Free kibbles

WAR:

Allies consider arming Libyan rebels. It seems no mistake ever made was so bad that it can't be repeated ad infinitum.

POLITICS:

The Canadian government collapses after no confidence vote. This is interesting:

"The past three elections (2004, 2006, and 2008) failed to produce a majority in the House for any political party. Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper formed the last two minority governments, and early polling data suggests he has a chance to win a majority this time around."

The Canadians aren't so dumb as to blame the executive for everything because they understand the legislature is the source of government power. The executive is just the executor. We're not that smart in America. We keep blaming the executive who distracts us while Congress passes the laws that do all the damage. Unfortunately, this may end up giving the executive more power in the end.

"“Transparency” is a buzzword associated with all sorts of good-government movements. But it’s something of a libertarian Trojan horse. No government can ever be transparent, for that would rob of it of its very substance. All monopoly government is predicated on the ability to actively mislead and misdirect the majority — the public — away from the truth, whether it’s political truth, economic truth, or personal truth. Even government attempts at transparency are themselves usually little more than misdirection by another name."

Like the new Bernanke press conferences, this desire for transparency is misplaced for the reasons Oliva list. The desire should be for freedom, not propaganda under the guise of transparency.