Sandy and Christie Screwed Romney; May Be Time to Write-Off America

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Indeed, it may be time to write-off America.

I guess we all feel this way when our candidate loses.  But, if you'll forgive the soapbox routine, just like wedding vows pledge us to our partners "for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health," really believing in democracy means believing in the right of the people to choose their leaders, no matter what we think of their choice.  If you've stopped believing that, Politico, you've already written off America.  My dad was born to an immigrant farmer family, loved the country even as it struggled desperately through the depression for more than a decade, and risked his life for it even though he didn't like the commander-in-cheif he was serving under.  

The right of people to choose those who will govern them is more important than money, Politico.  Much more important.  If you don't believe that, Saudi Arabia and China will fulfill your aspirations just fine.

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Oh, it's really not a meltdown.  I was actually stupidly bored enough this evening to look at a little of Politico's posting history.  If he is entirely sincere in what he says, he converted from "Keynes" to "Friedman" sometime between 2008 and 2011, and on top of that he appears prone to incredible overreaction, both before and after his "conversion."  Well, I can't point fingers, I'm like that myself sometimes.  But, based on what I've been reading of him recently, I think the Torie "performance art" thesis is pretty convincing. 

[anvi]

Politico,

The economic "conversion" I referred to above was inferred from this post of the summer of 2011.

How'd Obama lose you btw?

It is complicated, I suppose. On the one hand, the markets have not responded well to Obama's leadership and the country's image abroad has not improved during his tenure (I am currently abroad in a nation with close ties to us, and can attest to the fact that most here see America as being on a downward spiral with no light at the end of the tunnel. Some people really believe America has seen its best days, if not its last days). On the other hand, I have come to the personal conclusion that Keynesian economics was a prescription for the 1930s, but it is not a particularly good prescription for America in the 21st Century. The results of the stimulus plan, sadly, are just reinforcing this viewpoint for me. Finally, I have spent some time abroad and personally witnessed what too much government intervention in the economy can lead to (i.e., less freedom, fewer choices, less opportunity, higher taxes, smaller quantity sizes, and much higher prices even after adjusting for exchange rates). It is not where I want America to go.

I am still a registered Democrat instead of a Republican because I am quite liberal on most non-economic issues with the exception of gun control (conservative), law and order (conservative), nuclear power (favor it) and defense (moderate), but I am now closer to Milton Friedman than John Maynard Keynes when it comes to economics. I suppose that is incompatible with my party registration at this stage in American history, but perhaps a more libertarian faction will emerge within the party in the future.

In any case, carry on.