opinion
Opinion pieces from the left, right, and everyone in between.
Politics and "Joined Up" Thinking
Politics, and “joined up” thinking. Why political objectives end up going wrong. Many politicians claim they have the answer to a nation's problems; some of the more ego-driven ones think they can solve all the world's problems. So, why after all this time are there still problems for just about everyone, maybe except the super rich, in the world? The reason is in that politics does not deal with reality. It does not involve thinking through all the cause-and-effect situations. Politicians consider a problem in isolation, and they come up with resolutions that may be good, IF they were isolated from the actual reality of the whole situation. At an absurd level, it is like solving the problem of water getting into a boat by making a hole below the water line, to let it drain out. The electorates, in modern democracies, elect people to solve problems. At least, that is the basic idea, but political parties have found all sorts of ways of getting their people elected, without even promising to actually solve real problems. The most common tactic is to call it a social fact of life, a problem, and promise to solve it. For example, socialists promise equality for all. They know, and every thinking person knows, that equality of opportunity is not the same thing, since equality of achievement will never happen; humans are too variable for that. Some are better at some things than others. So, the socialist bosses know that equality for all, including the lazy and the feckless, is never going to be worthwhile, nor even desirable. Yet, they get elected on this promise of equality for all.
By Peter Rose6 years ago in The Swamp
Talking Brook: 'Yaron Brook Show: Turkey in Syria & the Danger of Elizabeth Warren'
Like a juggernaut returning to war, Dr. Brook goes back to the battlefield of politics. Dr. Brook wants to start with foreign policy. The good doctor mentions that he did a show in December where he details President Trump’s decision to pull troops from Syria. Trump was being played and manipulated to leave Syria. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis stepped down on information that related to this information. Dr. Brook says that mainly the Kurds supported in the wiping out of ISIS. The Iraq War saw the Kurds fight with the United States and continued that bond in that region. As the United States abandons the Kurds in favor of Turkey, he points out that the Middle Eastern country is moving towards totalitarianism.
By Skyler Saunders6 years ago in The Swamp
Am I Ethical?
During my freshman year as a political science student, my academic adviser once lamented that most of the students in his Politics and Corruption course had a difficult problem recognizing a moral or ethical question. That was in 1973, barely a year after the Watergate break in.
By Tim Brunson6 years ago in The Swamp
Regulation for the Sake of Regulation Is Just Populism
The 21st century can be called the century of regulation. The freedom of the market has become quite rampant thanks to technology, and the governments are trying their best to keep things under control.
By Giorgi Mikhelidze6 years ago in The Swamp
Carbon Emissions Are a Political Issue
Carbon emissions—how do we know global figures are right? Carbon footprints—are they accurately measured? I have seen notes about how a company can gain a carbon footprint evaluation, by measuring the amount of energy they use; gas, electricity, diesel, petrol, etc. They measure the input of these to the company, and from this they calculate their carbon footprint. As an engineer I can see a few difficulties in getting accurate results, and I am certain any scientist will see variables that have to be allowed for, but it can be assumed this gives a comparative figure (not necessarily a scientifically accurate actual figure) for the company involved. But how are global figures arrived at? Does every nation tell someone how much gas and electricity etc. have been used? Who do they tell? Does anyone check this for accuracy? What happens to countries who do not supply accurate information? How about forest fires, volcanoes, wild animals, etc.? How are all the 60 million individuals in Britain, and all the billions round the world accounted for? Is it just by national energy consumption? If so how accurate are these figures? From Africa to Britain much heating can come from burning wood, how is this measured? Not all electricity generated is actually consumed, not all methods of consuming energy have the same efficiency ratios. At any given moment the amount of electricity generated from “green sources” varies relative to that generated by more conventional means. The electricity generated in nuclear power stations may have very unwelcome waste products, but it does not burn carbon-containing fossils, and so can not create a carbon foot print. Is this allowed for in national figures for carbon emissions? Is it in fact allowed for when a company calculates its own carbon footprint based on electricity use? If the only energy consumed by a business is electrical, and they can claim all their electricity is generated by nuclear power then they must have a zero carbon footprint.
By Peter Rose6 years ago in The Swamp
Reason First: Can There Be a Solution to Wilmington, Delaware's Crime Problems?
Trigger fingers turn to mystery figures. Unsolved slayings permeate the neighborhoods in Wilmington, Delaware. The recent string of the start of physical force by way of firearms has community leaders, law enforcement, and top officials all searching for answers. There exist a few solutions. The decriminalization and legalization of all drugs, the elimination of the minimum wage, and reversing the tax-free shopping in the state to no income tax or other taxes remain among the few responses to the crisis. What these changes would do is allow the free market to reign. Young men and women who would be out on the street corners pumping drugs into the community would be permitted to do so but would find it more lucrative in a minimum-wage free enterprise. With the taxes and other programs like Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare and all welfare programs being abolished, this would provide for more jobs than there are people in the state of Delaware.
By Skyler Saunders6 years ago in The Swamp
On Cow Farts and Congress
Like so many of us, I start off the day by reading the news about all the nonsense going on in Washington. It seems like so much it centers around some youngster who goes by the initials "AOC." With her crazy plans to do everything from cutting out private insurance to stopping cows from cutting the cheese, it seems she wants to give us all a big dose of "Cortezone". Now, if you're not familiar with this young Representative—who is said to be the new leader of the liberals—you can always Google her name.
By Chuck Hinson6 years ago in The Swamp
