Silly People, Silly System

Far be it from me to complain with the serious thinkers engaged in "visioning" a new Oregon.

I'm glad these deep thinkers exist. I'm glad they are working in my best interest. My measure of self worth.

These folks so encapsulate everything I love about politics in Oregon. The seriousness of governance.

Here are their issues:

"1. Climate Change Package: A comprehensive program for reducing Oregon’s global warming pollution and building statewide consensus for such efforts. Includes participation in the Western Climate Initiative and development of a carbon-friendly transportation package. (pssst. We're planning a big Climate Change Day for Democracy on Jan. 31st, so keep your eyes peeled.)

"2. Voter Owned Elections : Sets up a system of public financing for campaigns for state offices.

"3. Same Day Voter Registration: A constitutional amendment allowing individuals to register to vote up to and on Election Day.

"4. Fighting the Expansion of Mandatory Minimums: The campaign to stop Initiative Petition 40, which would create a new set of mandatory minimum sentences for drug and property-related crimes at a projected at over $400 million a biennium.

And lest we forget: How about that exciting launch of our " Another Vehicle For Change" Campaign? Yep, we're in the market for a spankin' new Bus. And thanks to you, we're 1/3 of the way there.

Oh, and we're gonna have fun! School's out for summer! These people really have "well-being" down.

It's the future, baby!

Hillary Clinton Statement on Legislation to Grant Waiver to California and Other States to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Official Headshot of Senator Clinton.

It's a long headline, but it's from the Senator Clinton press release of January 24 (no link, although I went to her "press release" page...obviously, this is a case of triangulation. She wants the looney Left in Oregon to know "Her Stand" but didn't want to mess up her national message with this looniness.)

"It is an outrage that the Bush Administration chose to block the efforts of California, Oregon, and many other states that want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency's decision to flatly reject the Clean Air Act waiver sought by these states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was wrong on legal and policy grounds. That is why today I joined with Senator Boxer in introducing legislation that will overturn the EPA's wrongheaded decision and allow states to move forward on global warming. If President Bush refuses to lead, it is time for him to get out of the way. When I am President, I will act to support states that want to take fast action to address the pressing problem of global warming by approving California's waiver request. I'll end the Bush Administration's War on Science, and restore evidence-based decision-making to Washington.

"I applaud Chairman Boxer for holding a hearing today to examine the Bush Administration's continuing efforts to stop action to address the growing crisis of global warming. Chairman Boxer's continued oversight on this issue is critically important, and I look forward to working with her on this issue in the weeks and months ahead."

Even "if" there were some credence to claims of Man Made Global Warming, I'd hardly think that Oregon would need to be the poster child here. In a state where(pdf) 50% is designated as Frontier, and the other half is Rural, getting on-board the Global Warming Train is just silly.

But absurdity and silliness are hallmarks of the Left. What other political movement would look at the Soviet experiment and conclude that moves toward Soviet style medicine, and control of private capital, is a good idea? The words "for your own good" are a lie. Only you can act in your own self interest. How could you assign your self interest to anyone? It's yours.

Make your own decisions. Get government out of your life.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Robert Louis Stevenson.

It's a horror story because of the unimaginable things that occur. Perhaps your memory only serves to remind you that Spencer Tracy played both roles. This is, perhaps, instructional. As Russell Roberts writes, at Cafe Hayek:

"The law of unintended consequences is what happens when a simple system tries to regulate a complex system. The political system is simple, it operates with limited information (rational ignorance), short time horizons, low feedback, and poor and misaligned incentives. Society in contrast is a complex, evolving, high-feedback, incentive-driven system. When a simple system tries to regulate a complex system you often get unintended consequences."

I can't imagine anything simpler than Oregon's approach to resource management. Briefly, they're a'gin it. But nothing approaches the subtle tyranny of the Leftist impulse quite like this press release from Oregon's Department of Forestry (January 24, 2008):

"Federal Forestlands Advisory Committee meets Feb. 1

"WHAT: Giving Oregonians a greater voice in charting the future of federal forestlands and how those lands can better contribute to Oregon’s environmental, economic, and social well-being."

Hmm. Social well-being. They're not talking jobs, Lucy. Nope. Social well-being is about feeling good about yourself. If cutting trees makes you feel bad, the State of Oregon needs a plan to make sure your feelings aren't hurt.

The State is slowly turning into Mr. Hyde. Remember, the story of Jekyll and Hyde wasn't just about a man who went mad and killed innocent women. The story of Dr. Jekyll is instructive because of what he attempted to achieve. To do only good. That was his intent.

He never saw the destructive nature of his actions until it was too late. Simple solutions to complex problems. Working in the woods is a difficult job today. Things are bad. But as long as we're more concerned with your social well-being than cutting trees for wood and lumber, we'll continue to decline as a state.

The road being paved with good intentions.

Petitioners gather support without a trace

Brilliant.

Medicine? or Sugar Pills?

I'm a dad. I think I'm a pretty good dad.

I've worked hard to create opportunities for my sons. But, that doesn't mean they need to either take advantage of those opportunities or, to persue those opportunities--to the length and breadth of that possible opportunity.

This can create some frustration, since some of these opportunities have been pretty good ones. But, such is life. They, like I, need to make their own decisions. And as they have grown, I'm getting pretty good feedback from them that the way they were raised, and the decisions they are making as a consequent to the way they were raised, is allowing them to make good decisions in their new-found adulthood.

That's the way I think. It may not be the way you think. It's certainly not the way your United States Senator thinks.

Working with ultra-moron John Kerry, your senator is please to announce his latest brain wave.

"Smith and Kerry Want Mortgage Relief Included in Economic Stimulus Package"

(Press Release, January 22, 2008, no link available.)

"Washington, DC - As foreclosures resulting from subprime mortgages take a devastating toll on communities across the country, Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and John Kerry (D-MA) are urging the Finance Committee to include mortgage financing assistance in the economic stimulus package currently being developed."

"'When a family loses its home, no matter the reason, the entire community suffers both emotionally and economically,' Smith said. 'We must make help available to those who need it most.'”

So, the medicine is bitter. The Senator wants to offer sugar pills. Since most Oregonians were educated in public schools, this approach seems the best approach. Why should we make people responsible for their own deficiencies?

If you got suckered into a bad loan, shame on you. If you can't run your own life, shame on you. I've kinda learned that when you have a beatin' coming, take it and move on. Only government, populated by people who have never had to work for a living, would come up with a sugar pill for stupid decisions. Is it too bad? Sure.

But when a person defaults on a home, there is more going on than just the mortgage rate. Too bad the media will never point that out.

More sugar pills, please!