Monthly Archives: July 2018

Censorship

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Mark Zuckerberg and his Facebook are moving to delete from Facebook postings items, which Zuckerberg is pleased to term “misinformation” or “false information” (and for which he’s been unable to provide a definition, coherent criteria, or a balanced set of “fact” checkers), that in addition to being somehow false incite violence.

Facebook will rely on local organizations of its choosing to decide whether specific posts contain false information and could lead to physical violence[.]

Because local sources in Sri Lanka or Malaysia, or Indonesia, are going to provide objective analyses—especially when the “incitement” is against the groups particularly hated in nations like those.

Sure.  I might know of some beachfront property north of Santa Fe that might be of interest, too.

No, this is just another excuse for Facebook to inflict censorship. Aside from the naked lack of objectivity inherent in the foregoing, the larger item is this.  Online posts, whether on Facebook, Twitter, random blogs, or news outlet Web sites, are not responsible for violence. The persons inflicting the violence are the ones responsible for the violence. Attempts to shift responsibility don’t alter that in the least. Zuckerberg knows this.

Auto Tariffs Revisited

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EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström says the EU will respond to any increase in US tariffs on imported autos and auto parts with its own tariffs on autos and parts imported from the US.

And,

The EU cannot offer a bilateral deal only on autos, Ms. Malmström said, to address Mr Trumps complaints about the 28-member bloc’s 10% car tariffs—which are quadruple the US rate.

Never mind that applying its own auto and auto parts tariffs to imports from the US is precisely such a bilateral action.

In the meantime, Malmström, along with the rest of EU governance, continue to studiously ignore an offer already on the table: no tariffs at all on auto and auto parts imports.

Get Rid of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

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Fed Chairman Jerome Powell thinks it’s a good idea.

I think it is really important for the longer run that we get the housing finance system off the federal government’s balance sheet.  I think it is very important for the economy longer term.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin agrees.

I am determined that we have a fix to the GSEs and that we don’t leave them in conservatorship for the rest of time[.]

But this doesn’t go far enough.  It’s insufficient to kick these Government Sponsored Entities out of conservatorship.  Left as GSEs, they’d still be able to dip their fingers into our pocketbooks; Fannie Mae wants another $3.7 billion of our tax money already.

No.  These GSEs need to be released into the wild and left to stand or fall on their market merits in the economy.

Tolerance

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According to the Left.  It seems that liberal actor Mark Duplass had tweeted some praise for the Conservative Ben Shapiro.  Duplass committed the unpardonable sin of saying Shapiro was a “genuine person,” and he

encouraged “fellow liberals” to follow Shapiro if they are interested in hearing perspective from the other side of the political aisle.

Oh so tolerant (and loudly and proudly tolerant) Left got on Duplass about that.  Rather than going on about his business, ignoring that wind in the trees, though, Duplass cowered under his desk and apologized for his offense.

So that tweet was a disaster on many levels. I want to be clear that I in no way endorse hatred, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, or any such form of intolerance.  My goal has always been to spread unity, understanding, and kindness.

As Shapiro put it in response to the diatribe,

…write a nice tweet about someone with whom you disagree politically, get labeled a racist sexist homophobe. Good stuff, guys. Really showing that tolerant streak[.]

Duplass’ cowardice has demonstrated the Left’s hatred and intolerance.

Musical Desks

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The Acting Director of the Veterans Administration is replacing his acting head of Veterans Health Administration with another acting head.  The current acting head needs replacement, not through any malfeasance, but because the incumbent acting head is moving to take another position within the VA.

Bad as the VA is, it isn’t helped by this instability in its management team.  Not a bit.

This continues to illustrate the waste of resources that is the VA.  Get rid of it, and use its current and future budgets for vouchers for our veterans.

Veteranos Administratio delende est.