10 Things I Think I Think
To steal from Peter King, who's Monday Morning Quarterback articles on SI.com are always worth the read, here are 10 things I think I think:
1. Voters and government have a perverse relationship that forces policymakers to favor short-term fixes over long-term planning. This is why government and policy seems to be based largely in cycles, where a visionary or leader takes control and makes big shifts followed by years of relative muddling. Too bad most visionaries get squelched because they are too bored by the game.
2. We spend way too much money on the old (medicare, pensions, etc.) and not nearly enough on the young, specifically education. A restructuring of this system would also encourage further savings and investment, which is better for the economy in the long run.
3. John Roberts will be a good Supreme Court Justice, regardless of where he turns out ideologically. He's smart, and smart people generally have sound reasoning behind their actions.
4. 95% of the people who argue for or against any issue "on the behalf of the public," are acting largely in their own self-interest. The most pressing example of this is free trade.
5. Speaking of which, free trade is, in my opinion, the best thing that would happen to the world. Think about it, people have been grouping together in ever larger groups over the history of time. Furthermore, one of the fundamental principles of economics is that states should focus on the tasks that give the best competitive advantage. This topic requires a longer dissertation and I'm not really the man to do it.
6. It's interesting today that the 'conservatives' are, in fact, the revolutionaries, and the 'liberals' are, in fact, in favor of the status quo on a lot of issues. And, on some issues, both sides are trying to be revolutionaries, look at religion, first and foremost. I think the status quo is probably better in most cases.
7. I think Steelers fans are in for a disappointing season. I think Browns fans will enjoy watching Romeo Crennell & Co. play ball, but they won't win any more games then they did last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Cincinnati won the division. I can't believe I just wrote that.
8. I think that the teacher's unions are the most obstructionist organization in the world today. I've never read one positive recommendation from them. Ever.
9. Few meals have been created that could not have been improved by a good ale.
10. We should probably stop arguing about and let gays marry. It's bound to happen eventually anyways and the world has much bigger problems to worry about then who's banging whom.
11. Things that I've read recently that you should consider too:
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century - Thomas L. Friedman
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37) - Bernard Goldberg
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner
I know that's 11 things, but what the hell. Don't know what tommorow will hold.
Peace
1. Voters and government have a perverse relationship that forces policymakers to favor short-term fixes over long-term planning. This is why government and policy seems to be based largely in cycles, where a visionary or leader takes control and makes big shifts followed by years of relative muddling. Too bad most visionaries get squelched because they are too bored by the game.
2. We spend way too much money on the old (medicare, pensions, etc.) and not nearly enough on the young, specifically education. A restructuring of this system would also encourage further savings and investment, which is better for the economy in the long run.
3. John Roberts will be a good Supreme Court Justice, regardless of where he turns out ideologically. He's smart, and smart people generally have sound reasoning behind their actions.
4. 95% of the people who argue for or against any issue "on the behalf of the public," are acting largely in their own self-interest. The most pressing example of this is free trade.
5. Speaking of which, free trade is, in my opinion, the best thing that would happen to the world. Think about it, people have been grouping together in ever larger groups over the history of time. Furthermore, one of the fundamental principles of economics is that states should focus on the tasks that give the best competitive advantage. This topic requires a longer dissertation and I'm not really the man to do it.
6. It's interesting today that the 'conservatives' are, in fact, the revolutionaries, and the 'liberals' are, in fact, in favor of the status quo on a lot of issues. And, on some issues, both sides are trying to be revolutionaries, look at religion, first and foremost. I think the status quo is probably better in most cases.
7. I think Steelers fans are in for a disappointing season. I think Browns fans will enjoy watching Romeo Crennell & Co. play ball, but they won't win any more games then they did last year. I wouldn't be surprised if Cincinnati won the division. I can't believe I just wrote that.
8. I think that the teacher's unions are the most obstructionist organization in the world today. I've never read one positive recommendation from them. Ever.
9. Few meals have been created that could not have been improved by a good ale.
10. We should probably stop arguing about and let gays marry. It's bound to happen eventually anyways and the world has much bigger problems to worry about then who's banging whom.
11. Things that I've read recently that you should consider too:
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century - Thomas L. Friedman
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37) - Bernard Goldberg
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner
I know that's 11 things, but what the hell. Don't know what tommorow will hold.
Peace
posted by David Ebersole at 10:50 PM
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