Adam Smith On Taxes

From Adam Smith‘s Wealth of Nations, Book V, Chaper 2, Article I: “The necessaries of life occasion the great expense of the poor. They find it difficult to get food, and the greater part of their little revenue is spent in getting it. The luxuries and vanities of life occasion the principal expense of the rich, and a magnificent house embellishes and sets off to the best advantage all the other...

As If Arizona Didn’t Already Have Enough Loons

Timothy McVeigh, Michael Fortier, Jared Loughner, Nawaf al Hazmi, and Hani Hanjour. ….and now, this idiot. Suspicious packages were received through the mail Monday by Alaska‘s three-member congressional delegation and at least two contained a white powder. The packages were received in the Fairbanks offices of Sens. Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski and the Anchorage office of Rep. Don Young. Begich is...

Is It Time For Publicly Financed Elections?

I honestly believe so. We’re now looking at the second Presidential campaign cycle where total fundraising will top $1 billion dollars for each candidate. Add to that, the Citizens United decision, which gives corporations and shadowy front-groups to shove as much blood money into campaign coffers and advertising, without disclosing WHO gave the money, as they possibly can. Now, what does that get us? A...

Benjamin Franklin And The Fairness Doctrine

Benjamin Franklin wrote, in 1731 - “Printers are educated in the belief, that when men differ in opinion, both sides ought equally to have the advantage of being heard by the public; and that when truth and error have fair play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter.” Perhaps that’s why conservatives are so terrified of the Fairness...

Quote Of The Day

Thanks to Fr. Scott Russell on FB for this one. ‎”Dear Tea Party: If you don’t want to participate in so-called entitlement programs, maybe you should consider joining the Old Order Amish (they are exempt from Social Security!). That could be a nice, quaint life. No, wait, that probably wouldn’t work because you’d have to share your land and possessions with the community, which might...