Do you have an escape plan?

Friday, May 23, 2008

In between trying to get a ton of things wrapped up to be off next week I took a quick glance at the news. I almost wish I hadn't found the time. This whole world is apparently losing is damn mind.

First, Barack Obama, in a campaign speech in front of about 70,000 people, announces that Americans no longer have the right to make purchasing decisions without the permission of the rest of the world. "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK." What the hell is this man talking about?

Then, a court in Austria has agreed to hear a case to determine if a champanzee is a person. I'm not making that up. Go see for yourself. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23486466-details/European+Court+agrees+to+hear+chimp's+plea+for+human+rights/article.do

Finally, some complete idiot that managed to get himself elected to Congress has proposed a bill that would establish a "Reasonable Profits Board" in which the U.S. government would review the profitability of companies to determine if it is reasonable. If the board decides it is not reasonable the company would be subject to an excise tax. Initially the bill would only cover oil and gas companies. Imagine that. Any bets on how long before another industry fell under their supervision? I wish I was kidding, but I'm not. Its bill H.R. 5800. You can read it in about five minutes. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h110-5800

I suppose it was inevitable. After watching (and reading) politician after politician display their appalling lack of understand in basic economics while interrogating...I mean interviewing the oil company executives this week, complete with righteous indignation, it would only make sense that one of them would come up with something this completely stupid - the economic equivalent of shooting yourself in the face with a 12 gauge because you have a toothache.
If the politicians don't understand it and they no longer teach it in schools, how long will it be before everyone has completely forgotten the very principles that made this country great in the first place?