Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them.
Aristotle
Tweet of the Day
Why does Trump sweat the small stuff, like Elizabeth Warren's shot at his signature caps? He's running for POTUS: this gets his attention?— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Justice Kennedy's tragically wrong decision on Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt exposes a philosophically unprincipled perspective.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump, who "evolved" from his original pro-abort position when he decided to run for POTUS, has been silent on WWH v. Hellerstedt ruling.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Scott Brown doesn't seem to have gotten over his 2012 loss to Warren, this time taking a shot on Warren's claim of Indian heritage.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
My Mom claims I got my cheekbones from my Dad's half-Cherokee grandmother. Another paternal great-grandfather was reportedly half-Algonquin.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
It is difficult to confirm some of these records, although there are photos of both ancestors with distinctive high cheekbones.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
But I consider myself Franco-American. Both sides of the family emigrated during the Quebec diaspora, ultimately from northern France.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I wouldn't be surprised if there are some Viking roots from northern France; almost all the family has blue eyes, most siblings are blond.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump surrogate Scott Brown's suggestion that Warren have DNA testing is credible. I know a Breitbart writer cast doubt about her claim.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I stumbled across a Native American website post discussing the kerfuffle; it seemed to suggest Warren's claim is probable.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I got a reply tweet email notification to a tweet I posted about Trump's populism (maybe the tweet was deleted): Maslow's hierarchy of needs— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I think most MBA students learn of Maslow's hierarchy in org behavior service course.People focus on immediate needs pic.twitter.com/5nd7vfB7mr— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
So the replier was suggesting that Trump was tapping into economic uncertainty issues. No doubt he is manipulating by fearmongering cultists— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
But the Dems have made fearmongering over economic uncertainty part of their standard operating procedure. Except maybe external threats.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
To an extent, the Dems have an internal conflict between labor and civil rights constituencies. Labor wants to limit the number of workers.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I think that Trump is intentionally seeking to exploit the uneasy truce between the Dem labor and immigrant constituencies: divide/conquer.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#GrowingUpWithMyName My Dad used to sign in at restaurants as "Gill met". It's gotten to the point I respond to a hesitant "Ronald....?"— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#BetterTrade is a euphemism for morally corrupt self-interest unionists and capitalists who rent-seek at the expense of consumers.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#BetterTrade is the government political whores getting out of the way of voluntary transactions between consumers and suppliers.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#BetterTrade means lowering trade barriers among nations, which benefits consumers and suppliers. TPP & TTIP are not perfect but improvement— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
When corrupt politicians like Trump stoke the recessionary spiral sparks of trade wars, they hope to control product quantities.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
There are nuances like elasticities, but generally high prices translate to lower sales and a lower standard of living, fewer jobs.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
In the long run, China and India need to develop their own economies, with higher percentages of global consumers. The US must have access.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
The US produces much of what we consume. But much of what we produce includes materials and components from foreign suppliers.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump's economic isolationism/autarky is a recipe for economic warfare/stagnation/decline. When he says America, he means special interests.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
There are crackpot "globalist" conspiracies, whereby a self-serving group of ultra-rich elitists are supposed to be manipulating economies.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Jesus died for U2— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Overcoming Temptations— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Let those without sin cast the first Stones— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Huey Lewis and the Good News— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Son of Man at Work— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Abba Father— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Frankie Valli and the Four Cardinal Virtues— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Three Heavenly Graces Dog Night— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Bread of Life— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic On Eagles Wings— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Smokey Robinson and Jesus' Miracles— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#MakeAMusicGroupCatholic Eternal Life Overture— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Since when is Clinton saying 'it's time to move on from Benghazi' a news alert from The Hill? It's self-serving, and she's been saying it.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Benghazi is a signature example of Obama's and Clinton's failed foreign policy. After claiming he had the judgment to stay out of Iraq...— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
The US KNEW Benghazi was unstable. The Brits had withdrawn their own diplomats, and we did NOTHING. Clinton was gambling with others' lives.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
How did Clinton allow Rice to knowingly mislead the nation over an obvious terrorist attack? The attack was on the anniversary of 9/11.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
On prior 9/11 anniversaries, the Administration prepared for possible attacks. And yet our Ambassador was visiting a high-risk area.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Hillary Clinton's judgment is at issue. She can't claim Bush was responsible for opening Pandora's box in Libya, her email account at risk.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I'm not saying Trump is better than Clinton; I give Clinton credit for not openly saying she would bomb the shit out of ISIS.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Clinton also hasn't called for reinstating torture or going after the families of terrorists. I don't want Trump near nuclear launch codes.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
