Friday, February 10, 2012

Friday Miscellaneous (2/10)

The freedom of association scored points in the Ninth Circuit, which, for now, still holds that the Constitution lets people choose their own roommates.

Dr. Mark Mitchell gives a pleasant reminder that the terms “liberal” and “conservative” are more than policy positions. There are much deeper theoretical aspects at play:

It seems to me that attempts to define “conservative” and “liberal” too often focus on policies ostensibly supported by each. But an analysis of policy positions is merely taking the consequence for the cause. If we scratch beneath the tumultuous surface, we can begin to see that the differences may not be all that dramatic. Ultimately, what passes for liberalism and conservatism today are in many respects variations on a common theme. In other words, many so-called conservatives and liberals are often singing the same song.

Albert Hunt, editor of Bloomberg News, thinks team Obama may be getting too arrogant.

The Wall Street Journal had an editorial on how it’s too easy to be environmentally friendly today:

Like many concerned Americans, I'm susceptible to the Prius Fallacy: a belief that switching to an ostensibly more benign form of consumption turns consumption itself into a boon for the environment.

If only all big problems could be tackled with product substitution. We're consumers at heart, and our response to difficulties of all kinds usually involves consumption in one form or another. My car's a problem? Tell me what to drive instead. Wrong water heater? I'll switch. Kitchen counters not green? I'll replace them. The challenge arises when consumption itself is at issue. The world faces a long list of environmental challenges, yet most so-called solutions are either irrelevant or make the real problems worse. That's the conundrum facing anyone who yearns for "sustainability."

A significant source of support for Obama last election was the millennial generation. However, this election season only Ron Paul has been able to significantly appeal to them. How big of a problem is this?

Finally, Justice Ginsburg has been taking criticism for her comments below on the US Constitution. But at the same time she is emphasizing that each constitution must be written for the specific culture it is to be implemented in. Is this a liberal disregard for our traditions, or a conservative recognition that Egypt’s may be closer to some other nations than it is to ours?

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