The Democrats Doesn't Have a Mandate to Spend, the GOP Has a Mandate to Reform

While driving today, I heard a great interview with Rand Paul.

He has it exactly right.

This was not a blow out election.  It wasn't even close to a blow out.

It was 51% versus 48%.  1% went to an ex-GOP governor (Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate) who wanted even less government than Romney.

The far left are trying to claim some kind of mandate for more government, when they have none.

Over the last couple of election cycles, the Republican party has elected some great people, like Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Marco Rubio.  They have also nominated some complete morons, like the Witch of Delaware and the Rape kooks in Illinois and Missouri.

Obama's reelection team did a great job using the very few GOP losers to paint the entire GOP in a negative light.

Hat's off to the Obama team for being able to elevate someone who sat is Reverend Wright's church for 20 years listening to Wright "damn America" as the "moderate" in this election. It is truly the largest triumph of propaganda  versus reality in several decades.  From a skills perspective, they are the best.   With regards to the future of America...  not so good...

Yes, the GOP establishment are dumber than dirt in understanding how to talk to Asians and Latinos.  The GOP's lack of basic outreach to many people who are natural allies has enabled the left to claim that the GOP are full of racists.

I am married to an Asian woman.  My mom was also an immigrant, from Germany.

I understand that most immigrants come here to fulfill their dreams.  Unfortunately, the ranks of GOP voters are filled with people who just don't understand this.

Even though close to a majority of American's now collect government checks, the American values of individual liberty and responsibility still ring true to our hearts.  Yes, some people are content to let the government take of them, but most people hate being in this situation.

Romney just didn't get this, and that was a big part of the problem.

In spite of the GOP's idiocy, it was still basically a 51% / 49%.  That is not a mandate to destroy America.

The Stupid Party Ready to Strike Again

News outlets are reporting that GOP Senator Saxby Chambliss is ready to cave into Democrats and go along with their tax increases.

As predicted, the Republicans will agree to immediate specific tax increases in exchange for some unspecific promises for some unspecified spending cuts at some undetermined future date.   Of course, the spending cuts will never materialize.

The GOP has done it before.  They will do it again.

This is why the GOP is known as the Stupid Party.

A new Generation and Gun Control

Daddy / daughter lunch with my 16 yo today.

Marissa told me that she has to write an essay on gun control from a pro or con position for her "history" class.

She, on her own, has already picked the Second Amendment position.

She has a very left-wing "progressive" (regressive / illiberal) history teacher. But, Marissa told me that she is not afraid to state her opinion.

I was surprised to learn how much research she has already done and how solid her arguments already are. I was impressed.

I am so proud of all of my girls.

There is hope in America...

More Thanksgiving Memories

I once spent Thanksgiving weekend in Quebec City working on a proposal with a partner (DMR) when I was with IBM.

What a beautiful city, but bad, greasy Chinese Buffet is not my idea of a good Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving Memories

When I was I kid, my dad owned a gas station.

I started pumping gas (before self-serve) during the 1973 Arab oil embargo.

From 13 to 18 I worked every Thanksgiving, every Christmas Eve, every Christmas Day, every New Years Eve, every New Years Day, etc.

I loved working all of the holidays, because I got to meet the some of the most interesting people -- all of whom were scrambling to get

 to somewhere...

My mom used to bring me a paper plate, covered in aluminum foil with 

whatever they had for dinner, so I could eat.

I wouldn't change this experience for anything in the world.

It made me who I am today.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Yes, It's All About the Math

Over the last few weeks, people from the guests on "Morning Joe" (and Joe himself) to the "Center for American Progress" have been claiming that the mounting budget deficits are all about the "math".

Of course, they are right.  Unfortunately, many of these folks don't seem to understand the real math.

Here is the real budget math, from the White House Office of Management and Budget. (All numbers are expressed in terms of percentage of GDP):

Truman through Bush I:
- Federal Spending: 19.5%
- Tax Receipts: 17.7%

Clinton:
- Federal Spending: 19.8%
- Tax Receipts: 19.0% (20.5% in 2000 -- this was the .com bubble that the balanced budget)

Bush II
- Federal Spending: 19.6%
- Tax Receipts: 17.6%

Obama
- Federal Spending: 24.4%
- Tax Receipts: 15.4%

As much as I dislike George W Bush, the numbers show that his spending and taxes were right at the post WWII average.  (I wanted lower spending and taxes.)