But it's not enough for Clinton to say that she is not Trump. I want to hear more of a commitment to non-intervention, an emphasis on trade.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#GetMyAttentionIn3Words It's my treat— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#GetMyAttentionIn3Words She loves you— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#GetMyAttentionIn3Words Dinner is ready— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
#GetMyAttentionIn3Words You're the winner— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump continues to show that he is a suicidal economic illiterate. He said he's going to withdraw the United Straits (sic) from TPP.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
So, in other words, he's fighting to keep tariffs on US-made exports with TPP nations artificially high, which means fewer export jobs.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump is an ignorant son of a bitch who doesn't understand when Americans pay less for goods, they are able to save or spend money elsewhere— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Trump is a corrupt political whore who wants to reward hand-picked companies and workers at the expense of the much larger consumer class.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
I've encountered 2 libertarian sources (Volokh Conspiracy and WAC) which seem focused on bashing Brexit. What is libertarian about the EU?— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
The only good thing about the EU is the Common Market. But a common market doesn't need a super-State; it just frees consumers and producers— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
There are already non-EU countries participating in the European market. Britain isn't leaving the market, just the political super-State.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 28, 2016
Three cheers for Speaker Paul Ryan calling for a special trade agreement with Britain in the wake of Brexit.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
@realDonaldTrump So your solution is building walls around the US to keep us trapped in a prison, stripped of fundamental rights?— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
@Trumpbart Actually, Trump loves quoting Mussolini. He's okay with fascism so long it's American fascism.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
My favorite economist, Don Boudreaux, does one of those superb Learn Liberty videos on political "job creation". https://t.co/1HRGsbEDsI— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Spoiler alert: Boudreaux doesn't believe that political whores like Donald Trump have the slightest clue about job creation.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Here are some REAL policies that will encourage job creation: repeal ALL employer mandates including the minimum wage, payroll taxes, health— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Second, flatten/reduce/eliminate tax rates, including severe penalties on savings and investment. Third, reduce the $1.9T regulatory burden.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Fourth, reduce statutory barriers of entry to the labor market e.g., by restoring the right to work and eliminating occupational licensing.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Fifth, reduce the cost of public sector employment drag on the economy, by among other things privatizing nonessential functionality.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Sixth, minimize government drag on new business opportunities. This includes things like excessive drug approval processes, paperwork.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Seventh, liberalize international trade flows, including imported capital, materials, components, and legalizing labor resources.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Eighth, liberalize immigration; immigrants tend to be more entrepreneurial than their relative population in the US. My 8 steps are a start.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Of the three major candidates, Trump and Clinton, who are equally economically illiterate, would reject my necessary reforms. Johnson: yes.— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
#BadMonsterMovies Mr. Trump Goes To Washington— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
The Base vs. the Elite#BadMonsterMovie Politician Sematary— Ronald Guillemette (@raguillem) June 29, 2016
Although I'm frequently a fan of Steyn, I think that he's quite wrong here. It is true that the Republicans during 2003-2006 rarely controlled both Congress and the White House--but recall Bush never had the support simply to make his tax cuts permanent, and the wheels went off the truck when he tried to reform social security and immigration. And there's only so much you can do when the Dems routinely vote party-line and the GOP never had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.Never mind enduring Obama for 7.5 years with a veto power eviscerating the GOP's power even when they could pass reform. All the GOP could do is block major new Obama initiatives.
But more to the point: Trump is NOT the solution; Trump is the ultimate RINO. He wants to nationalize healthcare, refuses to touch entitlements: which are 70% of the budget! He believes in eminent domain and will throw away the Fourth Amendment in pursue of the War on Terror.
My Favorite Economist, Don Boudreaux, Looks At "Job Creation"
Facebook Corner
One of the few WAC posts where I absolutely reject the basic thrust. The OP is conflating the political union with the common market. In fact, the British are mindful that the managed trade pacts , e.g., TTIP, have held Britain hostage to continental protectionist concerns. Nobody is suggesting that the British will leave the Common Market, which is a basic assumption of the OP. In fact, the Leave campaign has been heavily pro-trade.
Now it is true some Brexit supporters, notably UKIP, are economic nationalists, Trump-like anti-immigrants and/or protectionist. But sovereignty is the major issue, and the fact is that Britain saw its sovereignty slowly eroding to unaccountable bureaucrats.
Britain's government has (well at least had) veto power over TTIP. They weren't being held hostage, their government supported TTIP.
You have it completely backwards. The Brits want a trade pact with the US; the European Union protectionists are dragging their feet. What part of Brexit Leave being pro-trade didn't you understand?
Choose Life: Judicial Whores Betray the Unalienable Right To Life
Gooseneck
I think I stumbled across a Gooseneck promo on Facebook. I love horns in pop music: Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, etc. "Ricochet" is a gem; you can find more on Gooseneck and related (free!) downloads here.
Political Cartoon
Courtesy of Steve Kelley via Townhall |
Whitney Houston (with Enrique Iglesias), "Could I Have This Kiss Forever?"