A Republic... If You Can Keep It

A recent discussion on tax policy has led me to wonder what would happen if states paid the federal government tax based on population and it was up to each state to determine how it would raise the money for said taxes. The tax money the states pay would go towards services the federal government would provide, and of course congress (aka, the representatives from each state) would then get to pass laws deciding what aspects of the federal government should exist and appropriate money to those services that the states desire. I have a strong feeling that such an arrangement would lead to a desire for the federal government to provide less services thus shrinking its size and power, and giving more control to the states.

This would give states the opportunity to do things there own way, such as allowing the state of Oregon to have its universal, single-payer health care system that the federal government said no to, allowing the state of California the ability to legalize marijuana, or the state of Massachusetts to recognize same-sex marriage. This argument is not about making the states more independent, as they are already suppose to be able to make their own laws for their residents! In addition, this allows Americans the choice to live in one of 50 states, that each offer different opportunities and legal constructs. Not saying I'm looking for a change, but I would be interested to see what would happen.

In International News

Is it all just Karma? Renown foreign policy analyst Sharon Stone thinks it might be. She recently said, "I'm not happy about the way the Chinese are treating the Tibetans because I don't think anyone should be unkind to anyone else... And then this earthquake and all this stuff happened, and then I thought, is that karma?" What else would you expect to hear from someone who embraces Scientology? Then again, Myanmar recently had a tragic natural disaster and they have been unkind to Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader and Nobel laureate who has been under arrest since May 2003 without a trial, which has long been the symbol of the regime's brutality. Perhaps it's also just karma that a French skydiver keeps failing to set a new record for highest jump and fastest free-all. First France denied him permission, then the weather in Saskatchewan was bad, and now the balloon floated away after being inflated. Perhaps he clubs baby seals in his free time. Or this might just be good Karma to prevent him from dying?

While many in the United States are just concerned about capturing or killing al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, the CIA is also focused on who will succeed him. CIA Chief Hayden says, "If there ever was a sense of invulnerability I think killing or capturing him would shatter it once and for all." But then he goes on to ask, "How do you pick the next overall leader?" I'm gonna go with closest high level relative or if no relatives are available, someone with close person ties. That is what happened in 1999 when the revered head of Iraq's largest Shiite opposition group was assassinated leaving Moqtada al-Sadr, a 25-year-old video game aficionado in command. And in a way it has been for the best. While he is an ardent nationalist, commanding the support of hundreds of thousands of devotees who like to kill U.S. troops, he is also working on his image of brutal thug to (if all goes his way) religious political leader. Perhaps bin Laden's successor will also choose politics over terrorism? It tends to ensure a longer life; a la Yasser Arafat.

Your Government at Work

Doctors think thousands of youngsters may face lifelong health problems because the temporary housing supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the Gulf Coast in 2006 contained formaldehyde fumes up to five times the safe level. Great, since FEMA cut corners in 2006, we will have to deal with a larger drain on federal health care funds. Whats worse is due to this news story, everyone with a health problem will blame the federal government. The CDC is expected to spend hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars to research the issue. So far money spent investigating the issue has been wasted as results have been inconculsive. Next disaster, no trailers, just suck it up in a tent.