Friday Shorts - Buffett, Huckabee, Debt, Anthony

The Republican stance on the debt shows that they have no enduring ideology, other than obtaining and staying in control. Remember that Reagan said that deficits don't matter? As Warren Buffett pointed out, congress raised the debt ceiling 7 times during Bush's term, without nary a whimper. But, they'd hold a gun to America's head over this, threatening to shut down the government? If they hate government that much, perhaps they should seek employment in the private sector...

Ever wonder if maybe Mike Huckabee was forced into politics because he was thrown out of the ministry for a lack of compassion? Every time I see his ad calling for the repeal of the Health Care Plan he just comes across as completely, totally heartless.

Speaking of the debt, have you ever wondered about the history of it? What our ancestor's thought and did related to it? How long has America had government debt? You can hear all these questions answered, and more on Backstory Radio's recent coverage of exactly this topic. Download the podcast, and do whatever it is you do this weekend while you learn why Alexander Hamilton could say, “A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing."

Casey Anthony. Everyone I know is certain she committed the murder of her daughter, but her acquittal is actually proof that our judicial system works, and works well. We have to demand sufficient proof of a crime to convict, and if the prosecution fails to bring that proof to trial, then the accused must go free. For there is the distinct possibility in all trials that if there is a lack of proof, then the accused is innocent of the crime in question. We certainly don't want to err on the side of locking up innocent people - even though it means that we must err on the side of occasionally setting the guilty free. (Which I must point out, we don't know has been done here.)

Which brings to mind an excellent campaign question for our congressional and presidential candidates: Do you feel that America's incarceration rate is too high? Are we locking up individuals for 'crimes' that shouldn't require it - and what and how do other nations, who all have much lower incarceration rates, deal with the activities in question? And, the real kicker: Do you support the privatization of our jails and penitentiaries - and do you see any conflict of interests between a private organization which will want to increase the quantity of incarcerated to increase their profits with America's desire to decrease its costs and reduce its government debt?