Picking Up the Pace
I realized yesterday that I have been losing steam on my review of the Federalist papers partly because the idea of 84 posts is rather daunting. I also realize that I am not obligated to break them up exactly as…
Fortune 535
Check out the Sunlight Foundation’s Fortune 535. It gives numbers of the net worth of each member of Congress based on congressional reporting requirements. Some of the numbers won’t be very surprising, but others will probably make you take a…
Federalist No. 10
A larger republic would be less susceptible to factions and the multi-level structure of government would allow for issues of local concern to be solved at a local level with only "the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national." But the advantage of a larger republic breaks down when large groups of people abandon their own thinking in favor of adopting the thinking of someone else and the advantages of a multi-level governmental structure evaporate when the vast majority of issues are presented as falling into the category of "great and aggregate interests."
Establish Criteria, Not Quotas
My wife was politically low-key when I first met her. I have enjoyed the fact that she has started to become more interested in political issues and principles of good government. This morning at breakfast, without any warning, she asked…
Delving Into “Six Steps”
Joe Jarvis is a doctor and a candidate for the Utah legislature. I was very interested in exploring the six steps to bring about true health-care reform in Utah that he outlined in the Salt Lake Tribune. He has been…
A Good Summary of the FLDS Situation in Texas
I really liked the content of the well titled San Angelo Witch Hunts. The author does a good job of outlining the case and demonstrating that so far we have ample evidence that the authorities are and were violating the…
I Finally Dig Digg
When Digg arrived on the web I wrote it off as another Slashdot – nothing wrong with it, but no reason for yet another account to remember. I change my tune today because of the fact that there are no…
Hillary Clinton: Babysitter in Chief
Here is another gem from Laura. She came in to my office this afternoon and told me that she had just seen a bit of a speech by Senator Clinton. She thought it very important that I be aware that…
Strengthening Families, One Cell Phone at a Time
Laura made an interesting observation today. She suggested that cell phones might actually make for stronger extended families with nearly ubiquitous features such as free nights and weekends and free long distance as well as not quite universal features like…
Willing Suspension of Disbelief
Reports from the CBO that a Universal Health Coverage Bill would be budget neutral are obviously based on the third kind of lie (namely statistics). Could someone please point out to me where this plan gives health care providers an incentive to provide efficient, high-quality care? It seems to me that insuring all our uninsured citizens will never pay for itself in a system that thrives on inefficiency - as the current system does. Adding inefficiency couldn't possibly pay for itself.