But, who is the real outlier here?  It's Barack Obama.  His average annual spending is 25% above the post WWII average (because of growing government transfer programs) and 13% below the historic average for revenue (because of the sluggish economy).

I am a total numbers guy. The numbers from the White House Office of Management and Budget paint a very clear picture.  Government spending is the problem.

This is called real math.

Washington State Ballot Measure Endorsements

The 2012 election is a month away.  So, it's time to give my endorsements on the Washington State ballot measures.

Over the last couple of decades, Washington voters have demonstrated that they are among the most libertarian voters in the country by passing a variety of citizen's initiatives and rejecting a number of government sponsored ballot measures.  Over the last 20 years, Washington voters have: cut and limited taxes; severely restricted the growth in government spending; hardened laws against violent and repeat criminals; legalized medical marijuana; outlawed affirmative action; privatized the sale of liquor; and more.  Most of these measures have passed by overwhelming majorities.  We have also overwhelmingly rejected government initiatives to impose a state income tax.

Unfortunately, in the past Washington voters have been fooled  by enormous big labor spending and have thus rejected real reform of our hidebound public school system.  This year, we have an opportunity to make that right.

Endorse Initiative 1240

This initiative would basically create an experiment by authorizing up to 40 "Government Charter Schools".

America spends more money per student than every country in the world, except Australia and Switzerland, yet American kids score among the lowest in math and science out of all developed countries.

America's economic prowess has always been dependent on our ability to innovate.    Today, many of America's innovators are imported from overseas.  We are very lucky that people want to come to America to build their futures.  While this is wonderful, it cannot be a substitute for educating our own kids.  Unfortunately. most "graduates" of the public school system cannot compete in a global market.

41 states have implemented charter schools.

Charter schools are not the ultimate answer, because they still have to follow many of the same "standards" (a joke) that the other public schools have to follow.  Even though they may be an improvement over the current government monopoly schools, they are still a far away from real education reform.

But, initiative 1240 is a foot in the door. Any foot in the door is better than kowtowing to the existing failed system.

That's why I support 1240.


Endorse Initiative 74

Historically, America had common law marriages -- if two people said that they were married, then they were married in the eyes of the law.

Unfortunately, state governments started requiring marriage licenses and started outlawing common law marriages during the Progressive Era, when 38 governments created requirements to get a license to marry, in most cases to prevent whites from marrying non-whites.

Initiative 74 would allow same-sex couples to marry, but also preserve the right of clergy and religious organizations to REFUSE to perform, recognize, or accommodate any marriage.

This is called freedom.

I would much prefer the government get their sticky fingers out of marriage altogether and return to America's historic tradition of common law marriage.  Unfortunately, that is not on the ballot this year.

So, I support Initiative 74 as a first step.


Endorse Initiative 502

The so-called "War on Drugs" has been a complete failure.  It has only resulted in violence -- violence in our inner cities; violence on our border, and violence within our friends in Mexico and Columbia -- as criminals have monopolized the market.

Conservatives like William Buckley, Milton Friedman, Barry Goldwater, and George Schultz have long ago endorsed ending the drug war.

Pat Robertson himself has now endorsed the legalization of marijuana.

Initiative 502 would legalize the production, possession, delivery and distribution of marijuana to people 21 years of age and older.

It would also pose severe penalties for who those who drive while drunk or high.

It's time to end the madness.  It's time to end the violence.  It's time to end the criminal's control of this market.

It's also yet another in a growing list of state's rights versus federal power wedge issues that are so important to the future of our federalist system.

That is why I support Initiative 502.

Endorse Initiative 1185

The voters of Washington State have done a great job handcuffing the profligate spending ways of our state politicians and also limit their ability to raise taxes.

Unfortunately, the politicians never give up.  They have managed to subvert prior initiatives across the board.

Initiative 1185 re-affirms what we have already passed -- to require a 2/3rds vote of the legislature or people to raise taxes.

I support Initiative 1185... 100%