Random Thoughts on Various Subjects

1. OBAMA ON GAY MARRIAGE

This is the big story this week. Naturally, this sets up a culture war this fall for the election. Obama comes out in favor of same sex marriage. I wonder how his base of black voters feel about this news. Most black people I talk to are not enthusiastic about gays or gay marriage. Yet, Obama will get away with it because he is black.

My own views on gay marriage are that the state should get out of the marriage business. Leave it up to churches and individuals. I don't really care if same sex couples want to declare themselves married, so Obama hasn't upset me a bit with this flip flop. But I question everything this fucker does and the political advantage this creates for him. Trust me, this is not a principled stance but a calculated move. Obama needs to make Romney look more right wing to keep his own people in the flock. Romney is a centrist with a slight tilt to the right. Obama is a centrist with a slight tilt to the left. Since they are the same guy, they will distinguish themselves on worthless culture war issues. Abortion will be next. Oh, what fun! Meanwhile, the country is fucked. Awesome.

2. ROMNEY'S MORMON ACHILLES HEEL

For Republicans, voting for a Mormon is like eating Broccoli sprouts. They will do it, but they won't like it. The irony is that evangelicals were more supportive of Rick Santorum who is Catholic. But the unstated story is the man who is kicking himself for not running. This would be Mike Huckabee. Huckabee could have had the nomination right now. He is conservative, an evangelical Christian, and a guy libertarian enough that he could have almost been acceptable to Ron Paul types willing to take the lesser of two evils. Why didn't he run? And why did Michelle Bachmann ever drop out?

To be the darling of the GOP, you need to be an evangelical Christian, pro-war, pro-life, and small government. How Romney ever got to where he is at is a damn miracle. I expect Democrat super pacs to run Magic Mormon Underwear ads.

3. THE BEST MAN OR WOMAN FOR THE JOB?

There is one myth I think I can lay to the rest. It is the idea that companies are meritocracies where the best people get hired and promoted. This is simply bullshit. The reality is that good people are hired almost by accident. Companies aren't looking for good people. They are only looking for marginally talented people that will work for the least amount possible. This is because they want to keep their payroll down and managers don't want to hire people more talented or dedicated than themselves because those people might replace them. In short, it is office politics. The result is a sub-optimal workforce. I have to wonder why anyone would bother trying to do good work for anyone.

4. PARASITE CLASS MAKE-WORK

I just read a story that the government issued a study about a study about government studies. I am not making this shit up. How does madness like this occur? Welcome to the Bizarro World of the Parasite Class. Washington is the capital of this world.

This sort of shit also goes on in big companies. Managers routinely schedule meetings to discuss when to schedule an upcoming meeting. They send emails about sending emails. In short, they basically waste time and money on utterly frivolous bullshit. They should slink back into their holes and fucking die. Instead, they convince everyone that what they do actually matters. It is people like me calling out these naked emperors. Fire these people and do not replace them. Think of all the time and money you will save.

5. HILLARY 2016

She will run. Don't think she won't. No matter what happens to Obama in 2012, Hillary is running in 2016, and she is getting the nomination. Even I admit that she will be a better president than Obama. Of course, I still despise her for being a statist. But her husband had the good sense not to destroy the American economy under his watch. I miss the New Democrats. They weren't libertarians, but they were pretty close.

6. MEN AND TRUCKS

"You are not a man unless you have a pickup truck." A co-worker uttered this line to me, and I agreed with him. Trucks are awesome. This is mainly because you can haul shit in them. Men haul shit. A man who can't haul shit is not fully a man. Sure, some men drive sports cars. Others drive muscle cars. There are also the rich pricks in BMWs, and the sad sacks like me in four door mom cars. Then, there are those stuck behind the wheels of minivans and SUVs. But a man with a truck is fully a man. If you are a man, get yourself a truck.

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