Short Subjects

Here's a few unrelated but interesting tidbits:

This one almost makes me want to see Newt elected: he says Sarah Palin would have "a major role" in his administration. What do you suppose that would be? Energy secretary? He's said she's among the country's experts on the subject.

Whatever. I think it'd be great theater to see her in a role of national importance where she had actually to make herself learn stuff, answer serious questions, show up every day and work hard in an intense job that wasn't only about her. Think she'd actually accept a job like that?Wonder how long it'd last... About, I guess, as long as the country would last under a megalomaniacal hothead like Newt "Kill Them" Gingrich.

Next is this fascinoma, sent to me by my oldest friend: Koch brother Charles, funder of all things right-wing and anti-government, financial power behind the Tea Party and all other manner of crazy ideological fundamentalism, is a big fan of Social Security:

There’s right-wing hypocrisy, and then there’s this: Charles Koch, billionaire patron of free-market libertarianism, privately championed the benefits of Social Security to Friedrich Hayek, the leading laissez-faire economist of the twentieth century. Koch even sent Hayek a government pamphlet to help him take advantage of America’s federal retirement insurance and healthcare programs.

Finally, the winter meeting of the Conference of Mayors is being held this weekend in D.C., to discuss the nation's most serious problems, especially the economy and employment. Several D leaders and administration officials will attend; all R presidential candidates, and all R congressional leaders refused invitations. But, sure, they're concerned about jobs and open to ideas from those at the front lines.

I think it's no exaggeration to say that the current voices of Republicanism have no real values at all, except the desire to make money entirely unfettered, with no responsibility to the country that allows it to happen. Say anything, associate with anyone, tell any lie, do whatever it takes to deceive enough voters into giving away the store.