Courtesy of Eric Allie via IPI
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Vocalists

 Gordon Lightfoot, "Rainy Day People"



Britain Considers Banning Trump


Here's The UK's Parliamentary Roast Of Donald Trump
Donald J. Trump gets roasted by the UK Parliament
Posted by NowThis Election on Monday, January 18, 2016
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , ,