A reasoned change in position

A new Trump voter:

Reason's Great Escape

I think there's a certain naivety in this, despite the validity of the sentiment.  Klaus Schwab is not a good guy. Dare I say it, evil.  So this Reason video on a decentralized world and decentralized economies makes a lot of sense.  But there is a naivety in thinking that there is not some sort of conspiracy behind it.  I'm not saying there's some secret cabal guiding all of this, but there is a common socialist/communist vision along with a technocrat vision that drives many of those who are pushing for this.  So it is not a closed door back-room conspiracy but it is a common ideological goal that is driving those who drive this.

There's also a naivety to think think that a Great Escape will overcome the Great Reset. Not without a tremendous amount of push.  Look how they were able to shut down the Freedom Convoy using economic levers.  That's tough to overcome. It will take a herculean effort by millions of people.  Let's work towards that rather than just hoping it will materialize.

No safe spaces (from transgender students)

The world has lost any sense of reason.  But thankfully not the whole world, only the woke world.  It's heartening to hear that parents are pushing back.  Let's hope the AG does not also try to classify them as terrorists for doing so.

People will die

I had to share this Reason video because, it's brilliant and funny simultaneously. And because people will die.

Immigration Complications

I'm not sure if open borders today carry the same implications that they carried back in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Open immigration is a good thing but not without some parameters.  Accepting devoted communists in the 1950s may have altered the course of America.  Accepting numerous immigrants from any culture that is radically opposed to liberty - be it Islamic militants, socialists, or fascists - is not healthy if those coming are not fleeing prosecution but rather spreading it.

That said, Reason TV has an interesting interview with Grover Norquist on open borders.  The issue is complex.  Barricading the nation against 'invaders' is as bad as the government spying on its own people.  It is tantamount to basing everything on suspicion.  However, opening the borders wide and accepting all of the huddled masses is patently naïve in it's notion that everyone coming to America has good intentions. Norquist makes some interesting and reasonable points but the issue is not black and white.  It requires a lot more thinking than the political sound bites we hear, that are driven by politicians with probably the same gut reactions and instincts one way or the other that everyone else seems to have.

FUN: Left Melt Down Over Koch Brothers LA Times Buyout

No time to post today, but here's some schadenfreude from Reason TV for your enjoyment. Watch the left melt down over the Koch Brothers attempt to buy the LA Times.

The tunnel vision of some of the statements are just too rich.  Like 1% rich.

Reason: 3 reasons to build the Keystone pipeline

Reason TV, on why the pipeline makes sense for America.

Getting around intrusive government

A video from Reason TV in an interview with author Jeffery Tucker on digital media on the idea of getting around intrusive government.

Saturday Learning Series: Debate - A good argument

Two weeks ago I posted a Saturday Learning Series post about different types of false arguments. I promised last week I would get back to it but that there was a Yale lecture series on capitalism I really wanted to start posting on as well. It looks like we'll be alternating topics for a while.

Getting back to the philosophical side of debate, rather than looking at poorly formed or misleading argument styles, Kevin deLaplante of The Critical Thinking Academy doesn't just look at what to look for in a bad argument or debate style, he also talks about how to construct a good argument.  From negative to positive.

Today's articles.

No time to post original content today, but here are some good articles;

BREAKING: Senate to Vote Today on Earmark-Vote Trading from Robert Costa at National Review

McConnell’s takeaways for an earlier Christmas Eve vote from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air

Obama's latest health care lie from Matt Welch at Reason

Another Bad 2010 Omen For Democrats: "Repeal the Deal" Will Be A Rallying Cry in 2010 from Hugh Hewitt at Townhall

CBS reporting on ObamaCare special deals? from Arkady at Right Condition

Check them out.

Reason: Obama's rhetorical tricks

Jacob Sullum at Reason has a great article on the deceptive rhetorical tricks of Obama-speak. It's quite worth a full read (here).

The excerpt below encapsulates makes some great points if you don't want to read the whole article.

Speaking of making sense, some of the “false choices” Obama has identified in the last year are more puzzling than misleading. “I reject the false choice between securing this nation and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars,” he declared in March. So according to Obama, we can secure the nation and waste billions of taxpayer dollars. Actually, that sounds about right.

Obama’s depiction of his critics is a bit further removed from reality. In the health care debate, he says, “there are those who simply don't believe Washington can bring about this change”; “there are those who will say that we do not go far enough”; “there are those who would have us try what has already failed, who would defend the status quo”; “there are those who will oppose reform no matter what”; and “there are those who want to seek political advantage.”

What about those who do not like the status quo but have a different vision of reform, not because they want to go farther than Obama does but because they want to go in a different direction, toward more choice, more competition, and less government involvement? In Obama’s world, they do not exist; instead we have his bold yet achievable plan, pitted against socialist utopianism and blind partisan intransigence. Let me be clear: This is a false choice.

Well put.