To Regulate or Not To Regulate.

The New York Times wrote an article today about Obama's trip to Europe. Apparently, many European governments are putting pressure on Obama to seek further regulation of our economy.

This seems like a no-brainer. Despite what many conservatives and libertarians feel, I think the last few months have shown that the markets are not, gasp, self-regulators.

Without regulation and safety nets, extreme boom and bust cycles like we've had over the past few decades will only worsen. The bubbles will keep getting bigger and bigger and the troughs will keep getting lower and lower.

And when the bottom of the economy falls out, I wonder who has to take the hardest hits?

Economic freedom is much more complex that social freedom. What I choose to do in my home has no effect on my neighbors. What traders do on Wall Street, however, affect us all. We've also recently learned that what the banks do during booms matter as well.

Religion is Declining In America

An article in today's USA Today shows that fewer Americans believe in God and are lining up with a specific denomination.

As the backlash against organized religion increases, how will that affect politics. Most people believe that if you're religious, especially Evangelical Christian that you'll line up witht eh Republican Party.

I don't think that's necessarily true. I know many Christians who voted for the Democrats in the last election, whether it be from their dissatisfaction with the Republican or their agreement with Obama's message.

My one hope from this information is that it leads to more robust push for the separation of church and state. Then maybe we can treat our fellows gays as equals and stop tax breaks for churches that often deal in politics.

But maybe that's just a hippy's dream.

Do You Know Where Your Money is Right Now?

Wow, its been a busy two weeks, paper after paper.But now I feel I can finally get back into the swing of things and blog more regularly.

Remember when Bush and company had the brilliant idea to privatize Social Security? Wouldn't that be great to have now? Our grandparents retirement money invested in the stock market?

Disgraced governor Eliot Spitzer wrote an article on this subject on Slate this week and I think its an interesting read. Say what you will about the man. If you ignore the hookers, he knows his stuff.

Speaking of illegal activities its just been reported that Kellogg has dropped its contract with Michael Phelps after the Olympic swimmer admitted to smoking pot. I'm not sure if that's a great idea. If there's one thing potheads love, its cereal (especially Corn Pops).

Recently, the Drug Enforcement Agency has raided four medical marijuana shops in California, a move that President Obama opposes. Since the DEA is still being run by a Bush appointee until Obama nominates someone (who does his o her taxes), many believe the raids will end after a successor is chosen and confirmed.

Medical marijuana is legal in California but the Bush administration continued raid of the shops because they believed the federal laws trump the state's laws.

Don't you love how conservatives are for state's rights when it comes to gay marriage, but anytime one of those hippy (i.e. blue) states decides to take power into their hands, people get arrested.

But I'm sure there's a rational explanation for the hypocrisy.

A Short Video on Climate Change

As the anti-science voices seem to yell louder and louder each day, common sense still exposes its head every once in a while. This is a video on Christopher Hitchen's views on climate change.

But Will Gottfried Be There?

Comedy Central, that bastion of all things funny announced recently that they would be roasting Larry the Cable Guy, more than likely in between three hour marathons of Scrubs.

Great. Another no-talent hack gets hoisted and bronzed because he sold a couple thousand CDs. But worries me about this man is more than his complete lack of talent and humor. Its the fact that he's the harbinger of all things that are wrong with America.

He's the poster boy for people who believe that being unpolitically correct means that same as being bigoted.

To many people being un-pc is to use black instead of the term African American.

What's Larry's version?

"First these peckerheads fly planes into towers and now theys (sic) prayin' before conventions! People say not all of em did that and I say who gives a rats fat ass! That's a fricken slap in the face to New York city by having some muslim sum-bitch give the invocation at the republican convention! This country pretty much bans the Christian religion (the religion of George Washington and John Wayne) virtually from anything public and then they got us watchin' this muslim BS!! Ya wanna pray to allah then drag yer flea infested ass over to where they pray to allah at!"

Hilarious, right? Yeah, Larry. Way to stick it to those elitist tolerance-hounds. Way to tell it like it is.

Wait 'til you hear how I feel about them Jews!


But Larry also has a skeleton in his closet that most people are unaware of.

Let's guess where Larry's from, shall we?

A. Alabama
B. Mississippi
C. Southern Georgia
D. Nebraska

Yep, Larry's from one of the only states where an accent is hard to acquire. Apparently, he can drop in and out of the accent at will and he "Larrys" his speech and writing by using incorrect grammar.

I wonder if his fans know. I wonder if Foxworthy knows.

So sad I was when I found out that the Comedy Central Roast didn't include an actual pit of fire.

All You Need is Hope (And $300 If You're So Kind)

About a week from the inauguration and Obama and company are still trying to hit me up for money. I believed in the campaign and I voted for the guy but that doesn't mean I need 8 e-mails a day telling me that the inauguration is supported by the little guys like me.

Great, awesome, wonderful. But the little guys like me also use their e-mail for other things like holding spam and confirming memberships to useless websites. And I'm sure David Plouffe (the campaign manager) is a nice guy but right after I get an e-mail from "Obama", I get one from him reiterating the same message, like a second crackhead landlord begging for the rent.

You won. The campaign's over. The cabinet's (mostly) picked. Instead of begging, do what you were elected to do and turn a whole generation of young people into cynics.

The War On Christmas

At the beginning of December, men and women gather in the halls of libraries, those unholy bastions of atheism, and finalize their plans for the yearly battle.

Meanwhile, around the country, lights are put up, Christmas trees bought and decorated garishly. Happiness is in excess and and the cause is Christ.

But in the night, those pernicious heathens wander from street to street, pliers in hand. Cutting lights and burning whole forests of evergreens, reigning terror on God's kingdom of Christendom.

But don't be too worried, there are some fighting the good fight. Heroes of the faith, led by Hannity and O'Reilly work day and night to expose the extremist secularist agenda.

American can only handle so many mangled wreaths and defaced ribbons before the Eagle of Vengeance awakens and retaliates.

Those grinchy secularists, who poison department store Santas and uproot poinsettas will find that their evil books on philosophy will be burned in the public square. Their coffee shops devoid of chai and mocha lattes.

This will be how the Christians win the war.

And on the night of the 24th, when all the children are sleeping, Jesus will descend in his sleigh, led by the apostles and drop presents and eternal salvation down the chimneys of the faithful.

But the secularists only get coal and and the right to think freely.