Russia-Georgia

The media is finally reporting on the war between Russia and Georgia. The media has automatically taken Georgia's side since, y'know, the Russians are always evil.
We hear of an alleged Russian bombing of an apartment building, but they attacked an ammo dump that was next to the apartments. Apparently good guys build highly destructive military installations next to residential areas, right?
There was a lot of talk of democracy. Okay, I'll bite. The South Ossetians want to be free from Georgia. They might want to join Russia or they might want their own country. I don't know, but I do know they don't want to be part of Georgia. Don't they have a right to leave if they feel like it?
Let's assumed the countries were different. Let's say Israel was a part of an arabic country. Let's also say that Israel decided to leave this nameless country. They voted to, but not everyone seems to recognize it. The arab country, over a decade later, decide to shell Jerusalem. Fourteen thunred are dead. Would the US not attack? This is the same situation. It seems like the Georgians started it all, yet they're the heroes. They shell a city (destroying about 80% of it) and they're martyrs. The Russians destroy an ammo dump next to an apartment builing and they're evil.
Now the press reports that the Russians are invading the heart of Georgia. The Georgian president declared war on them. He wants a cease-fire not even a day later.
I'm writing this because I'm utterly amazed at the hypocrisy of the two mainstream candidates and Americans in general. If Russia does it, it is evil, but we can go into any country we want and it's okay.
I understand this is the way politics works. I guess I should just laugh since it's so glaringly obvious it's actually a bit funny.

McCain isn't the only one that can quote a communist

Today in a speech he quoted Mao, "It's darkest before its totally black", in reference to his campaign.

Fine, I'll quote Deng Xiaoping in reference to his love for toiling for a greater good (i.e. the state), "To get rich is glorious"

Things Which are Seen and Things Which are Unseen: Excise Tax

I will applaud John McCain for getting rid of the tax on gas for the summer. Would it be nicer to get rid of it altogether? You bet, but I'm for any tax cut as long as taxes on others aren't raised to compensate for it.
You bet Hillary Clinton's plan is going to eventually include a compensation to save the highway projects (or whatever they're crying about losing). I have a sick feeling that taxes on tobacco are going to be raised. Think about it. They won't suffer any monetary loss and it might encourage people to quit since they can't afford it anymore.
Let's apply Bastiat's great essay in this hypothetical case. The things that are seen are slightly lower fuel costs and a decrease in smoking. We see jobs being lost and infrastructure collapse.
Certainly collapsing bridges are tragedies. Of course it's incredibly regrettable that so many people are going to be out of work.
What is unseen though? Non-driving smokers are going to "subsidize" drivers. The infrastructure can be saved by cutting elsewhere. With fewer people on the government's payroll, the tax payers may get more money which they can use to buy goods with.
Does that seem uncaring? Sure, but they can surely get new jobs with private contractors. If they were sub-par workers, why should the taxpayers' money go to pay them? Can I not say that it seems like the objector is the uncaring one? With more taxes, wouldn't that mean less money would go to the micro economy?
Of course, the mainstream certainly does not remember Bastiat since they consider the crazed hyperinflationists at the Federal Reserve great economists.
I certainly do not claim to be a good one (I'm just a lowly armchair economist), but if Hillary Clinton actually cuts taxes, I'm sure she'll increase them elsewhere. And of course, Boobus will celebrate because she says she's for the working man even though the unseen things hurt them even more than they claim free markets do.

I knew I shouldn't have watched it...

Ten minutes in and McCain made me absolutely sick.
Or maybe its the media...they don't question the economic impact of continuing and expanding the empire. They actually like it. Yep, Americans may not die, but our economy is. Well, on the bright side, at least the US won't be involved in any wars...

Aww crap, who am I kidding? They'll try to hang on until someone conquers us, won't they?

McCain: our lovable oaf

When I finished somewhere in the middle of my class (thanks to homework protesting/laziness), I got weird looks. When John McCain finishes near the bottom of his class, he gets a hardy laugh and a smack on the back.
When I screw up incredibly, I get yelled at. McCain crashes a few planes? Ho ho, have a medal!
If I ran for something and made vague religious references, I would be accused of using religion to further my ambition. McCain makes a few campaign videos using his POW footage and everyone loves it.

Yet if John Kerry was captured, I'm sure the neocons would have been up in arms about this sort of exploitation.
...maybe not. Kerry was pretty neoconservative himself.

El grillo è buon cantore

Some crazy Hillary supporter asks why being a PoW is a qualification for president. I actually agree with her. The talking heads went nuts that someone would question a former military man.
Not shocking though. In the Religion of Democracy, saying anything vaguely negative about the military is blasphemy. If the Tree of Liberty replaced the Cross, soldiers replaced Christ. It is through them that we are "redeemed" (that is, our freedoms are protected and our "religion" spread.) They are the holy crusaders that protect us and spread "our" religion.
It begs the question...I guess someone who was locked up for having drugs is qualified to run for president? Wasn't he a prisoner of the drug war? Didn't he go through enough Hell in a prison?

I just threw up in my mouth a little

So, Keith Olbermann interrupted Hardball with some breaking news. McCain may have had an "intimate relationship" with a lobbyist. Blargh....and to think I was expecting them reporting that Huckabee dropped out.
I will have heartburn all night. Thanks a lot Keith!

McCain is Pro-Life?!

He just said he's proud of his pro-life record.
Bombing civillians and being a war monger is pro-life? I never knew. I guess I'm pro-choice then!

Go New York!

Ron Paul did pretty good here. I thought we would get 3% of the vote.
McCain seems to be doing a pretty good job. Good luck to him, he'll need it. I know I never uploaded the Rudy video, but I'll be tearing into both nominees and I'll upload quite a few.
We did pick up a few delegates. Even if we only have a handfull, they'll surely be the most passionate!

McCain Article

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j092999.html

"We Americans are a strong confident people. We know that in open competition our ideals, our ingenuity, and our courage ensure our success. Isolationism and protectionism are a fool's errand. We should build no walls in a futile attempt to keep the world at bay. Walls are for cowards, not for us."-John McCain

Looks like the strong confident McCain got shot down by a weak humble Paul. Just one problem...McCain isn't actually strong and his confidence comes from him hiding behind his military experience. Wait, make that two. Rep. Paul is humble, but certainly not weak. He looks it compared to the other baboons, sure, but he'll smack you down!