Arkady's Thoughts

This is a very impressive video done by CATO that breaks down Obama's speech and focuses on how realistic Obama's promises are, discusses specific legislation and highlights the good aspects of Obama's administration. In particular, focus on the education aspect of the speech.  As you may be aware, higher education costs are climbing at astronomic rates and other than insurance premiums are probably the fastest rising costs in America.  Because Americans hold collages and universities in slightly higher regard than blood sucking insurance companies these costs are seldom discussed.  However if there is one thing you learn from this blog is that when costs stop making sense, look for government intervention as an explanation.  Nothing distorts free market prices faster and more efficiently than the heavy and reckless hand of government.  Higher education is no exception and the constant grants, breaks, subsidies, incentives and programs stemming from both

This vote split among party lines, 60-40 to increase our federal debt limit to 14.3 trillion.  This really begs the question as to why something like this is split among party ideologies.   Regardless of whether you are a liberal or conservative, is it not obvious that the number one issue poised to destroy this country is our debt?  Is it not further obvious that decreasing this debt should be the most important agenda and spending cuts to neutralize the deficit is the only sensible thing to do?   Sometimes I fail to see the difference between Republicans and Democrats, yet today the difference is quite profound.  When the GOP acts as a minority party they can really make a loud statement and the statement today is this:  Republicans are the only party of fiscal sanity.  Fundamentally this is not true as they spend and expand government as well as the Democrats, but today it is quite obvious and it should enrage all sensible liberal Americans out there.    A solution to a debt pro