Freedom and Chick-fil-A

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

I consider Aaron Worthing an expert on the impacts of abridgement of Freedom of Speech. Regarding the Chick-fil-A dust-up, he says:

So whatever you think about gay marriage, I ask people that believe in freedom of speech to come to Chick-Fil-A and order something this Wednesday.  Show these petty fascists that this kind of bullying actually helps the businesses they seek to punish.  In other words, give them the benefit of the Streisand Effect.
And the good people in those communities need to run these people out of office.  They need to show less tolerance for those who are intolerant of differing views.  Because it is elementary but apparently too many people just don’t get it: freedom of expression is essential to democracy itself.
They syllogism is simple, but it bears repeating:
1.         The right to vote implies the right to choose freely on every subject relevant to that vote.
2.         The right to choose implies the right to receive information and hear arguments about that choice.
3.         We cannot receive information and arguments about the choices we make in our democracy unless people are free to express themselves.
4.         Therefore freedom of expression is essentially to democracy.

And so when an official seeks not only to regulate behavior but even opinion and expression, then that person is seeking to create a very real tyranny, to strike at democracy itself.  And we should have absolutely no tolerance of that.

From all accounts, Chick-fil-A is having a banner day as Americans seem to be signaling that they may be a bit fed-up with the left’s culture war.

Of course, this provided a perfect opportunity for the someone to phone in a bomb threat. I’m sure “Tea Partier did it” will hit twitter any moment now…

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Wednesday Morning News and Links

Posted on August 1, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk
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Ban Hammers Now

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

NBC New York is reporting:

A Spanish tourist was attacked by a hammer-wielding man, apparently at random, while sitting inside City Hall Park Monday afternoon, authorities say.

The 31-year-old tourist from Barcelona was sitting in the park at Murray Street and Broadway when a man dressed in a suit and tie began hitting him with a hammer, witnesses told investigators.

-snip-

The victim, identified as Hugo Alejandro, may have a fractured skull and some other damage to his eye socket, sources said. He is being treated at Bellevue Hospital.

We’ve all seen this coming. I nearly lost a thumbnail once, myself. And it hurt. Bad. Hammers are dangerous. And they are far, far too accessible for anyone to just be running around willy-nilly nailing innocents at will. This is a circumstance ripe for danger. How can we as a nation, as communities, as people, in good conscience, stand by and allow tourists in our parks, our friends, and our loved ones, to fall prey to the mindless violence inherent wherever hammers exist. Clearly there is only one solution: Ban Hammers Now.

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Unintended Consequences: When Food Becomes Fuel

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

Unintended, but not unforeseen. From the New York Times, no less (emphasis mine):

IT is not often that a stroke of a pen can quickly undo the ravages of nature, but federal regulators now have an opportunity to do just that. Americans’ food budgets will be hit hard by the ongoing Midwestern drought, the worst since 1956. Food bills will rise and many farmers will go bust.

An act of God, right? Well, the drought itself may be, but a human remedy for some of the fallout is at hand — if only the federal authorities would act. By suspending renewable-fuel standards that were unwise from the start, the Environmental Protection Agency could divert vast amounts of corn from inefficient ethanol production back into the food chain, where market forces and common sense dictate it should go.

Meanwhile, look at corn prices since June 18:

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Quote of the Day

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

Protein Wisdom:

In the end, an armed populace is a threat to a tyrannical government — and it’s no accident that gun control has proceeded so many historical atrocities committed by a State on its citizens. -Jeff G.

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Vilify Success And Wealth: What Could Go Wrong?

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

The Progressives class warfare continues to send ripples across our economy. From CNBC:

[The rich] are also worried about the U.S. economy, the fiscal cliff, government debt and the prospects for their own companies.

“The drops in millionaire confidence are particularly disturbing because generally millionaire households are more positive about economic conditions than others,” said Catherine McBreen of Spectrem. “The biggest concerns for investors when reviewing their own household’s outlook were the economy and company health.”

The paralyzed plutocracy also threatens consumer spending. The top 5 percent of earners account for more than a third of consumer outlays and their spending is highly discretionary and volatile.

Did you catch that last bit? “The top 5 percent of earners account for more than a third of consumer outlays”

If I were rich, I’d probably notice the Government doesn’t seem to know what to do about the economy. I’d probably notice the Government eying my income via taxes and their general hostility toward my business (that I didn’t build). I’d probably notice #Occupy and their 1% class warfare rhetoric. And I’d notice the mainstream media pumping up the volume every day.

And I’d probably make the reasonable decision to minimize exposure, flat-line expenditures and put my money into the safest investments I could find (think Gold). I would strengthen my cash position and virtually get out of the volatile stock market. I sure as hell wouldn’t be out spending my money in the consumer market! So, do the math: If I’m responsible for over 1/3 of consumer outlays, and I’m not spending, what does this portend for the short-term health of the economy? Hmmmm?

But yea, evil rich 1%ers!

What could go wrong?

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But… Obama Says Trickle Down Economics Never Worked

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Darth Chipmunk

ThinkProgress has the Obama quote on Trickle down economics:

And that theory fits well on a bumper sticker. Here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked. It didn’t work when it was tried in the decade before the Great Depression. It’s not what led to the incredible post-war boom of the 50s and 60s. And it didn’t work when we tried it during the last decade.

And the author of the article, Travis Waldron, goes on to support the President’s contention:

Obama is right. The trickle-down policies put in place since the Reagan administration haven’t brought prosperity to the middle- and working-classes; if anything, they have made prosperity an illusion for the vast majority of Americans who don’t directly benefit from them.

Someone should probably tell his wife, the First Lady. You see, class warfare is perfectly acceptable when you’re attacking Sarah Palin’s $300 shoes or Ann Romney’s $900 blouse. But mention Michelle Obama’s $6,800 Jacket? Stylist Robert Verdi:

“She isn’t just wearing a $6,800 jacket–she’s supporting the commerce of the nation.” He added that “It’s not wasteful, it’s inspiring: it’s a New York company-selling a product made in the US…and it helps the tailor and the little dry cleaner on the corner stay in business.”

So, to recap, wealthy Sarah Palin and Ann Romney don’t help the tailor or the dry cleaner, and they are the “evil 1%” for their wardrobe expenses. But Michelle Obama’s much more expensive style choices are inspiring and evidence of successful trickle-down economics that the President says heretofore “never worked.” It’s an Obama world. I’d imagine the same “reasoning” will be used to explain the numerous expensive vacations, and even Obama’s excessive golfing: Just doing their part to support the economy!

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