Anthony Adams: A Case-Study of the “GOP Soul Identity Disorder”

Case-studies are not useful for evaluating theories, but they are quite good tools for illustrating a particular problem.  The recall effort directed against Assemblyman Anthony Adams is an illustration of what I am calling the “GOP Soul Identity Disorder”.  Adams went against a pledge to never raise taxes by voting for a tax increase given the unique budgetary problems faced by California.

The GOP purists in California Republic pounced on Adams for his vote like a duck on a June bug.  Supposedly 58,000 signatures were obtained to start Adams’ recall.  Later, many of those signatures were called into question, temporarily halting the recall action.

In this WashPo article one commentator opines that not even Ronald Reagan could win election in California today due to the demands of the far right purists.

Where will the soul of the GOP wind up after this interesting journey?  Share your thoughts, please…

The Essential Libertarian Fallacy…

I think free market competition is great for producing the best computers, but I am not so sure it is the answer for everything.  This interesting blogger thinks that the “availability bias error” is what leads Libertarians astray in understanding the issues at stake: “Because the shrinkage of government is an end unto itself for them, they assume the expansion of government is an end unto itself for liberals. Liberals are just libertarians, but backwards, and without the ‘rtarian.'”

Yes, give me computers and flat screen TVs that have been improved by free market conditions.  But, let’s be reasonable and question if unregulated free-market dynamics can give us optimal [for consumers] housing markets, day care for pre-schoolers, care for the elderly, and health care for the rest of us? 

Please folks, put your thinking caps on.  It is not difficult…

iggydonnelly

Monday, 12/14/09, Public Square

You’re not gonna believe this one…

So apparently today is Monkey Day, and what exactly does that mean? It’s an annual celebration of all things simian, a festival of primates, a chance to scream like a monkey and throw feces at whomever you choose.  According to wiki:  Monkey Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated internationally on December 14. The holiday is primarily celebrated with costume parties intended to help draw attention to issues related to simians, including medical research, animal rights, and evolution.  The holiday also cuts across religious boundaries and provides opportunities to share monkey stories.  🙂