Thoughts on Politics, the Economy, and Other Things

This past week has seen the stock markets on a wild roller coaster ride, hasn't it? I am concerned about the government interference in the markets. Perhaps some of it was necessary to prevent the collapse of the American economy. I don't know. I am linking four articles about the economic crisis below. You can, of course, find many more columns/articles about this, covering all possible viewpoints.

"A Taxpayer Stickup" by Jim H. Ainsworth

"Wall Street Fat Cats Aren't at Fault This Time" by Jonah Goldberg

"Never Sell America Short" by Lawrence Kudlow

"Are We Headed Toward a New Collectivist State?" by Mark Skousen

It's pretty clear that the mess we are in today started when "the Clinton administration reinterpreted the Jimmy Carter-era Community Reinvestment Act to politicize lending practices" to quote Jonah Goldberg's above column. It snowballed from there. Now we have to deal with fixing the mess that government interference started, and I can't think that government interference to do that is the best solution, although it may be all we have at this point. However, it needs to be a temporary interference. A free market operates best when it is truly free.

Turning to politics and the presidential campaign, I find it worrisome that Barack Obama has started encouraging his supporters to get aggressive with their independent and Republican friends and neighbors. See Michelle Malkin's column "Obama Releases His 'In-Your-Face' Hounds". This sounds more like division than the unity Obama professes to be aiming for.

In other news, Mamoud Ahmadinejad returns to the UN. An article by Oliver North, titled "UN-American" discusses this. As he points out:

But certain institutions can also bring out the worst in people. For the professional peddlers of anti-Americanism, haters of free enterprise, and true believers in global government, there is only one place that it really pays to perform: the United Nations.

Here is one take on the "disinviting" of Sarah Palin to speak at an anti-Iran rally. "Democrats force anti-Ahmadinejad protesters to disinvite Palin". Any excuse will do, apparently. Americans really should be standing united against Iran and Ahmadinejad regardless of their political leanings.

I also have a couple of summary articles I am going to link to--one about Palin's impact on the campaign and one about what an Obama presidency might mean.

"The Palin Effect" by Noemie Emery

"Change to Think Twice About: What Obama Could Destroy" by Mona Charen

Do American voters really not think about the various influences that Obama has had in his life? Certainly the mainstream media has focused more on Sarah Palin's family than on questions about Obama's associates. The latter is far more important in "vetting" someone for the job of President of the United States of America.

"It's Obama's Viability, Not McCain's, That Should Surprise Us" by David Limbaugh

"Enduring Authenticity vs. Fleeting Charisma" by David Limbaugh

There are so many more topics that need attention in our world today. This will have to suffice for now.