Saturday, March 28, 2009

getting my groove back: my next post

Whew! That last post took a lot out of me. What was I thinking biting off the housing crisis? 70 years of government malfeasance there, and somehow I thought I'd knock it out in a single little essay. Not only did my "road to hell" post grow so long that I had to break it up into two parts (for my readers of small attention spans, you know who you are), it also involved some actual research, the gathering of information, fact checking, not to mention the construction of some fairly compelling imagery. (Loyal readers will be happy to learn that I haven't heard anything from McDonalds' lawyers. Yet.) So I approach my next post somewhat enervated, perhaps in need of topic less fact-intensive, more opinion related. (I never feel compelled to check my opinions for accuracy.) Or maybe what I need is an easy target....

I suppose I could address the Democrats and their plan to nationalize the economy. But while making fun of leftist principles is easy, it's too much like criticizing an obnoxious 6-year-old’s coloring. Even when the kid stomps his feet and threatens to hold his breath if we do not immediately hang his latest masterpiece on the refrigerator, it's just no fun to tell him he didn't stay inside the lines, or to point out that grass is not orange. Admittedly, ridicule is easier when there are college professors praising the artistry and genius of the latest page ripped from his coloring book, especially when the kid's pictures cover every wall, are clogging the plumbing, and create a fire hazard. All the while, the little brat is calling you a racist, or a sexist, or big dumb poopyhead because you can't tell whether the picture you're looking at is a stunted yellow flower or the sun wearing green pants.... I digress.

My point is this: when I hear an idea like Cap 'n' Trade, I feel like the joke has already been set-up and the punch line delivered. Emissions Trading enforced by a global, quasi-governmental, tax-imposing carbon-hunting bureaucracy that will ensure you put a cork in it until you pay someone else to license you to be his emitter-by-proxy. What can I add to that, other than LOL and an eyeroll smiley? (you probably didn't see it, but An Inconvenient Truth was actually narrated by a fat, flatulent, effeminate clown running in circles tooting a horn. Amusing, but I really don't recommend it.) In any event, to ridicule Cap 'n' Trade just seems too easy. And it's been done to death--brilliantly, I might add. (see my previous post, "Kyoto is cool.")

I must give the matter some thought.....

5 comments:

  1. Your Kyoto post doesn't look like it's up anymore. Am I just blind?

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  2. Must be the latter.

    http://wiseleyword.blogspot.com/2009/02/lets-start-with-obaama.html

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  3. Hi Eric, it's Beth Kidd here. I love your blog! I would say I am conservitive with a lot of libertarian leanings so I am enjoying what you have to say here. Also, I love showtunes too.

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  4. Keep up the good work! And I appreciate your breaking down the housing crisis "essay" into two parts - I'm part of the attention spam readership you so eloquently speak of. That one could have been in four parts. Jus' sayin.

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  5. Gee, kim, I gave you a nifty picture. Didn't that help hold your attention? Next time I'll throw in some java script, I guess.

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