The Government They Deserve

Forgive me my rant. But more and more I feel like the stupid American voters have exactly the government they deserve- the dumbest on Earth. This whole gas tax holiday has got me enraged. There is not one economist or public policy person who will go on record and say it is a good thing. For one simple reason- IT ISN'T!!!! What part of supply and demand does the average voter in this country not understand?

Hillary is out there saying how it will save consumers $8 billion dollars. WRONG! First of all, her windfalls profits tax has about as much chance of enactment as I do of winning American Idol. And, even it was passed, the tax would actually be borne mainly, if not wholly, by consumers.

Let me say this one more time- the demand for gas is inelastic in the short run and medium run. Maybe in the long term one might see some elasticity as people opted for smaller cars and public transportation. Maybe. We also have this tiny little supply problem. Now, class, tell me what happens to prices when the demand curve shifts and the supply curve stays the same? This is Econ101. The market clearing price (ie, the equilibrium price) goes UP. Not down.

Anyone with more than two brain cells to rub together understands that the gas tax holiday would likely result in HIGHER prices at the pump. And huge windfalls for the oil industry. Now, call me crazy but I thought Hillary was running on the Democratic ticket. But more and more, she seems to be pulling a Lieberman.

And honestly I am at the point of saying to the American people- "Fuck you. you're getting the government you deserve."

McSame and Hillary Think You're an Idiot

What else would explain their love for a gas tax holiday? To anyone with even a modicum of economic understanding it is an absurd idea. Demand for gasoline is fairly inelastic, and in the short run is quite close to perfectly inelastic. Thus, gas prices will stay right about where they are prior to the tax holiday. So, who does this benefit? Not you! Unless you're a big oil company, who will see their profit margins increased.

Oh, and what about the millions of dollars this will cost the Highway Fund? And the jobs that will be lost due to lack of project funding?

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Cruel and Unusual

Executions are soon to resume after last week's 7-2 ruling that lethal injection does not violate the 8th Amendment's cruel and unusual punishment clause. However much this ruling may be in line with the framer's notions (after all, we were still dunking witches at the time of the writing of the Bill of Rights), it does not comport with any sane notion of not cruel. The act itself is murder, though sanctioned by the justice system.

But does this state sanctioning remove the moral stain from the act? I would argue that it does not. Not only is this sort of eye for an eye justice barbaric, but it makes us all complicit in the taking of life. For centuries we have accepted that murder is wrong, whether we found the rationale from religious doctrine or from our notions of civilized society. Yet, we have been willing to set our morals aside when it becomes convenient to do so, such as in the cases of war and capital punishment.

Though I am a pacifist, I do grant that war provides an exception to our rules against murder. But I can find no moral support to exclude capital punishment. Not only that, but because this punishment is meted out by the state, which ostensibly acts on our behalf, we are all implicated in these murders.

I fully understand that for many people these criminals are beyond rehabilitation. And that might in fact be true for a good many. I accept that some people are inclined to evil. I do not have an explanation for why or how that happens, but I do feel it to be true. I do not know whether those who do evil are capable of remorse. Perhaps some are, and others are not. Yet, the lack of hope for rehabilitation or remorse is not a reason sufficient to end a life.

Can Our Politics Get Any Dumber?

Marking a new low in American political discourse, all three remaining candidates for President will appear on WWE Monday Night Raw. Oh, does that statement make me an elitist?

Still Doing a Crappy Job

According to this recent report from the Massachusetts Department of Education and the MA Board of Higher Education, too many public school graduates are requiring remedial courses at the state's universities and colleges. More troubling, though, is the variance in rates by socioeconomic status and race. Over half of African Americans, Hispanics and low income students enrolled in remedial courses in college. In addition, over 60% of students who received SPED services in high school and 50% of LEP students took remedial courses.

While it is not too surprising that SPED and LEP students might need some help in college to catch up, it is an abomination that our public schools have continued to fail our neediest students. The findings in this report make clear that we have two different school systems in Massachusetts- one for the middle and upper classes and another for the poor and minority students.

It ought to be clear to all that we need to devote more resources to our neediest students. Yet, the state's fiscal crisis has forced school districts to cut back on programs or implement fees. Beyond the fees for sports and other extra-curricular activities, many districts charge for kindergarten, full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. This not only undermines our commitment to universal education, but further exacerbates the gap between the educational haves and have nots.

We are, in essence, consigning an entire class of children to the education underclass. And this has effects beyond those felt by these children. Their need for remedial education diverts resources that could be put to more productive use. And, if they cannot catch up, they are more likely to drop out of college and earn less income, which means lower revenues for the state and potentially more criminals. It is not rocket science to figure out that providing a quality education to ALL makes for a stronger society, both economically and structurally.

Yet, we continue to ignore the problems of the underclass, even here in Massachusetts. And for that, we are all to blame.

IOC Cowardice

Athletes who display a Tibetan flag will face possible expulsion from the Olympics, according to this article. Apparently, athletes must check their free speech rights at the Chinese border. Shame on the IOC for buckling to China and its repressive regime.

Elitist??

I am having a hard time seeing how the following quote from Obama is elitist-

"It's not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment."

This is essentially the thesis of Franks' What's the Matter With Kansas and has been a part of mainstream political discussion for several years. I am not sure on what planet stating the obvious is elitist. If anything, Obama's statement is quintessentially populist.

The point is that when people feel economically under siege they will reach out to find someone to blame. Their government has failed them, and the GOP has been very good at distracting these folks to the point where they vote against their economic interests. Instead of holding the GOP accountable for their slavish devotion to the economic interests of the superrich, they instead get into a lather over God, guns and gays. And immigration has only added more fuel to the fire.