Monthly Archives: June 2003

Kerry, Edwards, Bush: who is a libertarian

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The democratic candidates are challenging Bush’s economic position from a variety of stances but at least one of them might do better to get some more education before continuing. It is clear that, as both David and Brian at Catalarchy imply, Kerry doesn’t understand Libertarianism and doesn’t understand Bush’s politics or economics:

Kerry also took questions from the audience; the last came from a glamorous young woman wearing a low-cut white dress who wanted to know how he felt about the charge

Bush Jobs Program

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Chris, a guest blogger at Unlearned Hand, teaches us the true intent of the Bush tax cuts:

Briefly, this is how it works. Tax cuts are given to the wealthy. The wealthy, in turn, then contribute money to the campaign. The campaign then hires Republican workers.
Brilliant. It trickles down, as long you support the President.
Leave No Republican Operative Behind.

A pretty clear picture of the workings of American government.

Balko slides ‘Left’

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Bush supporting libertarians should head right over to read this post from Radly Balko.

The only reasons this administration has given libertarians to support it come in the form of what it promises to do next term.

(I think everyone has a pretty clear understanding of Bush’s record regarding commitments to future actions that are not related to a pretty narrow constituency)

If you are primarily a left blogger Balko may not be on your regular reading list but this is one post that you should go read as many of his points will help in your discussions with right bloggers – at least the ones who are not lockstepped with Ashcroft, et al.

I don’t think Balko is actually sliding leftward as much as realizing that his views are generally orthogonal to both the republicans and the democrats and he comes close to realizing this when he says:

But my point is not that the Democrat Party is an acceptable alternative. My point is simply that Republicans aren’t acceptable anymore.

I’m pretty sure the republicans have never been acceptable to true libertarians and I have never understood libertarians supporting Bush policies which seem overwhelmingly to lead away from libertarian principles. Hopefully this is an indicator of a growing schism in the Bush ranks.

Jessica Lynch and Spin

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Emma unexpectedly links to this Nicholas Kristoff NYT column (which will be pay to read in a week) and rightly tells us:

What’s amazing is that his story, if true, would be a thousand times better than the original one.

You can go to her place to read why she thinks this. She then goes on to say:

Instead, they played up to the imbecile jingoism of the hard right. Even Kristof seems to be getting tired of it, although he cannot bring himself, yet, to call it lying:

and the paragraph she quotes from Kristol does support this interpretation. I like, though, the way Kristoff put it earlier in his article:

Ms. Lynch is still a hero in my book, and it was unnecessary for officials to try to turn her into a Hollywood caricature. As a citizen, I deeply resent my government trying to spin me like a Ping-Pong ball.

He is still not quite calling it lying but what else can it be?

Europrotections

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On Tuesday I complained about pending Eurostrictions. Today I’d like to give the EU some credit. Not a lot, but some. In the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights are a couple of articles that might make our Total Terrorist Information Act folks cringe

Article 7
Respect for private and family life

Everyone has the right to respect for his or her private and family life, home and communications.

Article 8
Protection of personal data

1. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.

2. Such data must be processed fairly for specified purposes and on the basis of the consent of the person concerned or some other legitimate basis laid down by law. Everyone has the right of access to data which has been collected concerning him or her, and the right to have it rectified.

3.Compliance with these rules shall be subject to control by an independent authority.

This looks pretty good. I give the EU credit for this.

How fragile such protections are, though, when modified with words like “or some other legitimate basis laid down by law.” This phrase contradicts the idea that Article 8.1 is a fundamental right and allows for its abrogration.

Thus we find Statewatch saying that the EU folks, maybe the above referenced independent authority, are “highly critical’ of arrangements being made to give private information to the US. A reading of the report itself suggests they have already buckled under and that it is a matter of how much data for how long not a flat out no.

Yea, they are critical but they are not adamant and when it comes to fundamental rights you must be adament.
Via Bespacific