Wednesday, December 17, 2003

deficit Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 3:18:07 PM     And here is an important background paper on the deficit, saying it is not so bad. http://www.cepr.net/Deficit_Scare.htm ********

taxes Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 3:12:42 PM     on taxes Treasury Renews Campaign for Tax-Free Savings Accounts Jonathan Weisman Washington Post, December 6, 2003, Page E1         This informative article examines a new proposal being considered by the Bush administration, which would create a new type of tax-sheltered account that would replace traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs). According to the article, the money in these accounts would be taxed when it is first deposited, but all subsequent accumulations would be tax-free.         It is important to note that if this tax treatment were adopted, as opposed to the tax treatment of traditional IRAs (in which money is taxed when it is withdrawn, but not when deposited), it would be disadvantageous to millions of middle-income households. Many middle-income families face a higher tax rate during their working years than after they are retired; therefore it is beneficial to them to be able to defer their taxes until after retirement. This is not an issue for most upper-income households, who will be in the top tax bracket throughout their whole life. ********

Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 2:05:36 PM     Is ther an emerging solution in the Israel conundrum http://www.icna.com/peaceinitiative.pdf   reference to this and Powell's comments yesterday at http://washingtontimes.com/world/20031202-114509-1355r.htm ********

On economic theory Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 11:59:10 AM     Overheard, for purposes of comment: ..all of communism, socialism, liberalism, and libertarianism as in pretty much the same boat philosophically and from the perspective of the ideal society that each would see. They all favor the greatest wealth for the most amount of people; they are all, in this conception, materialist and utilitarian philosophically. They just have had different factual conceptions of the world about how this would be achieved practically, and somewhat different conceptions of wealth ethically. Conservatism, by way of contrast, ..emphasizes a supernal or divine source of morality in the universe. Like much debate these days, the positons are falsely divided. The choice betwen a materialist or a diest view of goodness leaves out a human development view that is complex, biological and spiritual. comment: the contrast is not the more interesting. The greatest good for the most can be got by simply doubling the number of people and decresing their pleasure by a third. Soemthing more must be going on to make this argument plausible. Some richer conception of human nature is the obvious candidate. As Nussbaum says in her Poetic Justice, "My proposal is a more modest one, that economic science should be built • on human data of the sort novels such as Dickens's reveal to the imaginat:ion, that economic science should seek a more complicated and philosophically adequate set of foundations. " Page 11 ********

Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 10:05:34 AM     I watched the cspan program.     On the alternative view Perle kept asking about   not define response to 911 as  a war but as a police action and presidential recognition that the world is not fair, and that the us should support policies that make the world fair. Go highly multilateral towards a world that is safe for business, but with strong language that the purpose of business is to meet human needs by means that support human needs and  even more for the quality of human life and the environment.   The core of the neocon impact on Bush was the language in the NSS memo posted at the Whitehouse site to the effect that after the defeat of fascism there is now only one model forward, and those who are with it are on our side and the rest are against us.   Bush wants to be Churchill and be  a big deal president. He chose 911.   A more reasonable policy would have been to give more support to theinspectors and let that play itslef out. Nothing found would have been the answer. ********

Bush and Churchill Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 9:04:57 AM     More on Chrurchill and Bush  Ananova:  Churchill was a Texan says Bush George Bush says Winston Churchill was like a Texan. The US President says Churchill reminded him of a plain-speaking American from his home state. He made the remarks as a bust of Churchill was presented to him as a gift from Tony Blair. Mr Bush said of the Second World War leader: "He knew what he believed, and he really kind of went after it; in a way that seemed like a Texan to me." The President added, "Sometimes Churchill will talk back, sometimes he won't, depending upon the stress of the moment, but he is a constant reminder of what a great leader is like." The 55-year-old bust, made by English sculptor Jacob Epstein, has been loaned from the British Government's art collection. It will be placed in the White House Oval Office and returned after Bush leaves office. ********

Bush and Churchill Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 9:01:29 AM     Bush on Churchill. I think this line of reasoning is fundamental. He wants to be strong. Churchill (and Lincoln) wer strong. I will do what they do, and get the people to follow me. ""I understand people loathe war. So do I." And yet America was now at war. "That's what September 11 taught us. It's a different kind of war. And I intend to, so long as I'm the president, wage that war vigorously to protect the American people." There are many different ways to wage that war. "The best way to win, in the long run though, is the spread of freedom. And that's what's happening. "But, sure, I can understand people not agreeing with the decision I made." Yet opinion polls had shown a sharp decline in global support for United States policies, after the initial surge of solidarity immediately after the September 11 attacks. "I just don't pay attention to the polls. If I were trying to be president paying attention on the polls, I'd be running around in circles." That was one reason for having Churchill's bust at hand. "At least from my reading of the history, he pretty much said what he thought, did what he thought was right, and led. He was courageous in his leadership." History, and not individual presidents and prime ministers, would judge the decisions they made. "You're never going to be around to judge history." History written soon after the event was highly subjective, not least as writer had no chance to see the full effects of the decision-making. He added: "And in my case, most of the short-term historians probably aren't that thrilled with me being president in the first place, which might colour the short-term history." He laughed. "But my only point is, I think a president must not try to write the legacy of every moment. The president just does what he thinks is right." He must also try to explain his actions as clearly as he can. "Part of the purpose of my visit to your great country is to use the opportunities I've had to speak directly - like I'm doing right now - to people about why I made the decisions I made." comment: part of the problem is that defining the world in military terms was one option. Defining it in humanitarian tems was another. I believe that the commitment to free markes and american style democracy leads in this dierction. Much to discuss here. ********

cspan neo conservative panel Posted here Wednesday, December 17, 2003 at 8:34:49 AM     Here is an interesting panel on c-span on neo-conservatism.. http://www.c-span.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&;ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=hudson+perle+republic ********