A Brief Comment on the European Elections

politicalprof:

I realize that most of the people who follow this blog are more interested in American politics than politics elsewhere, but let me take a brief moment to suggest you all pay a lot of attention to today’s elections in France and Greece. They are, in large measure, referenda on austerity, one strategy for addressing the current economic struggles in much of the world — a strategy that has caused a great deal of pain across Europe. That France elected a socialist President and Greece gave a substantial vote to far right and far left parties is both very telling and quite suggestive of likely continuing economic chaos in Europe.

And don’t kid yourselves: in the hyper-connected, globalized world we live in today, what happens in Europe happens in New York, and Chicago, and Los Angeles … and Tampa and Omaha and Reno, too.

A wise and timely reminder. Pay attention; this stuff matters. 

“We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men—-not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular.

This is no time for men who oppose Senator McCarthy’s methods to keep silent, or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of a republic to abdicate his responsibilities. As a nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. We proclaim ourselves, as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom, wherever it continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.

The actions of the junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad, and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And whose fault is that? Not really his. He didn’t create this situation of fear; he merely exploited it—-and rather successfully. Cassius was right. “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” Good night and good luck.”

— Edward R. Murrow, CBS News journalist, on his program “See It Now,” March 9, 1954.

politicalprof: Would that we had such courageous people today.

“Baba Amr is being exterminated. Do not tell me our hearts are with you because I know that. We need campaigns everywhere across the world and inside the country. People should protest in front of embassies and everywhere. Because in hours, there will be no more Baba Amr. And I expect this message to be my last.”

The reported last message of Rami Al-Sayed, a Syrian citizen journalist killed in the recent shelling of Baba Amr.

NPR Coverage
NY Times Coverage
Rami Al-Sayed’s YouTube Channel

‘We live in fear of a massacre’

The last report of Marie Colvin, the British war correspondent killed in recent violence in Homs.

‘We live in fear of massacre,’ in the Sunday Times.

Almost every building is pock-marked after tank rounds punched through concrete walls or rockets blasted gaping holes in the upper floors. The building I was staying in lost its upper floor to a rocket last Wednesday. On some streets whole buildings have collapsed - are there is to see are shredded clothes, broken pots and the shattered furniture of families destroyed.

It is a city of the cold and hungry, echoing to exploding shells and bursts of gunfire. There are no telephones and the electricity has been cut off. Few homes have diesel for the tin stoves they rely on for heat in the coldest winter that anyone can remember. Freezing rain fills potholes and snow drifts in through windows empty of glass. No shops are open, so families are sharing what they have with relatives and neighbours. Many of the dead and injured are those who risked foraging for food. 

Republicans and “Smaller” Government

politicalprof:

One constantly hears that Republicans are the party of small government while Democrats are the party of big government. And, of course, the person making this claim usually makes it clear that small government is good and big government is bad. 

Except, of course, this characterization of the two parties’ positions on government is factual twaddle. 

Think about it this way: some parts of government can be termed the “helping people” parts of government (at least in intent). This part of government includes things like education, welfare, healthcare, food and drug inspections, parks, and even roads and bridges and other infrastructure. The goal—not always achieved—is to give people the tools they need to achieve their ambitions in life.

Another part of government might be termed the “hurting people” part of government. This part of government would include the military, the criminal justice system, fines and taxes and the like. It also includes punishing what some people see as immoral behavior. Note that I don’t think all of this is “bad.” Wars happen, after all, so we do need some kind of a military, and I am quite happy a lot of people who are in prison are there. It’s just that these parts of government are engaged in negative actions to shape or change behavior, rather than attempting to equip people as they build their lives.

So think about the difference in the parties this way: in general, Democrats want the “helping parts” of government to be bigger, and the “hurting people” parts of government to be smaller. (Unless, of course, they want BOTH to be bigger.) Republicans want the “helping people” parts of government to be smaller, and the “hurting people” parts of government to be bigger. 

Note that each has elaborate ideological justifications for these stands. But both are happy with substantial governments. They just differ on how big each part should be.

Libertarians, of course, think both should be as small as possible. Which is why Ron Paul won’t win the Republican Party nomination for President.

Just so.