Monday, August 02, 2004
Scatter-Gun time . . .
Several topics, few words . . .
Howard Dean, Oliver Willis, and others have apparently bought into Michael Moore's assertion that Americans are stupid. They have suggested that the Bush administration raised the Terror Alert level for political purposes, not in response to information that actually suggested a possible threat. I find irony in the fact that in prior instances of the threat being raised, the administration was criticized in the information being to vague--but now, with specific information, that's not right either. BTW--I hope I didn't give the impression that Willis actually had an original thought, he was just easier to link than any stories reporting Dean's comments.
Along those same lines, don't be surprised to see a wholesale implosion of the Democratic party in the coming weeks. Kerry has had to do damage control for Dean, try to shrug off Sharpton's rant at the convention, and is trying very hard to ignore the actions and remarks of Teresa. Sooner or later, the house of cards will tumble.
A rash of child disappearances over the next few days have me a bit concerned as a parent. I am not one to be paranoid or over-protective, but I do wonder why this type of crime seems to be on the upswing. I hesitate to assign blame to the internet, but one musn't discount the influence, as pornography of any desired genre is readily available. I don't think that viewing porn makes someone do something they wouldn't ordinarily do, but it can feed and exacerbate the existing problem, much as booze contributes to the problems associated with alcoholism. Still, as the father of five children, I cannot help but be concerned.
The proposal being batted around regarding the abolition of the IRS is quite intriguing. There are several ways to achieve this lofty goal, the easiest of all being a national sales tax. I personally favor this over the other popular option--a flat rate income tax--because it catches those folks who may make their income through illegal pursuits. The biggest obstacle to disbanding the IRS will come from the private sector, though, because of the substantial number of accountants and tax attorneys whose livelihood depend upon a painfully complex tax code. This will be a fascinating story to follow as it unfolds.
Finally, the Islamic fascists in Iraq are showing their true colors (and the true opposing sides of the war) by specifically targeting Christian churches in that nation. Perhaps now more Americans will understand exactly what it is that the radical Muslims hate so much about America. Until then, many more attacks of this nature are likely.
Howard Dean, Oliver Willis, and others have apparently bought into Michael Moore's assertion that Americans are stupid. They have suggested that the Bush administration raised the Terror Alert level for political purposes, not in response to information that actually suggested a possible threat. I find irony in the fact that in prior instances of the threat being raised, the administration was criticized in the information being to vague--but now, with specific information, that's not right either. BTW--I hope I didn't give the impression that Willis actually had an original thought, he was just easier to link than any stories reporting Dean's comments.
Along those same lines, don't be surprised to see a wholesale implosion of the Democratic party in the coming weeks. Kerry has had to do damage control for Dean, try to shrug off Sharpton's rant at the convention, and is trying very hard to ignore the actions and remarks of Teresa. Sooner or later, the house of cards will tumble.
A rash of child disappearances over the next few days have me a bit concerned as a parent. I am not one to be paranoid or over-protective, but I do wonder why this type of crime seems to be on the upswing. I hesitate to assign blame to the internet, but one musn't discount the influence, as pornography of any desired genre is readily available. I don't think that viewing porn makes someone do something they wouldn't ordinarily do, but it can feed and exacerbate the existing problem, much as booze contributes to the problems associated with alcoholism. Still, as the father of five children, I cannot help but be concerned.
The proposal being batted around regarding the abolition of the IRS is quite intriguing. There are several ways to achieve this lofty goal, the easiest of all being a national sales tax. I personally favor this over the other popular option--a flat rate income tax--because it catches those folks who may make their income through illegal pursuits. The biggest obstacle to disbanding the IRS will come from the private sector, though, because of the substantial number of accountants and tax attorneys whose livelihood depend upon a painfully complex tax code. This will be a fascinating story to follow as it unfolds.
Finally, the Islamic fascists in Iraq are showing their true colors (and the true opposing sides of the war) by specifically targeting Christian churches in that nation. Perhaps now more Americans will understand exactly what it is that the radical Muslims hate so much about America. Until then, many more attacks of this nature are likely.
// posted by Jamie @ 8/02/2004 08:10:00 PM 
