11-14-15 Hodgepodge

Stossel On Trump as Thug

I disagree with John Stossel that eminent domain can ever be "wonderful," but he nevertheless does a good job of indicating that the tycoon is more Orren Boyle than Hank Reardon:

... Trump got New Jersey pols to use [eminent domain] so he'd have a better space for limousines to park.

Also, under eminent domain, the state is supposed to pay the property owner "just compensation." But Vera [Coking] had turned down a million-dollar offer. Instead of raising the bid, Trump got politicians to force Vera to sell for even less. Trump would have to pay just $251,000, a fourth what she'd been offered.

That made Trump a manipulative bully. So I told him that.

"In the old days, developers came in with thugs with clubs. Now you use lawyers!"

Trump keeps spouting off that his wealth makes him qualified to be President. More important than money is how someone obtains it. Trump's willingness to abuse government for self-aggrandizement more than negates the size of his wallet as a qualification.

Weekend Reading

"Exercising our rights over our lives -- from keeping our own money, to bearing children, to choosing suicide -- depends on a moral code of individualism." -- Peter Schwartz, in "The Collectivist Mentality" at The Huffington Post

"It's as gratifying to wave at my neighbor as she drives by as it is to NOT feel obligated to repeatedly acknowledge her as we work in our respective yards." -- Michael Hurd, in "Be a First-Class Neighbor" at The Delaware Wave

"The falling-rate-driven bull market is a process of conversion of someone's wealth into your income." -- Keith Weiner, in "How Do People Destroy Capital?" at SNB & CHF

"By consciously valuing those ideals and upholding them in daily life, then the friends and spouse you choose will be more important to you because they embody your most cherished values." -- Michael Hurd, in "The Psychology of Loyalty" at The Delaware Coast Press

In More Detail

Peter Schwartz notes the similarity between China's recently-revised One Child policy and other examples of collectivism from both the American left and right. He is right to argue that we should be just as appalled by these policies and ideas as we are by China's.

Go Packers!

This quiz, "Which NFL Team Are You," calls me a Cheese Head:

You are full invested in your team, literally. The Packers are the only franchise where actual fans really do control the destiny of the team. It is the only non-profit, community owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Home of frigid Lambeau Field, this is a team with 2 Super Bowl wins but going back to the old days, the Packers have 13 League championships. Most of any NFL franchise. As much as the team appreciates your buy-in, good luck getting season tickets. The current wait list is approximately 955 years before the newest name on the list received their season tickets.

That's not a bad result, as the Packers are indeed one of my favorite teams.

-- CAV