Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Random Thoughts by Thomas Sowell

Lookit:
One of the most important skills for political success is the ability to make confident assertions of absurdities or lies.
Um...
I hate to hear about "partnerships" between government and business, or between government and other organizations. When there is a partnership between an ant and an elephant, who do you suppose makes the decisions?
This metaphor also works wonders with personal relationships.
There are too many people, especially among the intelligentsia, who will never appreciate the things that have made this country great until after those things have been destroyed -- with their help. Then, of course, it will be too late.
I confess: my Ph.D. project involves filling the Grand Canyon.
Do you want to have to jump through bureaucratic hoops when you are sick? If not, why would you be in favor of government-run medical care?
TO AVOID PAPERWORK. You'll have to trust me on this one.
Democrats could sell refrigerators to Eskimos before Republicans could sell them blankets.
Poor Eskimos: no blankets!
I know that there are still voices of sanity around because I have counted them-- on one hand.
[Crickets.]
Our economic problems worry me much less than our political solutions, which have a far worse track record.
That's because none of those political solutions have Made This Country Great. [See above, you forgetful thing you.]
The great sense of urgency of the Obama administration to get legislation to authorize slow-moving spending projects may seem inconsistent. But the urgency is real, even if the reasons given are not. The worse case scenario for the administration would be to have the economy begin to recover on its own before this massive spending bill is passed, reducing their chances of creating the kind of politically directed economy they want.
Yes, it would be terrible if things were going well come the next election.
I realized how far behind the times I am when I saw a TV commercial for some weight-loss product, showing Marie Osmond "before" and "after." I thought she looked great "before."
Ladies and gentlemen, the genius of Thomas Sowell.

11 comments:

J— said...

I confess: my Ph.D. project involves filling the Grand Canyon.

If you get a federal grant for this project, it doesn't count.

herr doktor bimler said...

Were you using small plastic replicas of the Albert Hall?

Mendacious D said...

But filling it with what?

Another Kiwi said...

It's a big project, you'd be able to use medium sized replicas.

Another Kiwi said...

New Zealand is building a bridge to the new Future which will stimulize our economy. But we will still need Thos. Sowell and associates to tell us when we don't remember what made this country great

Righteous Bubba said...

But filling it with what?

Piss and crosses.

J Neo Marvin said...

I hate to hear about "partnerships" between government and business, or between government and other organizations. When there is a partnership between an ant and an elephant, who do you suppose makes the decisions?

And which is supposed to be which here? Remember, Halliburton and Blackwater are businesses.

tigris said...

There are too many people, especially among the intelligentsia, who will never appreciate the things that have made this country great until after those things have been destroyed -- with their help. Then, of course, it will be too late.

I'm all for helping people appreciate stuff, but I'm not sure it always works; do he and his now appreciate logic, sense, coherent writing, or the Constitution?

Righteous Bubba said...

Those weren't the things that made the country great.

Economists made the country great.

tigris said...

I don't know, RB, I guess I just can't see myself appreciating them. If only someone could think of a way!

Righteous Bubba said...

A coarse paste made of economist spleen and Crystal Pepsi substitutes well for eye of newt. Good luck finding the Crystal Pepsi.