Why Is There So Much Government Waste? | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary

Why Is There So Much Government Waste? | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The one thing that these ridiculous expenditures all have in common is that they are a direct result of people being able to spend other people’s money. In Congress’s case, we have 535 people with trillions of other people’s dollars to spend. That they’re content to fritter billions away on toys for special interests shouldn’t be shocking."

"There’s also a good chance that while they’re upset with a particular expenditure, they’re okay with the general mission of the program responsible for the waste."

"First, so long as the federal government can spend money on anything it wants, politicians are going to spend money on anything they want. Second, contrary to what we’re taught in school, policymakers generally allocate money on the basis of political and parochial concerns — not on the basis of sound economics or even the so-called “public interest.”"

Beware the ‘lesser-of-two-evils’ trap

Beware the ‘lesser-of-two-evils’ trap: "The founders chose the lesser of two evils – because it led to the greater good. For them, the greater evil, worse than allowing slavery – which they realized would come to an end before too many decades – would have been to allow the disintegration of the United States of America to continue, to permit history’s greatest birth of liberty to be smothered in the cradle."

Good point. But there were also other options (i.e. North USA and South USA). Also, I don't think anyone can complain about the poor choices if they didn't first work to improve those choices (i.e. vote in primary, support their candidate, support good lower candidates that may one day be presidential candidates, etc).

Court OKs warrantless use of hidden surveillance cameras | Politics and Law - CNET News

Court OKs warrantless use of hidden surveillance cameras | Politics and Law - CNET News: "Police are allowed to install hidden surveillance cameras on private property without obtaining a search warrant, a federal judge said yesterday."

"Callahan based his reasoning on a 1984 Supreme Court case called Oliver v. United States, in which a majority of the justices said that "open fields" could be searched without warrants because they're not covered by the Fourth Amendment. What lawyers call "curtilage," on the other hand, meaning the land immediately surrounding a residence, still has greater privacy protections."

The Current Wisdom: Public Misperception of Climate Change | Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. "Chip" Knappenberger | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Current Wisdom: Public Misperception of Climate Change | Patrick J. Michaels and Paul C. "Chip" Knappenberger | Cato Institute: Commentary: "We constantly hear the meme that this "96 per cent of climate scientists surveyed say global warming is real". That's based on Doran's survey, and is an artifact of the way the question was asked, which was, "when compared with pre-1800 levels do you think that mean global temperatures have generally risen, fallen, or remained relatively constant?" Actually, 100% should have answered "risen". It's irrefutable that the 17th century was colder than the 20th. The subsequent question, on human attribution, was also worded in such a way that also guaranteed a lot of agreement. If properly designed, the survey would have asked how much was related to human activity, not just whether humans were involved in the temperature change."

"In reality, the amount of weather related to natural variability dramatically exceeds what is "added on" by global warming."

"The largest number of statewide temperature records were set in the 1920s and 30s, and, warming or not, they have yet to be exceeded. In fact, what is peculiar about these state records is the lack of them during the relatively warm recent 15 years."

Legal and Moral Dilemmas of Drone Strikes in a Free Society | Campaign for Liberty

Legal and Moral Dilemmas of Drone Strikes in a Free Society | Campaign for Liberty: "When asked about how it was possible that 16 –year-old Al-Awlaki could have been targeted, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, “I would suggest that you should have a far more responsible father if they are truly concerned about the wellbeing of their children.”  This sort of talk from high level Obama officials is disgraceful and shows a lack of respect for innocent human life."

Drones in Djibouti | Campaign for Liberty

Drones in Djibouti | Campaign for Liberty: "In March 2011, a Predator parked at the camp started its engine without any human direction, even though the ignition had been turned off and the fuel lines closed. Technicians concluded that a software bug had infected the “brains” of the drone, but never pinpointed the problem.

“After that whole starting-itself incident, we were fairly wary of the aircraft and watched it pretty closely,” an unnamed Air Force squadron commander testified to an investigative board, according to a transcript. “Right now, I still think the software is not good.”

The article goes on to note that in 2011, the Djibouti base experienced a number of crashes with the drones, having at one point lost four drones in four months. That should be particularly disturbing to readers when one considers the Federal Aviation Administration estimates that by 2020, there could be 30,000 drones flying over America."

Ohio student punished for growing his hair for charity, school says it violates dress code | Fox News

Ohio student punished for growing his hair for charity, school says it violates dress code | Fox News: "He's been growing out his hair for Locks of Love, which uses donated hair to make hairpieces for kids who have lost their own due to disease.

Aufderheide had told the school of his intentions, but on Monday was told he would be suspended. His hair is only an inch away from the 10 inches needed to donate to the charity.

Canton Local School Board President John Martin tells WJW-TV (http://bit.ly/P2g1Ch) that while he respects the student's efforts, rules are rules."

They can't see the forest for the trees!

U.N. calls for 'anti-terror' Internet surveillance | Politics and Law - CNET News

U.N. calls for 'anti-terror' Internet surveillance | Politics and Law - CNET News: "one of the major problems confronting all law enforcement agencies is the lack of an internationally agreed framework for retention of data held by ISPs."

Privacy rights do make it harder for law enforcement. But some people do value privacy too. :-/

Police: Fiance of pregnant NYC woman who was stabbed to death has a wife in NJ | Fox News

Police: Fiance of pregnant NYC woman who was stabbed to death has a wife in NJ | Fox News: "The fetus did not survive."

That sure is a contorted sentence!

Tax-Raisers Lack Compassion | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary

Tax-Raisers Lack Compassion | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary: "even though nearly all agree that involuntary unemployment is harmful to the individual and society, many policymakers are willing to accept it rather than focus on what can be done to prevent it."

"President Obama and his Democratic allies like to say they want to return to the Clinton-era tax rates (actually, they are proposing higher rates, given the additional taxes from Obamacare), but they leave out the fact that federal spending during the second Clinton administration was just 18 percent of GDP, not the current 23 percent. The empirical evidence (contrary to left-wing dogma) shows that economic growth and job creation slow as government gets bigger.

Those who support politicians whose policies are almost certain to produce low growth at best and then claim they care about the physical and mental well-being of the unemployed are either ignoring the historical evidence or are hypocrites. They are not compassionate."