LOGIC (n.) from Greek 'logikos': 1. Anything posted on this blog. 2. Anything that drives a liberal crazy

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Hey! Teacher! Leave those banks alone!

The markets fell. All because B. Hussein Obama is continuing to try and dip his fingers into the private pie. Good one!

President Obama wants to curb banks risk-taking, so that "the taxpayer will never be at the mercy of a bank too big to fail." I wish the taxpayers were not at risk of a government too stupid not to fail.

It's not the government's job to tell the banks what risks they can and can't take. The only people who should be determining that are the shareholders. Banks are not going to take moronic financial risks, because they are in business TO MAKE A PROFIT. Furthermore, if a bank *does* fail, I don't want to pay for it.

Now there were myriad reasons that so many did fail. Admittedly, some of them took risks, maybe even moronic ones. Especially with mortgages. Of course, the fed's manipulation of the dollar and the interest rates didn't help. The beauty of private industry, or "capitalism", is that it takes care of itself. Government intervention is *not* required.

If a bank, or a car company, or anything else, fails, that's a *good* thing. Propping it up, or nationalizing it is a BAD idea. It's a waste of taxpayer dollars. When a company fails, it means one of two things. 1)The management had no clue what they were doing, or 2)The product was not in enough demand.

So, who should regulate banks, car companies, and any other business? THE MARKET.

Not the government, the market.

Government = no. Market = yes.

Government bad. Market good.

Government < Market.

Government {BUZZ}. Market {DING DING DING} Show him what he's won, Johnny!

Is that clear enough for you?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

It's so bad, I have to blog again

So after a short hiatus, I have returned to the blogosphere with a renewed sense of urgency.  Things are terribly awry and I just have to comment about them.  Besides, you know you missed me!

My new official theme is personal responsibility.  I know, I know.  I've said it all before.  However, it needs to be said again.

As many of you know, I am now a [fully certified by the State of Ohio and yes I can intubate you] EMT.  I was parked at UH a few weeks ago with my partner, in the designated ambulance parking, when a car pulled up and parked next to us.  I got out and politely informed the driver that this parking was for ambulances only, and that she would have to park in one of the parking garages.  She said that she would just be a minute and would I watch her car?

Suuuuuuuuure, lady.  I told her I would keep an eye on her car, but I couldn't do anything if the UH Police (oops, I mean: Protective Services) showed up to give her a ticket.  I also informed her that if we got a call I would have to leave.  She said, "OK, thanks!" and walked away.

Sure enough, not 3 minutes later, a UHPS officer came by and wrote her a ticket.  She walked out as he was putting it under her wiper, and the first words out of her mouth were, "It's not my fault!"  She then looked accusingly at me, pointed her finely manicured index finger and whined, "You said you would watch my car!"  The policeman (oops, I mean: Protective Services Officer) looked at the lady and said, "Ma'am, you are responsible for where you park."  She then went into a tirade about how she was only inside for a minute, she had a heart condition, and something about baby seals and clubs.  She grabbed the ticket and drove off in a huff onto Cornell Dr, where she was promptly pulled over by one of Cleveland's finest and (I assume) given a ticket for reckless operation or something like it.

Ever since then, "It's not my fault" has been a favorite catchphrase of my partner and me.  We joke about it constantly, but the reality is that too many people have a sense that it really isn't their fault.

More adventures tomorrow.  Until then, rest well and dream of large women.