Sunday, June 21, 2009

Today's Local Fishwrap Laughs

Ahh, back from vacation across the Southern United States and a cold slap of reality strikes as I read the Op-ed section of the Pasadena Star-News this morning.
The first laugh is today's column by unrepentant local socialist Hannah Naiditch.
Now, I often wondered why the Star-News gives her the time of day. Well, I suppose it is to give sane-thinking people a good laugh. It is to show a fossil that is Miss Naiditch.
Today's gem is titled "Socialism shouldn't be a taboo word".
Now, I actually agree with that. The reality is that the DDBMSOWM does not use that to describe many a member of the Democrat party. Many do not even note that Vermont Senator Bernie Saunders is a socialist. But, Sen. Saunders does caucus with the Democrat party in the senate. So, I guess he can not be a real socialist, right?
Anyway, Miss Naiditch does share my lament that socialism should not be a dirty word. She is one honest bird.
While laughing through this column of old grievances and canards, I think that is a highlight paragraph:

Norway's socialist Finance Minister, Kristin Halvorsen, long a free market skeptic, does not believe that the market can regulate itself. Norwegians work the fewest hours of all industrialized democracies and enjoy generous benefits and sick-leave policies. Their government is ready to help when needed. In Sweden, they have five weeks of mandated vacation, and the list goes on.

Yes, that is true. These nations also have two of the highest suicide rates in the world. They have the lowest religious people in the world. And, the lowest productivity because of the fact that they work the fewest hours and have "generous benefits and sick-leave policies".
But the gems from Miss Naiditch just keep coming:

In this country, some will argue that nothing is "free"; it is paid by our tax money, that "there is no free lunch." True, but some nations consider these benefits as basic human rights, while our constitution recognizes only one economic human right, and that is the right to property. No right to health care, to education or shelter, which are basic needs that must be met

Miss Naiditch, here is a little something for you. Without the right of property, there would not be a United States of America. It is property rights that differentiates us from the rest of the world. Would you not like to own your own house? Your own car? Your own appliances? Would you not like to have an opportunity to improve your own economic lot in life?
Miss Naiditch shows as she goes on that she really does not give a wit about that dated ol' constitution. Miss Naiditch cites the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the guiding light. Not the constitution of the United States. Read that and ask yourself this question. Since when can any government and or entity thereof guarantee any of the so-called rights? None. Especially what can and does make people happy.
I urge you to read Miss Naiditch because she is one fossil that keeps on ticking.
As the television pitcher's say, but wait there is more!
In today's Letters To The Editor (link unavailable)*, one Joanne Gram from Altadena says that taxes are not enough in California. She thinks that these should be a state surtax on every single transaction in order to fund the state properly.
WOW!
Miss Gram cites the tax on gasoline as not enough. I can assure you that it is plenty, Miss Gram! Having just returned from a cross-country driving trip, we paid an average of 18c less on a gallon of gas. Oh, that 18c is what California charges on a gallon of regular unleaded. Throw in the fact that the gas provided for California drivers is different than the rest of the United States, and it also adds to the cost of a gallon.
Miss Gram says surtax now, work out the details later. Typical liberal hyperbole. And she does point out that a legitimate point that many businesses will just move out of California. But, Miss Gram says let 'em! Because we just can not run to another state to buy our food and gas.
So, to get it straight, Miss Gram writes that she is willing to pay a surtax on food and gas so that the state of California does not go bankrupt? I bet when that happens, Miss Gram will be the one leaving California.
Reading the Pasadena Star-News op-ed page today was a great laugh. Too bad that many people actually think the way of Miss Naiditch and Miss Gram.

*Will link the letter when it becomes available at the Star-News website.

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