Archive for March 23rd, 2010

A New Failure Initiative

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Here we go again, another “new initiative” in the US-Mexico war on drugs!

Better screening, lesser walls: that’ll do the trick!

And $330 million from the US, or a tiny fraction of the money we’re spending to arm the drug cartels against the Mexican government…

One day, there may be politicians in both countries who will say categorically that the war on drugs has been a colossal, expensive failure, that Prohibition will never work, that we will legalize soft drugs throughout North America, and we will take all the money saved on fence building, law enforcement, and guns dealers to finance some real economic development in the poorest regions of the Hemisphere.

Gorilla says: “Not in my lifetime, of course, but it would be nice to try something that might actually work!”

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Ship In A Barrel

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Not content with doing not very much to rescue the Greeks, the French and Germans are now demanding the Greeks buy more ships from them!

It’s yet another example of why Euroland doesn’t really work; it’s not really an economic union and it’s certainly not a political union.

The French don’t like competition and the Germans don’t like consumption, and together they can’t agree on anything, except making the Greeks pay them for the privilege of benign neglect and protection from the non-existent Turkish threat.

So the Euro falls, delighting the German export machine, while Greece can’t borrow at low enough rates to make their draconian fiscal austerity package work.

Sarkozy’s currently licking his wounds after a resounding regional election defeat, so there won’t be much coming from Paris.

Gorilla says: “Roll out the barrel and dangle the Greeks over it!”

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The Winner Stays On The Sidelines

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Having been prevented from running, Aung San Suu Kyi, who won Burma’s only free election in 1989, says it’s better for her party not to register this time around.

And so the latest farce begins, with democracy a far-flung dream and no country willing to do very much about it.

That’s Burma policy for 20 years, dialogue or not.

Gorilla thinks: “She’s playing the long game, but she may not last much longer!”

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Social Security Silliness

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Once again, the deficit peacocks are on the march!

And this time, it’s Social Security, facing the prospect of its surplus running out by (wait for it): 2043!

Oh yes, and Social Security will still be able to pay out 75% of benefits after 2043 if nothing is done…

Global warming will be here a lot sooner, but nobody can be bothered with that.

The solutions to the Social Security “problem” are straightforward:

1) Raise the retirement age to 70.

2) Raise the payroll tax if necessary, sometime around 2050.

Medicare and Medicaid face far worse fiscal conditions in the next 15 years, and these will likely be solved by a combination of health care reform and, by 2025 or so, a single payer, Medicare-based system.

What about 10% unemployment now (the real rate’s more like 16%)?

Nope, sorry, only worthless tax credits are available to employers who would hire the workers anyway. There’s no sensible jobs program at all.

Gorilla says: “We need more stimulus today, not deficit fetishes disguised as serious policy!”

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