Two Promising Developments During the Obama Years?
I am pretty pessimistic now about the next 8 years. (Yes I think Obama will be re-elected. FDR had no problem with re-election, and the economy was awful. But he was an amazing orator and could blame it on the previous Republican buffoon. Same today.)
However, I do want to point to two positive trends, amidst the general march toward central planning. First, like FDR with alcohol, I think it is very possible that there will be a serious rollback of the Drug War as the Great Depression II intensifies. The government will be able to save money (from cutting the DEA and releasing all of the nonviolent drug offenders) and even raise new revenues from taxing marijuana and possibly harder drugs if they go that far.
A relaxation of the Drug War is really critical now, because there is going to be so much unrest in big cities during the next few years. If it’s ever a good time to stop the flow of billions of dollars into the pockets of violent drug gangs, it’s right before the Great Depression II hits, I think.
Second positive trend: Sure it’s just talk, but I have to say I’m impressed with how “weak” Obama allowed himself to be in this message to the Iranians. Yeah yeah, of course it was mostly done to impress American voters, but Obama looks like he’s the kind of guy who isn’t afraid to walk away from a fight. To repeat: I am NOT saying he is fundamentally changing foreign policy. I’m saying that it’s big of him to give this message, knowing what the talk radio hosts etc. will do with it, in the same way that I was impressed by Sarah Palin’s Saturday Night Live performance.
