The
Rational Argumentator
Issue CCXXXIV
February 6-7, 2010
Blue Jay:
Wendy Stolyarov
February 6, 2010
This painting by Mrs. Stolyarov is based on a tiny porcelain figurine that Mr. Stolyarov purchased at a garage sale in rural Michigan several years ago. It depicts a blue jay with a yellow chest -- possibly a fictional creature.
Economics
Legalize Competing Currencies:
Ron Paul
February 7, 2010
When the bills finally come due and the dollar stops working, we are in for some real social, economic, and political chaos, writes Rep. Ron Paul. That is, unless we take some major steps now to allow for a peaceful transition in the future. These steps are laid out in Rep. Paul's legislation to legalize competing currencies.
Do Taxes Reduce Growth or Increase It?:
Charles N. Steele
February 7, 2010
Dr. Charles Steele poses a tricky question: if the tax increases proposed in the Obama budget are passed, what would be the effect on economic growth? It's a standard line with Republicans these days that higher taxes hamper economic growth. The logic is simple: higher rates reduce the incentive to invest, and less investment means lower growth. However, this analysis looks at only one aspect of taxes and ignores what happens if taxes are not raised.
Politics
Crazy Nancy, Cunning Barack:
Alan Caruba
February 6, 2010
When President Obama announced he would commit the nation to reduce “greenhouse gas emissions” in accordance with the failed UN Copenhagen Climate Change Conference goals, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, issued yet another utterly crazed statement on January 29th. The so-called clean energy bill advocated by Obama and Pelosi is “Cap-and-Trade”, a piece of legislation that, according to Alan Caruba, would tax the use of energy by all Americans, thus raising their energy bills and reducing their ability to spend their money on consumer goods and services.
Drunk on Our Money:
Edward Hudgins
February 6, 2010
You walk into a bar and see the same drunk who’s there every night lying on the floor in a pool of his reeking fluids. He raises his head and looks around at the room in general—the folks having a few beers, wines, or just Diet Pepsis, as well as the other drunks. With what little coherence he still can muster, he declares: “People drink too much. We gotta get this under control.” Then, in fits and starts, he utters something like the following: “Yesterday I downed a whole quart of whiskey and a six-pack of brews. Today I was gonna suck in two quarts and two six packs. But I’m cuttin’ back. Today I’ll only lap up a quart and a half of whiskey and a six pack and a half of the suds! See, I cut back by a whole half a quart and half a six-pack!” This attitude, writes Dr. Edward Hudgins, is reminiscent of that currently exhibited by the Obama administration with respect to federal spending.
The State of Energy: Hope and Change versus Fact and Reality:
Marita Noon
February 6, 2010
From the words of Obama’s State of the Union address, presented in this article as annotated quotes, Marita Noon believes that we can extrapolate the state of energy. Energy is central to America’s economy. In fact, energy is the economy. GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and energy usage track side-by-side. Our GDP goes up, so does energy usage. Make energy expensive or unstable, GDP declines, we borrow more money from China, and our national debt goes up.
Disclosing the Real Risks of Climate Change:
Paul Driessen
February 7, 2010
The new Securities and Exchange Commission “interpretive guidance” on climate change offers a tremendous opportunity for any company or investor wise enough to seize it, writes Paul Driessen. The memorandum does not say companies must disclose only alleged risks from climate change. It says they should also address impacts from legislation, regulation, international accords and their effects on business trends. This creates valuable opportunities for educating investors, customers, employees, and voters about climate change issues.
Spending Freeze Not Likely:
Ron Paul
February 7, 2010
Last week politicians in Washington made a few things clear about how they really feel about the state of the union. First, they are beginning to hear the growing discontent with the size and scope of the federal government and the broken promises that keep piling up. Certain events in Massachusetts recently made that statement loud, clear, and unavoidable. In the face of those events, the powers that be made the determination that some populist rhetoric was in order, and the idea of a spending freeze in Washington was proposed, albeit with several caveats. According to Rep. Ron Paul, these caveats to the proposed spending freeze ensure that we are not at any real risk of actually doing anything about spending.
Videos
Painting "Blue Jay" - Part II - Video:
Wendy Stolyarov
February 6, 2010
In this video, Mrs. Stolyarov continues painting a quite cheerful blue jay. See Part I of this video series here.
Painting "Blue Jay" - Part III - Video:
Wendy Stolyarov
February 7, 2010
This video depicts some of the latter stages of the creation of "Blue Jay," the newest painting by Mrs. Stolyarov.
"Common sense is not so common."
~ Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire