Author: cdymek

I have always felt that those who label themselves pro-life do so in a tongue-in-cheek manner. I simply don’t grasp how you can argue you are for the life of a number of cells, which often do not constitute some viable outside the womb (not yet, anyway), yet be pro the death and endagerment of grown women who would now be subject to far more risky and dangerous methods of birth control.

The confusion that is often intentionally made from the pro-life side of the debate is that those who are not pro-life are pro-death. But it’s not as if those who support the lives of actual adult women are any less pro-life than those who claim to be. Few people on the pro-choice side of this fence want to actively encourage women to pursue abortions as though they are entirely frivolous. The phrase “safe, legal, and rare” well describes this position. But in order to truly take a pro-life view, it’s important to include the lives of the women, something the “pro-life” side never seems to consider.

Do you feel safer now?

As expected, Iraq replaced Afghanistan as the terrorist breeding ground of choice. Our wanton and insanely stupid strategy of attacking a country controlled by an unfriendly-yet-relatively secular leader who, despite being clearly sadistic, was also being monitored and boxed-in. His options for movements were limited and, while this was consuming resources, it was sustainable over time.

Meanwhile, other key items, like stateless terror groups (still hard for some in this administration to believe) float among the breezes looking for a new home. We have the delightful idea that we can revolutionize the Middle East not by pressuring those who sponsor the teachings of radical Islam (here’s looking at you, Saudi Arabia), but instead by invading one of the more secular governments in the region.

Brilliant!

A very tight gubenatorial election in Washington state has Democrat Christine Gregoire as the certified winner after the final vote count. Rossi, the challenger, has asked Gregoire to join him in asking for a new vote.

I can see two reasons behind the strategy. The first, from a purely selfish perspective, provides Rossi with a new opportunity to win the top spot in the state. However, even if that attempt fails, he will still have planted questions about the legitamcy of the election, weakening the new governor’s position during her term in office.

The Ayn Rand institute comments on US disaster aid:

The reason politicians can get away with doling out money that they have no right to and that does not belong to them is that they have the morality of altruism on their side. According to altruism–the morality that most Americans accept and that politicians exploit for all it’s worth–those who have more have the moral obligation to help those who have less. This is why Americans–the wealthiest people on earth–are expected to sacrifice (voluntarily or by force) the wealth they have earned to provide for the needs of those who did not earn it.

What David Holcberg fails to comprehend is that disaster recovery aid, such as the Marshall Plan and in many other instances, serves a strategic purpose as well as an altruistic purpose. Economic development monies provide from the US government have been a key source of America’s power over the last century. The Marshall Plan, debt-forgiveness and other forms of aid have been key in (re-)building nations, not just out of the kindness of our hearts, but because developed nations that have been integrated with the world economy have more to lose when they act outside it. Their populations tend to be more receptive to new ideas, and new markets are created for goods and services that the US can offer. By focusing solely on the “altrustic” aspect, he fails to see the forest through the trees.

A Slate article tries to address a question I’ve had for months now – how has battlefield medicine impacted the mortaility rate of soldiers, especially when compared to prior conflicts?