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The principles that rule this blog

Principles that will govern my thoughts as I express them here (from my opening statement):


  • Freedom of the individual should be as total as possible, limited only by the fact that nobody should be free to cause physical injury to another, or to deprive another person of his freedoms.
  • Government is necessary primarily to provide those services that private enterprise won't, or won't at a price that people can afford.
  • No person has a right to have his own beliefs on religious, moral, political, or other controversial issues imposed on others who do not share those beliefs.

I believe that Abraham Lincoln expressed it very well:

“The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot
so well do, for themselves — in their separate, individual capacities.”


Comments will be invited, and I will attempt to reply to any comments that are offered in a serious and non-abusive manner. However, I will not tolerate abusive or profane language (my reasoning is that this is my blog, and so I can control it; I wouldn't interfere with your using such language on your own!)

If anyone finds an opinion that I express to be contrary to my principles, they are welcome to point this out. I hope that I can make a rational case for my comments. Because, in fact, one label I'll happily accept is rationalist.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Obama and the Organization of American States

The Organization of American States recently met, and we see headlines like “Cuba issue deals blow to US stature at ‘Summit of the Americas’” on the news media. Yet, for once, I think President Obama did something right, and I want to commend him for it. The OAS was where a number of left-wing Latin American leaders pulled for Cuba to be allowed to rejoin the group. And President Obama said ‘no’ — not until they revert to democratic rule. This actually was a pleasant surprise — our President has been running such a left-wing administration that he would seem sympathetic to such a push. But here he did the right thing. And I will say as much, as I promised to do.

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